Lightweight strollers that have a carrycot option?

[minipie]

Can anyone tell me some strollers that have a carrycot option? I am looking for something that will be a good lightweight stroller but which I could also put a carrycot on for the newborn stage.

Extending handles would be a bonus as I am short and DH is tall.

I know the BJCM fits this bill but are there others? and are they any good...?

thanks

PS Tiggy is your June here yet?

[5inthebed]

There is a Maclaren that takes a soft carrycot, but not so lightweight, its the heaviest of the Maclarens.

Phil and teds Smart takes a carrycot as well.

[squidgeberry]

Micralite toro or Superlite. I have the old version of the Superlite and it's still going strong 2.5 years later.

[Tiggywunkle]

No sniff of the June yet....I am trying to find out where they are.
When you say Stroller - do you want lightweight more than small fold because the Micralites, Maclarens, Smart etc are all long folded.

[minipie]

Thanks! The Maclaren looks like you have to leave all the fabric & hood on when the carrycot is on which I'm not so keen on.

P&T Smart looks great from first glance. It can even do parent facing which I wasn't expecting from something stroller ish. What are its downsides? Looks like it doesn't have extending handles so wouldn't be great for DH but that is less important and also not many recline positions.

[minipie]

Ooh cross posted with squidge and Tiggy.

Yes lightweight more than small fold Tiggy definitely. Main thing is light and easy to push/manouevre (hoping to avoid switching to a second pushchair you see)

Shame about the June... you will have to trumpet it here if when it does arrive!

squidge I'll look at the Micralites, hadn't realised they take carrycots. thanks

[minipie]

hmm the micralites look a little wide, I was hoping for under 60cm...

Any others? I keep seeing petite star zia mentioned here, does that fit the bill?

[Tiggywunkle]

The Zia I believe takes a soft cot. I have a Zia Evolve at present which has a parent facing pramette which is really lovely for a young baby. It's lightweight and has high handles even without them extending!
The Smart is about to have an overhaul which is great because the handles are extremely low and irritatingly close together. I feel like a duck pushing it with my elbows stuck out at the side. It's very long folded but that's not an issue for you.
I do really like the Micralite Toro and I think it would probably be my choice if I needed a lightweight with carrycot...and didn't want a BJCM.....but the BJCM is hard to beat TBH although it's not desperately light.

[Tiggywunkle]

Sorry I just saw your post about not wanting to switch to a second pushchair. If you buy the right pushchair at the start you shouldn't need anything lightweight TBH. The bigger pushchairs whether an Oyster, Mutsy, Baby Jogger, June, Uppababy etc woud all be far far nicer than any of these suggestions TBH. I thought you were considering for a holiday. I woudnt do it if this is your one and only pushchair unless you had good reason....

[JarethTheGoblinKing]

M&P Luna is great.

[minipie]

See low handles are great for shortarse me Tiggy so Smart may actually be better than Zia or BJCM for me for that reason... Plus the Smart parent faces which is fab.

So, why are the bigger pushchairs nicer? I am willing to be persuaded ... (I still have a bit of a yen for the Uppababy Cruz you see ). It's just that I keep seeing people who have started with a bigger pram and then moved to a Maclaren or similar later, so wondered if it's a waste to spend £500 odd on a pushchair that will only be used for a limited time? (Though that time will be when I am on maternity leave so arguably the most important bit... see, I'm persuading myself )

[kalidasa]

Mammas and Pappas Urbo is light and has a carrycot option plus adjustable handles. Can also face either way. We have just ordered it which is why I know! We haven't actually bought the carrycot at this stage as we weren't sure if we'd use it but we wanted to have the option.

[Ihateparties]

The Cybex Callisto is a umbrella stroller with a single handle, 53cm wide, about 8kg that has a carrycot you put on with the fabrics removed. It's luffly in carrycot mode, really luffly. I liked it less in buggy mode for some reason so sold it. Does what you have asked for although I still say JUNE dammit, it's the best all rounder. Unless you're really desperate to spend less. I'm trying to find stuff out about the new Concord Wanderer too, which sounds similar but seems v elusive at the mo....

[Tiggywunkle]

The aim is to find the right pushchair that you are happy with from birth to 3 in the first place. One major factor in people changing is car boot size. They dont want something that fills their boot later on.....but if you buy something compact to start with and understand that you will want to fill the boot with Christmas shopping or a full supermarket shop one day then thats ok.

Ditto re public transport - if you go on buses then dont buy a coach built pram or look alike. People seem to think you need a "pram" from birth - you don't - just buy a sensible pushchair that takes a carrycot. you dont need 4 fixed wheels and bouncy suspension - but I suspect you know that anyway!

Its far far far nicer to be pushing a 2 year old around in a good quality pushchair than an umbrella fold pushchair. I think that swapping to an umbrella fold is also just something people do because they think they should...but I would bet a lot of the time its because they bought heavy pushchairs that their parents advised / liked or thought you should buy before the baby was born.

If you are happy with your pushchair, you will never want another. If you are simply a pushchair addict then you will start to accumulate more options anyway ;)

[minipie]

Thanks!

Hmm Tiggy you may be right and it's not actually necessary to switch away from the "from birth" pushchair assuming it wasn't a huge heavy one. Just seems to be what everyone does round here (they switch from Bug Cams mainly, which I would have thought weren't that big and heavy, so no need to switch, but maybe they just have money to burn... quite likely round where I live ). But perhaps I will buck the trend...

