Stokke Xplory vs Quinny Buzz

[cocobongo]

I am totally overwhelmed looking at prams / pushchairs!

I like the look of the Xplory, and it seems to get pretty unanimous good reviews. However, both my mum and hubby have said that it looks as though the baby's legs would be dangling when it is in pushchair mode. Has anyone else had experience of this? Do baby's legs dangle?

My other thought was to get the Quinny Buzz- has anyone had experience of both, and which would they recommend?

Argh, I am finding this impossible to choose and need to do it soon before baby arrives.

In terms of requirements, I live in a flat (2nd floor), don't have a car and just really need it for urban walking.

Thanks!

The baby's legs dangle less in a Stokke than in anything else! The footrest is completely adjustable, so as soon as the feet are big enough to fall over the edge of the seat - and my 8 monther's haven't yet - they provide the child with firm support, encouraging good posture. (My son likes to rest his feet on the central pole, at the moment, so he can wiggle his toes, braced on it!) It's designed by a company who make items for people with back problems (their change table is high enough to change the baby with a straight back, and faces you - brilliant - I had bad SPD so that was one reason we chose the Stokke range). That's why there's no kick-bar between the back wheels to limit your stride, and why the central pole thingie is so adjustable.

I have an Xplory. Like you I live in a compact city and walk everywhere, no car. The benefits:

• Incredibly narrow - doesn't look it, as it's so high, but it measures a good few centimetres narrower than a Quinny

• The height really is fantastic. The baby isn't at car-exhaust height; you don't have to bend much to chat to them or tend to them which is great for them and you; and they can see everything that's happening. My Mum got him a walking all terrain buggy and had him in town in it once - front facing, low down, he freaked and had to be carried instead!

• You can lay them flat, sit them in a gentle recline, or bolt upright. I do all three regularly. They can also face you or the road, depending.

• It's great to park in a room while you wash up or do whatever - he's high enough he can see me and he's very happy there. It also does work really well as a high chair when out and about - he's not always wriggling on our laps while we're trying to eat!

• It's incredibly comfy to push, whatever your height. My mother is 5 ft and DH 6 ft 3! We all manage to adjust it to the right height, which no other buggy did. It's also really manoeuvrable.

• the bag is a Tardis, and the change bag is worth every penny as it straps to the stem, too.

• My son absolutely loves it. As I say, Mum got him another fancy one as she likes to walk off-road, and he has an umbrella stroller for planes/holidays, and he grumbles with the other two.

• Kids really do use them till 3 - I've seen a few! Whereas a friend's 1 year old is almost out of his Quinny already, though it is also a great pram.

• Resale value is fantastic.

• Customer service from Stokke is brilliant, too.

Disadvantages:

• Cost. At that price, it should fly, as a poster once put it. We decided it was worth it as we have no car, and we walk everywhere so needed something really good.

• It's not going to be possible, IMO, to pull it safely up 3 flights of stairs with your child in it. You'll either need to park it in the hallway or get the baby up first, and come and collect - and I'd dismantle before hauling upstairs, too, rather than bouncing up each step. That applies to the Quinny and Cameleon as well - if you want something light enough to take in one go, go for a Bugaboo Bee - they're fine for newborns as well, and I think also face both ways?

• Until you're used to it, it's a nightmare to operate. Taking it apart, altering the recline, and oh my God, first assembly. My husband was threatening to firebomb Stokke that day. Of course, once you ARE used to it, it's a doddle.

I love my Xplory to bits. Best bit of baby kit I've bought, by a mile. I wouldn't get one second hand, though. I did the change table, and I wasn't about to spend even the second hand price on a cot, but with a posh buggy IMO you want the guarantee. That's a lot of money, should anything go wrong. And I'm sure you know this already - but don't buy from Bambino Direct! A Mumsnet search will explain why.

Sorry to be so longwinded. But yes, it's fabulous! A couple of friends really like their Quinnys too, though.

Everything Qually said

I love ours - I'm in the same position: urban walking, no car, upstairs flat. Mind you, I do have a garage in which to leave it. I probably wouldn't be quite so fond of it if I had to hump it up three flights of stairs every day.

The first assembly is indeed a nightmare. We got a friend who is a mechanic to do it and even he had trouble.

All the little adjustments you can make can be quite complicated, but we got the hang of it after searching YouTube for a Stokke demonstration. There are a couple of saints who have uploaded video of demonstrators at baby shows and by God do you need to see these to work it all out.

The only problem I have found is that I piss myself laughing whenever I catch sight of my reflection in a shop window. Ever since I read someone on here (moondog maybe?) say the Xplory looks like an internal mail cart I can't see myself pushing it without thinking "Yes! It SO does!"

One last thing - the only thing Qally didn't cover is that your child is not at face level with dogs. I don't trust dogs and there are loads in my area so this was a big selling point for me.

Thanks everyone for your comments- think the Xplory is the one for me. Just have to persuade my mum because she is the one buying it!

