My short list and research

[anthonys]

After quite a few months of researching and testing I've come to my final short list of pushchairs. Thought I'd post it in order to seek some final advice but also hopefully it will help others. I have waited longer than I thought I would as there were a number of models due for release that I wanted to see. Baby due next month now!

The main requirements:

Light weight for use on and off London buses
Reversible seat for the flexibility
£500 budget (approx)
4 wheels for maximum stability
Decent storage basket
Easily folded (prefer with seat on)
Suitable for newborn in winter
Relatively narrow and agile for navigating city streets, small apartments, taking on holidays (car boots and planes), cafes etc
Built to last

And lastly .. be able to test it in a showroom in London which I thought would be easy, but it wasn't for all the candidates. I'm still not sure whether I take the risk and buy something unseen. At the end of the day most of these pushchairs meet my requirements and I'd probably be happy with any. I just started to nitpick in order to cross some off!

The final list (after a lot of reading, weight with seat and cost is approx with carrycot):

Bugaboo Cameleon (9.3kg £770), Uppababy Vista (11.5kg £600) ? both a bit too bulky and over budget
Bugaboo Bee (8.5kg £560) ? newborn carrycot doesn't offer much protection from the weather and lots of reports of faulty wheels
Babystyle Oyster (10.5kg £350) ? reports of poor build quality and warranty not as long as others
Graco Evo (9.5kg £380) ? iCandy cherry seems to have the edge for my needs at a similar cost
Silvercross Surf (11.3kg £600) ? badly designed storage basket and over budget
iCandy Strawberry (12.3kg £545) ? too bulky when folded
Easywalker June (9.9kg £600 without cot) ? over budget and unable to find anywhere that stocks in London

The short list:

iCandy Cherry (9.8kg £460)? can't fold with seat and Cruz just beats it in features if a little more expensive
Jane Muum (11kg £450) ? can't find stock in London and Evo has better reviews so it seems like the Evo would be a better option if I take the gamble on an unseen model
Babyjogger Versa (11.9kg £520)? really nicely built but otherwise similar features to Cruz but a bit heavier, larger and more expensive
Mutsy Evo (11.9kg £400) ? been unable to view ? on paper it looks good though suspect maybe too bulky?
Uppababy Cruz (9.9kg £500) ? meets all the requirements plus it's got a nice high position, it's just a little ugly :)

So looks like the Cruz wins (just) and may put an order in this week but just wanted to see what the consensus was around taking the gamble on the Mutsy, it's £100 cheaper and think it's a nicer design.. or any other model on my short list for that matter.

I lost all faith in the Which reviews when I read on one review that the seat was small for a child (the measurements of the seat give it as one of the largest pushchair seats there is) and then at the end, having slated the seat as being small (I think it was for a 2 year old), they admitted that they hadn't put a child in the seat as yet!! How can you make a sweeping statement that people read about the size of a seat when a) they hadn't measured it and b) hadn't even tried a child in the seat!

Think its between the Cruz and the Oyster now for me.

I schlepped up to Tottenham to try out the Babystyle Oyster today and once I had it next to the Urbo in the store I realised they're almost identical. Your comments have put me off the Urbo, but I do quite like the Oyster, and its such a good price.

Although can't help but feel that it must be cheaper because its poorer quality - any thoughts??? I really like that the Oyster has a height adapter so you can raise up the carry cot a bit, as I'm quite tall. Oh, and it has the best selection of cute colourways :)

I then went to Huggle to have a go of the Cruz and really liked it, but on reflection, and looking at the brochure now I'm home, I'm unsure about the Baby Ganoush footmuff. Does it some in the same range of colours as the pram, does anyone know?

Do any of you London ladies know of a store that has both the Oyster and the Cruz? I find it much easier to compare them side by side.

Diamond: I'm convinced I'm going to be super late, I'm a total lazy bones and I'm quite sure DC1 will take after me :)

I have to say out of the two I would probably choose the Cruz although the lack of suspension is a real issue for me. I find the Oyster hood a bit fussy - it never sits right and it doesnt sit flush with the seat either. I dont like the seating positions either...you really need a child in the seat to see. The Cruz is unfussy, simple but effective.
The Oyster can be folded parent facing which may be an advantage, but the Cruz seat is sooo simple and light to swap around and TBH you may as well store in two pieces. Out of the two I would choose the Cruz and hope the suspension gets better!

How's the June going Tiggy? It's back on my list.....................

Its going fine so far....I like it...but I know it wont be for everyone :) I love how close the child feels to you....it really is like a sturdy Bee which really is what I have wanted for a long time.

I want a sturdy bee!! Maybe it is for me........

From what you've said the only cons are the smallish basket and the poor tipping. I'm pretty strong so if it's a case that it tips but not easily I can live with that and from what you've said there is a chance it'll tip easier with a carrycot and a newborn in it.

As for the basket, I could learn to streamline what I take out, though the changing bag I've bought isn't the smallest but does squish down. I have a car so big shops aren't a problem. Also guessing access to the basket will be easier with a carrycot on??

Could you hang stuff from the handlebar? Or is this generally a big no no?

