M&P Urbo 2, Oyster 2 or iCandy Strawberry 2

[riddles26]

Hi all, I was hoping for some advice on the above prams. I am a first time mum, due in November and have spent what feels like forever comparing different pram systems!

We live in outer London and anticipate will be using the pram mainly in and out of the car. We have a family sized hatchback so all the above will fit in out boot. Also will use for park walks (mostly on paths though). Will use a little on public transport but not extensively and definitely planning to use a sling too, especially in early months. We do go abroad a fair amount and ideally would like to be able to take the pram with us rather than buy a separate stroller just for holidays.

I absolutely love the style and design of Urbo 2 and can get one at a fantastic price in comparison to the others (although am trying not to let that alone sway my decision!). I still need to play with it a bit more to see how practical the fold is but I am leaning towards it because it does everything I want to and I can add travel system option if I need to. It doesn't come with a carrycot but my plan was to see how I feel once baby is here and buy a second hand one at the time if I feel I do need one. (I have a second hand moses basket with new mattress so don't need a substitute for that)

I have a friend with the Oyster 2 who is very happy with it and says it fits their lifestyle and circumstances perfectly (very similar to ours). To me it looks attractive and functional. Also doesn't come with a carrycot but my friend will lend me hers for the first few months if I feel I want one. My hesitation is I have read mixed reviews on durability and a few have said it wears very quickly.

When we had our appointment at John Lewis, we narrowed it down to the iCandy but they did not show us the other options as weren't available at our branch. The main positive iCandy has over the other 2 is the one handed fold but I am not convinced it justifies the (fairly significant) extra cost.

Can anyone offer any advice? The part I am finding the hardest is to anticipate which conveniences will be useful and worth paying for when I actually have a baby with me! Sorry for the super long post

[WordGetsAround]

When I owned the M&P Urbo and had a problem with it, they had the very worst customer service I have ever experienced. They were rude and ducking and diving all over the place. It was only because I was assertive and dogged that they sorted it - and I hate that. So, although it was a few years ago, I wouldn't buy something with moving parts from M&P!

[plimsolls]

I've just bought an Urbo2, mainly for the style and design but also because it was one of the smaller travel systems and I'll be using it mostly on public transport. I've had a play with it and it seems fairly easy to put up and down (two hands needed though), and you can remove the front wheels easily enough if you need to (when putting in the boot of your car). It can only be collapsed when the seat part is forward facing though.

I hear the wheels of the Urbo2 get work quite quickly. I don't know if this bothers you. I'm only going to be using mine on city pavements so I'm not too bothered. If I was doing many "country walk" type things I'd probably have chosen something different.

I love how neatly it swivels and steers, too. I'm very very pleased with it.

Also, just in case this is helpful, I'm planning to get the Cybex Cloud car seat to use with it, as it has a "lie flat" option so you can leave the baby in it for longer than regular car seats when used on the pushchair chassis.

I'm also planning to wait and see regarding the carrycot. The Urbo 2 completely reclines so I might see how we get on with that plus a newborn 'nest'.

(I should point out that I'm still pregnant so haven't actually got any experience of using the Urbo2 with a baby in it!).

I had a look at the YoYo too. It didn't suit what we needed from a pushchair BUT it is very light and travel-friendly so I just thought I'd highlight it to you in case you'd not heard of it.

[riddles26]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply :)

Word I have heard mixed things about M&P customer service - some have said they are fantastic and replaced instantly and others have had similar experiences to yours. That is one of my hesitations with Urbo 2 as I would be purchasing the other 2 from John Lewis so I know customer service would not be an issue.

Plimsolls I am not too worried about worn wheels if they are functional. I am a little concerned about them locking but it seems to be more widespread with the previous model than this one. While I love the idea of country walks, I honestly can't see us doing them often enough to justify a pram for them - I am fairly confident we will mainly stick to paths on the walks we do have and we will have a sling if we go truly off road. I will check out the Cybex seat - so far, we have only looked at Maxi Cosi but more because that is what everyone else has recommended! With a lie flat seat, I can't see us needing a carrycot at all. I've had a brief look at the Yoyo but I don't think it will be sturdy enough for us.