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Pushchairs

Bebeconfort Loola Up Any experience?

17 replies

flyingcloud · 09/09/2009 10:48

Does anyone have one of these? We are looking to buy our first pushchair and this has been recommended to us.

here it is

However on the website it suggests it as a puschair for city living and we live in the country. Space is a bit of an issue as we live in a small house but we will do a mix of town and country walking. Most importantly - is it easy for me to assemble and unassemble?!

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flyingcloud · 09/09/2009 15:09

Anyone?

Sorry shameless bumping!

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BertieBotts · 09/09/2009 20:44

I have one and I love it!

I will give you the positives and then the negatives, but first will just quickly describe how I've used it. Sorry for the essay!

I live in a smallish town and don't drive, though my DP does and also occasionally we (ie me & DS) have days out with my mum, or get lifts from friends etc. We have a very small house and I tend to store it folded up in our hallway (which is literally about as big as the width of the front door, squared). I have used it as my only pram/pushchair up until 11 months with my DS (born Oct last year), we have just bought a lightweight buggy for a holiday.

I use it most days for walking in town, haven't really used it off-road much as it is quite hard to push on rough ground. However I'd recommend a sling or soft structured carrier such as the Ergo if space is an issue, as you really need a 3-wheeler if you are going off-road a lot and they tend to be bigger and not so good in town.

I also use it on buses and it's fine for that - but when we were in London on holiday I was glad we had the lightweight stroller as the buses there were really packed and there were quite often more than one on a bus at a time, which is not the case here. I have folded it once to get onto a bus but you can't really do it one-handed so you need someone to hold the baby!

Ok positives:
The seat positioning is perfect, it has 4 recline positions (upright which is good for after about 6 months, flat which is good for newborn, almost flat which is good for bigger babies sleeping and about 45 degrees which is good for the 4 month old who can't sit but wants to look at you more) and obviously can face you or away which is great.

The seat looks really comfy. I had no problems putting a newborn in it without bothering with the carrycot. It has adjustable suspension as well which helps!

The seat fabric is reversible which is great as it feels like you have a new pushchair every 6 months! The summer one is nice and breathable as well. Also, it washes really well at 40 and dries very quickly.

You can recline/sit it up with the baby in which is useful.

I liked that you could fold it either together (facing either way, it also remembers the seat position which is useful) or separately so if it's too big folded together you can separate the seat part out. The chassis is light enough to lift one-handed when folded but with the seat on it isn't.

The switch to change from swivel wheels to locked wheels is on the handle so easy to use if you are going from rough ground to smooth, or if you want to rock it back and forth.

It folds umbrella-style (into a long thin shape) rather than flat (as most first pushchairs/travel systems do) so it takes up much less room and isn't too awkward to carry. It's actually quite small for a travel system type pushchair even though the seat is big! So easy to get through doors etc.

Apparently it takes a buggy board very well as well if you are planning more DCs.

Okay negatives (I like to read these to see how much the problem would annoy me!)

You have to take the hood off to fold it.

The raincover is a bit fiddly and annoying (it zips onto the hood so you have to unzip it or just fold it back and it doesn't have anything to clip onto when not in use) - I thought this would annoy me more than it does. You can always get a universal raincover if it's really bad. The plus side to this is it's really compact when unzipped compared to other raincovers and takes up hardly any space in the basket.

The harness is weird and you have to hold both sides together to clip it in (in other buggies you can clip one side in at a time - which makes things easier if your child decides they Do Not Want to be strapped in!) - I decided to attach reins (there are D-rings if you want to do this) as a second harness and I use them when DS is awake and the original one when he is sleepy. I also found because of the harness he is quite restricted with the original one on - good when little, not so much when they are older and want to lean on the bumper bar to look around.

I find it heavy when folded up. It would be fine if you are just lifting it in and out of the car/just out of the front door but if you live somewhere with lots of steps or you are likely to need to fold it on buses etc often, I would go for something else. Having said that, we live on a huge hill and have steps from the street to our house and I have managed fine!

Finally your question, is it easy to fold - I find it very easy to fold and unfold! Despite forgetting totally how to do it in the car park the first time we went out with it - I do think it's a fab pushchair, especially for the price. If you want any more questions answered do ask!

Oh also (one last thing lol!) if you are thinking of getting the compatible carseat, get the Maxi Cosi if you have isofix but the BebeConfort Creatis Fix if you don't. They are both compatible. Don't use the Windoo carrycot in the car, it might be legal but it isn't very safe.

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sazm · 09/09/2009 20:56

hi i also have one,
would like to say though,you dont have to take the hood off it to fold it bertie!!!

i've just bought one for my 8mo,

i havent used it much yet but i do like it,

shopping basket is pretty small,there is 2 different sections so you can put the raincover in the little bit and you can still get to it if you have shopping in the big part which is a great idea

folding/unfolding is really easy,its really easy to push (even with my huge 3yo in it)

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BertieBotts · 09/09/2009 21:45

Don't you?? I have taken it off every single time it seems really rigid when it's not attached which is why I hadn't tried!

