Best off road/dogwalking Pushchair (from birth)

[Biggem]

Ok,

Please be gentle this is my first ever post!

Our first baby is due in May, so I am trying to do as much research into pushchairs as humanly possible, only thing is I keep getting conflicting reviews etc, so thought I would as for some help!

I am trying to narrow down what peoples opinions are on the best buggy that is usable from birth ( I quite like the idea of having the option of adding a carrycot) that can cope with dog walking, I'm not planning on dragging it up mountains or anything, but I do want something that is rugged enough to cope with walking throught the woods & general off road doggie walking activity BUT obviosuly not being made of £££ it will have to be suitable for the shops too coz I can't afford 2!

So currently topping the list is the Baby Jogger Terrain (which I can't find ANYWHERE to look at in the flesh & is £££) or the iCandy Apple Jogger (gets v mixed reliablilty & customer service reviews)

So, have I completley overlooked something which you guys think is awesome??
Any feedback would be h-mazing, as I feel v lost & confused by everything baby related at the moment!

Cheers!

Have you looked at the Jane Slalom Pro? A rugged 3 wheeler with a great brake system, options for carrycot or car seat to be attached, although the seat itself is suitable from birth. I've been really pleased with mine.

I would say, if you think you might want a second child within 3 years or so, look at something that can be converted to a double buggy, Phil & Teds for example. Lots of my friends are now finding their single buggies unsuitable now they have a second baby.

Hi biggem,

I am also due in may and have been researching pushchairs! I live in a rural-ish area with dodgy pavements so need something sturdy. I noticed a few mums in the area have the Britax B smart 3 so asked one of the mums her opinion. She has had in the past a Quinny and Jane powertrak and prefers the britax. She walks loads and says it's the best of all the prams she has owned! I am now sure that it's the pram for me! Have you come across it at all? It's worth a look for sure! Hope that helps!

Forgot to mention the britax lays completely flat and can be parent facing for newborn or forward facing as baby grows up! There is option of carrycot and car seat too!

Wow! Thats some speedy answering!

Thanks so much ;)

I haven't heard of either of the ones you guys mentioned (see, clueless) so I will begin googling in my ahem lunch break!

I keep looking for people walking dogs with buggies so I can ask them, but alas no luck so far!

Thanks ladies

p.s. Milkybrew, when are you due? I'm the 19th.

Hi biggem, I'm due on the 1st! This is my 2nd pregnancy, but have quite a big age gap so it's almost as if it's all new to me again! Have to start from scratch buying everything and it's all so confusing! Plus made mistakes in things I bought last time so determined not to end going through 5 prams this time! Not bought anything yet but with January sales coming up it seems like a good time to make a start!

Baby joggers are better for the long run and have a less "exposed" seat than the Jane. The baby jogger also has a better fold system and folds up much smaller than the Jane saving you oodles of space in the boot.

The baby jogger summit XC has much larger rear wheels - and ALL ROUND SUSPENSION - and a larger hood - which offers far better protection from both SUN and RAIN/SNOW/WIND than the Jane has.

Baby jogger is much better value.

Baby jogger is MUCH lighter than the new Jane Reversus (which has a seperate hard seat unit that reverses an has added a lot of weight to the product - and does not cushion little backs from jolts so well as the hammock type seat in the baby jogger)!

If you cannot stretch to the Baby jogger XC - there is a new baby jogger city classic on ebay with £120 off the usual price here:cgi.ebay.co.uk/BABY-JOGGER-CITY-CLASSIC-3-WHEELER-STROLLER-PUSHCHAIR-/190477355738?pt=UK_Baby_BabyTravel_Pushchairs_GL&hash=item2c5955cadaThis has many of the features of the city summit - but has smaller rear wheels (although still bigger than the Jane!), it only has suspension on the front wheel - and it doesn't have the handbrake for speed control that the summit xc has. It is however still a very good pram for a lot of off-road stuff - and also versatile enough for shopping.

Buy the best one you can afford - out of these two, it will do you well for many years use - they are very very well made and durable - and extremely user friendly - especially the fold - which you should google and watch on youtube!

I found fixed wheels better for dog walking.
I have successfully dog walked with a bebcar grand style with air tyres and an out and about nipper with fixed front wheel.

Something with air tyres definte must for any kind of off road. Get the tyres slimed at halfords to prevent punctures.
A good easy to use raincover and cosy toes also a must.

Also a decent sling was the best for dog walking so i had 2 free hands, a kari me then a Mei tai when Ds was a bit heavier.

I have huskies so alot of walking needed in all weathers.

My dogs quickly learned how to walk beside the pram without getting caught under the wheels. There were a few sore paws the first few times.

