The Product: Lightweight Umbrella Stroller

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Recently, Britax - a top brand in car seats - has made a somewhat unexpected and ambitious push into the stroller market, taking aim at what may be the segment with the biggest opportunity, the lightweight umbrella stroller. Although we have a Phil & Teds that works great when we are pushing multiple kids around, I still prefer to take lightweight umbrella strollers whenever possible because they're so easy to use, and I can always squeeze one into the trunk among my luggage or day-to-day junk. An umbrella stroller is also 10 times easier to use in an airport and check at the gate.

The new Britax Blink stroller borrows heavily from the very popular Maclaren buggy design, folding with one hand into a compact stick shape. It's loaded with helpful features, including large wheels, all-wheel suspension, a reclining seat, linked rear brakes, a detachable canopy and a built-in carry strap (like the Volo). Britax has also designed a nice adjustable leg rest that comes up flat for naps but then folds out of the way. And, the Blink has a mesh basket of decent size that's easy to access.

The Blink weighs in at a very liftable 16 lbs. and comes with a matching travel bag, which is handy for checking the stroller on an airplane and can be difficult to find in the aftermarket. It's clear that Britax designed the Blink with the active parent and traveler in mind, succeeding in putting a lot of features into a nice package. The Blink overcomes many of the limitations of lower-end umbrella strollers at a compelling price point.

Devil's Advocate:

The only downside with a new stroller is not knowing how it will perform over time, however I would expect a Britax product to hold up better than most.