Larktale Strollers are taking the stroller market by storm! When creating the Chit Chat and Coast, Larktale listened to parents and incorporated all of the desired features. The Chit Chat features recyclable fiber infused nylon and a SpaceFrame with a patented fold/lock mechanism that makes the stroller easy to carry and push. The Coast provides the smallest fold in its category. Our Gugu Village parents tested the Larktale Strollers Coast and Chit Chat and provide us with their thoughts here.
April tests out the Chit Chat
Of the two Larktale strollers, the Chit Chat is definitely the perfect stroller for city living. It is lightweight but sturdy enough to easily explore city streets. It was easy to fold and carry when navigating subways with a squirmy toddler.
When we took it out for a long afternoon, my toddler was able to easily nap with the zipper reclining seat.
The Chit Chat has a unique safety harness that has a bit of a learning curve to be able to smoothly unbuckle and buckle my child, however, it felt very secure.
I also liked that the handle came up high enough to comfortably push for long durations (something my previous lightweight stroller was missing).
One of my favorite things (there were many) is that it is made with recycled materials! The Chit Chat by Larktale definitely feels like it was designed with a city family in mind and checked all of the boxes for important features.
Alexis tests out the Coast
Ever since my son was born, I’ve been on the hunt for a full-featured stroller that would complement our Brooklyn brownstone-based life. We don’t own a car, and storage space in our apartment is limited, so I really need something that is compact and will fold up easily (for bus- and subway-friendly use), but that still has a decent amount of storage and good enough suspension to handle the uneven sidewalks in our neighborhood. I was lucky enough to be able to test out the Larktale Coast, which I found to be a fantastic fit for my specific set of needs.
There is a lot to love about the Coast, although a few elements could be improved. It was a bit challenging to assemble and the folding/unfolding technique takes a fair amount of practice to master. The rear wheels are pretty wide-set, which makes navigating through narrower spaces more challenging.
The Coast handles beautifully, making tight turns with ease (a MUST for things like small apartment entryways, weaving through crowds, and farmers market shopping). The suspension is awesome, and my little guy seemed very content even when going over curbs and broken pavement. The handlebar is height-adjustable which makes it comfortable for both me (5’6”) and my husband (6’) to use. The storage basket is huge and easily accessed from both the front and the rear of the stroller. I took the Coast with me when I went shopping for my son’s first birthday party, and I was able to stow a pound of coffee beans along with nine bottles of Prosecco under the seat, (which really should be the litmus test for any mom)!
Another thing I really appreciate about the Coast is how easy it is get my son into and out of it. The five-point safety harness is made up of five individual straps so there’s no limb-wrangling required, and the bumper bar folds up and out of the way rather than detaching. There is a great lidded snack container that can attach to either the bumper bar or the handlebar (genius), and Larktale offers a number of other fun and useful parent accessories like a solar charging pad and a Bluetooth speaker. The sun canopy is large and features a nice peekaboo window with a magnetic hold-open detail. The seat reclines far back enough for napping, although I did find the recliner mechanism to be a little low-tech compared to the really nice engineering of the rest of the stroller.
Overall I think this is a pretty fabulous stroller, and really a pleasure to use. It’s very compact but doesn’t skimp on features or sacrifice comfort in the name of saving space. If you’re a city-dweller in search of a new set of wheels for your little one, I would definitely check out the Coast!
Lauren tests out the Chit Chat
The Larktale Chit Chat has quickly become our go-to stroller when we are out and about in Chicago. It is easy to carry or push with one hand when my child wants to walk or we are transitioning from the subway or bus.
The seat is cozy for both a one and three-year-old. In fact, my one-year-old requests to sit in the stroller when we are at home. The zipper recline is easy to adjust when you’re on the go and the canopy is large and provides great shade on sunny days or during a quick nap.
The basket is sizable and holds a diaper backpack and jackets or shopping bags. The back of the seat also has a mesh pocket, which is great for holding small items you want quick access to (snacks, pacifiers, gloves, etc.).
The frame is sturdy and the stroller handles well on uneven surfaces. Overall, the Larktale Chit Chat feels like a full-size stroller with the convenience of a travel-sized stroller. I would highly recommend this stroller!
- My son loves the bar across the front (note it’s removable if you’re using it with a younger child) and a snack tray that attaches to the bar. We don’t have any similar accessories for our other strollers so Mikey thought this was really cool. He even wanted to just sit in the house in the stroller with his feet up on the bar.
- It also came with a cup holder I used for myself, which is great!
- The seat itself also looks really comfy. It’s a nice size that allows my son to sit up and not feel like he’s on the edge of the seat. There is also still plenty of room for him to grow into it. The seat is so comfy that my son started to fall asleep on our first stroll.
- In terms of maneuvering the stroller. The stroller is super easy to lean back and go over the holes and for the most part it handles the cracks and bumps ok.
- The handlebar adjusts, which is a great feature when multiple caregivers are using the stroller.
- My favorite part of the stroller is the basket! I could fit a full-size backpack in the basket plus some park toys. This is huge for me! I usually carry a backpack with stuff and put the smaller things in the stroller and this basket can handle everything!
- The stroller also folds pretty small for a full-size stroller. It’s easy to hide in a corner. We went out to dinner one night with it and the restaurant had no problem with us folding it and storing it near our booth since it wasn’t in the way folded. It also fits in the trunk of our Passat (with all our other kid supplies) easily!
- The fold was a bit more complicated than I had hoped; it took a few tries to get the fold down and you definitely need two hands to do it. With a toddler, it was no issue but could be if you have a small child and need a hand.
- I am 5’1 and find the adjustable handlebar a little tall for me still even in the lowest setting. Our babysitter and my husband both push it and have no issues with the handlebar.
Thank you to Larktale for providing our testers with the Chit Chat and Coast for review. We appreciate our Gugu Villagers’ honest thoughts. For more information on Larktale, click here!
