Best budget travel system or pram

[threecatsandcounting]

FTM here, baby is due Feb 2021.

I've been looking at prams on and off and I am in some groups on Facebook with women due the same time as me. Everybody seems to spending a ridiculous amount of money on prams (particularly travel systems) and I'm wondering if anybody ever actually spends less than £400 as everyone seems to be buying ones £800 and even £1000 and more!

I'm not sure whether a travel system is the "Best Buy" or if they're just made out to be an essential thing when they're not really. I've looked at loads of them and I don't like the ones where the carrycot turns into the upright stroller seat as they look so uncomfortable and I can imagine buying an umbrella folding stroller instead after not very long.

Does anybody have any recommendations of travel systems (3 piece ones where the carrycot doesn't turn into the seat) or am I wasting my time?

I don't drive so would mostly be used for walking around my local area/shopping centre etc and occasionally on the bus (depending on what things are like next year realistically I might not even be going anywhere on public transport!)

I think I'm being sucked in by the nice designs and the fact everybody seems to be getting one but I don't have anywhere local to go and try out prams so it's making the decision a bit difficult.

Ideally would like to spend less than £400 if possible!

Thank you in advance

Oh yes and the maxi cosi ones as well! Really good. Wish I'd gone for one actually.

Second hand also can be great, just replace the car seat part.

We are a tall family and find the UPPAbaby vista comfortable to push. I like the fact that the baby is higher off the ground. You can also make it fold flat in the car by taking wheels off and the seat can fold flat

I bought an Uppababy Vista second hand. I got a bit lucky in that the woman I bought it from had intended to use it for baby 2 and then found out she was having twins.
It's the older model that doesn't convert to a double.
But as a result it was pretty pristine and we only paid £180.

We prioritised buying a high-spec super safe car seat new as we do a lot of motorway miles. I never understood why people will pay over £1000 for a pram but baulk at paying more than £100-150 for a car seat. One is for looks and the other is a safety device.

Have a look on online4baby.com they often have really good offers on travel systems

I plan on getting just a pram with the pushchair not a carrycot and then adaptors for a lie flat car seat and buy it all separate so I'm getting exactly what I want and not settling for a bundle.

I do however like the look of the ickle bubba stomp set which is £500 and you get a lot with it.

@Babydancing2020 hi I just wondered which infababy system you got and if you are happy with it thanks

I bought 2nd hand on gumtree. Full silver cross travel system including isofix bases, all for £160. It's really good condition. Owner only used it for 1 child. Had to spend a bit of time on gumtree waiting for a good looking bargain but now very happy I didn't spend hundreds (or thousands )!

We went to the fancy pram shop, tried out all the expensive 1k+ systems, then went on ebay and found the same thing!
We also had no idea about make/models etc, so it was really good to try them all out and look at them (and fold them!).
I would recommend measuring the width of your front door and the size of your car boot (if applicable) before going, and taking a tape emasure with you! we thought we wanted an uppababy vista, but in the shop realised it'd only just fit through the front door with 1cm clearance!