Average Cost: $249-299
Official URL: http://www.silvercrossamerica.com
Rating:

The “Dazzle” stroller by Silver Cross first became available in the United States in 2008 and has swept NYC and has started showing up everywhere in the trendier parts of town, which makes it this year’s fashion statement in stroller form. What is the Dazzle? It’s a British import, a funky and (mostly) functional modern update on a classic stroller design. It’s stroller eye candy at its best.

FEATURES

This stroller offers some nice features. A full recline makes it suitable for younger infants and napping children, a concealed under-basket protects your belongings and keeps your stroller looking slick by hiding any unsightly clutter. At 15.4lbs it’s one of the lighter strollers on the market that fits newborns and that has full recline.  My favorite feature? Every Dazzle comes with a ventilated weather cover, saving you the typical extra $30 purchase and coordinating with your stroller’s design rather than ruining the aesthetic.

STYLE/AESTHETIC

With no visible fixtures or fittings, and a concealed basket, this stroller is slick. The Silver Cross and Dazzle logos resemble beautiful henna tattoos more than anything approaching a logo. At the left is a detailed view of the pattern on the seat of the “Cosmic” black stroller. See? Gorgeous.

The Dazzle stroller is available in four trendy color options: black(cosmic), orange (pumpkin), purplish-pink (grape), and blue (blueberry).

The aesthetic of the Dazzle stroller is one of its strongest points. It combines classic stroller design with luxurious materials and funky patterns. Beautiful. Just beautiful.

QUALITY OF MATERIALS

The materials used in making the Dazzle are all top notch. The brushed aluminum of the frame is nothing short of beautiful, and the fabric has a smooth expensive texture that makes most other strollers feel as if they’re made of coarse burlap. Even the plastic parts of this stroller are made of a rugged high quality plastic. This quality of materials carries itself right down to the fasteners used- the velcro, buckles, and magnetic closures. The materials used in the Dazzle are similar to materials that one would find in high end furniture or designer purses. Very beautiful, very well made, and very very comfortable.

TIRES

The tires are made of a light gray foam that is very dense and that holds up amazingly well against grime. Repeated use on the often gross NYC streets (Think puddles of discarded grease, and curbside garbage run-off) showed just tiny hints of dirt. There are no exposed fittings on the wheels, and they have a “sealed” appearance that can only be described by repeating this word yet again: slick. The foam wheels seem to be very long-wearing and showed only slight signs of wear after being used daily for a month. Impressive.

Each of the four sets of wheels are a double set. Each wheel set is 4″ wide with individual wheels ringing in at 1 1/4th inches wide. The wheels themselves are 5″ tall.

The Dazzle stroller reportedly has four wheel suspension, however close examination of the stroller yielded no clues as to how the suspension works. Unfortunately use of the stroller yielded even fewer clues, as I didn’t witness any suspension-like smoothness to the ride. Sure, the stroller moves very smoothly, but its handling of bumps is much more similar to that of strollers that do not have suspension.

BRAKES

The brakes on the Dazzle are connected, which means you only have to operate a single brake in order to lock the parking brake on both sides. This is great for convenience, but a bit nerve-wracking if you’re worried about accidentally releasing the brake. Fortunately, the brakes are not easy to bump out of place once you’ve parked the stroller.

FOLDING MECHANISM

The Dazzle folds easily and has an automatic locking mechanism that holds it closed once it has been fully folded. To fold you simply use your toe to push up the central plastic locking catch with your toe, and then press down on the second locking catch that is located on the right side of the stroller. Once the two locks have been dis-engaged, you simply push the handles over until the stroller is folded and locked. The Dazzle has two locks that keep it in its folded position, one on each side.

The Dazzle has one of the tightest folds that I’ve seen. This means that you can’t really have more than a thin receiving blanket inside of the stroller when you fold it, but it also means that the stroller is ideal for taking on public transportation or in smaller vehicles.

One thing to note is that the parking brake on the Dazzle does not function when this stroller is folded, which makes it a bit difficult to store upright or lean against the wall.

RAIN COVER

This rain cover was one of the best designed rain covers that I’ve used. Rather than having to deal with multiple velcro closures that may or may not hold shut after repeated use, The Dazzle raincover is tailored to the shape of the stroller and simply has a slit that you slide the handles through, and then you drop the closure flap into place and fasten with Dazzle’s fun magnetic fasteners.

THE BOTTOM LINE

I’d compare this stroller to a luxury compact sedan. It’s not a sportscar, it’s not a minivan, but it has its place in the stroller line up. For my active rough-and-tumble lifestyle, this stroller didn’t quite fit in. But you wouldn’t use expensive couture high heels to go jogging, would you? This stroller is a great pick for anyone fashion conscious who wants something more compact and convenient than some of the other current stroller trends.