1st timer - looking at BJ Versa/ Icandy/ ???

[Lottie345]

heeeeelp! I am tying myself into knots trying to come up with an ideal pushchair for DC1. All advice would be much appreciated!

DH and I live close to town but my parents are in the countryside - so we'd like to have the option of a pushchair that can cope with the odd walks and muddy terrain. Plus some of the mum and baby things we'll go to are a short car ride away. We are happy to try a sling/carrier but don't know how we'll get on with that.

Our priority list looks like this:

• Fits into Seat Ibiza hatchback boot
• Isn't too wide (our front door is fairly narrow)
• Isn't ness multi-terrain but can cope with walks - we're not talking mountain climbving - just uneven, gravelly paths, grass etc
• Takes a maxi cosi car seat
• Not too bulky for everyday town use

We looked at the Britax Affinity and really really liked it - smart, affordable, fit in our car boot, seemed able to cope with both terrains - but the Britax BeSafe car seat with Isofix was unsafe in our car (too upright apparently for a newborn). Now I have no idea how often we'll plug the car seat onto the stroller base - maybe someone can advise? - but it would obviously be nice to have the option!

Our next thoughts look like this:
ICandy Peach or Peach Jogger - but concerned this is a huge outlay - for something some parents say they ditch for something lighter - or have to sell when DC2 comes along. But they look really lovely if a bit flash
Baby Jogger Versa or Versa GT - this looks ideal but I haven't seen it in the flesh. Dislike that it only comes in black and looks pretty unsexy. this may sound awfully shallow and I'm sure it won't matter in the end... but living in a town FULL of yummy mummys, it would be nice to have something a bit prettier! Not knowing the mummy 'scene' I don't know how people will be with each other about this sort of thing...

ideally - i'd like something in between the two!

And that's about where I am...

Any help out there?!

Ultimately how something works.. or rather doesn't work in your life often ends up being more important that the pretty factor but there's no reason you can't have pretty and practical.

We had a babysafe in our Ibiza, belt fixed. It wasn't ideal because the belts are so short it was impossible to do up with the baby in situ. Thus I never took it out. Hardly ever would have anyway, we had that seat because the shape fit alongside the other two child seats. If I was starting again for one baby I'd look at something like a hauck varioguard, newborn to 4 and options of rear facing in toddler mode too. However if you think you'd use a carseat on the chassis, if you do a lot of popping in places, short trips etc. Then that wouldn't work.

If the affinity fits in the boot then a lot of other things will, we have the st version, apparently it's 15cm longer, and everything I have ever tried fits. What about an easywalker mini? The parent facing fold thing is a big bonus longer term. I like the casualplay range, they also fold parent facing and are sturdy enough to cope with some off road.

The bonus of the peach is the tandem capability, I don't really like it off pavement personally but it's possible on occasion.

Finally, how mothers are about this stuff? Same as how people are about anything ime, most are reasonable and non judgemental, some aren't. Meh. Whatever.

I have a baby jogger versa and love it - mine is silver but can get in red or black too. Its a great buggy but check the dimensions as its fairly wide

Don't buy an icandy they are shit if something goes wrong

Thanks all - ihp I know I know re Other mummies - just a snotty sort of a place at times!!

I'll check out the easy walker - thanks. Have no idea whether will be essential to have car seat fixing onto stroller frame or not - all a bit alien!

dinky I think I'm looking at the GT version which is why only in black. Did you look at the GT too?

I decided I didnt need the gt version as while used for country walks (Which it has been fine on) I mainly use the buggy in the city

I've got the versa gt and its a good pushchair and i have had a few. If you don't like the all black colour you can buy bugaboo donkey hood rods and hood which will fit on the versa.

That's good to know dinky and thanks for the tip snowhite - I'll look into this!

I have the iCandy peach.
Walks down the canal are great until the gravel or cobbles, the peach can make it with ease and it's not a struggle to handle it.
That said with my daughter only being 4 months old and in the carry cot section currently, it bounces her about which has made me avoid any walks that could be a bumpy ride.
Great for City living and pavement walking, just not on cobbles or gravel surfaces.

I have a Versa GT and I really like it. I've not seen anyone else with one where I live either so at least you'll be different! Everyone has iCandys/Bugaboos etc. A colourful cosytoes/blanket against the black looks really good, too. I went for the GT and am glad I did as the wheels can cope really well over different terrain.

I also used a MaxiCosi Cabriofix which I think is a brilliant infant carrier. With a base in the car it made it so easy to take a sleeping baby from car to house. My DC also hated being strapped in and out of things and fussed so I used to clip it onto the base a lot when I drove to the shops. Although you do need to be careful not to keep little ones in there for too long. I also used it for ages after my friends had moved onto bigger car seats as DC, although large, wasn't too big for it and I liked staying rear facing for as long as possible.

I think you would struggle to get better than a iCandy Peach or a Versa...depending on where you want to go. I have had both, and they are probably my most favourite pushchairs....
If it helps I absolutely loved the Affinity too. If the Affinity fits into your boot, then the other two will easily.

I second using Donkey hoods on the Versa if you want to be different. There's so many ways to customise TBH once you start looking. A Betty Bramble footmuff or a 7AM Igloo would set you apart from the rest ;)

Brilliant - thank you all!

Bloody love my Versa GT! We have a BeSafe IziGo but TBH we don't use it on the chassis very often as my baby much prefers to be in the carrycot. Although I appreciate the theory behind using the car seat on the chassis, in reality I find it more practical to have him in the carrycot as he can sleep more comfortably in there.

I have to say I think the GT actually looks really smart in black - I have a lovely red Kaiser footmuff in it, which brightens it up. Compared to a lot of my friends' prams and buggies is an absolute dream to push, and so much sturdier. I also love the giant hood. Only complaint is that there's no window in the hood.

Thanks all that's really helpful. ihp the easywalker mini looks super fun but can't find anywhere in SW that seems to stock. Might have to take a weekend buggy outing.

No one has really mentioned peach jogger - should I discount in favour of versa?

Like the idea of jazzing up versa GT with a nice footmuff and sm now coveting them.