Travel systems - sola2

[louiseplusditi]

I have been looking at travel systems and really like the idea/look of the sola2 - however before I saw this one in a baby magazine that I had free I liked another , realised my local babies r us had it so went to look and was disappointed at how flimsy it looked...
Nowhere near me seems to have a sola2 in stock and they are ordered in . Has anyone else had a sola2 travel system?

[AButterflyLightsBesideUs]

We had the original sola 5 years ago for DD and it was a great pushchair and the only one I had. It's really light, turns on a sixpence, loads of space in the seat (friends toddlers were cramped in their Quinny's by age 3), nice wide handlebar suited my broad shouldered DH, really easy to switch between forward and parent facing (have done it with DD in the seat many times!), the hood comes really well over so great for rain/wind/sun protection. I liked the fact that you swap the carseat for the pushchair seat rather than sort of stack it on top and make the whole thing heavy and ridiculous looking. It's really good value compared to the "posh" brands, and a Which best buy.

Negatives were: the carrycot isn't huge and DD (a 7lb7oz baby) outgrew it within 2-3 months - though this was mainly because she liked to sleep with her arms spread either side of her head.
The recline function on our one was a bit duff and we had to whack it hard to make the buggy recline (not great if you have a dozy/asleep child). I suspect ours was faulty in this respect but we never got organised to complain & get that sorted.
Going down off of a steep kurb, my front wheels used to jam a bit, so I would always tip back a bit and bump down on the back wheels - fine once I realised.
The shopping basket is not enormous.

We loved ours and wore it out doing far more miles than I suspect the average pushchair does over 4 years. I have just ordered a Sola2 in teal for my baby due January.

[louiseplusditi]

Thanks for your reply :-)
It sounds quite good then! I don't like the travel systems where you stack it on top and that's partly the reason I liked this one.

I am a little bit concerned about the size of the carrycot as I'm not sure what I'd do if my baby outgrew it as fast as your little one did, I know you can't leave a baby in the car seat for long now too.

I also remember seeing there was a change in car seats and how you put them in cars or something - are these car seats okay for the new rules?

I think I will get this one as it's quite nice and I like your review!

What date are you due in January?

[summeraupair]

I have last season's Sola2 (very bright red), and I can't give a proper review yet because I'm still 40 weeks pregnant! But I live in a second floor flat with no lift, and it's the perfect weight for hefting up and down the stairs, very very manoeuvrable. It folds up really easily too, and everything clicks together with no bother, swapping the carrycot/carseat/buggy parts takes two seconds.

I can't say much else yet, obviously, but hopefully I'll remember to come back and comment once this little bugger comes out to actually use it!

[louiseplusditi]

Ohhh well so far so good then :-) it's a shame they don't have them in the shops by me but I am liking the sound of this one.

Do sun umbrellas clip onto all prams or do you have to buy a specific sola one? And also how about rain covers as my baby is due in January xx

[AButterflyLightsBesideUs]

Tbh re outgrowing the carrycot - the pushchair attachment is suitable from birth so I just moved on to that, I just preferred when she was tiny to tuck her in more and not have the straps to fuss her. I think that will be especially true this time with a winter baby, the carrycot looks much more snug with the sides to keep the wind out!

The carseats are group 0+ I believe which is the new regs and should be used to keep the baby rearfacing until 15months. The old ones aren't on sale anymore but they were called group 0 and designed to last 9 months (more if you were lucky - DD stayed in hers until 14 months).

From memory I think the raincovers came with the set - check the small print or phone mamas & papas. Last time it came with 2 covers - one raincover for the carrycot and one for the pushchair. We did buy a sun parasol but it was annoying and faffy and I never really used it. The clip it came with though was great for hanging shopping bags on

Due 23rd Jan. How about you?

[louiseplusditi]

Hahaha that made me laugh about hanging your shopping bags!! Yes I'll defiantly call them and ask. I don't mind buying a rain cover but no point if it comes with it !

Well my original date is actually 6th Feb but I am diabetic so I can only go to 38 or 39 weeks but they have told me as early as 16th January if my baby is too small or too big!

[Neverpeelmushrooms]

I have one. I love it.

For me the only negatives are:
The back wheels are wider than the body so if you are crap at steering like me you can get them jammed on shop displays etc

The hood doesn't provide great sun protection when seat is reclined, seems to be at the wrong angle as it's a big hood compared to others so you'd expect it to give loads of shade

You can't fold it with the seat parent facing (need the armadillo flip for that).

Oh and also like someone else said with the front wheels jamming when going down steep kerbs.

But it's light, very user friendly, Dd seems comfortable in it and it fits in the boot of a corsa!

[Letsgetreadytorumbleagain]

I had the Zoom, which is pretty much the same pushchair but has 3 wheels instead of 4, but the seat etc are all exactly the same.

I really liked my pushchair and think it's very good value. My son was over 9lb at birth and wasn't it the carrycot for long, but the pushchair seat is fine from birth and he went in there fine and could get him really snuggly in the footmuff.

[louiseplusditi]

What's an armadilo flip lol?
I always thought you had to take the seat/carrycot out of the frame when folding away.
I'm glad it fits in your corsa as I have a Peugeot 207 so it should fit fine in there until we have enough spare cash for another car :-)

[JohnLapsleyParlabane]

I have the Armadillo Flip. It's basically a Sola2 with the ability to fold while the seat is parent facing and a super large hood. We didn't get a carry cot for it we got a cocoon which was perfect for our winter baby until she was 12 weeks or so when we swapped to the regular seat in the lie flat position. The downsides are the wider back wheels, it's a bit heavy compared to say a Bugaboo, and if you get it with a Cybex car seat the car seat rides very high so it feels a bit off balance. It folds reasonably small and fitted in our Yaris boot easily.

[AButterflyLightsBesideUs]

You can fold the sola when it's forward facing with the seat on, otherwise, yes you need to take the top unit off first.

I'd forgotten about occasionally taking out shop displays. I've done that once or twice

[LilyRose16]

I have the Sola 2 and I have to say, it's brilliant! I get lots of compliments on it. It's really easy to manoeuvre and light enough to carry if needed.

My little one was in the carrycot until she was around 4 months, we also used it for her to sleep in during the day downstairs instead of a Moses basket. The pushchair is great as it can ly flat for her to sleep in when out and about. It's really sturdy and we've been out when it's really cold and she's nice and snug in there.

It's really great value too!

[SockQueen]

I've got a Sola2 and no complaints so far (DS is not quite 4 weeks old!) It moves nicely, handle is tall enough for me - I'm 5'9 - and the basket underneath is a good size. We're still just using the carrycot, haven't tried the buggy part yet, but DS is over 10lb so I suspect he'll outgrow it within a few months. Worth noting that it's also compatible with Maxi-Cosi car seats if you get the adapters, so you're not tied into buying all the same brand (though obviously worth it if you get a good bundle deal!)

[Vixxfacee]

I am torn between the sola, silver cross wayfarer and buggaboo. The sola seems so much better value and mama's and papas have a deal on it.

[LilyRose16]

I originally wanted a silver cross too but I just couldn't justify the money and so glad I went with the sola. They end up taking lots of knocks when your folding them and taking them in and out of the car boot etc so I would have hated to spend any more than £400!