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Original poster

Mamas and Papas pushchairs

37 replies

Bekki · 28/12/2002 23:03

Does anyone have any reviews of the Mamas ans Papas freestyler or travel system, they look quite good and they look sturdy but would the suspension be good enough to survive a large baby, my first baby was huge! My old graco pushchair was struggling under his weight after 1 year. How useful is the carseat click system with the base?

OP posts:
ames · 29/12/2002 08:58

I've got a mama and papas freestyler travel system and I love it. It is very surdy and the click system car seat has been really usefull, very easy to transfer a sleeping baby from car to pushchair and back (although in my case it was a screaming baby.) DD is 1 now and there is plenty of room in it, it takes the strain of my friend's weighty 2 year no probs! I noticed on the toys r us website that you can also buy a second base for the car seat seperatly for £20 now which would have been usefull for a 2nd car or grandparents car etc. On the downside it is quite heavy to lift about although no problems to push and you do need two hands to collapse it. One other problem is that it is quite wide so can be a bit tricky in some shops ( although i think just having a pushchair can be a nighmare at times) and it does take a fair bit of room in the boot of a car (I presume you've got a car as you mention the carseat) although I'm not sure exactly hoe much bigger than some of the pushchairs it is, might be worth checking out. Oh and after d projectile vomiting incident last week it all the covers (from pushchair and carseat) washed lovely and survived the tumble drier too. Cant think of anything else, hope it helps.

Wills · 29/12/2002 10:59

Unfortunately Bekki I haven't got such a good review of Mamas and Papas. My parents bought us over £400 worth of Mamas and Papas travel system 3 years ago and it feel apart before she was one. Not sure if it was just because I have an extremely active baby and I'm a little heavy handed when it comes to pushchairs etc but we eventually went out and bought a maclaren and I couldn't give the maclaren more praise. My dd is now a sturdy 2 (almost 3) year old and its still going strong (and that includes having been on holiday a couple of times and been manhandled through various airports).

Original poster
Bekki · 29/12/2002 13:36

Thanks for the advice I'm still no clearer though. I intend to get a Maclaren XT when (future baby) is older but I just wasn't sure whether to spend all that money on one pushchair that'll be needed for only 18 months. I've got enough time to think about it though and the second base is a great idea. Anyone else have reviews of Mamas And Papas travel system/freestyler?

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aloha · 29/12/2002 22:39

You can use the Maclaren from birth - so I'd say just get that unless you are v rich! I never found it such a hassle to move a baby from a car seat to a pushchair for the first few months If you want a travel system I'd also suggest second hand - baby stuff is so expensive and there are lots of second hand travel systems around (mainly cos everyone's using a buggy!)

clucks · 29/12/2002 22:59

Beki,

I also abandoned my travel system (costing 400) in favour of a maclaren buggy. We gave it away to a charity shop after I burst into tears when the blooming thing wouldn't fold up properly in the multistorey and the baby was wailing.

The maclaren hasn't troubled me at all and was much, much cheaper. Good luck.

tigermoth · 30/12/2002 09:33

totally agree re ditching the travel system in favour of a buggy. If your intended buggy doesn't cater for a newborn, beg, borrow or buy secondhand a travel system. Don't buy new - save your money!

Enid · 30/12/2002 12:58

Bekki, believe me you wont be using the mamas and papas for 18 months. The reason there are so many second hand is that they are a total waste of space and money.

We have used a Maclaren Techno for dd2 since she was 6 weeks old - she couldn't lie flat in it but she was well padded and supported with a buggysnuggle/head hugger. She loved it and its fantastically easy to push (you can do it one handed while holding on to a mad toddler with the other). Its very lightweight and I can realistically see it lasting for a good few years. Small and rubbish shopping basket though.

I used a sling before that or just carried her into restaurants/friends houses in her car seat. If you are going to the supermarket, just put her in the trolley in her car seat.

Original poster
Bekki · 30/12/2002 20:07

Do you all work for Maclaren? Thank you for persuading me, the travel system is just too expensive anyway for the life it will probably have. I also clearly remember feeling quite embarrased pushing my extremely large 1 year old around in a pushchair. I think a Maclaren would be perfect once future baby is about 6 weeks. Which Maclaren is suitable at birth?

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aloha · 30/12/2002 21:52

Definitely the Maclaren Techno, which all my friends have and are v happy with. Looks comfy, I have to say, and some very large 18month olds look happy in theirs. Some going cheapish on www.kiddicare.com or co.uk (not sure which) also the tesco.com sale is on now.

ames · 31/12/2002 12:30

Just me who likes my m&p travel system then!!! lol

CookieMonster · 31/12/2002 12:56

Ames, I also like M&P .... I have a Venezia pushchair which was ideal for dd when she was newborn as she could lay flat in it like a pram and it is still fine as a pushchair for her now at 22 months. It is quite heavy but this doesn't bother me really as I don't use public transport and it is very sturdy. It has a hood and foot cover which, together with the rain cover, make it snuggly and warm in the winter and when all those bits are taken off, it is fine for the warmer weather.

