Review: Ickle Bubba Globe Stroller

As the name suggests, Ickle Bubba’s Globe Stroller is designed to be taken round the world, so a trip to St Lucia with my 12-month-old daughter Annie presented the perfect opportunity to put it to the test. Weighing in at just 4.6kg, the Globe is perfect for taking in cars and on public transport, but the real selling point is that this pushchair even fits inside overhead bins on planes. The pushchair arrived in one compact box and once I’d attached the wheels, which slot into place with a reassuring click, we were ready to roll. I chose the Blue Denim design, which resembles denim both in colour and texture.

As promised, the Globe fitted into the overhead bins on our BA flight from London to St Lucia. I’ve heard of airlines misplacing buggies in transit, so it was helpful to be able to keep the pushchair with us and have one less thing to worry about. Once in the Caribbean, I was glad of the 50+ SPF sun protection built into the hood and the fact that the hood extends a long way down over the seat. The hood material is ventilated and can be rolled up, helping to keep Annie cool under the hot St Lucian sun. The viewing window at the back allowed me to keep an eye on her. One of my favourite features is the Globe’s storage pocket at the back, under the handle, which gives parents quick access to essentials without having to rummage in the under-seat basket. I’ve tested a number of travel pushchairs and it amazes me how few have this feature.

The Globe is suitable from birth (the seat reclines completely flat) to 15kg (approx three years). The recline lever makes it easy to move from sitting to recline position, and Annie seems comfortable in both positions. The seat fabric is thin, which helps with the compact fold. Annie is a small 12-month old, but the seat width is pretty generous and would easily accommodate taller toddlers. The seat has an adjustable leg rest so I could experiment with different positions to find one that Annie seemed to find most comfortable. The pushchair has a bumper bar, in the same leather-like material as the handle bar. This is the first pushchair we’ve used that has a cross bar and I was surprised to see how much Annie enjoys holding onto it and using it to pull herself into a seated position. It’s handy for attaching toys to too. The cross bar also opens which makes it easier to get Annie in and out.

The material that surrounds the wheels doesn’t feel like it’s great quality, but this doesn’t matter. More importantly, the Globe provides a smooth ride for Annie and it handles easily, aided by the suspension on all four wheels. The brake pedal is quite small, so it’s not always easy to locate it in a hurry, but it flicks up and down effortlessly and the buggy feels secure with the break on.

The Globe’s handlebar is quite low. Being 5’2, this suits me fine, but tall parents may find themselves stooping. The handle is coated in a leather-like material, which is comfortable to hold, easy to wipe down and gives the pushchair a luxurious look. Having a handle bar, rather than two separate handles like other models, is useful when travelling, as it means you can push with one hand when you’ve got children or bags to wrestle with. For times when wrestling children requires two hands, the pushchair can be slung over your shoulder with the carry strap and leather shoulder pad. The basket is pleasingly roomy for a travel pushchair. I was concerned that items might fall out the open basket, but the slanted design keeps everything in place.

The Ickle Bubba Globe Stoller lives up to its promise as an ideal pushchair for travelling with. Not only has it become our go-to pushchair for family holidays, but we now use the Globe for the daily nursery run too. From Caribbean boardwalks to the pavements of north London, this compact, nippy little stroller is great for families on the go.

The Globe’s hood has built-in sun protection