Buggy/travel system - what would you advise?

[LoveActually]

My in laws have offered to buy the buggy and I want to give them something to set aside as they live miles away and it's their contribution to the baby. I was going to go for a Quinny because a couple of my friends have them and they seem quite maneouverable (sp!). We want something that combines pram (carrycot) and buggy but are these more trouble than they are worth? Need something that isn't a nightmare to fold! Do we have to get a seperate buggy when the little one is older?

The only problem we have had with the quinny is that the front wheel has buckled twice after hitting fairly small potholes. Several friends have had the same issue. One of the new style quinnys has a new front wheel assembly that with larger wheels that are slightly further apart that might get round this problem

Our has done about 6 miles a day for the last 2 years and is only just starting to look tatty..

You will also need to get thornproof inner tubes.. as i found out the hard way, getting a puncture a mile from home with baby in a carrycot in the pouring rain. You'll have the same issue with any buggy that has inflatable wheels though.

The quinny isn't too bad to fold when it is just the buggy seat. If you use the carseat or carrycot, these need to be removed before folding it down. Our carseat got stuck once or twice and that was very frustrating.

Thanks ajm200. My friend needed to keep stopping to inflate the tyres during a weekend away. However I did notice it was easier to move around than my other friend's Maclaren when we were shopping in Oxford St.

It is a lovely buggy, ours is worn out now and about to be retired to be replaced with a mountain buggy twin.

Don't be tempted to get the firstwheels version. It looks very similar and has all the same features but lacks the strength/build quality.

We have also got the quinny zapp as a light portable buggy for use with our old cabrio car. Very expensive for what it is and not too stable. Get a 35 quid macclaren if you need a light weight buggy later..

what will you will be doing? Lots of walking to and from home or lots of in and out the car?

What I didn't like about the buzz is that it is very wide at the base and that you can only fold it in one with the pushchair seat forward facing and I found it quite tricky to fold but possibly because I have small hands compared to the large folding mechanism discs. I prefer the nipabout that I have bought recently.

Hi CarGirl. We live in a village near my mum and my sister (but very near a station which takes us into London and the nearest town). So we'll be using it to go on the train into our local town shopping and lots of walking up and down a hill with the occasional visit to the city. My partner wants to get a sling for first few weeks/months?
I also have small hands. Hmmm

I wouldn't like using a buzz on the train because you would take up so much room! You could do for a decent from birth puschair like the pliko prammette and get a 2nd hand or cheaper bigger thing for not the train??? I love the idea of slings but I have a bad back, am tiny and had huge babies so they didn't really work out for me

Depends how you feel about 2nd hand, it is a very good way to try out different things cheaply. Depends whether you are bothered about rear facing or not as well.

I do want rear facing for sure. The only thing is won't a pushchair be too big for a tiny baby?

Have you looked at the mamas & papas pliko pramette, silver cross do a similar one the 3D. Bugaboo Bee? There are so many to choose from. I think mothercare do an urban detour now that is rear facing too.

We do get the buzz on the train and use it regularly. We just have to stand in the doorway or put it complete with DS in the luggage area. The pushchair on the buzz doesn't lie flat so DS didn't really get comfortable in it until about 9 months. He outgrew the carrycot at 6 months as he is a lanky beanpole so we made do with the carseat through the summer.

Didn't like the MC Urban detour.. not a smooth to use as the buzz. The silvercross is lovely but bulky so not good if you have limited car boot space

They all look good, am now getting more confused than ever! The Bugaboo looks really easy to use (watched the video1) maybe that and buy the car seat which looks like it also slots in there.
I guess I felt we should get something with the carrycot/pram thingy. We won't be using the train in the rush hour, or will try not too.
Going to try out those one's you've suggested Cargirl.

Having had a frog & a cameleon I'd go for a frog or gecko they are much easier to steer one handed and more compact over all.

Good rear-facing prams include the Loola Up (with Windoo carrycot), the iCandy cherry and the Jane Hello Nurse. Think Mothercare have recently brought out a couple - My3 and My4. HTH.

I have the Silver Cross 3D and i love it. Its got the carry cot for newborn and then the pushchair for an older baby. When folded down it isnt that much bigger than the Silver Cross Pop. Mine fits in the boot of my Renault Megane perfectly.

I find that if you try to get one pushchair to fit all criteria you end up with one that tries to do it all and does most of it craply.

I have found most people need at least 2 if not more

I like to have at least one big sturdy pram for walking and one lightweight pram for public transport and chucking in the back of the car for short trips out.

My favourites are

traxx ecuador, mutsy, mamas and papas skate, urban detour quantum, m&p joolz, gesslein f2, gesslein future, gesslein vision s, mothercare my4, mothercare maiu, bebecar ip-op, mia moda allegria, mia moda atmosferra, petite star whirl, petite star dot, luna, bugaboo bee, jane carrera, jane solo.

We went for Mamas and Papas Pliko Pramette which I love, with DD now 2 years 4 months and it's going strong. Very comfortable. (as some other posters have said we also ended up buying a lightweight buggy for travelling when she was a bit older). Starting the whole process for twins now!