When we registered for my baby shower, I didn’t have to add a stroller because my mother in law had bought us a super fancy one before I could even ask! It was very generous of her and also easy for me because I didn’t have to do any research.
I always get asked whether or not it’s worth the price tag and I haven’t been able answer because I’ve never had anything to compare it to! When Safety 1st asked me to test out their RIVA Flex Travel System, a stroller that also has a car seat component (retails for $299), I jumped at the chance to test it out.
A lot of baby brands send me products to test and most of them don’t end up here or on social, but I can personally vouch for this stroller and I’ll tell you why…
Since becoming a mom, I’ve learned that people and Instagram and magazines can make you feel like you need the most expensive and fancy baby gadgets to keep your baby happy and healthy, but you really don’t. Some of my favorite products we have for Amalia are the most affordable ones. Don’t let the internet fool you into thinking you have to spend a lot of money to get quality products. I fell down that rabbit hole, but have learned better going forward.
The affordable Safety 1st RIVA Flex launched this month at Target (in store and online) and is rolling out at other major baby retailers soon. Here is my personal review of it:
What I liked about the Safety 1st RIVA Flex Travel system:
The price tag: If you’ve never bought baby gear before, let me tell you that $299 for a car seat and stroller is an incredible price.
The weight and ease: My other stroller is pretty heavy which makes it a challenge for me to take it in and out of the car on my own, but the RIVA is super lightweight and easy to fold so taking it out on the run is a breeze. When they sent it to me, they said I’d be able to fold it down with one hand and I LOLed and didn’t believe them for a second. Turns out, they were not lying! This feature is so helpful when I have Amalia in my other arm.
The sustainability factor: The RIVA Flex is the first American made stroller made from a blend of recycled materials, including recycled Safety 1st car seats. Sometimes I feel so wasteful with all of the baby gear and junk we have, but this makes me feel even better about using it!
The endless options: As I mentioned above, this stroller is actually a full on travel system that comes with an infant car seat that you can attach to the stroller frame and a car seat base that stays in the car. It also has an SPF 30 sun canopy, and phone and drink storage. There is a lay-flat carriage mode option too which I’ll test out on future children (not yet, don’t get excited!) but it looks great.
So overall, I’m giving it the Lemon Stripes mama stamp of approval AND I asked them if they would give one away to one of you guys. So head over to Instagram today and enter to win the whole system for your family.
Thank you to Safety 1st for sponsoring this post. All opinions, as always, are 100% my own.
It’s been awhile, but I seem to remember that my chief requirement for a stroller (besides being lightweight, of course) was rugged wheels. Our main stroller had shock absorbers on the wheels, which really helped us navigate the bumpy, uneven sidewalks in our town. If you walk mostly in shops and parking lots, this matters less.
Oh good call. We usually use it for walks around my block which is pretty flat so I hadn’t even thought of that before!
I have the same “other” stroller as you do, and I overall really like it but it’s def not perfect. So I’m wondering, 1. What don’t you like about this stroller? and 2. Is it good enough to replace your original stroller as your go-to? Thanks 🙂
I agree! For this stroller, I actually didn’t have anything negative to say about it. It’s not quite as sturdy and not as fancy as our other one but that doesn’t bother me. I have found myself using this more than the other one in the last week just because it’s so much easier.