MBB · 31/12/2002 15:59

I have the m&p Ulitima 3 in 1 which has been absolutley fantastic - no problems whatsoever. DS spent the whole (extremely hot) summer cool and comfortable lying flat out in the carrycot part while I saw other babies lying in the hot, cramped car seat clipped onto the freestyler. I have since bought a chicco buggy, but only to keep in the boot of the car, as I have a extremely small car and carrying the m&p meant no room for shopping in the back. However, I use the Chicco only when shopping and the m&p the rest of the time. He's now in the pushchair attachment and I feel there is no comparison for comfort, he sits highup in the m&P, the suspension is excellent and I feel he is safer in there than the buggy. If the m&p is the RollsRoyce, the buggy is most definitlely a pushbike! I disagree on the length of time the m&p will be in use - my 2 yr old nephew is fits v comfortably in it and its actually much sturdier than the maclaren and the graco he uses at home.

suedonim · 31/12/2002 19:09

I had an M&P 2-in-1 (not the travel system) and it was great. I used it until dd was about 3, partly because it was cosy and warm in our chilly Aberdonian winters. I also used a Maclaren buggy, with all the bits and bobs, for holidays and when she was older. That was good as well, although the M&P is so much nicer to push and has more storage etc. But for me, they (and a coach built pram!) served different purposes so it wasn't a matter of trying to decide which was best, luckily.

astonmartin · 03/01/2003 21:55

we have had a few mamas and papas systems, from the pliko to the 3in1's and we have never had any problems with them. The latest addition to the collection is a freestyler t/s which is a dream to push and has loads of room for a child up to the age of 3+ as when we brought this for the new member of our clan we tryed the eldest in it just to see for the size and was amazed as he had out grown the pliko and and seat unit of the 3in1. You may pay a bit more for m&p but you will not regret it and they do resell v,well on place like ebay, as we have sold a couple on there and they went extremly quickly the first went within 6 hrs. I can only say that i would recommend m&p to anybody for me personly the tose up was between mamas and silver cross which @ the present time are taking a break but will be back!! and instead of choosing between them we had both sounds like were loaded, but were not we just spend the money that other people us to smoke, drink ect to buy the items we want for our kids. M&P may be bulkey but they last and offer i believe more protection than any stroller!

Original poster
Bekki · 04/01/2003 20:11

I think I've finally decided that a Mamas and Papas Pilko travel system or a Mamas and Papas travel system would be ideal for first 18 months and then if I need to I can always then buy the maclaren XT I want as well. But we aren't exactly loaded so I think some heavy duty saving and lying to my husband is on order.

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astonmartin · 04/01/2003 23:40

try looking on the web as you really do get some great bargins freestyler t/s completo usually 360 ive seen them for 310 in the 2003 range as well! but can't remember the addy but if i do ill post it nback on here for you

Original poster
Bekki · 05/01/2003 20:36

Thanks astonmartin, I've tried the web to try and compare prices but I could never find a site that sold prams, so that would be great.

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Temptress · 05/01/2003 20:39

I have a Mamas and Papas travel system and its brilliant. I love the convenience of clicking the car seat onto the chassis when I am taking my children to school. I would say that they are a very sturdy pushchair and built to hold even the heaviest of babies!

astonmartin · 05/01/2003 23:22

Bekki, heres that address for you, babys-mart.co.uk, these are the BEST prices i have seen for along time and for the lastest range WOW

ann22 · 06/01/2003 00:00

If you are thinking about getting a Maclaren as well as the M&P pushcahir it's worth looking at kiddicare.com too.

ames · 06/01/2003 20:58

So glad it isnt just me who likes them!!

deegward · 06/01/2003 22:05

I have a 2+ m&p system, which was the carry cot, then the pushchair, any 2.75 still likes to go into it if we go for long walks.

My only concern is that my next is due at the end of March, and I would like to get a car seat to fit on top, of my original base (it has loarge wheels and suspension) but I think m&p have changed the system, as friends had a baby last year and their car seat did not fit our base... any ideas?

astonmartin · 06/01/2003 22:43

deegward, do you know which chassis youve got and whether it is g-matic?

oscarsmum · 07/01/2003 15:39

I too love my Mamas & Papas 3-in-1. To add to everyone else's comments, you can face the pushchair bit forwards or backwards (& the car seat for that matter) so you can watch your little darling until they're old enough to want to see where they're going. Also I (very extravagantly) bought a second chassis with bigger wheels and hence a bigger "luggage compartment" after I borrowed one from John Lewis when my original (smaller) chassis went for a repair to its brake. I can now fit a lot of shopping under it!

You do need to test your boot size, as sometimes it's a bit of a struggle getting the pushchair-on-chassis combination into my Golf boot, but it's great for bumping up and down stairs on the underground, which I do fairly often, as it's very substantial & has good suspension.

It's also a doddle to steer one-handed as it has a bar-type handle, rather than 2 hook-type ones. My son is 20 months and fits into it fine, although the straps are a bit short to put over his shoulders when his buggysnuggle is in so I just put them round his waist.

Marina · 26/06/2003 17:21

We are starting to think about pushchairs and want a robust from-birth folding pushchair that is NOT a travel system (so many people on here think they are not worth it and we have a perfectly good Britax Rock a Tot in the loft).
For ds1 we were very happy with our Maclaren Opus 5 which was comfortable for him and stood up to 18 months' continuous punishing use before its axles finally surrendered. As Maclaren don't seem to make a from-birth buggy with adequate padding now, I thought about the Mamas and Papas Pliko Argento. Has anyone used this as their main from-birth pushchair and what did you think?
Also, anyone actually ordered from Babys-Mart (as mentioned by astonmartin)? The prices look good but is the customer service also good?
Thanks in advance.