MOUNTAIN BUGGY - CAN YOU HELP ME CHOOOSE!?

[BUSTERTHEDOG]

E3 EXPLORER vs EASYLIFE SPORT vs MOUUNTAIN BUGGY - SOMEONE HELP ME CHOOSE!

My son is 2.5 years old and I want a suitable buggy for walking the dog etc, that will last til he's about 5 if poss.

Which is lightest / best out of these - has anyone pushed them all?

Gulp: Terrain singles apparently don't take the bumper bar !!! (this table here )

Oh ! Woe !

Interesting you are nearly at the Urban....

No, I haven't tried the Terrain. But I have months to decide ! You have hours !!!!

Tee hee.

cp: off to try Terrain and Urban in Crouch End v. soon.

Is there something about the Terrain I could particularly pay attention to to appease you and df ? Were you just concerned with comparison with Urban on turning etc. ?

cp: alternative idea to mattress for the spherically-challenged:

Here .

Other ideas tend to be about repositioning - left / straight / right for a night, alternate which mattress end, supervised 'tummy time' etc. Interesting...

whatever mb you get i'm sure that you'll be pleased with it, but you're probably gonna have that nagging doubt in the back of your mind 'should i have got the other one?' cos thats how the manufacturers get us they know that we want the best for our babies and that most of us spend almost nine months researching options, to buy the one we think is the perfect one and then we spend the next three years thinking we may have got it wrong, even if we are perfectly happy with the one we've got!
sorry you probably didn't want to know that.
MB's rock!

h2d I'm waiting with baited breath for you to get back with your opinions on the Terrain vs Urban. I noticed that they don't do a bumper bar for the terrain, and this turned me a bit towards the Urban, but in my last email to Nigel I specifically asked about this - whether they were any closer to sourcing one for the Terrain. Don't think the bumper bar is designed by MB - it's just one they happened upon I think.

I think the turning in shopping situations is the only thing I was wondering about with the Terrains, I'm sure you'll have tested that by the time you get back here.

Interesting link to the Noggin Nest. Shame babies can't sleep in them. Again, I can't believe there aren't more products out there that address the flat head problem.

Vicki, aren't they cruel? At least I know(!) I'll be glad I got an MB. I experienced that lovely warmth when I "met" one for the first time yesterday that you only get when you know you're going to be happy with something (like that elusive well-fitting pair of jeans for instance). Didn't really get it with the Bugaboo, which I had initially set my heart on, or the Jane Powertrack which I'd then favoured.

Hi Charleypops, not had time to read right through this thread, but Hoxtonchick told me you wanted feedback on the terrain. Well I love it. Didnt want one, dh talked me into it and now I am really really glad. I have pushed friends 3 wheelers and have to say that I think terrain is far easier. Now I haven't used the urban, but personally I don't get on with swivel wheels, so terrain suits me much better. I have shopped till I dropped with it; jogged with it (not very much have to admit), walked through forest, beach, park, and its coped with it all. You can buy a handbrake for it if you want, although I think it comes with out. Fits ds (3) perfectly with loads of room for growth still. Light and and and and..... god, you would think I was on commission. If there is anythings specific you want to know let me know.

Hi Pinkmama! thanks so much for posting!! What's it like if you are in a busy high street situation with a lot of oncoming pedestrians/browsing for shoes/or in a little dress shop? do you have to tilt it up all the time? If you do, I'm guessing you don't even notice anymore? It doesn't get too heavy with a 3 year old in there does it?

I go browsing round shops no more than twice a month but I do take my dog out every day, and we're hoping to move out to the sticks within a year, so can't stop thinking the Terrain might be the way to go.

The Urban was suprisingly light and easy to tilt with the wheel fixed, so the Terrain must be really good for doing this as there's even less weight over the front wheel.

Did you get the 2 position hammock (better at shock absorbing apparently), or the recline seat?

Do you use a small umbrella type pushchair too?

Sorry for the flood of questions

Hello, sorry was off having dinner.

I dont think I do tilt it at all when manouvering around the town, but now you have got me thinking, I think it must just be really easy to move. But as I say I dont like swivel wheels so perhaps I am not normal . It is very light and easy to push with 3 year old. I live in hilly brighton, and have to negotiate 2 steep hills to get dd to school. I also have an umbrella buggy and have to say that that is much harder to get ds up the hills in, and manouver.
The one problem I have had is that I have had a run of punctures on it which is very annoying to say the least, but I think I maybe need to get a new inner tube.

