[UPDATED JAN 2020] This review is of the original first-generation Redsbaby Jive, released in 2015, which is now no longer available. It has been updated to include comparisons (with photos) to the current 2020 third-generation – the Jive3.
Redsbaby Jive
Summary
Despite a few kinks in its design, the original Redsbaby Jive was ahead of its time when it was first released in 2015, offering a sophisticated balance of cost, functionality and aesthetics.
When we were expecting baby no.2, hubby and I quickly realised we needed to get a tandem pram, because our firstborn would only be 21 months old when no.2 is born.
Needless to say, I spent several weeks doing market research with the aim of buying one that is the most value for money. Eventually, we bought the Redsbaby Jive Tandem, which leads me now to this review.
When we were making our decision, there were a few important factors that we placed more emphasis on, specifically:
- Weight, with seats attached and without – This is because we needed to consider when I might be going out with both the kids. Even a 1kg difference in weight can make the pram a lot easier for me to manoeuvre, fold, and move it to/from the car while wrangling two kiddies.
- Dimension – This is a no brainer, smaller the better. People get annoyed when mums take up the entire aisle at supermarkets, or when the huge, clumsy pram is knocking into them to make a turn.
- Price – We were willing to pay a bit more to find our ideal pram, but nothing exorbitant like 2k.
- Reviews – Customer reviews is one of the most reliable ways to make a decision when we haven’t got time to run around Sydney trying out every single pram. The bigger the pool of reviews, the more accurate the rating.
Back in 2014 when I was doing my research, Redsbaby Jive was the clear winner in almost every category. And there was absolutely no contest in terms of pricing, features, quality of build, and user-friendliness.
See my latest findings:
The Best 6 Affordable Tandem Prams In Australia 2020
We attended the Redsbaby Jive demo at a Babies & Toddlers Expo at the end of 2014 and pre-ordered it for its 2015 release. Since then, Redsbaby has made improvements on the Jive and it’s now the third generation.
So in this article, I’ll first give an honest review of my experience using the original Jive, followed by a comparison to the Jive3.
Note that the below review is based on having BOTH seats attached.
Redsbaby Jive Tandem Pram Review
Redsbaby is an Australian brand founded by two Aussie parents. The Jive is their tandem pram, designed and manufactured locally. More information on their products can be found here.
Navigating 5/5 ★★★★★
We moved into a new development area where lots of construction work was still going on. The Jive had no problem at all going over the uneven dirt paths, grass patches and cracked concrete. Its movements are so smooth I can spin it singlehandedly in my kitchen between two counters.
We also have a Baby Joie Mirus Stroller and the ease of navigating the Jive is wildly better in every aspect. It makes every other pram and stroller out there feel bulky and difficult to control.
Folding 3/5 ★★★☆☆
The Jive folds in a very similar fashion to other tandem prams. You can fold it with a single seat attached and becomes quite compact. However, personally I found that the retracting mechanism of the handlebar jams nearly all the time. Also, the folded pram is locked in place with a hook, and there’s no easy way of releasing the hook except manually with your hands.
So essentially, although folding the Jive takes only one step, it is a comparatively long one step. And the unfolding really takes two steps because you need to first unhook it. When you have a 2-year-old running around and a baby screaming, even an extra 10 seconds spent trying to fold or set up the pram feels like an eternity.
Assembling & Disassembling 3/5 ★★★☆☆
For the first few months after the baby was born, we frequently changed the configuration of the Jive using both the seats and bassinet, depending on whether the baby needs to nap outside, so we are constantly having to disassemble and reassemble the pram in various ways.
In doing so multiple times a week (sometimes even a few times a day), I’ve found that unlatching the seats from the frame isn’t the easiest thing to do. You need both hands to press down on the two latches simultaneously. And you can’t do it half-heartedly either or it wouldn’t come off. I’ve also had my fingers caught painfully in the latches a few times when trying to lift the seat/bassinet off the frame.
However, once you get used to it, it’s fine. And to be fair, I’m a clumsy person, plus a lot of other tandem prams use the same latch mechanism, so the same problem might apply there too. Now that baby is a bit older, we no longer need the bassinet, so having a semi-permanent two-seat forward-facing configuration has made the Jive extremely pleasant and easy for us to use.
Quality (Design & Materials) 5/5 ★★★★★
The quality of the Jive is undisputed and, in my humble opinion, unrivalled. It looks high quality, feels well built and has been thoughtfully designed right down to the practical details.
For example, our old single pram h