Stroller brand review: Recaro

FYI: Recaro has announced they are leaving the US market. We still see their strollers sold online so below is an archived review of their strollers.

Web: recaropromotion.com

Best known for their car seats, Recaro has tip toed into the stroller market with two offerings: the Performance Denali and Easylife. Here’s an overview.

The Models. The Performance Denali ($250, 21.9 lbs) is a full-size stroller that includes a large canopy, huge storage basket, one-hand quick fold and front and back wheel suspension. The Denali’s lay flat recline means you can use this stroller with a newborn. A parent cup holder and storage pocket at the back of the seat, auto lock mechanism when folded and rubber wheels with foam cores round out the Denali’s features. As you might guess, the Denali works with Recaro’s infant car seat, the Performance Coupe.

Recaro has rolled out a couple variations of this stroller with different frame colors. The Performance Marquis travel system ($400), sold at specialty stores, has a black matte frame and sells for $500, while the Performance Sequoia (stroller only) sells for $200.

The Easylife ($121, 14.3 lbs.) features an interesting one-handed Z-fold, where the stroller collapses down into a small footprint (see photos below). The Easylife has a water repellent canopy and wheels with all-around suspension and front locks, partial recline and spring suspension. See below for pictures of the Easylife and it’s z-fold.

Our View: Recaro has carved a successful niche for its premium-priced convertible car seats . . . so how do the strollers stack up?

Parent feedback on the Denali appears to be equally positive. Fans like the large basket, smooth wheels and steering as well as lay flat recline. On the other hand, putting the stroller together can be difficult. And the Denali is quite heavy if you have to lift it in and out of a trunk. Two other negatives: first, the Denali only works with Recaro’s infant car seat. That seems incredibly short sighted, as most other stroller brands have cross compatibility with other infant seats.. Furthermore, there are no accessories available for this stroller—no rain cover, no winter boot, etc. At this price level, accessories like this are a common way for parents to customize their ride.

Finally, the seat on the Denali is somewhat small—at 18″ in height, it is about 3-4″ shorter than Baby Jogger’s seats. That means larger toddlers will quickly outgrow this stroller. We do like the wheel suspension and included parent cup holder, but the canopy coverage could be better.

The Easylife’s biggest complaint from parents: a small storage basket. Of course, that’s par for the course with small, lightweight strollers, but it would have been nice if Recaro figured out a way to squeeze in more storage space. Also parents wished the handlebar was adjustable. Fans of this stroller like the compact fold and the seat is large enough for a five year old.

Overall, we think Recaro’s strollers are a decent buy. The Easylife would be great as a travel stroller for kids older than six months. The Denali offers a lot of features for a reasonable amount of money. If you don’t mind the heavy weight and the fact you have to use Recaro’s car seat, this might be a good full featured stroller option. Rating: B+