Talk to me about your Loolas please

[BoBoo]

So I've decided I want to get a rear-facing pushchair for my 6 mth old who's getting a bit heavy for me to lug around and after having a look here for some ideas I've been looking at Britax vigour, Hauck Infinity and the Loolas. Trying to narrow it down I discounted the Loola because, well...I think it's a bit weird looking. But it also seems to be the most reasonably priced second-hand. So sell it to me please ladies!

I can't sell the Loola to you sorry.

I sold mine. (The loola Up) It was the most awful pram ever. It was VERY heavy, hard to steer, wobbly, didn't feel at all stable, the raincover was a pain in the ass, couldn't reverse it (in a shop isle or something) because the back frame would go outwards away from each other, crap getting up and down kerbs or steps.

I know a friend who sold hers for the exact same reasons and another friend who has her 12 week old in one at the moment who has asked me to stick it on ebay for her because she hates it too.

I can however sell you the Britax Vigour. This is the one I got after the Loola Up and it's brilliant. Spacious seat unit, Huge hood, So easy to steer, Parent facing, Fully lie flat recline, Great on all terrain. Love It.

I can't sell the Loola to you sorry.

I sold mine. (The loola Up) It was the most awful pram ever. It was VERY heavy, hard to steer, wobbly, didn't feel at all stable, the raincover was a pain in the ass, couldn't reverse it (in a shop isle or something) because the back frame would go outwards away from each other, crap getting up and down kerbs or steps.

I know a friend who sold hers for the exact same reasons and another friend who has her 12 week old in one at the moment who has asked me to stick it on ebay for her because she hates it too.

I can however sell you the Britax Vigour. This is the one I got after the Loola Up and it's brilliant. Spacious seat unit, Huge hood, So easy to steer, Parent facing, Fully lie flat recline, Great on all terrain. Love It.

ooh,i love my loola up,
really easy to push one handed,so light,easy to turn the seat around,my 16mo loves it,
folds up really easy and pretty small,is quite heavy to lift into the car but thats only because it folds all in one,if that bothered you,the you could take the seat off to fold,i really like mine,
i've just started using my buzz again,as i was getting bored of the loola,but it can,t be pushed one handed (whoch annoys me as i have a toddler too), its a pain to fold,and its really heavy to push!

I hated my Loola, so heavy to push (ds was only 5 months too), impossible one handed on the school run & kerbs were a nightmare. If 'reversing' the back wheels went wonky & felt like they'd buckle.
This is the reason they're cheap to get hold of in 'as new'. To me that says it all. Sorry!

Loola - yes it's heavy, and the raincover is blardy awful, but I still loved mine, it felt very sturdy to me, easy to collapse, very easy to swap carseat onto frame / main seat forward or rear facing, and DS was always comfy looking as it's well padded.

I like my Loola Up, easy to steer with one hand, very comfy for DS2. It is heavy and if you need to fold it on the bus it's not your pushchair, but I like it.

Seems it's a love/hate thing. I love mine (Loola Up - have heard bad things about just the Loola)

Points which have been mentioned:

• Heavy - yes, when folded, but not to push at all. I still use it for my 17mo about 30-40% of the time (use umbrella fold otherwise) and it's comparable to push, and in fact seems to cope better with heavy shopping in the basket than my umbrella fold.

• Raincover - a bit fiddly I agree. But I don't find myself using it that often, anyway, if it bothers you you can get a universal one cheaply, or sometimes when it is showery I just take the whole hood off (it zips onto the hood)

• Unstable - can be unstable if you haven't clicked it into place properly. Sometimes mine sticks and one side won't click into place for some reason, after a while it goes back to notmal.

• Reversing - it is a bit strange reversing, the wheels sort of turn outwards, which can look a bit alarming, but it does reverse, and really, when are you ever likely to pull it in reverse for any distance anyway?

• Pushing one-handed - I find this very easy (with Loola Up - one bar handle), but if you were looking at the Loola (2 handled) then this would be an issue.

• Difficult to fold - not too difficult, but impossible to fold one handed.

• Not mentioned, but the straps can be a bit short. This was on older models and you used to be able to get replacement straps free but I am not sure now as the company has been bought by Maxi Cosi (though still owned by Dorel, so probably the same anyway as I got my replacement straps from Dorel) Straps are annoying and like carseat straps in that you have to hold them together to clip into place, and can't adjust shoulder strap length independently of waist strap tightness. I put reins on mine attached to the D-rings and use these when I am not using the cosytoes so that DS can lean forwards onto the bar.

OK now for the unmentioned good points!

• Total lie-flat. Used from birth without a carrycot.

• Nice comfy, big seat.

• Reversible seat cover - I love this. I like the way I can change it around every 6 months or so, it feels like I have got a new pram. Also the seat cover washes really well and dries very quickly (under an hour).

• Hood is nice and big and can pull it quite far forwards which is good on sunny days or when you want DC to sleep.

Bertiebots- All the things you mention I had the opposite.

I had the Loola Up so one handle, Still found it a nightmare to steer and heavy to push.

Unstable, I had mine clicked into place properly and it still collapsed with my Ds inside the pushchair. I got 3 people (2 in mothercare, 1 in Babies r us) to check and I had deffinately put it up right and clicked it into place.

Nice comfy, Big seat, Well My Ds was very squashed in it at just 5 months old. lol.

Totally lie flat- I agree this is a good point but I found it never actually sat properly upright and my Ds spent all day trying to pull himself up on the seat to sit properly upright.

I do agree it is a bit of a love/hate pram but I only know 3 people with the Loola Up's (including me) and all have been sold or going to be sold because they are hated.

In theory it is a good pram but I just couldn't get on with it at all.

Hmmmm....Thanks for all your replies. I think I may steer clear and go for a Britax or Hauck then.

another vote against loola - it's attractive, comfy for baby, can face parent - great - but - heavy to push and steer - loola standard has very low handles if you're over 5'5" you may find it uncomfortable.
it's not so easy to pop up or fold - you have to yank the handles quite hard to make it pop up properly so it's locked out.
The loola does not like to reverse - rear wheels try to splay outwards (design fault). It also won't bump up steps easily - due to not liking to reverse - and small wheels.
It does look gorgeous - and the quality of fabrics and seat unit are great.
I did not find it practical to use unfortunately. sad.

I think the Britax Vigour is a good bet - my friend has one and it seems to tick all the boxes the Loola Up does, only thing is it isn't as pretty but you can use the Britax babysafe carrycot/carseat with it which is a plus point.