Stokke Xplory X review

Well-known for the iconic Stokke Tripp Trapp, you might not be aware that the popular Swedish brand also has its very own pushchair, the Xplory X.

Boasting premium materials and finishes, the Xplory X's distinctive elevated seat places your little one at the perfect eye-level height to ensure a close and engaging connection between you and your baby as you travel.

Scroll down to find out how testers Rob and Sophie got on with the Stokke Xplory X.

Testing the Stokke Xplory X

"We’ve been using this travel system for the past four months, from bringing our little one home for the first time, to using it out and about most days, and our thoughts are certainly mixed. We have the 3-1 Xplory; which includes the carrycot, adjustable seat, and car seat - along with the Isofix base.

The materials are nice and the whole travel system looks stylish, which has garnered more than a few compliments when we’re out and about. However, what this system has in looks, it certainly lacks in practicality. The wheel unit is cumbersome and takes up just as much space when folded down. We drive an SUV with a pretty large boot, and the wheels take up such a large space, so much that we’re only able to fit the carrycot in if turned upside down and the parcel shelf is removed.

Day-to-day use is good, and our little one seems very settled in all three parts of the travel system. I’d say we use the carrycot the most as it’s great for walking, as well as napping when stopped for a coffee or a bite to eat.

We also purchased a Stokke cup holder which is designed for the wheel set-up, although it needs to be taken off each time you pack up as the handle folds over and can’t if the cup holder is connected.

I don’t think I would recommend this product to families who are looking to use this as their main system. Especially as it’s supposed to be a travel system, but is neither portable nor can it be easily folded or put up with one hand.

Although you could travel with this system, I’d say it’s best used around town or when travelling from the house on a walk, rather than by parents who use a vehicle a lot."

The pram (wheels)

"The pram looks fantastic, and seems to be made with high-quality materials. One thing we really liked about this unit was the small removable storage bag, which is a nice place to pop essentials, or for any bits you’ve grabbed for food on the way home.

With a small turning circle, it's easy to manoeuvre, offering a smooth ‘pushing’ experience - although there’s been a few occasions where the wheels become stuck trying to get over small drop-curbs. Aside from this, there are some major drawbacks we found, mainly being the folding mechanism. It’s difficult to collapse with one hand and near-impossible to put up unless using two hands. Then even when folded, it’s too big to fold away nicely - we once tried to place in the boot of an Audi A1 (hatchback) and could only fit if the back seats were down - clearly not very practical.

I can also see the handle becoming weaker over time. Although this looks great and helps with the overall aesthetic. The design of the handle relies on putting the entire weight of the pram (and baby) on a weak joint between the handle and the base unit."

The car seat

"This car seat is lightweight and well built, which also proves to be comfy as our little one seems to enjoy sitting and nodding off.

It’s handy that the seat belt covers are magnetised so they can be kept out of the way when putting the baby in. It’s also quite simple to adjust the seat belt and straps, which is good as our little one grows. The visor on the car seat has a good extension, providing shade and protection from bright surroundings - which helps for naps in the car when we’re out and about.

The seat belt padding wipes down with warm soapy water, although the rest of the seat is wipe clean only, meaning difficult to clean thoroughly.

The car seat poses several usability challenges. Annoyingly the handle can only be placed up/down by pressing two release catches either side of the seat, meaning we’re often having to pop the baby down somewhere whilst we move the handle out of the way to gain access to the seat.

Additionally, the handle frequently catches on the visor/hood, which could cause a baby to wake up, as well as being pretty irritating."

The Isofix base

"The Isofix base for the car seat is sturdy and simple to adjust, with red clickers that turn green when locked in correctly. It’s very simple to move the base, so would happily recommend this for someone who has more than one car and needs to move this unit between them easily."

The carrycot

"While the cot bed attachment fits effortlessly onto the base (wheels), there is however a small clip at the front which needs to be clicked in to help with stability - this mechanism is cumbersome and fiddly. The pockets also fail to accommodate a standard water bottle, and removing the hood for any attachment swaps proves quite difficult."

The adjustable seat

"The sit-up attachment features plush cushioning and a detachable footrest, making it comfortable and adjustable as our little one grows. Another positive about this seat is the reversible design, allowing the baby to face either the parent or the world. We also received a handle which is to be placed across the seat, however this only clips in one side - although this may have been an issue with our unit, and not something that others have experienced."

Final verdict

"This is a good-looking travel system, it’s stylish and uses nice materials, although these will be difficult to wash when they get dirty. A major plus point for us is that our little one appears to be comfy in all three of the seat/bed options.

Overall, I don’t think I would recommend this product to families who are looking to use this as their main system. Especially as it’s supposed to be a travel system, but is neither portable nor can it be easily folded or put up with one hand.

Although you could travel with this system, I’d say it’s best used around town or when travelling from the house on a walk, rather than by those who use a vehicle a lot."

A journalist since 2015, Emily Gilbert is the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for seven years. Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.