Actually the only thing I didn't think of before I bought it is that it's great for one child, but I don't think there's a compatible buggy board. You'd have to be pretty confident you were going to have a three-year age gap between your DCs. Don't plonk down your money until you've had your scan and you're sure you're not having twins

Don't buy the buzz we had one and everyone hated it from mil to dh - it's so wide it gets stuck in some check out aisles - it's a royal pain in the ass.

I am the proud owner of a Stokke and LOVE it - would agree with all of Qally's points. My DS is equally keen on it. It's not for the shy and retiring though as people do tend to stare at it and comment loudly (along the lines of "it looks like a space ship!"). This attention has given DS a massive superiority complex as he thinks he is the one that they are looking at

If you are London based then the "Green Baby" shop in Richmond is worth a look as they usually have the Xplory on sale - we got ours from there and saved about £150. I'd also recommend ordering on-line from backinaction.co.uk, their service is excellent.

Finally, my friend has the Buzz and hates it - the wheels are way too wide. On one occasion we were together and it took both of us to get it through the door of a restaurant (and we still took most of the paint off the doorframe!)

Lullabys are fab, and offer excellent moneysaving combination deals as well. They're a bricks-and-mortar shop too, which reassures. We've rung them whenever we've had queries (the instructions and the new version of the rain cover don't match. This makes fitting it difficult...) and they've always been excellent and kept reminding us that if anything's wrong it's their responsibility for two years.

Having said that, I'd not buy anything expensive from anyone without using a credit card in the current economic climate. Glares at her Sofa Workshop sofa, where the back broke weeks after the farking chain went into receivership despite being 2 years still inside guarantee.

Also the carrycot was brilliant for us. We used it instead of a Moses basket. The baby insert does mean they can lie almost flat, but a portable and removable bed was a godsend. He was born in November, though, so being able to wrap him up warmly mattered more.

Also - Quinnys are really wide, as Timmette says. I didn't want to diss them as I know other people have been happy, but they've scratched my hallways a few times when visiting. You can easily share narrow pavements with a Stokke.

Stokke all the way! DS loves his! And I have actually managed to get it up and down stairs without help by using the wheels folding in mecanism. Although wouldnt want to do it everyday.

You will probably end up investing in a good collapsible buggy aswell - if you go on planes etc, Stokke would be a no no.

Oh God, do NOT take your Stokke on a plane, even in the carrycase. If it smashes, the guarantee isn't applicable (not a manufacturing fault) and the insurance won't pay (not due care and attention). We have an umbrella stroller for that (silver cross v. v. basic one, but has uv filter/canopy against sun. £50 from Ebay.)

Thanks for the advice. Not thinking about a second baby at the moment, too scared thinking about one just now! Definitely not twins either....

okay, just have to persuade my mum now.

I have the buzz and I've not found it to be too wide, to be honest. I remember agonising over which buggy to get but frankly your best bet is getting one that it as light as possible and as manouverable as possible. Don't forget that teeny newborns turn into strapping toddlers. My lovely and light buzz is fine with my newborn but when my first born got to 18 months or so it was definitely too heavy.

buzz is a real doozey.huge wheels base.hard to steer.a souped up shoping cart

just to say taken the xplory on three plane journeys with no probs. love mine!

Check out the Petite Star Zia from toys r us - it's cheaper, folds down really small and handles very well. Also has a fairly big basket on the back. Not bad for a 3 wheeler. x

Can't resist joining the Xplory fan club - I love love love mine and one of the surprising bonuses for me was in the hot weather. we have a green one and it was much cooler than all my friends with their black prams - asblack absorbs the heat? Also the hood has a mesh section to let the air flow thru.

Collapsing is an art tho and it needs serious breaking in before its as easy as they make it look in the shop - if you have any lovely friends ask them to regularly put it down and up aagin a million times to loosen the action and make it easier! the You Tube demo's are great too.

And again to echo above re. its not for the shy - I get comments practically every time I go out with it!

hi all, i have a stokke which i love. we are emigrating and will be taking my pram with me but now im a bit worried after reading all your reviews. i don't want my stokke to be damage. what can i do?

Buy a stokke it is the best money we spent when expecting DS. Am now preganant again and will have to get a twin this time.. I am devastated to be loosing my xplory it's been a trusted friend!!!

I absolutely love my Stokke! My partner chose it and was insistent we got it, but to be honest - I hated the look of it!
However, I have since changed my mind. It's lovely to push and easy to manouvere, my baby boy (8 weeks) loves it and we often put him in it for a nap. He's very nosy and alert and loves being able to look around and see everything. The only thing I would say is, I bought the laydown carrycot bit for an extra £130 and it totally wasn't neccessary! He's been more comfy and srttled in the buggy bit (with newborn insert) from day 1. You get a lot of comments and people stop you in the street to ask what it is and where you got it, whereas you see a million bugaboo's and quinny's! The shopping bag is HUGE and very handy.. It's great if you eat out as baby can be at eye level at the table, I could go on and on.. get it x