Editor’s Note
The Britax B-Lively was released as a replacement for the extremely popular, but retired, Britax B-Agile, which was among the best-rated lightweight strollers on Amazon. The B-Agile can be purchased in limited availability but Britax has added the term “lightweight” to its title.
However, the new B-Lively has been updated recently with new colors, such as the Raven, Dove, and Cool Flow. This stroller boosts a lightweight aluminum frame of 20 lbs, all wheel suspension, cool flow mesh fabric, quick one-handed fold, reclining seat, large ventilated canopy, and large storage area. Like its predecessor, the B-Lively also can accommodate up to 55 lbs. This stroller also comes with adaptors for use with Britax infant car seats or you can purchase this stroller along with the B-Safe Gen2 Flex Fit Infant Car seat as a travel system. The infant seat is easy to place into the stroller with the Click and Go Adaptor.
I’ve talked about the [easyzon_link identifier=”B06W2M8C5N” locale=”US” tag=”experiencedmommy-20″]Britax B-Agile Lightweight Stroller[/easyazon_link] before in a couple of my best of articles. So I thought it was high time that it got its own glorious review. After all, it’s a fantastic stroller that’s lightweight and ridiculously easy to use. Like all Britax things, this stroller is very well made and won’t let you down. But that quality comes at a price. This well-designed and ritzy stroller won’t come cheap.
Despite a few cons, it’s a no-fail option for any parent.
Easy Strolling?
Yes. That’s the most important part of any stroller- wheels and maneuverability. And this stroller delivers both.
Wheels and Suspension
This is a three-wheeled stroller (even though the front wheel is like 2 wheels sandwiched together around a swivel). The wheels themselves are made of a thicker, almost foam-like plastic. Depending on where you stroll, they’ll last a decently long time. Gravel tends to pit them and really wear them out more quickly. As for the suspension, it’s amazing! It has so much give on the wheels that it actually reminds me of the suspension on our mountain bikes. It’s that good.
Steering
I love three-wheeled strollers because they turn so easy. You don’t have to do a 5 point turn to turn around. Just swivel and go! It has a really, really tight turning radius. The back wheels are larger and set further apart, which helps with steering. It doesn’t quite help with the size of the stroller, since it makes it wider, but it makes it less tippable. Since it holds a child up to 55 pounds, the wheels need to be a bit wider to support the weight. (Side note: that’s a really high weight limit for a stroller! Yay toddler rides!) If you are just going for a walk on a straight road, you can lock that front wheel to make the ride more stable and smooth.
Braking
This stroller has a linked braking system. That means that you can just activate one brake and both back wheels will lock. This is so convenient! I love being able to stop the whole stroller with just one little toe tap. And once braked, it’s not going anywhere unless an NFL linebacker shoves it. Another bonus of having linked back brakes is that there’s no bar in between the back wheels. That gives you more walking clearance since you don’t have to worry about kicking a bar.
Parent Features
Let’s move on to the things that parents are gonna be dealing with on a day-to-day stroll.
Folding
A great stroller is fast and easy to fold, like this B Agile stroller. You can fold it up with just one hand and it really is easy to do, since you can just pull up on the folding handle under the seat. You might have to use 2 hands to unfold, since you need to push button on the side to release the stroller. The aluminum frame is lightweight, but it still weighs about 18 pounds, so you do have to have a little bit of muscle to get it folded and put into the trunk.
Once folded, there’s a little clip that locks it into place. You can fit this folded stroller into almost any trunk since the fold is so compact. Again, those wide back wheels make it a bit bulkier than some other options, but it’s overall pretty scrawny when folded. For reference, the folded dimensions are 29 in L x 23 in W x 11 in H.
Storage
The lower storage basket that’s underneath the seat it fantastic. It’s huge and it goes low to the ground, so you have a lot of clearance to put stuff in. The mesh material is kind of stretchy, so you can push the storage limits if you have to.
And you will have to, since that’s the only storage to really speak of. There’s a zippered pocket on the back of the seat. You can fit your phone, wallet, and maybe a snack or small plastic water bottle in there. But that’s it. No parent drink holders or organizers of any kind. You can purchase one separately from Britax, but at this price point, I don’t like the idea of added cost to get a pretty standard feature.