Realistically you will need two prams- one for walking the dog (can be second hand hand) i recommend mountin buggy, babby jogger and phil and teds, and a lighter, easy to fold new buggy for shopping/in the car/ travelling. my faves are baby jogger city mini and maclaren xt/ quest.

phil & teds is great, also fab if planning to have a 2nd as turns into a double. ut thing for us to start with for dog walking was a close baby carrier - just as comfortable as other wrap carriers but so much easier as just pops over your head rather than having to tie it!
www.closeparent.com/Default.aspx?tabid=186&List=0&CategoryID=301&Level=1&SortField=ProductName,ProductName

also used a connecta carrier from about 4 weeks and still use it if my little girl gets tired and she is now 2.5 years - def a best buy. is a million times more comfortable than the back pack carriers when they are bigger too, which just made me feel like i was going to topple over and gave me back ache - the connecta and close are fab buys!
www.connectababycarrier.com/

I love my phil and ted. I bought it after I found my first flashy (supposedly) do all pram was crap for walking my very naughty dog (he pulls and ducks under the wheels). The P&T is sturdy enough to resist being pulled about and manoverable enough with one hand and just rolls over bumps, ruts and tree routes. Is the pram I should have bought (but was seduced my Mamas and Papas advertising )

Personally, I prefer to carry ds in a sling for off road walking and use the pram/pushchair for other things.

I am a massive Mountain Buggy fan

slime stuff to prevent punctures generally doesn't work for prams because the tyres are not supposed to be inflated to such high pressure as bike tyres - and at lower pressures the slime won't be able to work.
If you over inflate pram tyres you run the risk of buckling the wheel or giving your baby a very hard ride!

Kevlar tape lining the tyres - and thorn proof inners work well - but add a few lbs weight to the buggy.

The Baby Jogger Summit XC can have the wheel fixed in a unique way that lengthens the wheel base for rough off-roading and distributes the weight better for pushing with fixed wheel.

A sling is a good option - the connecta carier is a great choice! I do not carry my toddler in a sling in very slippy conditions however as I would then run the risk of falling back onto him (he's quite a weight and yes I feel at 2.5y he could off balance me if I lost my footing), which may cause him severe injury (I am no lightweight!!!).

Phil and Teds in my opinion are poorly manufactured. My toddler unbuckled the harness clips and threw them overboard (thank goodness she didn't choke on them!) - then removed the plastic disc that prevents rain entering the front swivel wheel mechanism (it's only snap on - not even glued!) and chucked that too. She then discovered it was fun to ram her feet down hard into the footwell onto the front wheel below and cause the buggy to stop very abruptly - and me to almost fall head over heels over it at random times! The plastic coating on the mesh seat panels wore through to string in no time (I think they've altered the design of this bit now), one of the back wheels never fitted properly and had to be replaced after a few weeks. I always pinched my fingers with the awful fold mechanism. If you use the doubles seat the child at the back is a great height (or depth!) for passing dogs to lick....(eww!) and doesn't get much of a view.
It's all about convenience to parent on this model rather than comfort to child if you ask me. Also the buggy handles appallingly badly over urban terrain never mind off road - it's heavy to get up and down kerbs.
I think it's very much over priced for the shoddy workmanship in the manufacture of it.
The older mountain buggies are said to be good - but newer models are being manufactured by the same phil and teds gang - so be warned - over priced and not the best quality if you ask my opinion.
I'm a mother of 4, a bit of a pramaholic - there are only a few buggies I haven't tried - and Baby Jogger are now one of the brands I recommend to family and friends wholeheartedly. No I don't work for Baby Jogger - but they are a great family company (founded by two mothers!), and their stuff is tried, tested and not only great durable quality but a real pleasure to use.
If I won the lottery and could by the most expensive pram that money could buy - anything I wanted - I would still choose the Baby Jogger brand (and for me the Baby Jogger Summit XC is the ultimate pram - for my needs!).

I'm not overly keen on the Baby Joggers. Function good but style and quality isn't way up on the list.
I think you should get to a large store such as kiddicare and have a good look and play with different models.
Mountain Buggys are superb quality I am yet to find someone that can fault them. But whats one persons like is anothers hate. Good luck!

Hi!
Thanks again for all the replies

The dog in question is a boxer, so muchos walkies is a must, he does have a wheel obsession so will no doubt just have to learn not to throw himself/eat the wheels, but time will tell I guess!

I had thought about a sling, but then realised my awful sense of balance should prob rule that out...that and the bouncy nature of the hound! But I will def look at a few just to double check!