As for the hammock, I am not sure it was an option when we bought ours 3 years ago. We just have reclining seat and used it from ds being born.

Not sure what newer models are like, and if buggy board is an issue, but with ours there is only 1 buggy board that will fit apparently (not that I have one) and you need the handlebar extension to use it.

I was always going to buy, but never got round to getting the handbrake. I was however very glad of the safety strap when going down steep hills as it runs so smoothly does feel a little like it might run away with you. Strap sorted that out, not sure if it came with it or it we bought it seperate.

One last thing I would say about mountain buggy, the bearings went on one of our wheels quite early on. It just meant it made the most annoying noise. Contacted mountain buggy direct and they were really quick and pleasant to deal with. You can go them direct to add any of the extras on afterwards. We bought the travel bag from them (although only used it once when flying).

Noticed you were concerned about the bar, have to say its not made any difference to us not having it.

We are terrible for looking after things. DD's pram lasted 2 years and it was beyond hope. Never do maintenance, clean etc etc, and have to say that despite our best efforts the terrain is looking in good shape and more than happy to pass it on to the new baby (not sure ds feels the same).

Anymore questions ask away.

When are you due by the way?

Hi PM

I'm due in June. Dp was getting a bit annoyed with my dithering yesterday so told me I had to decide by Monday which version I wanted, but he's chilled out a bit today and can see the funny side, so I've got some more time to make my decision

Wow - you live in Brighton - that's a pretty busy place! That's reassuring actually.

You sound like me when it comes to looking after things - I need things to be robust with minimal maintenance. Just wrecked our washing machine actually.....handy. Did you know you can get new chunky tyres and thorn resistant innertubes here

Where oh where is Hub2dee?????? I need to know the results of his Urban/Terrain test drives!!!

Thanks, really helpful re inner tubes, will have to invest I think!

Ta da ! The hub is back !

OK. Here goes:

(1) Lovely woman running rubadubdub in Crouch End. Patient. Helpful. Had both Terrain and Urban in stock. Even the rare 'pink flower' design which looked gross in photos on the Web looked quite cute in RL.

(2) Tried both buggies, but only pushing them around her small shop - not outside. Open and folded both several times, did a few tours around the clothes rack, tried turning around on the spot, tilting up the front wheel to get over an imaginary curb etc. etc. I did NOT get a chance to try the Urban in swivel-locked mode because there was a bomb scare and the police ushered us out of the shop...

Anyway, conclusions:

Both are nicely made and, as Ms. yumyum stated, you'll be happier with either. They're both strong and simple. However, I'm going to be buying a fixed wheel Terrain. Here's why:

Pushing the two buggies around the shop, the Urban was easy peasy to turn around a corner, or cruise in a circle around the clothes rack, and with the Terrain you have to push down on the handle to lift the front.... BUT the Urban is more than two inches wider and we kept catching display items. It is 1 kilo heavier and the weight is more over the front steering wheels so lifting its nose for a curb will be more tricky. You feel a tiny bit more friction pushing it.

Because the Terrain's mass distribution is MUCH more over the rear axle, only a tiny push down on the handle bars and the front is lifted. It is a superbly balanced machine. I honestly do not think you will have difficulty in shops etc. particularly if you don't spend your life in little boutiques or exhibition halls all day, every day. The pedestrian dodging I concede might be more difficult in the Terrain, but they'll get out of your way, and you can spend your time simply pushing rather than pushing AND steering. You WON'T be stuck 'trying' to turn, and then feeling the weight. It is simply not an issue. Even if the child is older / heavier, the centre of gravity and weight distribution work in your favour.

When folded, you can really feel the weight difference picking it up as a deadweight. The Terrain is only 1 kilo lighter, but it's just light enough to feel 'nice' to pick up. The Urban (perhaps also becuase of its extra width) felt more cumbersome and heavier. I noticed a big difference and I am a big bear grappler.

BTW: both models are freestanding when folded ! Not super secure, but could be tucked behind a door etc. To make the Urban stand, however, you must fold the adjustable handle all the way in - annoying when the Terrain (with its fixed handle) needs nothing.

I cannot yet comment on the different types of seat available for the Terrain, but can advise that I've seen buggy bumper bars (with toys etc.) advertised on Web sites so I am sure we could find something that fits.

Pinkmama mentioned the brake, and you can only get that on the Terrain.

The Terrain is shorter (when erected), narrower, lighter, cheaper, stiffer, simpler. (A bit more 'stroller sized'). It has fantastic balance. It is the one for you and I, shweetie, esp. if you do a daily doggy walk and are contemplating a move further out into the country.

