Pushchair advice needed

[hollyw]

Hi

I'm looking for some advice on choosing a pushchair and wonder if anyone can recommend some?

These are the features that I would like ideally
Parent/forward facing option
Suitable from birth
Ideally with a car seat that clips into the pushchair without having to remove pushchair seat
Needs to be small enough to get in and out of shops (Live in a small town so the shops aisles/doors are smaller than some of the larger shopping centres
Needs to be robust enough to handle country lanes (strollers like the maclaren are real bone shakers on the roads around us)
I've had inflatable tyres previously and have had punctures so ideally a different sort of wheel. I think there is something between a stroller style wheel and an inflatable wheel but am not sure what it is called?
Not too bothered about a carrycot as long as there is a lie flat option
Not too heavy or big
Ideally something that would take a 3 year old (not at the same time, just if she gets tired and baby goes in the sling)

I live in the middle of nowhere in terms of shops so haven't seen many pushchairs in the flesh so to speak. I did manage to pop into John Lewis a few weeks ago and was quite taken with the Baby Jogger (but it doesn't do parent facing?) and one of the icandy's but can't remember which one it was.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

x
Hol

[MonkeysPunk]

Have you tried the Maclaren XLR - it's got all wheel suspension - so not so rattly on rough ground as the lower-range models are. I've just got one for my almost 3y old - and I'm very impressed with the suspension and lightness to push it. If feels very durable and strong. I've used it in the park today without any problems on the grass and tracks. However I guess it depends on just how rough the particular country tracks your way are - are the just rough tracks or full of pot-holes?! If just rough tracks you might get away with the Maclaren XLR.

[hollyw]

Thanks MonkeysPunk I'll have a look at that one.

x

[Guildfordnanny]

The Baby Joggers are fantastic all round pushchairs if you don't mind not parent facing. The Elite is probably the best single for what you describe. There are two iCandy Jogger pushchairs which may suit ie the Apple and Peach. Otherwise probably the Peach and Apple are the more robust ones. I have a Peach and it's one of the best pushchairs ever. You need to check weight limits with your eldest though. The Mountain Buggy Swift and Urban Jungle are gorgeous pushchairs too but they don't parent face but do take carrycots and car seats. The Nipper may be worth a look too. But these two have air tyres. The BJ had PU(?) wheels like everlasting air tyres and iCandys have harder much good tyres.you could put Slime into an inflatable tyre?

[WillyBumBalls]

Britax B-smart 3/4

Rear facing, can take a car seat and the wheels are solid but large.

[hollyw]

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone. We finally went for a Mamas and Papas Zoom. Decided that we needed to see a few pushchairs so took a trip to Cardiff. Ruled the Icandy out on price (we're on our 4th and last child otherwise I might have considered it). Rued the Babyjogger out because I really wanted parent facing. Think they are fab though and if we decide to downsize in the future will definitely be considering one. The fold action is fantastic!
Also looked at the Quinny Buzz and were totally put off by the basket on the latest version (large bar goes across it and makes it v limited) and there was no basket on the previous version.
HB was getting bored by this point but I managed to talk him into visiting Mamas and Papas and we both decided that the Zoom ticked most of the boxes that we needed it to. Plus HB liked the car seat base that allows us to just clip the car seat in and out of the car despite not having isofix.

Thanks again for all the suggestions
H

[MonkeysPunk]

So glad you found the right one for you. :-)