MonkeysPunk...did you ever use the Baby Jogger from birth or with the carrycot attachment? I looked in my local stockist at the weekend and they only do the Mini / City Mini (!?) and I loved it the quality and general feel & manoeuvrability was awesome,
the fold mechanism was so simple, but it looked a bit uncomy for the baba, I bit, well floppy/unsupportive? They didn't have the jogger in stock and I am struggling to find somewhere local that stocks it so I can have a proper look, but I am guessing the quality would be exactly the same.

I have the baby jogger summit XC as well and am loving it, we are using it for a newborn without the carrycot but you can get 1 to fit.
It's brilliant off road, is really sturdy and because of the way the seat is suspended LO gets a really smooth ride even across the horses field and that is very rough in places.

I didn't find one to look at in the flesh before buying but if you are anywhere near the somerset/wiltshire boarder you are welcome to see mine!

Ha Thanks Hevster!

Where did you get yours from, as I really really want a summit!

Hi Biggem

I am due in April next year and I also have a dog that needs lots of exercise. He is a 10 month old English Springer Spaniel! I have been looking for a pushchair that can be used off road and have been lucky enough to find mums where I walk my dog (180 acres of fieldsand tracks) that have phil and teds pushchairs and they have been very helpful.

One of the mums I meet up with uses her P&T to run with when walking her dog. I found the P&T to be light easy to monouver and easy to push accross fields and tracks. The newer ones were easy to fold and were not too bulky when folded up to put in the boot.

You can also buy these from ebay for a fraction of the original cost and some of them are in practically new condition.

I hope this helps

DON;T UNDERTSNAD THE POST THAT SAYS bABY JOGGER NOT GREAT QUALITY? Oops caps sorry - fab fab quality! Esp the classic or elite - summit looks fab though! But elite or classic would serve you btter round town prob?

Biggem put charriots all terrain pushchairs into google and buy from them. They deliver really quickly (next day unless it's a saturday the next day), were cheaper than anyone else and I can't recommend them enough. They include the rain cover and a hand pump for free and something else if you pay by debit rather than credit card.

took my summit for a run today and her ladyship fell asleep within minutes so must be a pretty smooth ride!

will also add that having had a Phil & Ted (for DD1) that I loved and was sorry to part with the BJ summit is in a different league alltogether

I don't understand the post that suggests Baby Jogger's not great quality either - mine is - and so is my friends, and my sisters, and my neices... I've had mine for a long time now - in daily use for 6 miles at least per day - does urban and off road stuff - yet it looks brand new still - it functions great, style is fab although that is a matter of personal taste really. I am happy with the style on my baby jogger summit XC!

santasmadmissy do you own or have you owned or tested or seen in real life a baby jogger pushchair? What points did you look for regarding quality?

I meant nice sturdy and high quality nylon cordura fabric, well designed pram with strong poppers, straps, good quality and easy to use harness, padding in all the right places, no problems with stitching, design or durability of product - no flaws - very strong and does all it promises to. Covers remove easily for laundering - handlebar has rubber grip which does not damage easily like some other brands cheaper foam handlebar grips. Basket of good size and can hold a good amount of weight without problems or breaking or even straining!!! Wheels have fantastic functional and dependable suspension - wheels are great quality as are the tyres (which have never had a puncture due to them being top quality in the first place!)

P&T come with thinner "budget" tyres - which are very prone to puncture as they're not made so thick as the tyres supplied on the Baby Jogger products.

I get the impression baby jogger care about their reputation and their customers satisfaction with a quality product - when I had the Phil and Teds I got the impression the manufacture had eeked as much profit out of the deal as they could - buy cutting corners on the product build wherever possible! While the P&T customer service was good and swift - I did have to contact them on about 4 occasions within a couple of months of ownership of the buggy - because it just kept going wrong - and wasn't up to the daily use it was getting. We were not abusing it in any way - I am fastidious about keeping my buggy nicely so I treat it with respect! The phil and teds was not up pto the high standards I require in a product I am using to carry my child every day in comfort (and style!).

Kiddicare do sell a wide range - depends on where you live as to whether you could get there to view.

The elite or classic would definately be a little better around town than the summit XC.

I just didn't find the quality up to scratch, ie the plasticy parts and the shiny materials.
Just my opinion thats all. You don't need to read

And I compared that to my current buggy. Would be a boring place if we all had the same opinions. I don't get the need for the either.

PS - I know this for a fact about the tyres - because I had to change the P&T tyres several times (all 3 tyres more than once!) in the few months I owned the P&T buggy. (I change the tyres myself too - so it was a PITA!) In the end, I paid around £50 for 3 chunky off road tyres, 3 thorn proof inner tubes and enough Kevlar (bullet proof tape) to line the tyres - I was that paranoid about getting punctures!

I've been running the baby jogger for months on the same woodland route without a single puncture ever - same terrain, same risks!

Ok, didn't dispute that! I don't have a phil and teds! Nor did I mention one!