Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon Review
2019 Aug 20th
LittleLion Studio has always been about designing for the
little absorbent minds but becoming a parent made us realize how
gigantic a task parenting can be and how every little help really
counts, be it from a soothing koala wall decal or a wonderfully
functional hook-on chair. With the singular perspective of baby products
provider and now consumer, we thought we would share some of our
purchasing experiences with you and I guess there is nothing better than
to start with a positive one.
Recently, our son, Enzo, turned 9
months old, so we thought half a life inside the womb and the other half
outside should be properly celebrated and we decided to do so by giving
him a Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon and here is our take on it:
-
Packing: we read several reviews on Amazon before placing our order
and some of them had complaints about some parts arriving dented or even
missing. Our experience couldn’t be farther from this: the package was
an extra thick cardboard box and all parts were thoughtfully arranged to
avoid rattling inside the package and individually wrapped in bubble
wrap. Nothing was missing, dented or scratched.
- Assembly: quick
and simple sums it up. The instructions are visual and to the point,
with little text, when necessary. If you can put Ikea furniture
together, you can assemble this wagon with your hands tied.
-
Materials: Time will tell but I am very satisfied with the quality of
the wood and paint used. Clearly, this product is the result of several
iterations in which customer feedback was seriously considered.
Noteworthy is the fact that all parts structurally important such as the
front axle rod, rear wheel axels and cart walls connections are all
metal on metal. They used a metal cam inside the wood (again, much like
Ikea) to achieve durability and longevity. The plastic wheels seem to be
properly hardened and not a single part gives away a cheap vibe.
-
Functionality: I will have to speak for Enzo on this one… Both myself
and my wife were expecting some learning curve, but we were rather
surprised, not to say shocked, when we handled the wagon to Enzo and saw
him *instantly* standing up and push-walking his way throughout the
playroom! We could not believe our eyes! Again, some customers on Amazon
complained about the rear wheel rubber clicker which functions as a
restrainer against movement due to its lack of adjustability and
annoying noise. I can totally see where the lack of adjustability might
become an issue, especially when using the wagon on low grip surfaces
such as tiles or engineered vinyl floors where babies could potentially
pickup more speed than they can muster, especially heavier or taller
babies, but we used it on carpet and later the same day, outdoors, in
short mowed grass so it worked wonderfully. As for the allegedly
annoying noise, we did not find it so at all. Actually, we believe it
gives both, the baby and parent in charge, great audio feedback about
pace and speed. A parent can easily tell when things are about to go
awry just by listening.
- Price and availability: We bought ours
from Amazon.com as we could not justify Amazon.ca price tag of
CAD$190.99 compared to the first’s USD$67.99, which, based on xe.com,
amounts to CAD$89.35 as of this writing. The tricky part of buying in
the US is the whole Customs/Import fees which bring the product to
CAD$170.98 – cheaper than Amazon.ca but still considerably more
expensive than what our friends South of the Border would have to pay.
Fortunately, we live 5 minutes from the border, so we could have our
Radio Flyer shipped to a warehouse in the US and have it picked up
paying a USD$5.00 fee + importation taxes for a more palatable total of
CAD$103.07. We understand that we are more geographically privileged
than most Canadians so a careful consideration of actual value should be
exercised by those in a limited budget. We believe the walker might
accelerate Enzo’s path to learning how to walk but he will eventually
learn with or without the wagon and so will your baby.
- Verdict:
Our overall satisfaction with the Radio Flyer Classic Walker Wagon is
sky high! The manufacturer genuinely seems to take pride on their work,
and it shows. We have no gripes but a couple of suggestions for
improvement: 1) different sizes/rigidity of the wheel clicker/stopper
should be offered so that the exact amount of resistance could be
achieved for each floor type and baby weight/height. 2) by concept, the
length of the wagon in front of the baby provides the leverage required
to prevent tipping forward (think Trellis weight distribution:
hands/rear wheels/front wheels) but what happens if baby stops, for
instance, to observe something that caught his attention (Enzo does that
all the time while push-walking outdoors!) and then takes a step back
or looses balance while holding on to the wagon? It flips backward and
lands to the side or on top of baby! I understand that there is no
single cure to this malady without creating yet another Trellis in the
opposite direction and redesigning the whole product. That said, maybe a
pair of 2” curved plastic or leaf like deterrence attached to the
trailing edge, working as an anti-wheelie device would do the trick. Of
course, it would not prevent all tip-overs but it would prevent some
while providing physical feedback to baby and visual feedback to parent.
All
in all, a great product which we believe will expedite our son’s path
to independent walking. Also, in a time of baby toys using extremely
bright and high contrast colors, it is really nice to find a company
fending for those of us who prefer things to look cool and minimalist.