Interesting that you find it nicer to push a toddler in a proper pushchair than an umbrella type. Don't you find it gets heavy? That's my main concern as I'm such a weakling and I do lots of walking (and I live on a hill!)

parties the June ticks all my boxes perfectly but I can't find one to view anywhere near London! It is really frustrating, I just can't spend that much on something I haven't seen, and I don't really want to get into the whole buy-and-return palaver. Are you getting one?

If I can't find a June to view it will probably be a Cruz (though handle is a little tall) or a second hand Cam (though I find the Cam brake really stiff to release).

[Tiggywunkle]

Gosh no....its far easier to push a toddler in a bigger pushchair, ideally with air tyres than a stroller with tiny hard plastic wheels!! Much easier!
Take for example the Baby Joggers, With a 2 year old you can't really notice any difference between them...but with a 3 year old there is a noticable difference between the City Mini, the GT and the Elite with the Elite being the lightest to push. Why have a stroller when you can have a lovely pushchair?! Just choose the right one first time :)

The June arrives in the UK at the start of next week - they are winging their way here as I type. So give it a week and then start to phone around. I am sure someone local will have one.

[minipie]

Been doing some phoning and can't find anyone who is expecting the June near me seems like there is a real gap in the market!

What you say is veeery interesting show how little I know!

I think you said to me before that handle height was more important with older DCs, as I was worried that 100cm+ handle heights feel a bit tall for me (I'm 5'3). Why is that?

And thanks again!

[Nanny01]

I really love my cosatto giggle which is light weight. And comes with all I needed. Wouldn't have bought the vista if this had been available at the time my ds was born. It cost 330 including carry cot.

[minipie]

Hmm interesting I remember seeing the giggle in a magazine and thinking it ticked my spec... but does it really only come in those bright patterns? no boring colour options?

[Ihateparties]

Aye that's it, there's a red and a green, maybe some others. Any reason you have discounted an iCandy Cherry, they are really lightweight, easy to push, good seat, massive basket, simple to use etc. Looks won't set the world on fire but it depends on your priorities. Personally I wouldn't now get a stroller type (I wouldn't count a city mini in this category btw) now either, even thought I did use one for a period of time with my eldest. A bigger child is easier to push in a more robust pushchair mostly, with a couple of exceptions.

It really really is worth getting something good (June June June etc. I will never tire of saying it but again we've seen it, you haven't so I do get your point). I will probably get one at some point but it will have to when I sell my tandem and I'm quite sure DC2 is reliable enough on foot. Or the elusive concord wanderer

[Tiggywunkle]

I dont remember saying about handle heights with older DC's....hmmm...

I am with ihateparties do NOT discount the June.......make sure you see it......somehow.....drive north!!!!

[minipie]

I think it was in a PM Tiggy but I may be misremembering.

Ok you have both persuaded me to abandon the stroller idea and get something "proper" . I kind of want to anyway.

Ihateparties the Cherry was a strong contender until 6'3 DH found he kicks the back brake bar when walking... I would still consider it despite that if there wasn't the Cruz but I think the Cruz does everything the Cherry does AND has an extending handle for DH so just beats the Cherry. Unless the Cherry is noticeably easier to push...? Maybe I/DH should test it again.

June... arrrgh. It's the price that bothers me too. If I got Cruz or second hand Cam I could get pushchair+carrycot+car seat+base for £700 whereas the June is £550 so for all 4 it would be £900 ish. Which I can just about afford/justify if it's clearly better than my other options, but hard to say that without seeing it. Wonder if I can fit in a visit up north sometime but need to order something by mid October really (7 Dec due date) and I work full time so it's tricky ... Tiggy I don't suppose you want to visit London with yours do you (accommodation offered) ... If not, I look forward to your review with bated breath!

[Diamond7]

I'm hoping somewhere in London decides to stock the June. I'm south London. Going to call Tommy's in Peckham and try and convince them to stock it. Thankfully my family is in Cheshire so I could head up there over a weekend if necessary.

I'm due Xmas eve so some a little more time but not much.

Tiggy/Parties are you sure you don't work for easywalker? :-)

Mini pie - the cost bothers me too. Have realised I can get it cheaper ordering from Netherlands. But not sure I'm willing to risk it. Thankfully I've been given a car seat from a family member. Just need pushchair and carry cot but still ££. My other option is the Cruz.

[Ihateparties]

Tiggy and I have had through our doors many many many many many many things and have both seen and felt the June IRL... it's not very often something is genuinely different but I think this is.

I sort of wonder if the fact that it is not a particularly well known brand that is bothering people? The price is on par with a cameleon, Peach or Stokke etc. plenty of people seem willing to splash out on those. It IS a lot of money. I am still struggling with the price tag for the pushchair alone but you do get what you pay for (I have learnt that more than once!) if I was having my first baby I would be seeing it in person at least that's for sure.

Imo the Cherry is a nicer push than the Cruz but without having them side by side I couldn't honestly say by how much. I've never given much thought to handle heights, I tend to just deal with whatever they are. The only think I even found myself kicking the back of oddly was the Oyster. Weird.

[DeeDee77]

There seems to be a trend here! I'm due Dec 23rd, live in London and am desperate to find somewhere down south that will be stocking the June. It is an expensive option for sure, but as mentioned already, it's similar ballpark to the Bug Cam, which is a very popular choice with the mums in my area from what I can see. I don't mind forking out if it is as good as it looks on paper, but I would have to see it IRL first. I'd be interested to hear of any stockists in or around London if anyone does manage to find one! Definitely a gap in the market - good business opportunity for a savvy pushchair shop out there!!!

[Diamond7]

I had always said I wouldn't spend too much. Wasn't considering expensive models except 2nd hand but think you guys have sold me.

I'll get on to Tommys in Peckham today and possibly huggles in Swiss Cottage.

I'll report back.