At Parenting Expert, we love pushchairs and strollers which is why we have a specialist Pushchair Hub. We also love new launches and getting our hands on them before they hit the Nursery Stores. We first spotted the Roma Star Stroller at a Trade Show last year. It certainly stood out from the crowds with it’s iconic Teddy design – it reminded us of Steiff teddy bears.
Roma is a British family-run business with all their products designed with parents in mind. This is based on vast personal experience as well as decades of experience in the parenting sector. They pride themselves on producing the very best products they can at a more affordable price for parents. But could Roma really deliver a feature-packed effective stroller for just £100. We took a close look to find out….
The Basics*
Brand
- Roma
Model
- Star Stroller
Colours
- Teddy Cream
- Teddy Black
RRP
- £100
What’s in the Box?
- Roma Star Stroller
- Seat Liner
- Raincover
- Instructions
Warranty
- 12 months
Roma Star Stroller at a Glance
Suitability
- From Birth to 15kg
Fold
- Umbrella Fold
Handle
- Leatherette
Seat Unit
- Suitable from birth
- Forward Facing
- Adjustable calf rest
- One-hand recline
- Roma Star Seat Dimensions : XXX CHECK
Harness
- 5-point harness
- Adjustable – 2 positions
- Comfort pads
Wheels
- Puncture proof
- Suspension
Canopy
- Extendable Sun Visor
- Peep Hole
- Pockets
Storage Basket
- Up to 5kg
Additional Features
- Large pocket behind seat
Roma Star First Impressions
It is great to see a stroller with some character and thoughtful design put behind it. After all, so many strollers are just plain colours and often black or grey! This may suit some people but it certainly not for everyone. The embroidered teddy on the pocket on the canopy adds a lovely touch of luxury on a well-priced stroller. The teddy design reminds us of the Ralph Lauren teddy as well as Steiff bears – not the same of course, but that kind of feeling.
Roma Star Stroller Review
Chassis
The Roma Star boasts a sleek gloss black chassis which compliments the all-black wheels. All the rivets are black adding to the overall look of the stroller. We love the sophisticated look of what could otherwise be a rather cheap-looking chassis. The premium look goes well with the cream or black fabrics. The chassis is made from iron, making it strong and robust.
On the chassis is a black foot rest. It does it’s job but is not the most rigid we have seen! We would have liked to have seen something a little more substantial.
Wheels
We love the all-black look of the wheels. Each corner has a double set of wheels to add the stability and quality of ride for your little one. The wheels are made from rubber. This will give a smooth ride for your little one but you may find that they may ‘dent’ fairly easily – this is common in strollers of this ilk. There is a reasonable suspension on all four wheels – something that is not as pronounced in many umbrella strollers – we like this addition.
The front wheels are swivel wheels which we would expect to see on a stroller. You can lock them into position using the lever on the front. Just line them up and lift the lever – it’s simple.
The back wheels can be removed (useful for washing) using a pen / screwdriver to press in the small silver release button and pull the wheel away from the chassis. You can not remove the front wheels.
Handle Bar
The Roma Star Stroller has fixed handles which can not be extended for taller parents. This is not necessarily an issue for most people and is not a feature found on the majority of umbrella strollers. However, at 103cm from the ground they will suit the majority of people. What makes the Star stand out from the crowds is the leatherette finish on the handles. They are well padded and well finished for a stroller of this price point. However, the leatherette did slide on the handle somewhat which we found annoying.
Basket
Baskets on strollers, particularly umbrella strollers have a reputation of being small and flimsy. The Roma Star stroller bucks this trend and has a decent sized basket which holds up to 5kg. It’s black in colour which adds an element of class to the shiny black chassis. When the seat is in the upright position, access to the basket is great. This is compromised when the seat in in the fully reclined position but you can still squeeze small items in and out if necessary.
Seat Unit
The Roma Star Stroller has a good sized seat unit. It is fairly spacious and offers a sleeping baby or toddler a good amount of space.
It is black in colour but it comes with a seat liner which lifts the overall look of the stroller. The Roma Star seat liner is reversible with the teddy design on one side and plain cream or black on the other depending on your colour choice. The teddy design matches the canopy (hood) and comfort pads. This really adds to the overall aesthetics of this stroller. The liner helps to make the seat more comfortable which is really important in an umbrella stroller as they are renowned for not being the most comfortable of options. We love that this is already included and is not an accessory that you have to purchase afterwards.
There is an adjustable footrest which can either be up or down. It is easily operated using two levers on the underside.
Seat Recline
The seat on the Roma Star Stroller is incredibly easy to recline. We were thrilled to see that it has a ‘racket’ recline rather than a pull-design which can be tricky to manage for many people. This design makes it very easy to recline the seat unit or to sit it up. You simply squeeze the two light grey levers together and move the seat unit accordingly. There are 4 recline positions including an lie-flat option, making this stroller suitable from birth. Personally we would rather see a newborn in a carrycot or a more substantial pushchair but we are realistic enough to know that this isn’t an option for everyone.
