Availability: Available online and in specialty shops
Average Cost: $199
Product Link: B212e
Rating: 1/2

GRUNTLINGS WINTER 2007-2008 MUST HAVE!

One of the obsessions of parents living in cold or even chilly climates is “How to keep our child warm?” The ultimate answer to this question is 7AM Enfant’s “Blanket 212 Evolution” or b212e for short. This machine washable bunting features warm thermal down-like filling, a waterproof shell, a cozy fleece lining, and a zip-up hood. The icing on the cake? This bunting bag will grow with your child- from infancy up to pre-school years. It’s as simple as zipping on one or two extensions to allow the bunting to grow longer, and zipping a second zipper to allow it to grow wider.

The Blanket 212 Evolution takes elements from both high end backpack and arctic sleeping bag design and has the complexity and benefits of both.

We got our b212e just in time to test out one of winter’s first cold snaps.
WARMTH:

The b212e is quite an evolution in bunting bags. With its ergonomic hood and sleeping-bag style design, it almost completely wraps your child in a thick, warm and weather-proof shell. It’s one of the warmest that I’ve seen, and I pass quite a few bunting bags in NYC. This is one of the few stroller blankets that comes close to allowing you to just zip your child in without an extra jacket. (Unfortunately the ergonomic hood doesn’t quite cinch down tightly enough around your child’s head and shoulders so you’ll probably want to double up with a jacket as well- or for a younger infant just lay an extra blanket around the neck area.) The b212e impressed me with its warmth when- after an hour long stroll through a frozen Central Park where both my husband and I shivered away in our heavy winter down jackets- we discovered that our son had a slight sheen of sweat on his nose and forehead. We hadn’t even used our stroller’s weather shield to add more wind protection!

VERSATILITY:

This is the only stroller blanket/bunting bag that I’ve seen that grows with your child from infant to toddler and finally to preschool age. It works well in most strollers (including larger umbrella strollers and jogging strollers) and car seats. It’s roomy enough to add an extra blanket or jacket underneath, or to allow your child’s lovey to stay warm for the ride. And with 11 color combinations that range from neutral to trendy it’s almost impossible to not find something that matches your stroller and your personal aesthetic.

EASE OF USE:

This is not the bunting you want if you’re simply looking for a quick zip blanket to transport your child from house to car, or from car to shopping centre. This is the one bunting bag that I’ve found that actually needs a user manual- with its wide array of options, elastic closures, snaps, zippers and velcro, you can quickly find yourself overwhelmed. The zipper of the hood also has a bad habit of separating on occasion- something easily fixed with a quick tug. But when you’re frazzled with a crying toddler even little things add up.

Fear not, however, you do quickly learn shortcuts. After about a week I reached the point where I am now able to get my son into and out of this bunting fast enough to remove him from the stroller, collapse the stroller, and board a bus during rush hour while avoiding dirty looks from impatient New Yorkers. No small feat in winter.

Where warmth is needed, the slight trade-offs in ease of use are well worth it.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES:

• The large zip-up pocket makes keeping track of gloves and hats super-easy and is even roomy enough to throw in a few small toys.
• The pacifier loop inside is long enough to be useful without being long enough to pose a strangulation hazard.
• The back of the bunting is covered in a pebbly anti-slip rubber backing which grips the stroller far more than other buntings that I’ve used in the past. Not so important for a newborn, but a must for a squirmy toddler.
• The packaging of the bunting bag doubles as a storage bag which easily hangs up in your closet- and which keeps your bunting free of dust and grime over the summer months- ready to pull out for years of re-use.

CONCLUSION:The downsides of the b212e are directly related to the unique benefits of this bunting, so it becomes a matter of weighing in what you need and living with the trade-offs. The “cons” are mostly small annoyances, and the “pros” list is heavy on “you can’t find this anywhere else” benfits.

This bunting bag is a bit too influenced by high end backpacking design for the faint of heart. However, it is unparalleled in versatility and far warmer than almost anything else out there. The b212e is ideal for longer walks in colder climates, or for a one-size fits all bunting that is guaranteed to keep your little one warm.

(For something a little bit less complex and every bit as warm- check out 7AM enfant’s b212- the non-growing version of this bag. It comes in sizes 0-2 and 2-4)