uppababy vista v babystyle oyster v i candy peach/strawberry/cherry

[apachepony]

Hi all,
Have shortlisted the above from which.co.uk's best buys. Was also contemplating the bugaboo bee, but think I would quite like a carry-cot - or does it matter? Dh can't believe the price of some of the travel systems, and some of them do seem crazy expensive, so the oyster may be the best option because it seems much cheaper. However, I could stretch financially if really worth it.
Would like the following:

I have no car and will be walking/taking bus/possibly taking light train around town, so important that it's easy to push, not too bulky etc;
Dh has car so will also be in car often too;
Parent facing;
Would like a carry-cot I think (open to being convinced otherwise).

Baby due in January so perhaps icandy supply issues? They do look v pretty though...

Oh also because I will be walking around town a lot, would also like a good sized shopping basket for nappy bags etc.

Thanks for all and any advice!

You have pretty much the same short list as I had, also driven largely by which magazine! I am due in Dec and at first didn't want a carrycot but came here for advice and have been convinced its probably a good idea. Reasons: carry cot has optimum lie flat position, can be used for day time napping, without the cot you will end up buying a cocoon which could be almost as much as cot and for time of year a carry cot probably gives better protection to the baby via its hood.

As for prams, having tested all of the above, I think they are all lovely and you wouldnt go far wrong with any of them. I think it is a question of going out and testing and seeing which one you like. iCandy are way more expensive and you need to see whether you think they are that much better and justify the hike in price. They are also quite heavy. But they probably hold their value better for resale than any of the others. I would add a Mutsy Evo to your list, similar to the oyster - better seat but not as nice fold I think. Also v reasonable price.

In the end I was conflicted between stories of people saying that they bought an expensive travel system, and then they swapped for a cheap light stroller after 12 months or so because toddlers get too heavy to push in travel system type buggies. Conversely others say if you buy a good buggy in the beginning it will last for the long haul. I hedged my bets and opted for a second hand ICandy. But if I was going for new I would have bought the vista, seemed to be the best balance between affordability and being a good buggie.

Happy shopping!

Thanks! Vista is pretty expensive here (in Ireland) too, but will just have to try out. I have also heard both stories - that you soon move on to stroller & that u carry on using, so confused as to what to do! Second hand might be the way to go though, though part of me liked the idea of buying new for pfb - silly though!

I think the vista could be a bit bulky for around town, but maybe that's just because i'm small. Check the dimensions. there is a smaller version, the Cruz which is lighter and narrower, but can't use the carrycot of the cruz overnight and the suspension isn't as good as the vista. But still Definitely worth a look.

Oyster gets mixed reviews on MN - some love it, others have had issues with bits breaking or child seating position. Mutsy evo is also good value but wider so poss less convenient for town.

Cherry is the lightest and narrowest of the icandys. The supply problem is mainly on the strawberry I believe? My only problem with the cherry is that my 6'3 DH kicks the brake when walking, but you may not have the same problem, depends on height and walking style I think.

Peach is a lot heavier but it can adapt to be a double if you are planning two close together ( as can the vista but the peach is a better double I believe)

Two other options: bugaboo cameleon (less bulky than the vista and lighter than the strawberry or peach) and the easywalker June (only just released but looks fab if expensive)

Know what you mean about buying new for pfb... I feel the same but logically I know it's a bit silly!

Www.bestbuggy.co.uk is good to compare the specs of pushchairs side by side and for reviews and photos.

If you buy new for PFB and make a good choice then you always have the option of keeping it for possible later children so you get your value that was iyswim. Sometimes you can buy very lightly used 2nd hand things that will be pretty much new. Watch out for warranties though, some are tied to the original owner (yes iCandy, that's you).

Of your listed options I have had a Cherry, Oyster and Peach. Of the 3 I think overall the Cherry was what I would have deemed the best. The Cherry and Peach both have huge baskets, the oyster is smaller but perfectly big enough. The Peach is lovely to push but heavy to fold, carry etc. I tended to bruise myself putting it in the car! The Oyster is great but the one I had seemed like a very hard ride. I pushed a very sleepy 6m old for 1h45m before she eventually went to sleep, which is unusual for her. She didn't cry and gave no indication she was uncomfortable exactly, she just didn't sleep where she usually does. Where I live is very bobbly and cobbly though so this would not apply everywhere.

I'm on the fence with carrycots, sometimes they're great, sometimes a lie flat seat is useful (like in the situation where the baby will no longer tolerate the carrycot but is too small to sit in a bucket seat).

It might be worth a trip to mothercare to see a Graco Evo, which struck me as very similar to the cherry but cheaper and with lie flat seat and carrycot as an extra accessory so you can chose how you want to use it. Hmm actually probably in Ireland I think the independent stockists have it. Mothercare had an exclusive here for some amount of time that I've forgotten before it went to anyone else.

June.
June June June. At least go see one if you can

Just checked - only 2 shops in Ireland, both over 3 hours away sell the June, and none in n Ireland - so think that's out! Cherry maybe looks the best so? Although no option to convert to double...oh decisions!

