Lightweight pushchair

[outofmylittletree]

Hi all,
I have a 3.5 year old and a 6 month old.
Use a britax vigour 3/4+ generally but using a lightweight pushchair more now.
I have a new Mclaren quest, however I'm not very good at steering one handed while holding dd1's hand, which she seems to want to do a lot more to my surprise!
Any recommendations of lightweight easy pushchair for my 6 month old. Can sell the quest to help fund, but don't want to have to put a lot of money towards it.
Thank you. :)

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Hello,

We've noticed this thread is quite old now, and some of the product recommendations are a little out of date. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing buggies and pushchairs. Here's a round up of the best pushchairs on the market right now, including lightweight pushchairs and double buggies.

Hope that helps!

[Ihateparties]

I'm not good at this either, this is one of the reasons I fail with umbrella fold pushchairs. You could look at a baby jogger city mini, britax b agile, red kite zumi, graco evo mini, m&p armadillo or sync...

There must be a few more with single handles, I think kiddicare do a 3 wheeler, obaby do one, a couple of haucks. No idea how good or not any of those are.

[outofmylittletree]

I love umbrella fold normally.....but that was when I had only one lo!
I'd like something which is good quality and it will last, just incase we have any more

[StackOfOranges]

Since having DD2 I have an Britax b agile (the vigour was my 'proper' pushchair/ pram with dd1 and I loved it!) which has one bar handle so ideal for walking and holding dd1s hand while pushing dd2.

I find it v light and easy to manoeuvre. The one handed fold is actually one handed and great for lobbing the britax car seat on to the frame too when in a rush/ dd2 is asleep.

I like the mesh zip out bit of the hood too.

I only have two small issues with it

1. the basket is a bit small but I have a buggy hook to hang a few bags of shopping on I can't cope with a full day's shopping with two DDs these days so not really an issue (I always loved the vigour's basket - you could get loads in!)

1. The seat goes down and up using two strings, rather than with a handle like on the vigour. Not a massive deal but I thought the vigour was so easy to do - this seems more faffy

I am really happy with it

[StackOfOranges]

Just read the bit about having more children...

I used my vigour carry cot on the agile (having fully removed the seat) and the car seat on the frame when dd2 was under 6 months - I preferred this as the agile seat is only forward facing and I preferred to see her when she was so small.

This worked fine

[Bibbitybobbetyboo]

I would definitely recommend the Baby Jogger City Mini - absolutely love mine. It's a dream to steer one handed, even when loaded up with shopping and a 21Ib baby and the one hand fold mechanism is fab. It's nice and roomy so will last well into toddlerhood and you can get the adapters for a car seat or carrycot if you needed in the future.

[Ihateparties]

I loved my b agile, one of those would last, as would a city mini and both have carrycot options. I had an agile with carrycot for dc3 when she was small and it was excellent. I also had the air tyre version more recently, which is also great but much heavier to steer so kind of a one handed fail really. The red kite zumi takes a maxi cosi and lies totally flat for a newborn, mine is very new, I really don't know how it will fare over several years whereas you can be sure an city mini or agile would last that distance easily.

[outofmylittletree]

Is the b agile light or bulky....do you think it's as simple as the bjcm?
I like the Mclaren as it's so light, and what puts me off the britax vigour is it's heavy and bulky for the car, even though I love using it when I do. But if the agile is light that could be a good option?
I did consider the bjcm, but I do have the britax carry cot and car seat which may make more sense?

[Tiggywunkle]

The B-Agile is light - its almost as simple as the BJCM. Just bear in mind that the handle is low. But its a lovely pushchair. Look also at the Babystyle Oyster Gem.

[jumperooo]

The uppababy g luxe is umbrella fold but can be steered one handed, I saw the new 2013 one in a shop yesterday. It's apparently the lightest pushchair on the market.

[jumperooo]

I had a b agile, its great except the seat, DD was just slumped constantly so I had to sell it.

[outofmylittletree]

Ah, slumped isn't good...she's only 6 months.....has anyone else found this?
Can you use a britax car seat on a bjcm with the adaptors?
Also, due to the folding mechanism, can you use a cosy toes/buggy snuggle type thing with them?
I would like a 4 wheel one I think for less likely to tip with my heavy children!

[Ihateparties]

The slumping thing is there, at a guess I would say the seat doesn't go upright because of something to do with the fold.

With my b agile I added sit up straps, with my b motion I removed the stitching in the recline strap that stops it from going fully upright. The fact that this stitching exists implies it's a reasoned thing but don't know for sure what the reasons are. I never noticed any difference in stability but I did notice when I tried to fold it with the seat totally upright that it gets caught on the hood and makes it extend as you fold. Then the folded pushchair has the seat and hood sticking out so isn't as compact.

