Is the Mountain Buggy Nano Duo safe?
Despite the fact that the Nano Duo is a deliberately lightweight buggy, it still feels secure and fairly sturdy, though obviously not as immovable as the heavier models. A normal changing bag will sit happily on the handle without toppling the whole thing. Heavy shopping bags did tip the buggy over during the topple test, so extra care should be taken there.
The seats are a generous size for even larger children – the restriction is the weight limit – and the five-point harness is well designed. Each of the four straps can be lengthened or shortened with a plastic catch, and each clicks individually into the central point, which makes it much easier to strap in wriggly toddlers.
Each seat has an adjustable foot plate and is comfortable to sit in. The reclining mechanism is a clip-and-straps design, and feels secure in any position.
There’s no bumper bar included, although Mountain Buggy do offer one separately. Our tester rated the bumper bar very highly, but thought that, at £39, it was an expensive additional purchase.
The sun hoods extend a little in front of the child as well as overhead, so they’re good for low-sun days – however there’s no peek-a-boo window to keep an eye on things. Our tester also highly rated the full sun cover. It’s another additional purchase (£39, like the rain cover), but keeps children well sheltered from wind, insects and sun, which might be a lifesaver abroad.
The pedal brake is colour-coded for ease of use, and keeps the buggy firmly locked when pressed down. There’s a wrist safety strap, too, for extra security. Our tester noted that, as a pedal design, it’s easy to use even in flip-flops, though its position between the double-sided wheel meant that wider shoes (like the work boots of her partner) sometimes struggled to find a purchase.
How easy is it to clean?
The Nano Duo seats are of durable, high quality material – they can’t be removed and machine washed, but are designed to be wipe-clean. Our tester carried out the advised sponge cleaning, and all the stains were easily removed.
After the testing period, the wheels showed signs of wear, but were undamaged and had many more miles left in them. The chassis, handle and seats were still in visibly good condition.