Pram Recommendations?

[Sunny4124]

Hi Ladies!

Hope you're all doing well!

Has anyone got any recommendations on prams: brands/ models etc? Equally, any you've not been pleased with?

For those of you who are mums already.... What type of features are most important? : Lightness? Easy to put up and down? Easy to manoeuvre? Adapts with age of baby? Etc.

We are a bit clueless! Thanks :-)

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Hello!

We've noticed this thread is quite old and some of the product recommendations are a little out of date. We've spent weeks speaking to parents and testing out pushchairs and buggies. Read our reviews of see which lightweight buggy was crowned best of the best.

Hope that helps!

MNHQ

We've gone with the silver cross pioneer, found the whole pram buying experience totally overwhelming and gave up 3 times we went to get one heard really good things about the pioneer though and it covered everything we wanted, good luck!!!

We were budget driven. I ended up with a Maclaren XLR (figured most people go on to get strollers so why not just start there too), which lies flat. Got the clip on carrycot for the first few months (winter babies), and the clip on carseat to use it asa travel system too.

Its now halfway through DC2 using it and I am still just as happy with it as the day I got it. It may not be as pretty as say the Bugaboo Bee (an all round great pushchair!) or have many snazzy features, but its a workhorse.

Oh and its incredibly easy to fold, has a one handed seat recline and the hood unzips really far over the front so good for naps.

With DS and if I had another I would buy the same again - britax

We had a beautiful b-smart with humongous shopping basket and enormous hood with mesh UV panel and they still sell on eBay but for pennies so I would save and buy 2nd hand the same model if DH would allow it (gave ours away) but DH is funny about wanting to buy new so I already have my eye on the Britax smile which seems to have kept the features I loved but otherwise appears to be the uppababy vista

I did read someone saying Britax bought the factory and took over the vista model from uppababy but can't say if that's true though it's suspiciously SO similar I can't see how they managed to get away with it if they haven't

we have got the bugaboo bee3.
previously had some cheap mothercare travel system, silvercross 3d, bugaboo bee (the original 2009 version), bugaboo cameleon, and various lightweight strollers.

says it all that we've gone back to the bee. folds in one piece. one handed fold. so lightweight and easy to push - even my 5yr old could push it around town when her brother was born, rear and forward facing and will last until baby no longer needs a pushchair. in general it ticked all our boxes.

We've gone for a maxi-cosi travel system. First I wanted a stokke, then a bugaboo, then I got so very, very bored with looking at, and thinking about, prams / buggies / car seats so found a deal online for maxi-cosi and went with that.

We've gone for Cosatto 'Toodle Pip'. Was cheap and came with the carry cot & the seat for when she's bigger. Really easy to collapse too. And light! We couldn't fault it and it was a fun fabric.

If I were to do it all again I'd miss out the "big pram" completely and go straight for a lie-flat pushchair.

We had the Maxi Cosi Loola Up with car seat, "ordinary" seat, and carrycot attachments. Used it to four months, when DS went into a cheap pushchair, and its been in the cellar since then, waiting for Dc2!

Why? The travel system was easy to put together and far lighter than most, but nothing is as simple and small as a basic fold up pushchair. Also, our house is very small and there was nowhere to put it so, while we were using it, it had to sit in the kitchen blocking the doors, fridge and sink.

When choosing one, think v specifically about where it's going to go, consider stuff like steps up to your house (that was another issue for us) and practise again and again in the shop, to make sure you can assemble it easily. But from my experience, you can't beat a simple pushchair!

I've got a Bugaboo bee which is great if you're in a city or town. It's easy to collapse and pull up, one click and it's done. No taking the wheels off just to get it in the car. It's light weight and has height adjustable handles. The basket is a good size. A car seat can attach to it with adapters. The new version has a carry cot, we had a cocoon which was perfectly fine.

I love it and the big advantage is that my toddler can still use it rather than doing what most people do and buying a Maclaren later on.

What do you need it for - are you mostly walking in the city, so it should be light, easy to move, easy to get in and out of public transport? Or will you omstly use it for dog walks on muddy paths? Do you have enough space to store it, or does it need to fold small? Does it need to fit into a small car? Does it need a big basket for shopping?

We found the whole pram thing a nightmare - there's just so much to choose from, so I went with my sister's recommendation. We got a Quinny Buzz travel system (which had the maxi-cosi car seat) and then when he got a bit bigger and we wanted something more compact to go on holiday we went with a Quinny Zapp. Found both brilliant and the Quinny buzz folded surprisingly small.
It's also worm really really well and we're going to use it again for the next one.
It's all down to personal preference though. Make yourself a shortlist and then go an try them out.