I now would not hesitate to buy a Terrain.

The hub has spoken.

pinkmama - hiya - the guy that runs that Website, Nigel, mentioned somewhere he didn't really think Slime was much good (it is a fluid which seals punctures). I'd run with either Nigel's puncture-resistant inner tubes, puncture-resistant lining tape, or puncture-resistant tyres (or the tripple combo !).

sorry, obsessive mb owner back again!

I was getting the urban confused with the breeze. Having read hub2dee's post, the width of hte urban could be an issue. My terrain can be a bit tight through some shop doors and till aisles as it is, wouldnt fancy your chances with the extra width of the urban.

What a brilliant review Hub - well worth the wait! How did you find that shop? I can't find one anywhere in Surrey that stocks both. Thank goodness you managed to do most of the tests before the bomb scare

Like Pinkmama you have cetainly set out a compelling argument for the Terrain today. The only thing to do now I guess is to persevere in trying to track down a Terrain to have a go with. I suppose I'll have to go to London after all.

The brake and chunky wheels certainly add to its' attractiveness - don't suppose you have any links for the bumper bars that might fit do you?

Hi cp !!!

Surrey stockists ? That'll be here then (of course I couldn't tell you if they've got them in stock, but they are all dealers...

Will track down bumper bars when I have a mo but must sleep.

It was a really nice pushchair, cp. You'll be delighted with it.

When we've chosen our buggies, we can attach one of these darling beasties to the canopy !

I too have been on the advice search - originally it was MB v bugaboo but bugaboo is definately out of the running (definately a fad thing). Then it was MB Urban v terrain. I walk my dogs regularly in the New Forest (woodland, heathland, rough gravel tracks, mud etc)- I also go in to town regularly too - I emailed MB UK to ask which one they recommend & they told me that it would definately be the Terrain - the Urban is not ideal for those type of conditions and is city orientated. Also, had some feedback on an outdoor website forum -this guy couldn't praise the terrain enough - quote:
We've got a Mountain Buggy Terrain and can't recommend it highly enough. Here's why (be prepared for a loooong answer here!):

We originally had a Maclaren Mac 3 three wheeler thing, but it fell apart after 8 months of use, so we looked for something stronger.

We looked at lots of models and spoke to people who had used many of them and the Mountain Buggy Terrain came out on top by some distance.

The MT Buggy's build quality is second to none - you'll appreciate this if you handle one, even in a shop, compared to others. It is designed to be a full off-road pushchair, rather than a three-wheeler that can be used for occasional off-road use and there is a huge difference between these two types. The word 'bombproof' comes to mind. If you think of the value of the cargo it's carrying, this is a huge consideration. One of our friends has an XTS pushchair that he's had to repair / patch up from off-road damage many times over the course of its life, until it finally gave up the ghost.

The MT Buggy has fewer fiddly, adjustable bits and bobs than other pushchairs, so there's less plastic to snap / shear off. Even the footbrake is a one piece steel bar! The Nipper that we looked at seemed to be 50% plastic in comparison.

The folding action is simplicity itself, and it fits in the boot of our car (Ford Focus) easy enough. You can also easily detach the rear wheels so that it folds totally flat to take up a bit less space. Obviously, it's not as small folding as a stroller, but I'll come on to that!...

Although this is what we also looked for at first, try not to think too much about needing a three-wheeled off-road thing that will take a baby from birth. Very tiny ones don't really respond too well to off-road trips, so we just used a BabyBjorn for the first months. If you do really feel the need, the MT Buggy has a carrycot that you can attach to the chassis, but this is an extra you have to fork out for. Try to think of the long term use you'll need the buggy for - your child will probably be in and out of it for around 3 years. Our little girl is 13 months now and the MT Buggy is very comfy for her and has plenty of space for her to grow into. We have the swing hammock version which does absorb more of the bumps and rocks of rough ground better than anything we've seen.

Compared to others, the MT Buggy is also relatively light to steer and to carry, but also feels very stable as it has a low centre of gravity. It also has a very sturdy steel luggage rack under it to cart baby's stuff around - as long as you protect it from the mud that gets flung up!

The Mountain Buggy Urban version is NOT suitable for full off-road use - the centre of gravity is higher, making it less stable and although the front wheel can be fixed, there's still a bit of 'give' in it that makes it more difficult to steer over rough ground.

hope this helps grin

Morning!