It does look like a good all rounder. We will probably leave london before we finish with pushchairs so the June seems like a more sensible investment than the bee, although the bee does have good resell value and there maybe a June 2 by then.

Arrrggghhhhhhhhh!

Thought I'd join this discussion again. I've now gone from confused to frustrated. Having had a look again we decided we definitely like the strawberry best but couldn't even place an order at present with John Lewis. We have over 3 months to go, but this may not be long enough, so we need to consider back up options.

John Lewis had the versa in stock so I got to have a play with that. It is nice but bulky so not ideal for us. Also one of the things I've liked best in the other babyjoggers is the speedy folding mechanism, which it doesn't quite have as it's a 2 part fold.

I think at the stage I'm going to hold out for the strawberry with the bee as a standby option if it gets to January and nothing is sorted. I'd like to see the June though in case that may work for me as an alternative option.

I think you could hang a change bag from the June handlebar certainly. I still want one despite all the kerbs because of... well because of the rest of it really. I'm settling for a used Mountain Buggy Swift in the short term, so giving up on the parent facing bit temporarily.

I wish manufacturers would put some more thought into producing more smaller pushchairs, you would have thought given how successful the bee has been that something in the same category would be a great idea. I really really don't like the monstrosity followed by maclaren route

The Versa is absolutely not a two piece fold!! It folds in one piece with the seat on in either direction - this is one of its major selling points along with its amazing one handed fold. I am a little shocked that the JL rep didn't know this!!!!

I took the two part fold comment as meaning two step fold, flip the seat then grab the handle bit to fold the chassis.. Technically doesn't everything have to be a two step fold to pass BS safety testing?

That's what I thought Tiggy, but I couldn't remember exactly as it was quite a while since it's looked at all the specs online. The person we were speaking to on Saturday seemed a bit clueless in general though. I think it's still a bit to big overall for me though, but I may go and have another play sometime.

The John Lewis man seemed to think you needed to take the seat off first.

Oh what a load of pants, you completely don't. They told me the same about the June until I stood there in the showroom and did it myself. The versa is sooooo easy to fold in 1 piece. I do feel the same as you though, for a single pushchair it feels big. I do however think it's an excellent one. Issue is the small options are so few

Thanks Ihateparties!

Another question........ What age do you think the seat would be suitable from? It seems to go quite flat? Really 6mths?

The June are we talking here? Hmmm good question. I don't really know, it went flatter than I remembered. Not newborn definitely... it depends on the baby perhaps, I might be tempted from about 4 months - ish? Are you considering how you might get by without having to buy a carrycot? I have been known to use a stokke newborn wedge in things but I don't know if the seat is bucket-y enough for that.

Yeah the the June and yes whether I could survive without a pushchair until baby is ready for seat. I don't think the seat is wedgy enough.

From the pics it looked like it went as flat as the bee.

I'll be using slings too but not sure I want to do that exclusively for ~4months.

I am feeling frustrated because I want to dig my pushchair collection out to compare ......but I can't this week :(

Yay! Get them out to play. Or take some photos of your June.

It was photos on the pret-a-mummy blog which has made me want it again.

www.pret-a-mummy.com/2012/10/my-new-easywalker-june_17.html?m=1

Such a lovely pushchair.

In hindsight I probably would use a sling for 4 months until could use the June seat but only with baby number 1... would anyone lend you something for the first few months?!

Hmm, I notice she says "it handles very nicely especially on rough ground. The small tyres will take some getting used to on pavements but I think that's just a practice thing." Does that mean it doesn't work very well on pavements ?

The issue with the wheels is that they dont swivel on the spot like most 4 wheel pushchair wheels do. When you push a large 3 wheeler eg Baby Jogger Elite or similar you have to "wiggle" the wheels straight before you can start pushing forwards again. The June is similar - the wheels themselves have a small turning circle. So its fab when you are walking straight but if you say are browsing in a shop you naturally push a pushchair up to your object of desire, stop and then look at it. Then usually you can just turn and push away. With a bigger wheeled pushchair, and the June, you have to "wiggle" the wheels back to straight before you can go again.

I can't get everything out to play this week but I will try to asap. I need to go out soon and I wasnt going to take the June, but I think I might just take it....

It is the cutest, most lovely pushchair to look at....BTW!!

Ohhhh I see Tiggy. That would annoy me quite a lot I think - one of the things I really like about the Bee is that it will "turn on a dime". Good good, my Bee decision is reinforced . But then, I don't need the all rounder/off road capabilities of the June, so of course it may be different for others.

Agree on the looks - the June is very cute.

Diamond and others looking to see the June in London - I have just had an email from Easywalker, they are going to be at the Baby show at Earls Court at the end of October (booth D76 opposite Peppermint, apparently).

Ihateparties - Unfortunately not. WE have borrowed been given lots but no pushchairs.

Tiggy - That doesn't sound ideal for a London pushchair where shops and cafes can be small. Although if I've never known differently maybe I won't notice? It looks so cute!

Minipie - Thanks for this. We had been thinking of going anyway. Maybe it will be worth it??

Right going to compare the Bee and Cruz this weekend and see what I think..... This baby will be here before I make a decision!