I have to say I would discount the Oyster - one reason only though and that is seating position. I just dont like it. The child neither sits upright nor lies flat. They just dont look 100% right. But feature wise its got a HUGE amount going for it - good value for money, narrow, easy to fold, basket etc. But I think if you like this style then the Mutsy Evo has better seating positions. Ideally a mix of the two would be better ie Oyster chassis with Evo seat (and yes I have tried and no they dont fit!).

I love my iCandy's - they just work. I think you need to separate out the much lighter and cheaper Cherry from the Peach and Strawberry. I see them as being in different "classes". The Cherry is excellent though and for the money etc. its just easy to use but without all the luxury of the Peach or Strawberry if that makes sense? Its the difference between say a car that is a basic model or one with leather seats. Just to add I do kind of see the Strawberry and Peach as similar and would love a Strawberry one day - I have also had the Cherry and loved the lightness of it compared to the heavier Peach but yet you get similar features.

I think the Uppababy Vista takes a lot of beating - its top spec with everything included and the carrycot is fabulous. I think for a main pushchair, its better than the Cruz. The Cruz is meant to be a smaller neater pushchair, but the fold is bigger and you lose the suspension.

I am fortunate - I probably own my perfect set - right now I have a Peach, a Cameleon, a Cruz, a Versa, a June on the way next week. Out of them all I would happily let the Cruz go. The Cameleon although one of my personal favourites would be the next to go simply because its really faffy. This would leave me with the Peach, Versa and June. I would struggle to decide between these....but ask me next week once the June is here and I could probably tell you then ;)

Tiggy, please update when you have the June! It looks perfect & almost tempted to order from holland - by it's more expensive than I intended & risky to do sight unseen. Otherwise oscillating between the cherry & vista!

I will do...bump this up for me next weekend and I hopefully then should have had it out of the box and tried it out!

Hi, I had the same problem and after a lot of deliberation, I went for the uppababy vista. In the end it really was the best pram. Icandy looks fab, but it doesn't have what the uppababy offers, namely, the most comfortable bassinet ever, the seat on uppababy is closer to you so less bending down, a massive shopping basket, easy fold and brake. It looks like a big pram but when I measured it against a bugaboo chameleon there was less than an inch difference width wise. This is my second child and I had a horribly bulky first pram and wanted to make sure I didn't fall for the same. Also, what it came down to for me was longevity, I didn't want to have to swap for an umbrella pram in 6 months and the seat in the uppababy is so comfy that I won't need to! I am able to fit it easily in my KIA rio without taking wheels off and still have plenty of room for shopping. Also, you say you live in Ireland, as do I. I got a great price on my vista in Tony Kealys. I went onto a website called groovy style, they were doing the vista plus maxicosi cabriofix car seat as a deal, plus they had a Facebook 5% off voucher if you typed 'face' in your order, Tony Kealys price matched it and I got the pram plus car seat for 625, and considering the car seat alone is 125, I basically got the uppababy for 500, so I was happy to pay that. I hope this helps!

Hi OP, a big vote for the Uppababy Vista from me. My DD is almost 6 months and we have used it daily, it's fantastic in so many ways. I'm 5'5 and it is so light and easy to steer, it will turn on a sixpence!

The basket is huge and brilliant, the only v small annoyance is that when using the carrycot there is not a big gap to 'load' the basket and you end up posting your shopping item by item. Within 3 months you'll be using the pushchair and no problem at all.

We have had no issues getting it in car boots, wheels whip off easily if you need to, but I don't drive and have taken this out all day on long walks, buses, tubes, trains (not rush hour!) with no problem.

The sunshield is BRILLIANT on both carricot and buggy - every other mum I see has a muslin tacked over their buggy with clothes pegs.

Oh and DD slept in this for naps and bedtime for her first few months, we didn't bother with a moses basket, just didn't need.

Can't recommend highly enough!

The uppababy comes with a carrycot inclulded which is a bonus. It's the one I would go for if i had to choose.

Plus the rumble seat (extra) means you can carry another child if the need arises! . There's a head to head comparison on my blog for three of the four, might be useful.

Hi Apachepony, these were all on my list a couple of months ago and I agonised over the choice! In the end I went with the Strawberry and I have to say I don't regret it, I absolutely love it!!! I had got it down to the Strawberry vs Uppababy Vista...I loved the look of the Strawberry and the idea of the more compact fold than the Vista but was debating whether I needed a double for my just turned 2yo.
In the end I decided 2yo would prefer to walk (which she does) but if I'd been on a first baby rather than my last I do think the Vista might have swung it.
The Strawberry is beautiful and pushes like a dream. We also use it as downstairs crib for baby in the house and its pretty slimline sitting in the corner of our not so big living room. The car seat clips easily to the frame and the whole thing is really light for a "proper" travel system. I also adore the huge basket underneath which I use for keeping all changing stuff in the house and then throw coats, school bags etc in when out for a walk.
My 2 pretty minor niggles are: the bumper bar-why is this not a swivel one where one side swings down????!!!! And (very minor) the rear wheels are plastic and compared to my previous Silver Cross Surf which had the no-puncture tyres I find them a bit noisy on hard ground and pretty dented looking from stones etc already...possibly a bit bumpier??
My sister is also looking for a buggy right now and I think she's going to go for the Vista. This is based on it being slightly higher as she has a bad back so doesn't want to be bending as much. She's also on a first baby so the flexibility to convert is good.
You'd mentioned you're in Ireland, as am I, so I ruled out the June for same reason. If you have a Tony Keelys near you they have the Vista and the Oyster.
Also I agree with the comments on resale on Strawberry, I have resold my other 2 buggies and always take this into account when buying.
I've no warranty on mine as I bought (new) on eBay but this is the chance I've taken for saving around £250!

