I’ve owned one too many strollers in a quest for one that my child can grow with, that can handle my local terrain, and also not break the bank. So when I heard that Bumbleride, a favorite of ours, was coming out with a new “crossover” stroller called the Indie 4--lightweight enough for everyday errands with four off-road-ready wheels–I was eager to test one out.
In the past, living around NYC, I never owned a car that I had to pack a stroller into, so I wasn’t as concerned about a stroller’s weight or how easy it was to fold. I only cared if its wheels were heavy duty enough for a smooth ride through the potholes, uneven sidewalks, and crazy snow of our city life. But we live in California now which means…yes. Car rides. Frequently.
So let’s start with the good stuff. I’m happy to report that after a week of using the Bumbleride Indie 4 as our main ride, its all-terrain wheels provide the smooth ride I’m used to from my Bugaboo Cameleon and that’s saying something.
I put it the Indie 4 through our usual paces at the mall, the park, and the boardwalk, and I love that it handles turns on a dime and is narrow enough to easily navigate in and out of doorways. Plus it just looks sleek in a variety of colors including a gorgeous fog grey, as well as punchier colors like aquamarine, lotus blue, or cayenne red.
Now that we’ve moved to the land where it’s always sunny, I especially appreciate the extendable sun canopy that provides extra coverage for my son. I also love the peek-through window at the top of the canopy–perfect for keeping tabs on him whether he likes it or not.
The Indie 4 is also heavy enough that if I hook a couple bags to the back, it won’t topple over when I remove my son from his seat–a constant headache for pretty much any parent pushing a typical umbrella stroller.
I also feel like I’m helping the environment on some level because the fabric is eco-friendly, made from recycled PET and bamboo blend. As for assembly, fear not. It’s pretty easy; I only needed to bug my husband a couple times.
Now of course, no stroller is perfect. The 22-pound Indie 4 is not as lightweight as an umbrella stroller, although it is easy enough to lift into the trunk of a car (and I’m five months pregnant and ultra-cautious about what I lift these days). However I don’t love that the seat only faces away from you and is not reversible, although that becomes less important as your kiddo gets older.
The canopy comes attached to the stroller seat, but when I tried attaching it to the bassinet on my early preview model the release buttons were a bit harder to locate. I’m told that’s being fixed on the version being released to the public though. The bassinet is a also little narrow for my taste, but a good length overall. And, again it might just be my early model tester, but it’s not the easiest stroller seat to recline. But these are pretty small complaints.
All things considered, I think the Bumbleride Indie 4 is a fantastic stroller, especially given the $599 price point which includes an infant bassinet, a generously-sized cargo basket underneath, and the all-important cup holder. Not that it’s cheap, but it’s certainly a few hundred less than other higher-end strollers.
Most importantly, my toddler son was sitting like a prince in his Indie 4 like Usher on The Voice–one leg propped up in his ultimate state of comfort.
It’s a good thing, too, because the 55-pound weight limit means he’ll be using it for awhile. I just may need the Indie Twin by the time my baby girl arrives this Thanksgiving.
The Bumbleride Indie 4 starts at $599 and is available at Bumbleride.com and select retailers including Magic Beans. Thanks to Bumbleride for providing an early model to CMP for review.
