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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that Prams and Travel Systems are a total con?

121 replies

morningpaper · 15/01/2009 11:52

I get angry looking at all the prams and travel systems on the market. They are a total CON and so unecessary.

You need:

  • a sling for a few weeks
  • a buggy

If you REALLY want a proper pram, you can buy a second-hand lie-flat face-mummy pram or borrow one from a friend for the first few weeks.

Anything more than that is an OPTIONAL EXTRAVAGANCE and should be seen as so.

AIBU?

OP posts:
lilacclaire · 15/01/2009 11:56

No, I loved my travel system and it was very well used. It was pretty cheap as well, about £130.
The pram part got used until it was done, it was fab!

tattycoram · 15/01/2009 11:56

I couldn't agree more. A decent sling and a Maclaren is all you need. Even in the two years since I had my son there seems to be more and more shite on the market.

EyeballsintheSky · 15/01/2009 11:56

Hmm yes and no. I have only just stopped using dd's rear facing seat and I don't know how I would have survived without being able to use it on the buggy. She only sleeps in the car and it's a royal pain in the arse and really cruel waking her up all the time. S'pose people managed without in the olden days though...

tattycoram · 15/01/2009 11:57

£130 is reasonable I think, what I can't stand is the £300 and upward market. Such a triumph of marketing over necessity.

laweaselmys · 15/01/2009 11:58

I have seen a pure white pram being trundled around our local town centre quite a few times now. I have to resist the urge to snigger everytime I see it.

(I'm just feeling superior that I have the advantage of prior knowledge second hand from mumsnet...)

rubyslippers · 15/01/2009 11:58

i agree some of them are monstrously expensive for no reason other than they are a lovely shade of fushia with a matching something or other

i did like ours and we used it for 16 months

agree re the sling - lifesaver!

rempy · 15/01/2009 11:59

Agree, bit of a con. Am not that impressed with my bugaboo now that i have 2 under 2.

And its broken at the moment and needs fixing fortunately still under warranty.

Its massive, the buggy board gets pretty rubbish reviews, it cost a fortune. (although my very kind now dead granny paid for it).

And neither of mine liked being in the pram set up anyway.

So I have a sling, a buggy, a bugaboo, and a backpack.

The first thing to go on ebay will be the bugaboo.

janinlondon · 15/01/2009 11:59

Gosh, I really liked mine. We used the car seat bit (you've left that out of your list MP! ) for ages, and the pram converted into a buggy, so I never bought a buggy. Also used it for DD to sleep in when we went away.....

cory · 15/01/2009 12:00

It depends on who you are and what you want to do. I had painful stitches after first delivery, so sling was a no-no. Also, once I had recovered we did long country walks along bumpy footpaths and were often out all day, so dd needed both to be able to sleep comfortably for hours; and once she was old enough she needed something she could both sit up in and lie flat. I found a buggy didn't really do the job (got stuck easily, wore out quickly, not comfortable enough for very long).

I am sure it's different for people who have a car, or don't feel the same need to get out into the countryside. But I wouldn't say we'd been conned. We knew what would meet our needs and got that.

being able to borrow a pram depends on having a friend who's got one

Personally, I think having a car, unless absolutely necessary for work, is an optional extravagance. But I don't think everybody who's got one is necessarily being conned. They've just got different priorities to us.

Original poster
morningpaper · 15/01/2009 12:00

But surely you just have to buy the SAFEST car-seat rather than relying on its accessories?

Agree - decent sling/McClaren.

OP posts:
cory · 15/01/2009 12:02

I had one of those 3 in one systems, where you put either a carry-cot or a buggy-type thing that can fold down on a chassis. Did us for two babies, travels all over Europe and some pretty rough hikes.

traceybath · 15/01/2009 12:02

well i had a bugaboo frog with eldest and has done a brilliant job with youngest too and will continue on for next baby - so three children is pretty good going on a cost per use basis.

I like the lay flat option in the pram and the fact that its forward facing and when i bought mine - bugaboo was pretty much the only one doing that.

So like most things i think different things suit different people.