2 different sections of shopping basket though, I hadn't noticed that either... I wonder whether they have changed some things in the newer model, have you got a new one or second hand? Or do you mean the netting section of the shopping basket by the crossbar (facing the handle)? Or, I have just found out what the random bit is which I removed and can't work out where it goes back

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sazm · 09/09/2009 22:02

lol,nope it folds with the hood one!!!
im not sure when mine was made,it might be one of the first loola up models, i dont think mine has a reversible seat pad???its just plain black,i just collected it from the shop last week!
the shoping basket has the main bit,then a smaller pocket at the back,mines not a netting pocket its fabric same as the shopping basket!!

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flyingcloud · 10/09/2009 08:18

Thank you SO much - that is a huge help. Quite a lot of what you said doesn't mean much to me as I'm a first timer (isofix? I know it's something I need to know, but, um, I don't!)

I'm planning on using a sling as much as possible anyway so thanks for the tip.

Again, thank you for your advice. It's really a whole new confusing world out there!

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BertieBotts · 10/09/2009 08:59

I tried to remember what I had no idea about when I was a first timer!!

Useful site with info about car seats (including isofix) - I made the mistake of thinking all infant carseats are the same, they aren't, it's worth paying out for a decent one. If you want one which is compatible with this pushchair then you need the Maxi Cosi Cabriofix or the BebeConfort Creatis Fix - both of which are excellent carseats. (I prefer the Creatis Fix as it has a wedge to help newborns lie a bit flatter and it looks really cosy and supportive, but the Cabriofix gets better marks on safety with Which? if you use the isofix base.)

How many weeks are you? I think it's best to buy the big things later on, but in this case it may not be, the Loola and Loola Up are being rebranded to Maxi Cosi so the old BebeConfort models are on clearance everywhere.

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flyingcloud · 10/09/2009 09:38

Ooh - thanks, big help. Good to know that, I thought they were massively reduced when I saw them and couldn't work out why at this time of year.

The reason we're thinking of getting one is BIL has one for his LO and they want us to swap and change the equipment at various stages so we can all share. I'm a bit worried about that to be honest and they're lifestyle is so different to ours (they live in the city, we live in the a village in the country so country walks are important to us and I remember how they're pushchair struggled when we went for a walk together, although as a friend of mine said, it's a great way to get back in shape afterwards pushing a baby through muddy fields!)

Thanks again - you have been a huge help, really appreciate it.

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threeplusone · 10/09/2009 10:49

This is useful I am expecting number 4 in Feb.(waves to flyingcloud) and the Loola is the main pushchair that has everything I want.. My biggest prob at the moment is finding a supplier in Germany fo it..WIll defo keep looking or may have to do a road trip to france or Uk to get it..

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BertieBotts · 10/09/2009 11:28

The Loola is not the same BTW, the Loola Up is definitely worth the extra.

The Loola has separate handles (so not easy to push one-handed) and the shopping basket is inaccessible in RF mode, the seat doesn't recline 100% flat and you don't get the reversible seat covers. I think those are the only differences!

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BertieBotts · 10/09/2009 12:04

I am pleased (but slightly annoyed to have not realised earlier!) to report that the Loola Up does indeed fold with the hood on! Thanks sazm

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sazm · 10/09/2009 13:16

lol!!!no worries!!1

my loola up must be one of the first versions,as it doesnt lie totally flat either(i wouls use it for a newborn though)mine has 3 recline positions,it also doesnt have the reversible seat pad,

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BertieBotts · 10/09/2009 13:20

Does it have 2 separate handles rather than a bar? It sounds like the Loola rather than the Loola Up.

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sazm · 10/09/2009 13:27

nope it is a loola up,
i did notice after i bought mine that most of the ones advertised said 2 colours(reversible)
mine is just black,and doesnt reverse!

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threeplusone · 10/09/2009 17:25

I just prefer the seperate handles tbh I havent seen a Loola up when we were in the uk looking at prams.. But I will be getting the Windaloo aswell if I do go for it.. interesting though about not been able to access the shopping basket!! I found the basket on the Pilko hard to access too.
I am going to keep looking.
Criteria for the pram I want are
MUst have carrycot, (not part of main seat th9ough)
Parent and rear facing option.
Not too pricey think 600 max. inc car seat.
Anyother ideas

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sazm · 10/09/2009 23:02

for that budget there are LOADS of options, have a good browse on the internet it will help you get a shortlist lol!

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threeplusone · 11/09/2009 21:16

sazm There are a lot of options but the main thing I am really fussy on aswell and it sounds stupid.. but I really dont like the foamy handles... Has to be plastic.. I really dont like the feel lol.. Which is limiting my options somewhat at the moment as foam handles seem to be in .. Will wait until after we have moved and after my daughters 13th bday then will start looking .. Thank you xx

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