Travelling with children can be challenging, with cumbersome prams and strollers weighing you down. Anex has a solution that you might find rather appealing: Anex IQ.
The Singaporean brand, which is starting to make a mark here in the UK, combines quality and functionality with value for money, and we think they could be on to a winner. We strapped Mini Joe into the comfy, well-padded seat and headed out to see how he reacted.
Anex IQ Features
Anex IQ is a 2-in-1 travel system
with everything you’ll need until your child no longer relies on parent-pushed wheels. What surprised us the most was that it all comes in one relatively small box. The travel system includes a carrycot, a seat unit and a stroller, taking you from newborn to about four years old, or 22kg.
Everything is lightweight and foldable, even the carrycot. When the box arrives, a good amount of construction is needed, so don’t leave it to the last minute. Some of it is a little fiddly and frustrating, but once it’s done, you’re set until you’re ready to move on to the next stage.
You have two sets of wheels to choose from: 24cm rear and 18cm front wheels and 16cm rear and 13.5cm front wheels. Depending on your needs, either set can be used for any stroller or buggy configuration, for city use, travelling, or different types of terrain.
Select your wheels and click them onto the chassis, then it’s time to construct the carrycot. Putting it together was mostly straightforward, even with simple, illustrated instructions. Some of the zips for the lining attachments are difficult for larger fingers, but happily, it can be folded, albeit not quite so compactly, with all those still attached once you’ve wrangled them into place.
Re-folding the carrycot body proved much more tricky than unfolding it and involved a lot of frustration and swearing. Eventually, we discovered two very stiff points to squeeze, which allowed it to fold. For the most part, the instructions weren’t difficult to follow, but they did let the side down here.
The seat unit was simple to set up and attach to the chassis. It can be forward or rear-facing, depending on the age of the passenger and the needs of the parent, which is a nice feature. A bumper bar clips in place and can be opened at one end for easy entry and exit. Mini Joe loves a bumper bar, as he can pull himself forward to be nosey or have toys attached to it for a longer walk or a dull shopping trip.
It took a couple of tries to get the order right for folding the seat and the frame to collapse the stroller successfully, but we soon got the hang of it. The IQ folds down to an incredibly compact size, which is perfect for travelling and for storage.
Configuring the soft-bodied stroller gets a little more complex. Here we had to break out the tool (an Allen key) which is included in the bundle and reduce the width of the stroller body by 5cm. The already compact stroller was about to get even more compact.
Having removed the seat section and the handle, it’s only a matter of loosening a couple of clamps, pushing in the sprung points and sliding it together. We can tell you from bitter experience that the first time you do, it’s pretty stiff and can release suddenly, trapping your skin rather painfully. Don’t say we didn’t warn you…
Once adjusted, attaching the rest is relatively simple, with just a few steps to follow. The resulting stroller has many of the same features as the seat body version and can accommodate a child up to the same weight limit. The seat is narrower, so larger children will find it a little more snug, particularly in the reclined position.
Anex IQ Handling
The Anex IQ has suspension in the frame’s folding mechanism, allowing it to flex and create a softer ride for your little passenger. There are suspension springs on each wheel, too, evening out some of the smaller bumps along the way. While we could feel there was active suspension, it wasn’t the best we’ve encountered. It felt a little rough on the more uneven ground, but Mini Joe was comfortable enough to sleep through a large portion of our test run, even over the rougher terrain.
The compact and lightweight nature of the Anex IQ makes it highly manoeuvrable even in tight spaces. The swivel front wheels make for a nice tight turning circle, or, if you prefer, can be locked in a static position. Whether you opt for the larger or smaller wheel size, it’s still a great little mover.
The handle can be height adjusted, which is always a bonus, allowing for a more comfortable driving experience.
Anex IQ Verdict
The Anex IQ offers parents everything they need in one package. There are no unexpected costs, as even the rain cover is included. The quality of the products seems good, so despite the competitive price point, you’re not skimping.
It’s nice looking, too. There are four different colour options — our test model was in a green called Richi, which we loved. The carrycot is well padded, has good ventilation and a nice-sized extendable canopy, so the baby is well protected from the glaring sunshine or the worst of any damp weather. Add the rain cover, and heavier rain is no problem either. The seat-based stroller was nicely padded and comfortable enough for Mini Joe to take a long nap, which lasted for most of our first test run.
Two things set the Anex IQ apart from its rivals. Firstly, the brilliant magnetic buckle system which secures the harness. There’s no need to try to plug the various buckle parts into the clasp with a squirming child attempting to escape, just get the parts close enough and they snap closed.
Secondly, the compact and carriable nature. For some, the soft-bodied stroller might be the least used part of the system, but for those who travel regularly, this might be one of the more useful configurations. Couple this with the carry bag, which is available separately, and it will be compact enough to carry onto many airlines as hand luggage. For families with very young children, having the stroller to hand as soon as you get off the plane will go a long way to taking the stresses and struggles out of family travel.
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