Ps the supply issues with Strawberry to Ireland have, I understand, been pretty much fixed. There had been an irish sea container stolen which wiped out several months supply. My local suppliers now have them back in again...

Please don't buy the Vista based on it having the double option. In reality to use the Rumble seat your child has to be under the max weight, not nap at ll and can't ride on board until the baby is out of the carrycot anyway - the time you most need a second seat. There's better double options out there if you need it one day :)

Tiggy, how is the Versa ? Do you like the push ? Did you go for the one with GT wheels ? Would love your update.

Finally saw the pushchairs! Dh liked the more all terrain wheels rather than the urban-y plastic wheels, also the shop was suggesting we get one that converts into a double just in case - so we're torn between the vista and the peach. Deal on the peach so it's £100 dearer than vista which is smaller difference than I thought. Vista seems more practical, higher seat, bigger carry cot, lighter - but just not v pretty, whereas the peach just is! I hear you saying that the vista isn't a great double, tiggy, but I don't care if it's not perfect, especially as second baby in short timeframe isn't guaranteed. Just when spending so much money now don't want to have to buy another if second baby does come! Any opinions welcome!

Have a look online at the Vista as a double... how would you use it for a newborn and toddler?

You can't use the carrycot and rumble seat at the same time, you only have the options of using a car seat and the rumble seat OR the main seat facing forward for the baby with the footrest tucked away while the toddler faces backwards in the rumble seat. I'm not sure how this works because of course the main seat isn't flat so not suitable for a newborn. You could wedge it with something I guess.

Would you be happy with that as a double? It's good for two toddlers or toddler and older baby... but when you have 2nd child that's not what you start off with!

The Peach is a much more full featured double, can be properly used for newborn and toddler plus toddler toddler combos. You do pay through the nose for it though

Hmm, was thinking of using sling or the car seat if had a second baby - likely to have bought a car by then and imagine toddlers are less portable than babies so will be doing less walking around! Not ideal though... To convert to a peach blossom don't you have to buy a new carry cot as well as the converter kit? That would make it v expensive to convert...

Seriously don't buy the Vista as a double. It only works with a certain age gap and child weight and only if the eldest doesn't nap and you use a car seat....honestly, I have had both a Vista and Peach Blossom 1 and 2, and the PB2 by miles and miles is the best double out of the three. The PB1 and Vista with Rumble seat only work with specific ages. The PB2 would work what ever your age gap plus is a fantastic single too. With the Peach - consider buying a Blossom 2 carrycot to start with instead of the main one. It's not safety tested but it fits and means you have the carrycot for No 2 in ndem mode. But the risk is yours to take and I am not advising the choice...but it's worth looking at and would save money.

Tandem...not ndem!

I went down to two on my shortlist, the Oyster and the Bugaboo Bee. I went for the Bee in the end and am glad I did.

Like you I don't drive and take it on public transport a lot.

I too was concerned about the lack of carry cot but when DD was newborn last winter, she was snug as a bug in a rub in her Cocoon. Another bonus with NOT having a carry cot is that if / when your DC spews everywhere, the Cocoon is very easy to pop in the wash and will dry overnight on a radiator.

Also the Bee is a couple of kgs lighter than the Oyster.

Doubt the shop would still do the deal on the peach package if I tried to swap carry cots...could ask though! It's crazy that a new cot is needed, ?400 to convert - eek! Maybe I should forget about ability to convert to double so - vista is crap and peach is crazy dear!

I also have a Vista and agree with the above comments on using it as a double. We really like our Vista but its not perfect. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone expecting to regularly using public transport either, the fact we don't was a key factor in choosing it in the first place, the buses around here are a bit rubbish and I've only used the train three times since my dc was born eight months ago. Locally the extra width isn't much of an issue but it is something in aware of.

The lovely carrycot was also

Oops posted too soon!

Meant to say width isn't an issue locally but it is something you really become aware of.

Just in case anyone is interested, i was also going to say the carrycot is lovely and was another key factor in getting the vista for us. We already had a crib, didn't also want a moses basket so used the carrycot for downstairs naps/ occasional overnight stay. The basket is great, and while access is reduced while using the carrycot it's actually a lot better than some others at the same stage of use. I managed my shopping no problem.

I've only used the car seat converter a few times, my husband likes it but then he doesn't use the pushchair nearly as much as I do.

The vista has been great for us and I do 'love' it but it doesn't sound like it'd suit you.