AD – Product gifted for review
Have you heard of the new Joie Pact stroller? May is finally here and with it has come the brighter nights, the sunnier days and the rising of the mercury – for me it couldn’t have come soon enough! As soon as the brighter days start to appear, my mood improves almost instantly, and I start thinking about days out, travel, and getting away on holiday with my little family!
Whilst we love our Joie Litetrax 4 Pushchair, it is a on the larger side, and as such we have been looking for a slightly smaller and more travel friendly pushchair. Neve is now a fairly confident walker, but at 20 months, she still does get tired if we cover a large distance. At times she also tends to try and make a run for it, so we like to use a pushchair if we are out and about or going somewhere where we will be walking for a significant amount of time.
Joie must have read our minds with their new recently launched a Joie compact stroller / pushchair- the Joie Pact – a small, lightweight, easy fold pushchair / stroller that is perfectly equipped for travel. We couldn’t wait to put it through it’s paces – here’s our Joie Pact review!
About the Joie Pact Stroller / Pushchair
The Joie Pact is a lightweight stroller and it’s features include:
- Suitable from birth to 15kg
- Compatible with Joie iGemm or other maxi cosi car seats (using compatible adapters)
- Super easy and compact fold
- Carry strap and custom carry bag
- UPF50+ sun canopy with viewing window
- Multi position recline including lie flat option
- Full size, easy access shopping basket
- 5 point safety harness.
How does the Joie Pact compare to the Joie Pact Lite?
The main differences between the Joie Pact stroller and the Joie Pact Lite is the weight and size. Whilst the Joie Pact is already incredibly lightweight at 6kg, the Joie Pact Lite weighs 0.5kg less at just 5.5kg.
What age is the Joie Pact Stroller suitable for?
The Joie Pact stroller is suitable from birth to 15kg (around 3 years of age depending on the size of your baby).
Can the Joie Pact be used as a travel system?
It’s a lightweight pushchair so whilst you can use it with a compatable car seat, it’s probably not the best choice for multi terrain / off roading. That said, for city living and strolls it can be used with the Joie iGemm or other Maxi Cosi car seat using adapters.
Our Experience of the Joie Stroller
First Impressions of Joie Pact
My first impressions of the Joie Pact were very positive. I loved the look and feel of the product and the fact it folded down so small was a real positive. The material feels soft and comfortable, and although small in stature, it appeared to be a sturdy and strong chasis.
We went for the Navy Blazer colour, which although you could argue is more of a traditional ‘boy’ colour we felt was perfectly gender neutral and a practical shade for a pushchair that would be used frequently on our travels. The Pact is also available in Cranberry (a red shade) if you prefer something a little different.
The carry bag and carry handle made it clear immediately that this pushchair was very different from others we have had before.
Does the Joie Pact require assembly?
The Joie Pact Stroller comes boxed and does require some assembly, but was very easy to put together, with the wheels simply clipping into place, and a small wire connecting the two wheels simply needing to be velcro’d under the cover flap to hold it in place. I normally wait for my other half to come home before attempting assembly jobs like these, however was able to do this on my own completely unassisted in less than 15 minutes.
How easy is it to steer?
We have tested the Joie Pact Stroller on a variety of different surfaces from tarmac, to pebbles and grass. It is very easy to steer, with the front wheels swivelling to help control (they can also be locked in place). Due to its smaller size, the Joie Pact doesn’t handle corners as well as a larger travel system (such as the Joie Litrax 4), however this did not affect the usability at all. On particularly bumpy terrain, such as over tree routes or pebbles the Joie Pact can struggle a bit to lift over the bumps (as the front wheels are relatively small), but again, for a travel pushchair I expect this is a compromise to maintain its lightweight and compact nature. If you live in a particularly rural setting, you may be better opting for a larger, multi terrain pushchair.
What is the Sun Protection / Hood like on the Joie Pact?
The hood of the Joie Pact, as with our Joie Litrax provides a large amount of cover for your child from the sun when they are reclined. When sat upright however I would’ve preferred this to be a little deeper, as when it is particularly sunny the rays did still get into her eyes a little. The Joie Pact hood provides UPF50+ protection, and there is also a visor at the top so you can peak through and check on your child, which is easy to open with velcro. This would be particularly reassuring for parents using the Pact with younger babies, as being forward facing you otherwise wouldn’t be able to interact easily with your child.
