The Pockit Stroller claims the Guinness World Record for the smallest-folding umbrella stroller ever — it folds down so small you can put it under your airplane seat or into a shopping bag.
But all that compactness comes at a cost: the $180 umbrella stroller is priced like one of those big, multi-use strollers — while regular, well-made umbrella strollers can be had for $25. The form factor requires other sacrifices: the Pockit doesn't recline, and its short handles mean that you sometimes end up kicking the back wheels while you're pushing it.
But it's a marvellous piece of industrial design.
While the Pockit has a couple nice extras like a small storage compartment, a basic sun shade and adjustable, padded straps that make kids comfortable, it's pretty much a fancy umbrella stroller that costs as much as some full-featured strollers because it folds up into a really tiny size. Is that worth it?
The designers at Goodbaby think certain people will pay for this small-size luxury, and they're probably right. Even in its opened-up state, the Pockit is more svelte than other umbrella strollers. It's narrow enough to be rolled all the way down the aisle to your seat on an airplane — a huge plus for moms and dads who struggle with gate-checking a stroller while juggling babies and luggage. (If you ever see a parent doing this at an airport, stop Snapchatting and go help them.) The Pockit is also narrow enough to fit through train turnstiles, which could help commuters with babies.
Pockit Stroller [Goodbaby]
How much would you pay for a stroller that fits almost anywhere?
[Katherine Boehret/The Verge]
(via Dan Hon)
