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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder if an expensive travel system is worth it?

68 replies

overprepper · 18/09/2023 12:17

I can’t believe the cost of some, nearly £2000…!

My friend who had a baby 6 months ago has already ditched her travel system and bought another.

Is it really necessary to get a bulky & pricy all in one when they use it for such little time? Surely a better investment if you’re going to spend a lot is on a compact one that they will be in for longer, ie the yoyo or another cabin friendly one that can be used for travelling and every day, in and out the shops etc

We dont exactly need to make this choice immediately but just saving and budgeting for expensive items as we are about to start ttc. We both drive, live somewhere suburby and about a 10-15 min drive from the nearest town. Public transport isn’t great. We like going for a couple of big walks a week but if there’s no path/even surface then I’d imagine it would be easier to use a carrier for those situations

Did you get much use from yours?

OP posts:
biscuitcat · 18/09/2023 12:38

We bought an Uppababy Vista, but car seat separately. While if I had the time again I'd buy the pram second hand, I do like having a big pram, and it's getting a lot of use again with my second who's about 5 months old now. But a lot of it depends on where you live, I imagine if you're in a city then a smaller more compact system would be more useful - I'm in the sticks and my umbrella fold buggy is useless over rough ground, it's mostly for holidays or in town. I've never found attaching the car seat to the buggy very useful - did it a couple of times with my first baby and haven't at all this time round.

bilbodog · 18/09/2023 12:39

Buy second hand

AngeloMysterioso · 18/09/2023 12:40

We also have an uppababy vista, and sure it’s big and cost a lot, but it’s a real workhorse, super adaptable and easy to use and has been worth every penny- we’re about to have our third baby and it’s still going strong Smile

ReadRum · 18/09/2023 12:41

Nope, we got a second hand pram and passed it on. It’s now being used for its seventh baby. A lot of this expensive baby stuff functions mostly as a status symbol

Girasoli · 18/09/2023 12:41

Ours has only recently given up after nearly 8 years and 2DC (Used the pushchair attachment till both boys were 3.5). It wasn't £2000 though, it was about £400 in the sales.

Girasoli · 18/09/2023 12:42

It also went on planes about a half a dozen times so can't complain really!

EyelashConundrum · 18/09/2023 12:42

Buy a second hand bugaboo off fb marketplace. You can always buy the car seat from brand new

Hufflepods · 18/09/2023 12:43

Is anything "worth it" though? People spend different amounts on different things all the time, because they prefer the look, fabric, quality, brand etc.

I don't really get your Yoyo comparison. I have one and love it, but it is a city centre pram, it doesn't suit all lifestyles. You can still buy it as part of a travel system with the carseat etc.

DuploTrain · 18/09/2023 12:43

I don’t think they’re worth it.

The car seat attaching to the pram frame was useful (ish) but for a very short period of time. And it was really heavy and awkward to be honest.

Pregnant with my second and I wish we’d gone for a more lightweight pram but we’ve still got our Oyster travel system from DS1 so it seems wasteful to get another one.

DuploTrain · 18/09/2023 12:44

If I was doing it from the beginning again I’d definitely consider second hand.

sanityisamyth · 18/09/2023 12:44

I had the Mothercare Trenton travel system which was amazing but didn't have the price tag of the brands. You don't have to buy new either. There was nothing wrong with mine when I sold it, apart from normal wear and tear.

Ghostgirl77 · 18/09/2023 12:45

Mine cost £150 second hand, was just as good as a new one. Used it for less than a year and then got a lightweight travel buggy instead.

Scottishgirl85 · 18/09/2023 12:47

I've had big age gaps between my 3 kids. 8 years between oldest and youngest. We've used our travel system up until age 2ish before moving to stroller. So it'll have served us 10 years and still looks amazing. I've walked thousands of miles with it, indestructible! So yes, I'd recommend! I think ours was £1k 8.5 years ago though...

WillowCraft · 18/09/2023 12:47

Most car seats go on most prams, so get a new car seat and second hand pram. If you are walking everywhere a big pram is ok but if in and out of the car then something easy to fold is better.

I recommend baby jogger city mini gt, it's fine for rougher terrain, can fit a car seat, is light, folds one handed, lies flat enough for a newborn, and costs about £350 new.

Definitely do not spend £2000! You don't need anything new for a baby except possibly a car seat. Most of the stuff is barely used and in excellent condition and you can get rid of it after 6 months or so for the same youpaid for it. Facebook marketplace is your friend

Curiosity101 · 18/09/2023 12:47

Our travel system was great. We used it for both of our kids. We had an iCandy Peach 2 but we bought it second hand for £400 in 2019.

Depends on your needs though. We wanted something that could literally go anywhere and I did attach the car seat to it regularly when both DSs were little and I was nipping into a shop.

Having said that, if I were to have a third child I don't think I'd bother buying it again. I'd get a reasonably sturdy 'from birth' push chair. Something that folds all in one piece, is reasonably light and has big wheels for off road walks.

YouveGotAFastCar · 18/09/2023 12:47

I didn't buy a £2000 one, but I did buy an iCandy Orange, which I think was £1.5k at the time but I got on offer for £800. It's been absolutely worth it. It's still in great condition. I broke the brake and they fixed it and did an MOT on the frame for free. My son loves it. It handles all types of terrain, and has a massive basket. You can use it for one child or two without needing to buy much extra. The warranty lasts for 10 years.

