Lightweight buggy that is easy to get up and down stairs.

[Munxx]

Hello there, my pal is looking for a buggy and I said I would help by posting on mumsnet for her. Here is the text I received from her......

I am looking for a lightweight buggy, less than £100, which will lie flat (so suitable from birth/3 months) and, importantly, can handle going up and down stairs. Thank you!

...my mama and papas tour buggy has brakes which get knocked on and off when being bumped up and down the stairs. My friend needs to be able to bump the baby up and down rather than carry her in the buggy so the brakes bit is important!

Can anyone help? She has a toddler as well so it needs to be easy to push!

I would be really grateful for any suggestions. She does have a sling but would like a buggy option too.

Hm. I was going to BJCM (second hand, as new is £200-250), but from the point of view that it's quite light (7.8kg), can use from birth, and you can carry it up with one hand using the one handed fold strap and carry the baby in the other arm. We live on the 2nd floor with no lift and this is what we did.

Otherwise, personally I would go for a Maclaren. They're sturdy, light, and a lot of them are suitable from birth. If bumping up stairs that's what I would use (we have the Volo which is super light and great, but not suitable from birth). Again it might be best to look at eBay, Gumtree, Facebook for 2nd hand as most are over £100.

Plus, both BJCM and Maclaren are very easy to push and I think both are very versatile in case you need to fold up in a busy place. Plus both could be used for toddler and baby (again, this is what we plan to do! Baby in sling, toddler in pushchair, with option of baby in pushchair and toddler walking or in sling)

Also worth looking at Graco Evo Mini. I was looking at BJCM but now think I am going to get GEM as it's lighter and narrower but still has a one handed fold and lies flat. Fairly new, so not many second hand... But going rate on eBay if you do find one seems to be 50-60.

Thanks all, will pass suggestions on.

It's not light... But does do stairs. We r on 1st floor and use our out n about nipper a whole heap more than our umbrella fold light thing. The big wheels on the nipper bump up and down stairs so much more easily and the good suspension means I can go a little quicker! Also, our stairs have an odd lip to each step which means the small wheels of the umbrella fold (mamas and papas kato) catch on every step.

We bought our Micralite Superlite precisely because it was good at stairs - massive back wheels, and we've got the handlebar extension thing that you are supposed to use with the buggy board but we use it to stop us bending as far.

It is however a) over budget (but maybe second hand?) and b) not suitable from birth (though it will take a car seat or carry cot with adapters).

Thanks again all!