We've bought a second hand bugaboo cameleon after trying a friends out. It's as good as new, with loads of extra's included and it was £800 cheaper than buying it all new. We've bought a compatible car seat and the car seat adapters to turn it in to a travel system. Not used it yet though.

Oh and mine's a Bugaboo Cameleon - we mostly use it for dog walks and it handles rough terrain well, but it's also light (compared to most travel systems) and easy to manoeuvre. Very happy with it, fits my needs well.

However, the basket is hard to access when you use it with the carry cot, so it's not really so great if you want to get loads of shopping there. And it folds in 2 parts, which migh not be convenient.

Hi,
Pram buying is just as hard as buying nursery furniture... : /

I was going to go for the Silvercross Pioneer until I was in Mothercare and compared it to a Graco Evo. They were so similar in features that i ended up going for the Graco (had a travel system one previously and it lasted 3 years). Plus Mothercare do a kind of parents evening where there are demos of a few difference prams, cradles and car seats, well worth going to if you have it in your area. It needs to be prebooked and you get a goody bag too! And we got 10% discount off our travel system as well as another £100 off for buying a 4-piece travel system (car seat, iso fix, pram and buggy with free cosy toes and rain cover). In all, we spent £450.
Oh, and the biggest selling point was the fact it had an easy access shopping basket. The Silvercross one wasnt as easily accessable.
Jings, prams are very expenses, arent they!

I have s bugaboo chameleon which has done me 2 children really well with no issues

OP, there is a pushchairs and prams board here on MN that is frequented by some posters who seem to have tried every pram out there, it might be worth a look for you.

I think what makes the ideal pram differs for everyone and is driven a fair bit by your lifestyle and what features are important to you.

For example, I don't drive, walk loads and take public transport fairly often. A spacious basket underneath and the option of parent facing or world facing are important features to me. Both sets of grandparents have cars with large boots. We rarely need to use a pram "off road" (eg across fields, beaches, woodlands etc).

A family who drive a lot, have a car with a small boot, want a travel system, and take long walks in the countryside will probably have a very different opinion on what he ideal pram is.

So make a list of what features you think will be most important, consider the size of your car boot, where you will store the pram when not in use, will you need to fit it on the bus, then do some research and visit some shops where you can have a push of the ones you like the look of.

we have gone with the Silver Cross Wayfarer - had the demo and it is light enough for me to get around and super easy to change the positions and seats around. Folds down nicely too.

I think it depends on your lifestyle, if you live on a farm and drive a 4x4 then your ideal buggy will be different than if you live in London and take the tube everyday. Personal preference also comes into it eg. I like my babies to face me as long as possible, other people prefer forward facing. Or you might end up with a baby that hates the pram and you will find yourself using a sling instead.

Bugaboo bee. Narrow, nippy, folds down pretty small (fits in the boot if our Ford Ka), parent- and outward-facing, adjustable handle (6' 3" BIL could use it with ease, as could 5' 2" me), single handle which is very useful once they can walk and are in and out if the buggy, it's much easier to push a single handle buggy with one hand). Only downside is the basket is quite small but all in all it worked very well for us.

BUGABOO ALL THE WAY!

I also have a Bee3 but I don't really love it. I got it because I wanted a small, nippy travel system (it is)... However, my son refused the bassinet after 6 weeks, probably because he couldn't see around him, so spent a lot of time in the clip on Maxicosi until he was big enough for the seat. Should have just got the cocoon, but I live in a hot place and was worried he would overheat in it.

I also find it quite big and cumbersome when folded which is inconvenient for jumping on and off public transport. I guess it just doesn't suit where I live.

Recently I have seen lots of people with BsbyZen Yoyos. If I could choose again, I'd go for the Yoyo with 0+ seat, then replace with 6+ seat. I've heard they also have Maxicosi adapters, so it can be a travel system. The fold is so small and in its travel bag can easily be hand luggage on a plane.

So basically, it depends what you want out of it. Small, light and simple or sturdy enough for walks in the forest and storage space no issue.

*BabyZen

We bought a sheepskin for our Bee for when it got warmer, they stay cool in summer and warm when it's colder. But there are also seat liners and foot muffs. Out newborn was perfectly fine with just the sheepskin and a light blanket when it was hot.

BabyStyle Oyster. Mine did me 4 years of hard graft and I loved it.
Forward and rear facing options, folds with seat on, not too heavy or bulky.
Their customer services are great too.

Going for an iCandy Strawberry 2. Decided to join Which to see the reviews and scores across the board and taking those into consideration and our own needs/lifestyle we came up with a short list and then went to John Lewis to check them out and have a go pushing/folding/carrying etc. Also happy with the price of £550 for the pushchair, carry cot, car seat adaptors etc with just the cosy-toes and parasol to buy on top.