Harness and Buckles
I know that this is technically a feature for the kids. But since parents are the ones doing the buckling, I want to talk about it here. I really want to like the 5 point safety harness. It’s has nice shoulder/neck pads for comfort and it has reflective straps for safety. But those buckles! They have to be stacked to be buckled (i.e. you have to put the side strap buckle through the chest strap buckle and then click the stacked buckles into the bottom buckle. And the push button release is handy for parents, but toddlers figure out that big button real quick and then you have an escapee on your hands.
Children Only
This will be a short section, since there isn’t much for the kiddos on this stroller. In fact, there’s really only 2 features.
A huge canopy. This canopy is really wide and tall and features a peek-a-boo window. The window is made from mesh for added ventilation. The canopy is also UV 50+ for sun protection.- Reclinable seat. Britax calls it infinite recline, which is a just a really dramatic and romantic way of saying that you can lay the seat all the way back. The seat is held up with an adjustable nylon strap on each side, so you can adjust it to anywhere you want, from flat to fully upright.
That’s it for kids. No footrest. No snack tray. Not even a little pocket for them. This is a streamlined stroller with just the bare basics for kids. You can buy a snack tray if you want, but there’s that added cost again.
Beware the Recalls!
One thing to keep in mind is the fact that Britax products do have recalls occasionally. The chest clip on the car seat in the stroller comes to mind, as it was just recently recalled. Be aware that many parents have complained that the stroller adapters and other small plastic pieces can break down over time and become frail. Some parents complain that these parts have even broken on them. So if you purchase a car seat or stroller, just be aware of any recalls and any issues and be in touch with the manufacturer regarding them.
Worth it To Get the Travel System?
I’m a huge travel system proponent. I think they’re so handy that it’s insane. This stroller comes ready with Britax’s Click and Go capability. You can add tower adapters (which are included with the stroller) to click in any Britax car seat.
This will create the B Safe B Agile Travel System.
So you might be wondering…should I pony up a few more bucks and get the travel system, or just get the stroller and find another car seat? My very strong and absolute answer is get the travel system. Here’s why:
- You can use the car seat starting at birth
- You will use it pretty much every single day for the first year
- You can click the car seat effortlessly into the B Agile stroller
- Never have to worry about “oh no, I don’t want to wake the baby by getting him/her out of the car seat while I’m running my errands”
- The stroller will keep being useful well after you’ve moved on to a bigger car seat
- The B Safe 35 Car Seat is fantastic, y’all
Probably a big deterrent for a lot of parents is the price of this travel system. It is almost double what some of the other travel systems on the market cost. But, when you buy this car seat and stroller combo, you are paying for smart design, ease-of-use, and a durable and sturdy product that’s going to last you for many years and probably will survive a couple of kids.
Despite a few flaws, the Britax B Agile and B safe travel system is AMAZING. It’s the most lightweight, it has the best suspension and wheel system, and it has one of the best infant car seats on the market bar none!
Don’t believe me? Check out our Best Baby Travel System article. I do believe that this travel system is at the top of the best car seat stroller combo list.
Customer Reviews
- 4.3 stars, 312 reviews- Kohl’s
- 4.1 stars, 23 reviews- Target
- 4 stars, 21 reviews- BuyBuyBaby
- 4 stars, 22 reviews- Walmart
Pros
- Great wheels and maneuverability
- Linked parking brakes
- One-handed, compact fold
- Large canopy
- Reclinable seat and 5 point safety harness
Cons
- No storage on handles for parents
- No storage or snack tray for kids
- Buckles can be a pain
Final Take
I’ve said all I can say about this stroller. The B Agile is a fantastic basic stroller. It maneuvers like a dream. The fold is fast and easy and compact. It has a wonderful canopy and recline for your kiddo. Although there’s s serious lack of storage, and this stroller is certainly pricey, it’s still gets an A from me.
My favorite thing about this stroller is the ability to be a travel system. The Britax B Agile can come with the Britax B Safe B Agile travel system, which is my all time favorite 3 wheeled travel system.
Which leads me to my final point – if you just need a stroller, you could find a more cost effective stroller with more features. You could get better storage and more bells and whistles for your child’s comfort and entertainment.
If you need a stroller that you can turn into a travel system, then this is a winner. It makes a super lightweight travel system when combined with a Britax car seat. Once you graduate from the travel system, you’ll have a reliable stroller that you like and you’re used to.
