Joolz Bloom Review
All stroller reviews- Introduction
- Seat design and function
- Child Safety Harness
- Hood or Canopy
- Handle design and function
- Storage
- Wheels and Brakes
- Fold mechanism
- Manoeuvrability
- Size
- Accessories
- Conclusion and Rating
Review by: ~kate~
Introduction
The Joolz Bloom has been available in Australia since early 2008, but it is not a pram often spotted when out and about with children. It has been referred to as the love child of a Stokke Xplory and a Bugaboo Cameleon due to its higher seating and streamlined, stylish chassis. Despite these comparisons it is however a unique pram in its own right. Designed in the Netherlands, the Bloom offers some of the best features of the higher end prams while retaining a look all of its own.
Seat design and function
Seat upright
First recline
Seat fully reclined
Seat upright and rear facing
First recline rear facing
Fully reclined rear facing
Recline button
Button to remove seat unit
Footrest at shortest position
Footrest fully extended
Button to release bumper bar
The Bloom seat is a single piece unit that removes from the chassis in order to be reversed. It is suitable from 3 months old to 17kgs (37.4 lbs) and features three levels of recline in both directions. Recline is adjusted by way of two circular buttons at either side of the seat unit that must be depressed at the same time. It then clicks into the desired recline point.
At its most upright, the seat is close to vertical and the adjustable footrest can be lengthened as your child grows making it a good long term investment. (My 15kg (33 lb), quite tall nearly 4 year old can still sit quite comfortably in the seat whilst upright, although she is close to the top of the canopy height wise.) At its most horizontal recline it is quite suitable for a sleeping baby, although a bassinet is also available for use from birth. The seat features ProAir Foam Mesh which allows air to circulate around your child and cushions them for a comfortable ride.
The seat dimensions are 33cm (13 in.)wide at the front, by 20cm (7.9 in.) deep with a backrest height of 51cm (20.1 in.). The footrest can be adjusted from 13 – 25cm (5.1 - 9.8 in.) length with four levels of adjustment available.
The entire unit simply clicks into place at the hip of the chassis, and is removed by holding in the rectangular buttons either side, making it quite easy to remove and reverse as desired.
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Child safety harness
The Bloom features a five point safety harness. The shoulder straps slide easily up and down within a 6cm (2.4 in.)vertical connection point, making it very easy to adjust for height without fiddling around with differing strap anchor points. The waist straps clip through the shoulder straps and into the base strap with ease. This ability to use the safety harness for children of various heights without having to manually adjust the strap positioning at the shoulders is a great feature for those with more than one child using the pram at different times.
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Hood or Canopy
Hood fully extended
Hood fully extended with seat reclined
When in its most upright position, the hood offers reasonable sun protection and together with the ability to reverse the seat unit means that it is possible to keep your child well out of the elements. At its lowest recline however the hood does not offer as much coverage and the addition of a UV cover would be wise particularly for younger babies. The hood makes a slight clicking sound on opening and closing, but not loud enough to disturb a sleeping baby in my experience. The hood does not feature a viewing window. It can be fully upright in line with the seat unit, half opened or fully opened for maximum coverage.
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Handle design and function
Handle extended
Handle in shortest position
Button to adjust length of handle
The Bloom handle features a padded grip and can be extended outwards on the diagonal to suit various heights. It does not not extend in any other direction, meaning that for taller people at maximum extension the handle is moving you further back from the pram chassis. It is designed to suit from 1.5 – 2.05 metres (4'11" - 6'9") in height, but as a 1.8m (5'11") tall woman myself I prefer to have the handle fully extended for my own comfort and wonder if a taller parent may find it a little low. The handle extends very easily via a switch on either side of the chassis. It does require the use of both hands to extend, and it has four catch points from the lowest point to full extension.
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Storage
Storage pocket on rear of seat
A small rectangular enclosed basket is attached to the base of the chassis, suitable for a small amount of goods to be carried (mine came with the pram, but I believe it is an additional purchase in some cases). The basket would not be suitable for large amounts of shopping, but provides a good spot for a small nappy bag or other small essentials to be stored. It fastens with snaps at the front of the chassis making it quite secure. Because of the height of the seat unit it is very easy to access the storage basket with the seat facing in either direction. There is a small pocket on the back of the seat unit as well, which would be suitable for keys, phone and/or a small purse at a pinch. With the seat in reverse however it is not as easily accessible and I would be loathe to use it for items of value in that position.
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Wheels and Brakes
Front swivel wheels
Large rear wheels
The Bloom has smaller pneumatic front swivel wheels that can be fixed in place, and air filled larger rear wheels. The rear wheels have a quick release button at their centers to allow for a more compact fold. The wheels perform at their best inside on smooth surfaces but this is still a suitable pram for outdoor walking as well. It is worth watching for small discrepancies in footpath height as the front wheels can catch occasionally as they do with many prams with smaller front wheels. When the front wheels are fixed in position this should not be an issue. I have used this pram with children at both ends of the height/weight range both indoors and out with no problems at all.