Our son LOVED his carrier and was rarely in the pram until he turned 9 months. As soon as he could shuffle along, he wouldn't tolerate the carrier anymore, he wanted to be "free". He will sit in the iCandy.

We have a Bugaboo Butterfly, too, as the iCandy is a bit big for our current car until we upgrade, now he's in a bigger ERF seat. That's a lot less comfortable or durable, and we have to bribe him to get into that one. I do love the YoYo but they need smooth, flat ground really; to be small enough to be cabin-sized, you give up a lot in suspension and comfort. The wheels have to be tiny, which means they're a pain if there's not a nice new path. The Bugaboo is the same. The YoYo is more hardy than the Butterfly; and at the moment the YoYo is still free on most airlines, although it's heavily rumoured that airlines will charge for putting buggies in the cabin in the next 6 months or so.

Our iCandy fits inside shops, even the awkward little Victorian ones where we live. It's not gigantic. I've never struggled to get it through a door.

You seem to be talking yourself out of getting one, which is fine if you don't want one, but it's definitely be massively useful for us. DS is nearly two and we still have the iCandy in daily use. He likes to walk everywhere but gets tired, especially on longer walks, so it makes sense to have it so he can have a rest, and we can use the basket space. I occasionally take the folded up Butterfly instead but that makes it a lot more effort.

cocksstrideintheevening · 18/09/2023 12:50

Slightly different as I had twins, I got the bugaboo donkey when it was first out. Bloody pain in the arse. What was good was the bassinets as they slept in them downstairs. As soon as they were in the seats around 6 months I sold it and got a baby jogger city mini which saw us through until they didn't need it any more. It was a joy.

Stade197 · 18/09/2023 12:52

When I started looking I couldnt beleive the prices of most prams! In the end I got a babylo travel system from Smyths Toys and it was £219 and I loved it! The pram was very well built, had great features and was so lovely to push around and the car seat was really good quality too. If I ever had another baby I would definitely get the same one again

welshweasel · 18/09/2023 12:53

Decide what you want and buy second hand (plus new car seat). I had an icandy peach for my first and bugaboo cameleon for my second - both bought second hand and then sold for the same or more after less than a year's use (when we moved on to an out and about nipper, as we live rurally).

Buying new is a waste of money in my opinion. I don't know anyone who was still using their massive pram after a year.

Do buy a decent car seat though - avionaut, maxicosi and besafe all do decent infant seats. The ones that come with travel systems are frequently poor seats, that do not give a newborn a safe position.

meganorks · 18/09/2023 12:54

We got given one that was a bit rubbish to be fair, but meant we could figure out what we wanted. And we were able to get the pushchair part of the same make to use the car seat with. I think it was less than 300 for that part. I wouldn't have spent thousands! I found mine invaluable and didn't switch to something smaller as they don't have a decent basket underneath and I would walk everywhere and put my shopping there.
I did buy a double when I had my second and I would say that was a waste of money! The baby didn't really like the basket bit so I would often end up with her in a sling anyway. Then once the oldest was a bit bigger they liked the buggy board. Several times I found myself pushing the bloody thing along empty with a toddler insisting on walking and baby in a sling!

DappledThings · 18/09/2023 12:56

The whole compatible car seat that fits on the pram chassis was a waste of money for us. Did it once ever over 2 children. Didn't get the point of it at all.

Madcats · 18/09/2023 13:06

I think it all depends on how you plan to live with your baby. [I had a Stokke that I was able to sell for about 2/3rds if what we'd paid 4 years later]. We used ours a lot more than a family travelling everywhere by car.

For example, I have a tall, thin house so used the "pram/bassinet" as a downstairs cot for a good 5 or 6 months. It kept the baby away from our pets.

We hardly used our car, so a sturdy travel system was great for carting shopping home (it came as a bit of a shock when I had to carry bags again!).
Later we could have the pushchair seat forward or backwards facing at table height so eating out was straight forward too.

Calmdown14 · 18/09/2023 13:13

Depends (though I wouldn't go as high as 2k) how you live.

Do you get public transport?

Do you most of your short journeys to local shop etc or tend to go in the car?

Do you have any steps up to your house and a space in your hall to park it?

People tend to ditch them because they are heavy to get in and out of a car or are a pain on public transport. But if you walk a lot then they are much nicer to push.

The unknown quantity is what kind of baby you have. I loved the carrycot on mine with new born's but both kids wanted up by about four months so use was short (though great protection with a winter baby when you live by the North sea!)

First child loved patent facing, was content in the buggy and it was great for him.
Second learned to escape quickly, wanted to walk and wanted to face where she was going so less decent value had it been bought for her.

I would really look into the weight and folding mechanism and definitely consider second hand.

LeafHunter · 18/09/2023 13:13

Second hand here also. Silver cross wave. Used most days still and he’s 9 months.

LookingForPurpose · 18/09/2023 13:15

Nope. With my first 3 kids I invested the money in the car seat and just got a umbrella fold buggy that was suitable from birth. With the 4th I had more disposable income so I might a loooovely last season brand new travel system for £180 (2008) but hated it and went back to a proper car seat and folding buggy.

Big fancy prams/travel systems are known as council chariots around here. They are a status symbol and the more hideously fancy and OTT they are, the younger and worse off financially the parents are.