Harness
The Roma Star comes with a 5-point harness. It’s a standard design for a stroller but does what it needs to do. All the straps are fully adjustable so you should be able to get a good fit for your little one. If you are not sure, take a look here. There are two positions for the shoulder straps BUT you do need to be aware that the seat liner only has holes for one position of shoulder straps. This is not the end of the world as the seat liner is fairly thin and you can fold it over to make the back shorter.
The harness is easy to do up. The shoulder and waist straps slide together and it is our guess that you will leave them attached most of the time. you then attach the left and right sides by pushing them into the buckle. You will hear a ‘click’ as each side is secured, so you don’t need to worry about your little one falling out of course. To un-do the harness, simply push the oval button in the middle and the straps will ‘jump’ out. It’s a very easy harness to operate.
This stroller is fully equipped with comfort pads which match the seat liner and the canopy. This is a nice touch and adds to the overall look of the stroller.
Canopy
The canopy on the Roma Star is more substantial than the canopy that you will find on many strollers. At first glance when you get it out of the box, you may not be that impressed as it is just ‘standard’ stroller size. However, it does have some added elements that make it stand out from it’s competitors.
Firstly, you will notice a couple of small pockets on with side with a beautifully embroidered teddy on each. We love this attention to detail! Whilst the pockets are not the biggest in the world, they are if enough to hide a spare dummy or pop your keys into. However, whilst we are on the subject of pockets, the canopy has yet another pocket, and this time it is more substantial. The larger pocket is situated on the back of the canopy and has the Roma logo embroidered on it – again a nice touch, rather than screen printed. This pocket, as we have mentioned is much larger. It is big enough for your mobile phone, a spare nappy and a travel pack of emergency baby wipes!
Secondly, there is a peep hole – another detail that is not available on all strollers. The material over the peep hole is held neatly in place with a magnet – another detail that we really appreciate. When you pull the material back, the underside is finished in the teddy pattern. This is a nice touch and lifts the plain colour of the canopy. The peep hole is gives you a good view of your little one, particularly if they are reclined and drifting to sleep.
But this is not all – the canopy ALSO expands. You unzip it to reveal an extra panel making to coverage pretty substantial. In addition, there is a pop our visor making this an excellent canopy for an umbrella stroller – we were very impressed! We love that the inside of the canopy has the teddy design, giving your little one something to look at as they try to drift to sleep.
Raincover
We were not able to review the raincover as this was not sent to us.
Fold
The Roma Star Stroller has a traditional umbrella fold – one that is often preferred by Grandparents as it will probably be the way they folded a stroller when you were little! It’s very easy to fold but does produce a ‘long’ footprint when folded so make sure that it fits in your boot! If you are short on space, you may find that the compact fold of the Roma Capsule is a better option for you.
How to fold the Roma Star Stroller
Folding the Roma Star Stroller is a breeze. First, locate the red lever on the horizontal bar connecting the two rear wheels. You’ll find it around the middle of the bar. Use your toe or fingers to push the lever upwards. Next use your foot to press down on the black lever that sticks out from the right-hand side of the rear frame slightly This will unlock the frame between the wheels, allowing it to collapse. Next, simply push forward on the stroller’s handles to fold it down compactly. Finally, give the stroller a squeeze or push to bring it together and secure it in the folded position using the locking latch located on the side of the stroller.
There is a very useful carry handle to aid transportation. At 6.3kg, it’s not the lightest stroller on the market but nor is it the heaviest. The carry handle is made from rubber making the stroller comfortable to carry.
How to unfold the Roma Star Stroller
Again, this is very easy. release the lock on the right-hand side and lift the handles. You may find flicking your wrist slightly helps the stroller to unfold. Push down on the red lever with your foot until you hear a click. You then know that the stroller has locked into place and is safe to pop your little one in to go off and enjoy your adventures.
Performance
We were impressed with the Roma Star Stroller and it performed well on hard terrain. This is not an all-terrain stroller but will serve you well in places like the park etc. For rougher terrain you will need something with larger wheels. It’s a nicely balanced stroller and pushes as we would expect with either a small baby or a more hefty toddler.
Warranty
The Roma Star Stroller comes with a 12 month Warranty which is fairly standard.
Conclusion
We have reviewed lots of strollers over the years and it is nice to see something that looks a little bit different. It won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but life would be boring if everyone liked the same thing. Let’s face it if you pick Teddy Cream, this stroller is primarily cream so will show the dirt if you live an active lifestyle or you boot is a little grubby (as most family cars are). However, if you can keep the cream clean then this may well be the head-turning stroller for you! If cream, isn’t for you then you have the Teddy Black version to fall back on but we love the cream!
Star Rating
We awarded the Roma Star Stroller a tremendous rating of 10 out of 10. We think that it is great value for money and that the fabric options are like none of the others that you will see on other brands’ strollers. If you want something a little bit different and that won’t break the bank, then look no further. Yes of course there are ‘better’ strollers out there and this is not ‘perfect’……..but in this price bracket, this is an awesome little stroller which is why we have awarded it 10/10!
Pros
- Seat liner included
- Substantial canopy
- Nice looking stroller
- Excellent value for money
Cons
- No SPF protection for canopy
- Liner only fits properly with shoulder straps in highest position
* Prices correct at time of publication.
Read more pushchair and stroller reviews here.
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