Baby Joggers Vs Phil and Teds? Help!

[Paulieh84]

Hello there All.

I would really appreciate some advise and experience on the following.

We are expecting baby number one in Early June and have just started looking at pushchairs. We have a semi rural lifestyle with lots of walks on dirt tracks, in the woods or anywhere a good dog walk with our Border Terrier might find us. We live near the coast so a visits to the beach will also happen. However buggy also needs to be able to cope just as well around town and in the shops / supermarket and keeping up with all the towny buggies :). At the moment I have a renault clio and my husband a Mercedes A class, both small hatch backs, I will be changing my car to something bigger soon but all the pushchair models we have looked at will fit in the car - wheels or no wheels so this is no issue. I've considered the Bugaboos but personally do not like them and want a three wheeler. Mountain buggies aren't for us either.

At the moment we are stuck between choosing the Baby Jogger city mini GT or the baby jogger city elite, we've also looked at the Phil and Teds Navigator but this seemed alot more complicated (folding, attachments etc) although I would consider it . All pushchairs three of the above take a maxi cosi pebble car seat with an adapter - the baby joggers very easily. I'm not so worried about getting a carrycot as these all lie flat and are suitable from birth although carrycots are available for all 3 pushchairs. I'm aware baby won't be allowed in the car seat for more than two hours. I want this pushchair to last and possibly see out baby no 2.

The city elite and navigator are heavy and I know something will have to give as the perfect pushchair doesn't exist for us in my opinion. However I'm no weakling and once pushchair is out of the car there won't be any lifting although the weight does put me off a little. So perhaps the Mini Gt? But then the bigger pushchairs are heavy because they do the job better and have chunkier wheels. Ahhhhh!!! Help!

Which do you think would be best for our lifestyle and what's your views on the above? If we've missed any obvious pushchairs please say but I think it needs to be one of the above.

TIA x

[Ihateparties]

There are very few pushchairs that are actually good on the beach, I'd be willing to strike that bit off.

Otherwise, it's a bit hard to know. Might depend how your time will be split. The elite is very wide for a single pushchair, very wide. If you're not in close environments with it 80% of the time then that's probably fine. If it's more like half and half it might be less fine.

Personally I would go for a bj over a Phil and teds, unless you have a specific need for the double option then I don't think the navigator offers anything the baby joggers don't and is as you say more complicated to fold etc.

My gut feeling is the gt but I really dislike wide pushchairs, so much so that in your short list I would replace the elite with the summit from the beginning as it's not as ridiculously wide.

The nipper is also hard to beat really, almost nothing is as light to push.

[TeaandHobnobs]

I don't have a GT, but BJCM is a really good buggy in my opinion - DS is still very comfy in his at approaching 3yo, and they fold like a dream. Easy to pop wheels off if you ever need to in order to fit in a small car boot (although we had no problems with our Renault Clio).

Personally, I'd say research and invest in a decent sling/carrier if you are going to go seriously off-road with the baby - it is so much easier.

[Paulieh84]

Thanks folks, we will def get a sling and carrier but the pushchair needs to do the job! The beach not so important.

What does the BJ summit offer the others don't? Could be an option

[Zozo1982]

I would go for the gt. We have that and had similar requirements. It manages well in both town and country. Our road is a dirt track and I have no problems. The fold is great and it is light to push. I think anything bigger would make shopping trips a pain.

[gillyweed]

I have a bjcm gt and a Phil and teds sport (think this is the old version of the navigator.) bjcm was bought new with hard carrycot and carseat attachment. p&t was bought 2nd hand with 2nd seat attachment (on top - Google, most people don't realise it does this!) and soft carrycot.

hands down, bjcm wins every time; if I don't need to seat the older child I will always take the bjcm over the p&t. It maneuvers incredibly (better than any buggy I've ever pushed, its shopping basket is big and easily accessible, its hood is huge and with the cosy-toe will withstand most rain (never realised how annoying raincovers are till recently!), huge seat, fully reclineds, carrycot doubles as a Moses basket, super easy one handed fold and light to carry! only downside is (from what I've read) buggyboards don't fit well and no 2nd seat option - hence why we bought the p&t.

The p&t has been invaluble for the first few months of newborn and toddler, but it is cumbersome, the hood is crap, I have to pump the wheels every so often, shopping basket is hard to get to and my youngest has outgrown the carrycot at 12wks.

I am looking forward to having my bjcm back and making the toddler walk!

[TeaandHobnobs]

Sorry paulie, I didn't mean to suggest getting a sling / carrier over a pushchair - more that with the option of a sling for terrain that is really tough (like the beach, or woodland paths covered in roots or random stones), you don't need the ultimate pushchair - you can make do with one that does a pretty reasonable job (like, I assume, the BJCM GT) on varied terrain.

[Paulieh84]

Thanks TeaandHobnobs, I totally get what you're saying! I just would love some tips on deciding between the bj city elite or bj mini Gt. Just to clarify the city miniand the city mini gt are different models, it's the mini gt I'm looking at as an option with the single front wheel, not the double single front wheel as the city mini has. Hope that makes sense. Just checked out the summit but it's even Heavier than all the others so that a definite No! I think the Phil and Teds is a definite no aswell now. Just gotta decide between the baby joggers, anyone else?!

:)

[maamalady]

I have a BabyJogger City Versa GT and a Renault Clio, and it's a fantastic pushchair - I need to take one wheel off to put it in the boot, but it's very easy. I've pushed it on off-road tracks, sandy beaches, as well as in town and on/off buses. I'd recommend the carrycot (which fits in the boot of the Clio along with the pushchair frame) too. I occasionally use it with the MaxiCosi Pebble as well - again, very simple and easy.

I've not tried the Phil&Teds, but I love my pushchair and would definitely recommend it. DD is nearly seven months now and it's fab - I like having her facing me, which I think the City Mini can't do? It folds incredibly easily with the seat facing either way. It is a bit heavy when folded, but very well balanced and easy to push when unfolded. Get one!

[Paulieh84]

Thanks evilgiraffe but it's one of the three wheeler models I'm after . Great to hear so many positive comments on the bj range though.

[Mrshairyhead]

I have both the Elite and the mini GT and if I had to choose again I would just buy the GT. The Elite has only one viewing window in the hood so to keep an eye on your child you have to have the hood fully down (child can't see out) or pulled back. The GT has viewing windows on two of the three hood panels so you can see what they are up to without having the hood all the way down. This may not be a feature that would bother you, but I find it reassuring to be able to see them. The GT hood is placed a little bit too low compared to the Elite so my child's head rests upon it, but I get around that problem by having one panel of the hood open.

The Elite is easier to push and does feel more luxurious but I don't use it if I need to go into town as it is just too wide and can be embarrassing in shops. The GT is great in shops and copes with my general off road use.

The baskets of both models look the same but the access to the GT one must be a tiny bit bigger as I can get my super large changing bag in and out easily but it is almost impossible to fit it in the Elite. I loved the parent console included on the Elite but I bought a Graco console for the GT which I now prefer.

Hope that helps a bit. Happy to answer any questions.