[jumperooo]

DD when awake likes to be upright. I had the same seat slump issue with the b agile as I did with the petite star zia and the maclaren. She's not a small baby either, and we got the b agile at 11 months. I Would have def kept the b agile otherwise, was the only thing I've used that I liked it almost as much as my Vista

[jumperooo]

But yes, there is an umbrella fold that can be pushed one handed, the g-luxe

[outofmylittletree]

I'm guessing I'm not going to go wrong with either of them?
And out of the two I could use the Britax with my current Britax seat and carrycot.....are either as simple and light etc as a maclaren quest?

[Ihateparties]

As simple probably, as light no. I think they might seem big to you, wide, bulky. No so much so as the b smart but even so they don't compare to an umbrella fold in open size.

It just depends what your priorities are.

I recently had another foray into umbrella folds with a joovy groove, which I loved but I still couldn't push it and deal with two slightly older ones across busy roads etc. Pushing one handed occasionally is absolutely fine, good even, I imagine the quest is the same but I seem to constantly come across critical points where the pushchair and a couple of children need my hand at the same time.

Imho baby joggers have the edge in quality, seat position and higher handle, britax has the edge in suspension/ride comfort and width (it's 4cm narrower than the city mini). Given you already have cot and car seat it's the obvious choice but I would definitely try to see, feel and push one before you buy.

[outofmylittletree]

Well I went and had a look.....
They only had a bjcm3 and a britax b agile, there were pros and cons to both to be honest.
I thought the bjcm had the following:
Felt better quality
Better shopping basket
Easier fold
Easier to recline or move back up
Better hood
Like the vent part at the back
Seemed lighter and more compact even though there is little difference
higher handle, only a fraction but did feel different, and I'm only 5ft6
Straps didn't seem as sturdy
Didn't like the feel of the handle
No pocket on the back
have to pay for additional accessories, which pee's me off!

B Agile
Like the pocket at the back of the hood
Liked the fabric
Preferred the hood for sturdiness, hated the mesh....completely silly, my first thought was what if you wanted to hood right over and then there was a bit of rain, which sometimes happens now and I don't bother with a rain cover as a hood will do for the short time.
Felt wider
Felt a bit plasticky
Ideal to go with my carseat and carrycot
Cheaper
Handle did seem a little low
Comes with accessories

DD did seem a little slumped in both at times, but I found it easier to sit her up in the bjcm, and move the back up and down, both not as easy to do as the maclaren as that just clicks up.

saw the uppababy....very light and simple, but I wouldn't be able to push it one handed.

Still a bit undecided.

[Ihateparties]

The b agile is absolutely definitely narrower.. It's interesting it felt wider to you. I was a little the opposite, I always felt like the b agile was more compact and lighter. I don't think it is lighter, I'm just talking impressions. Covered the mesh on mine with fabric. The mesh is stupid.

Did you discount the graco evo? I keep hearing how good that is.

[outofmylittletree]

No it's weird isn't it...although I felt the bjcm felt a lot longer...I think when it comes down to it though the price is a big decider as it is significantly cheaper for the britax.
Do they still do the smaller one...can't remember what it was called...Bmobile?
Do you still have your britax?

[outofmylittletree]

Oh forgot to say...didn't look at the graco, would prefer a one part system.
They did point out the Phil and teds smart? Another graco I think and something else which had quite a flat looking dark grey base to it...looked a bit like a buggy you'd hire at a theme park?!

[outofmylittletree]

Actually saw the graco today, didn't realise it was what it was....very simple, light, easy to use, fold, etc....shocking colours in my opinion...but can see the appeal.

[MissMummy1]

I have just replaced my bugaboo frog with a bjcm. Chose city mini as it was the only pushchair I liked that would fit in my new fiat 500. DD 11months fits it perfectly and it is so easy to push pne handed when walking the dog. I love it!

[Ihateparties]

Graco actually do a one hand fold.. the swiftfold. Only comes as a travel system though.

I still have the britax b motion, I sold the b agile when dd2 outgrew the carrycot and moved on to using a tandem (had been using the b agile with an easy x rider buggy board for just 2yo and newborn).

Now using the red kite zumi because it's lighter, smaller and narrower. Quality isn't the same as the britax or baby joggers but now the girls are older I prefer something v. light to handle while they are both walking.

[Tiggywunkle]

My LO slumped in the B-Agile too. I swapped for a BJCM and we had no slumping in that.
The Graco Evo Mini folds one handed. I love mine!

[outofmylittletree]

That makes sense now they're older....I just didn't bother with my 3 year old when she walked more, but I spent more time giving piggy backs than anything else, so will have a better plan this time!

Strange isn't it tiggy, I thought the deeper seat would be better in the agile, but probably a lot to do with the strap. Saw a agile 3 today, and it seemed more robust than the 4...and it looked better in black, but that may have been as it made the mesh in the hood less noticeable. She was still slumped and I put her in the maclaren to compare when there and she wasn't perfect in that but better. I think mothercare have stopped in store baby joggers, well the one I went to haven't had any for a year.

The evo mini was rediculously light....I was surprised, and the fold is brilliant, very light, compact, simple....which colour did you go for tiggywunkle? I imagine it is more of an urban buggy?