Straps and five point harness
The Joie Pact is forward facing only and has a number of recline options using a strap and pull system on the back of the seat. I found this quite fiddly at times, as it was more of a guess work job than a refined art, but once the strap was pulled into place the back did stay put. It’s worth noting here that the chair doesn’t allow a child to sit completely upright, more so at a subtle incline. It does however lie completely flat, which is ideal for younger babies who may nod off when walking and want to have a proper sleep on your commute.
There is a five point harness with long shoulder pads and pads at the centre, meaning it is both secure and comfortable. The centre pad did occasionally come off (see below) so for ease we often used without, however Neve was still very comfortable in her chair.
The bumper bar across the centre of the Joie Pact is cushioned and can be unclipped on the side (or removed completely) for easier access – I found removing Neve from the pushchair much much easier if I simply unclipped the one side of the bar.
The seat size on the Joie Pact is relatively small, so depending on the height / size of your child this is something to bear in mind – Neve is quite petite so for us it wasn’t a problem but for a taller child, you may find it a little on the tight side or find their legs hang a little more over the edge!
What is the Brake like?
The brake on the Joie Pact is a simple foot operated peddle to the left of the right hand wheel, which I found very easy to operate. Despite being a lightweight pushchair, the brake was strong, and it was quite hard to move the chair without releasing the pedal beforehand.
What is the basket like on the Joie Pact?
A full size shopping basket under the Joie Pact makes it very practical and I found this a huge positive for such a compact pushchair. There is plenty of room to pop in some shopping, a changing bag or heavier items that you do not wish to carry, and unlike with the Litetrax, the storage area can be accessed from all sides, even when the chair is in lie flat position. Due to its lightweight nature, I wouldn’t recommend placing bags on the back of the handle, as this is likely to cause the Pact to tip.
Easy fold option
The Joie Pact is EXTREMELY easy to fold up and down (can be done with one hand) – simply press and unclip at the top and the entire thing pretty much folds in on itself, into a very small compact size making it very easy to store in the back of your car and saving lots of valuable space. We recently went on holiday for the first time as a family of four, and I was amazed at how much stuff we wanted to take. The smaller size of the Joie Pact meant that we were still able to take a pushchair without needing to worry about taking up valuable boot space which could be used for other essential items!
Space Saving
The Joie Pact measures just 52.5 x 24 x 56.5cm when folded meaning that during travel on public transport, you can be confident that there will be enough space to tuck the Joie Pact neatly out of the way, or even on the overhead shelves on trains. The pushchair also stands on its own when folded.
Carry Strap
The carry strap is really really useful, ideal for when you are taking on holiday (especially abroad), but there have also been times when I have walked Neve to nursery, and then used the carry handle to carry home as opposed to walking back with an empty pushchair. When carried, the Joie Pact feels very light and does not feel uncomfortable at all – weighing just 6kg.
The Joie Pact retails at £150, making it a realtively affordable option for most families.
Pros of the Joie Pact:
- Straight forward to assemble and easy to follow instructions.
- Super easy one handed fold.
- More than adequate storage space.
- Very lightweight and easy to carry using integrated carry handle.
- Very compact when folded, and takes up limited space in a car boot or on public transport.
- Ideal for school / nursery commute, or those who travel frequently.
- Despite its small stature, still has many of the benefits you would expect from a larger system.
- UPF50+ Sun hood
- Easy to operate break.
Cons of the Joie Pact:
- Adjusting the back incline can be a little bit fiddly, and never quite felt like I was doing it right. Doesn’t sit totally upright, which for older babies might be something that frustrates them a little!
- Seat size is small which for taller babies might be an issue.
- Adjusting the height of the straps can be a little fiddly as involves repoking the straps through some small slits in the material – however once it is done it’s done!
- Struggles a little with very bumpy terrain due to the small wheel size and doesn’t corner as well as a larger travel system may do, but this is a compromise for the other positive features above.
Overall
The Joie Pact is a lightweight, compact and super easy to fold pushchair that although small, has many features that you would expect from a larger travel system or pushchair. It is ideal for anyone who travels on public transport a lot, or to use on holiday when space is limited. The Joie Pact is also perfect for anyone who lives in a flat or home with stairs to contend with, as it is super easy to carry using the attached handle. For our family, the Joie Pact is perfect for the school or nursery run and ideal if you have limited storage space in your home and want something that wont take up too much room in your porch / hall.
Where can I buy the Joie Pact?
The Joie Pact is available to purchase at many high street stores including:
Argos – Check out the latest deals here
*Disclosure – We were sent a Joie Pact free of charge for the purpose of this review, however as always all thoghts and opinions are my own. This post contains an affiliate link*
