Help me find a pram (exciting thread alert...)

[AlexaChelsea]

Yeah, so I'm sure most people have better things to do of a Friday evening, but I need some advice/recommendations for prams so, let's go.

The things I want:

Easy to fold
Easy to fit in boot
Easily moveable handle height (DH is massive, I'm small)
Pram to pushchair facility so it lasts the whole buggy-life of the child
Maybe takes a car seat? Don't know if it matters..
Good for going for walks

The things I don't care about:

Going on public transport
Space for shopping

I don't want to say 'money is no object', because that would be wildly overestimating our account balance. But I am prepared to spend money on a good pram.

So, let's have it.

[Tiggywunkle]

Oh and definitely look at the Baby Jogger Versa too!

[Tiggywunkle]

My ears are burning
Thanks Morecars :)

The iCandy Apple is a pushchair that springs to mind with a very adjustable handle. The Bugaboo Buffalo has a very adjustable handle too but I am finding it heavy to lift as a one piece into my car - I take mine apart now. I have to say, I love my iCandy Peach - its so easy to use. I can't wait to see the Easywalker MINI - I am wondering if it will be as good as I hope. I think the Mutsy IGO would be worth a close look and I like my Britax Affinity.

The best advice I can give though is to get to a really good independent pushchair shop or two and have a good play. Once you have narrowed the field down then read some honest reviews :)

[MrsFlorrick]

Morecars. Not tedious really. The Donkey folds better than a Cameleon IMO.
I could lay the seats flat and fold the wheels and get it into the boot of the car like that. Admittedly only just.

Oddly that worked best in the BMW 535 and not so well in the X5. Mainly because you would have to lift it higher off the ground for the X5.

[morecars]

You're a bad influence MrsFlorrick . Just not sure if I can be arsed with the fold on the Donkey every day... How tedious is it?

Alexa, I know you're trying to narrow it down, but have a look at the Versa and Vista as well, JL will have both. Good luck!

PS have you seen www.bestbuggy.co.uk? It's tiggywunkle's site (she's a MNer) and it's really really helpful.

[AlexaChelsea]

I will do all those things.

Thank you, immensely.

[MrsFlorrick]

Alexa. If you want one handed fold. You are down to buffalo and Scoot. Stokke is easier than the Cameleon but not one handed and seat has to come off to go in car.

I would go to see the scoot in Mothercare or Kiddiecare. And then to John Lewis to have a go with the buffalo. It's the only way to decide.

[MrsFlorrick]

Morecars. Get a Donkey!!! Even if its second hand on eBay. It saved me after DS was born. I had a new born and a 2 yo. It made my life easy. Plus good storage basket meant I could bring all the crap needed for both DC and shopping home.

Not only does it have cool features but DC love sitting next to each other. It's practical in every single way.

Best thing. It's exactly 69cm wide when in double mode. Why important? Well because all shops and public building must conform to disability regulation for wheelchair access and that is 70cm width. So that means Donkey goes anywhere.

I loved it.

[AlexaChelsea]

I'll never be using a bus. Or if, for some reason I did, it would be a one off. So I can rule out bee.

So buffalo is a better version of chameleon (for me, I'm all about this one handed fold) so I can rule out chameleon.

I only have one internal child, so I can rule out donkey and crusi, as you say.

This is getting better.

So, scoot, xplory or buffalo.

[AlexaChelsea]

Yeah, I like that stokke scoot fellow.

[MrsFlorrick]

Bugaboo also do a Bee. It's a very small stroller and good if you go on buses etc. it didn't appeal to me. Lots of people rate them though.

[MrsFlorrick]

Cameleon is bugaboos standard "big" stroller (ie lots of features and costs). Bugaboo donkey is a double side by side stroller which converts to a single stroller- you only need this one if you have twins or baby and toddler. The Buffalo is their newest stroller out only a few weeks. It's like the Cameleon but its one handed fold without taking the seat unit off and it's got 4 off road wheels.

The Stokke Xplory is the all singing all dancing Stokke. The scoot is their compact urban one handed fold stroller and the Crusi converts to a double stroller.

I guess you don't need a double so forget about Crusi and donkey.

[AlexaChelsea]

[AlexaChelsea]

More cars - I can't do a three wheeler. So it's out I'm afraid.