Brake engaged
Brake disengaged
The rear of the chassis features a single red foot operated brake that is engaged with ease but can be a little stiff to disengage (ie don't try it with thongs on when the pram is brand new!). The smaller front wheels have individual locks so they can be set to full swivel or locked in place for longer distance walking. These engage and disengage very quickly and easily with a light tap of the foot. The front locks tend to engage on folding so do check if they are in the position you want them to be on unfolding the chassis.
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Fold mechanism
Fold button
The Bloom's fold is very intuitive. Simply by sliding the handle bar in to its shortest point then depressing the fold buttons on either side of the handle bar (closest to the seat unit) the handle bar slides further in, releasing the lock and allowing the chassis to fold in half. The seat unit can be removed along with the rear wheels for the most compact fold, or for the quickest option the entire unit can be folded in one piece with the seat in the most upright and forwards facing position. With practice the fold is very quick and easy, and the option of folding with the seat unit attached is an attractive one.
Unfolding the chassis is incredibly easy, as the front of the chassis simply slides away from the rear and clicks into place. When folded with the seat unit and wheels attached it is not the most compact of prams, but it is very easy to get in and out of a car boot with a little practice. The ability to fold and unfold with such ease is one of the best features of this pram, especially for those needing to have it in and out of the car fairly regularly.
The pram can be folded and stored in a standing position as well which is handy for those shorter on space.
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Manoeuvrability
This pram has excellent manoeuvrability both indoors and out. Even with my 15kg (33 lb) nearly 4 year old filling the seat unit, I was able to steer the pram one handed outdoors over uneven footpaths quite easily. Used indoors with the baby it is a dream to push and very easy to turn within smaller spaces both single and double handed. Due to the width of the rear wheel base it is not as easy to manoeuver in a small crowded shop, but this would be true of any pram with a wider wheel base and in any other situation it steers with ease.Back to top
Size
Stroller dimensions:Unfolded (handle fully extended)
105cm (41.3 in.) long
120cm (47.2 in.) high
62cm (24.4 in.) wide at the wheel base.
Folded dimensions (seat unit & wheels attached)
85cm (33.5 in.) long
50cm (19.7 in.) high
62cm wide (24.4 in.) wide
Folded chassis dimensions
86cm (33.9 in.) long
38cm (15 in.) high
54cm (21.3 in.) wide
Weight of pram
12kg (26.4 lbs)
(includes seat unit, basket and all wheels)
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Accessories
Raincover
The pram can be purchased as just the seat unit and chassis, or can be packaged to include a bassinet as well. The Bloom comes with the small underneath storage basket and a rain cover which protects not only your child, but the hood of the pram as well. In addition it is possible to purchase a coordinating nappy bag, sleeping bag/foot muff, umbrella, shopping bag, pump and adaptors for Britax or Maxi Cosi seats, and UV screens for both the seat and the bassinet attachments. That said many of these are not easily available in Australia so it is worth talking to your retailer at the time of purchase about what extras you require and whether they are able to source them for you. I have had no luck with the UV screens at all as yet!
One of the great features of this pram however is that the textiles all zip off and additional colourways can be purchased for a full pram makeover according to your mood! Again talk to your retailer at time of purchase as they may be able to include an additional set of fabrics at a reduced price.
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Summary and Rating
Pros
- Seat unit height
- Ease of fold
- Excellent manoeuvrability
- Stylish and eye-catching design
- Ability to customise textiles
- Single piece fold possible with seat unit in upright forward-facing position
Cons
- Handle height adjustment moves you further away from the centre of the pram at full extension.
- Bulky when folded with seat unit and rear wheels attached
Conclusion
The biggest selling point of the Joolz Bloom for me is the seat height. For anyone with back injuries or issues, the ability to get your child in and out of a pram with minimal bending is excellent! And of course having your babe higher up and being able to have them face you is wonderful, especially with little babies. My children love being that bit closer to me and I love being in arms reach of them.I have found the pram to be intuitive in design. It is easy to fold and unfold, easy to get in and out of the car, easy to use indoors and out. And I love that my big girl can use it, and my baby can use it, and I don't have to fiddle around with the shoulder straps in between. Such a simple thing, but a great time saver for me.
And of course, the design is very eye catching and unique. For those who prefer the look of aluminium to plastic, this is a beautiful and cleverly designed pram guaranteed to get attention! In my experience the pros of this pram far outweigh the cons, and I enjoy using it in its many variations every day.
Rating
Overall Rating(out of 5)
Seat Rating
Harness Rating
Hood/Canopy Rating
Handle Design Rating
Storage Rating
Brakes Rating
Fold Rating
Wheels Rating
Manoeuvrability Rating
Accessories Rating
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