HelenBurns · 15/01/2009 12:02

Some are a huge con. The prices are ridiculous.
However I do think the right one can make your life much easier.

No I'm not really. But I've had a pram habit myself and tried over 50 - there are some really crap ones out there. And some that make things a whole lot more efficient.

I'd never put a tiny baby in a maclaren. Moro reflex every few seconds anyone? And I've tried loads of slings and they all gave me backache, though I'm sure there are lots that work very well.

cory · 15/01/2009 12:03

morningpaper on Thu 15-Jan-09 12:00:44
"But surely you just have to buy the SAFEST car-seat rather than relying on its accessories?"

If you are going to be using a car. If not, a more pram-type arrangement is more worthwhile.

And slings absolutely no good with infected stitches.

lilacclaire · 15/01/2009 12:03

Oh I seen the big white ones and wondered how on earth they were going to keep them clean,, they probably cost a fortune as well.

Mine converted into a buggy as well, really was well used until done, the car seat with base etc was a life/labour saver.

Couldn't have afforded a big extravagant one anyway, and given the amount of stains/marks etc don't think would want to pay more than I had to anyway.

HelenBurns · 15/01/2009 12:04

And pushing a large 2 or 3yo in a mac is not easy. Put the same child in say a Quinny Freestyle and your journey is transformed. It's weight distribution more than anything...like that wheelbarrow question in IQ tests. Which one is easiest to push.

laweaselmys · 15/01/2009 12:06

I've been given a travel system (second hand) that was bought for all the reasons cory choose hers - and it was good for bumbling about in the countryside, but totally useless if you say, ever needed to get on a bus. Surely if you don't have a car you also had this fairly fundamental issue cory??

After six months of use pre being given to me it's got pretty worn out IMO too, feels quite shaky. It doesn't mean I'm not going to use it, or that it isn't really lovely to have the opportunity to use the pram function and take it around like that. But given that it was about £350 new I feel a bit like my friend was ripped off.

Dropdeadfred · 15/01/2009 12:06

i hate maclarens...deckchairs on wheels

ChopsTheDuck · 15/01/2009 12:06

the problem is though, it's not jsut the baby you need to carry! I carried them each for 9 months, that was plenty long enough. I did try a sling, but I did not enjoy traispsing around like a pack pony with baby on front, bag on back, toddler(s) in tow and then maybe shopping to carry.

I am seriously glad to be rid of buggys now my youngest have outgrown them, and got each of them walking as early as I could, but there is no way I could have done without them in the early days.

Lionstar · 15/01/2009 12:09

We have a pram system that rear-faces and a light buggy for travelling. I HATE having DD facing away from me, even though she is now 22 months - in fact maybe even more now she is that age and chatting away, in the buggy I just don't hear her conversation or have to keep stopping and leaning over.

If they could invent something as convenient as a buggy but that rear-faces I'd be happy. Apparently maybe the Bugaboo Bee is close to it but is v. expensive and not really big enough for a toddler.

Original poster
morningpaper · 15/01/2009 12:09

lol some of these prams you are recommending are £500 +

I am baffled as to how this is an acceptable cost for ANYONE (unless v rich)

OP posts:
Original poster
morningpaper · 15/01/2009 12:11

TBH I DID use rear-facing prams, but both were second hand (£10 and £50 - and latter was a chum I was helping out TBH)

OP posts:
ChopsTheDuck · 15/01/2009 12:12

though, when you sell them on, you do get quite a bit back. The dts travel system cost about £550 I think. But we sold it afterwards and got around £400 back. SO that's only £150 for a pram and 2 car seats.

ChopsTheDuck · 15/01/2009 12:13

and we spent £550 because it was the only twin travel system on the market at the time, btw!

minxofmancunia · 15/01/2009 12:13

totally agree morningpaper, got totally duped first time round, spent far too much money on a bugaboo which is shite basically.

if this pg works out am going with my kari-me and by the time he/she's too old for that we can use the buggy we bought for dd cos we hated the rip off bugaboo so much

(a zapp, quite pricey but folds up tiny so good for travel which is why we bought it)