[morecars]

Oops sorry, this moved on quite a bit whilst I was typing!

[morecars]

Baby Jogger City Mini GT fits all of your criteria and is a less expensive option, £330 at JL. The carrycot is a bit extra although you can put the baby in the lie-flat seat from birth if you want to. They seem to hold their value reasonably well-220-250 on Gumtree at the moment.

We've had one for DS and it's been absolutely fantastic, light, reliable, easy to travel with.

The only downside is it's forward facing only (BJ Versa parent-faces though and also apparently v good, but more expensive). Also, it's not very 'plush' and sometimes I looked at my friends' Uppababies or Bugaboos and wished I'd got something a bit nicer looking. But honestly, I think I'd have been paying the few hundred quid extra for the looks, it's a really great pushchair.

Having said that, I now want a Donkey for DC2!

[MrsFlorrick]

The Stokke Scoot might be good actually. It's compact and has a one handed fold. Here:
www.stokke.com/en-gb/Stroller/Stokke-Scoot/Product-Information.aspx

I'm liking that a lot too. And it's about £650 including a car seat. Not bad

[AlexaChelsea]

Oh god, too much choice. I am overwhelmed again.

What's the difference then, between one bugaboo and another? And one stokke and another (admittedly, I haven't researched the other stokke options yet so feel free to tell me to find out for myself). I realise bugaboos all look different, but them there's £100's difference, and I am missing why.

[MrsFlorrick]

You could look at Bugaboo Cameleon? Cheaper than the Buffalo but still really good. Think its about £800 all in although without car seat.

The Micralite brand do one which has a carry cot and works from birth. Not tried it though but it's only £400.

Stokke also do two new versions of stroller. The Crusi and Scoot. Both look good and are cheaper than Xplory.

Argh so many choices...

[AlexaChelsea]

Well, that might be the greatest cot I've ever seen. Plus, it folds away, AND fits a changing thing on it? Ideal.

[AlexaChelsea]

Oh crap. I should have said - no three wheelers. I forgot.

Had an incident with nephew win a three wheeler.

[MrsFlorrick]

I love this one (drool):
m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/bloom-alma-papa-cot/p214636?isd2c=false&colour=Frost+Grey&sku=231141227&un_jtt_v_dummy=yes

If I was cot shopping I might go there. John Lewis has good choice. Other too.

For baby stuff good price and amazing service Kiddiecare cannot be faulted either. I have lots of praise for them. Very good.

[GwendolineMaryLacey]

Baby jogger city mini gt. Takes a car seat. Isn't parent facing but lovely and snuggly with a cocoon or you can add a carrycot. I've had the lot from bugaboo down to marclaren taking in icandy along the way and have sold them all in favour of this. I love it and it's way cheaper than most. Plus you won't need to buy the inevitable umbrella stroller.

[AlexaChelsea]

Ah, se we've looked at the stokke sleepi and it says sleeps child up to age 10. I very much doubt it. DS is 10 and I can't see him still being in a high sided, converted cot...

And I will always go to JL for big purchases, after some absolutely cracking customer service I received about 7 years ago. Incredible, and I vowed them that they'd just won my business for the rest of time (unless they ruined this pact. They, thus far, have not).

[AlexaChelsea]

Ah, DH will be a fan when I mention this resale value.

I have definitely deduced that I won't be buying a Maclaren.

[MrsFlorrick]

Oh cots. Sorry so stroller obsessed I didn't read properly.

Bought a Mamas & Papas Golden Ocean cot for DD when she was born. Also had a Moses basket. DD loved that cot and DS still uses it now.

It was expensive but worthwhile. Only thing is that Mamas and Papas customer service is so amazingly appalling that I would recommend you go and buy your cot from John Lewis. M&P will stress you out so much it's not true. And every deliver has a faulty item in it and to get it exchanged you have to jump through hoops and they accuse you of lying etc. avoid avoid avoid.

Plenty of lovely cots in John Lewis who have fab customer service. You don't need the stress.

Only thing is. The cot we bought was fairly massive so a cot bed which is great because you can take the side of so its a proper bed. However they say you can use the cot bed until child is aged 4 or 5. Erm. No chance!! DS is two and we will be buying him a proper single bed at Christmas. He has started falling out of the cot bed because its getting too small.