Thanks for the link Hub - Gosh there's hadrdly any shops out there stock both Terrain and Urban on the shop floor. Found somewhere in Reigate, young girl on the phone though was brand new, bless and didn't really seem to sound very confident with what she was saying, so I hope they do actually have both to test.... I'll report back

lovely dangly creatures btw

Thanks for that spottydog - again, very compelling post for the Terrain! I started from a Buggaboo too Do you have the 2 position sling in yours or the recline seat that goes almost fully flat? When you take it shopping do you find it ok?

hi CharleyPops,, haven't got that far yet! Baby due in June - have spent the last month(at least!) constantly online looking for which pram to buy - think i've become obsessed
i think i will go with the zip hammock - it's more shock absorbent. i was with the bugaboo for ages - kept going into John Lewis in Southampton and trying to find a different sales person to give me their recommendations - they all said Bugaboo but I don't think it's up to what I need it for - plus they got this weird glazed expression when they talked to me about it - I reckon the cd roms that bugaboo provide have some sort of hidden hipnosis!! lol! can't help but think that the small wheels on the Bugaboo won't stand up to the mud and stuff I walk through regularly -even if they are at the back. also me and dh tend to destroy things quite quickly so MB seems most simple and robust. now my decisions are geared around - snuggle bag or mini snuggle bag, pro wheels or not, which colour - (but leaning towards the black) - i think i must be lacking something in my life! i think the mb will be ok for shopping - i've not had any other pushchairs so i supposed i will just get used to using it - someone recommended getting a cheapy umbrella folding buggy when the baby is a bit older for nipping in and out of the shops - good idea i reckon. what changed your mind about the bugaboo??

I'm due in June too with my first!! You should join us on our ante natal thread here

Lol at the "weird glazed expressions" on the buggaboo sales peaple - it must be some kind of mantra they have to repeat 20 times every day

I didn't think the small wheels of the bugaboo would hold up on trails either. And dp and I need robust equipment around us. If we'd got a bugaboo - it would look knackered after a week. We have had to accept that we're just not that type of people

I am not going to get a snuggle bag at all as we'll be getting a carrycot for the first few months - and it's going to be summer. You'll need a carrycot too, especially if you're going for the zip up shock-absorbing hammock sling (like me, if I get a Terrain). I'm going to wait until he's nearly out of the carrycot to look for a snuggle for the change in season. Probably get a new one from Ebay at half the price if you start to look early enough . DEFINITELY get the Pro whells - why not? you can get a set of the standard ones for free anyway! I'm assuming you've seen the pushchairs.co.uk/chariots.co.uk website?

I think the cheapy umbrella type thing will be useful to keep in the car and fully intend on getting one of these too.

Do you have dalmations? I have a lab, but when we move I'm getting more dogs!

thanks for that - think I will pop into the antenatal chat.
good point about the snuggle bag - think i will wait and get that too - i'm constantly on ebay - infact watching a lambskin fleece as we speak! have been on chariots too and trying to decide which package. not going to bother with the carrycot - they're only in them for a few months - already have moses basket and portable car seat and baby bjorn sling so will make do! have a c-section too so won't be out walking on my own for a good couple of months either. i'll get a lambskin to make it a bit more cosy too. good point about the hammock option too - hadn't read that bit - i've just read about it being the best option for off road - suppose i'm thinking long term rather than short. the hammock option is bsi approved for newborns although not ideal - but for short spells into town - i'm sure it would be ok.especially when you see the travel systems that incorporate the carseats - they don't look v. good for babys backs either. i am starting to wonder now though if i should get a carrycot - i'll be back researching again today - i guarantee! yes i have got two Dalmatians - they're mad as hatters but i love them dearly -infact verging on the obsessed! they're asleep next to me as I type! how many dogs do you plan on getting? i love labs too.

charley - you wouldn't want to miss my nappy bag thread - here .

Hi Spotty - I'm going for a carrycot/fleece liner package from chariots. I think the carrycot will fetch a really good price on ebay once I've finished with it. For instance that exact same package (but last year's and without the pump) sold secondhand on Ebay the other day for £400 when it's only £89 brand new!

I love dalmations - all the ones I've met are nuts and silly and totally adorable. Don't know how many dogs I'll be getting yet. Might start with a poodly thing and see how we get on - see how much space we can afford first.

Test drove both the Urban and Terrain at last today! Sadly, still not sure....dp came too as he had an unexpected day off - he definitely prefers the Urban. I have told him that he's getting a distorted view of them within the confines of the shop, but he seems pretty adamant. If I was equally adamant he'd bow to my better judgement, but I'm still wavering. I must say I was impressed with all the pocket compartments in the Urban sling and the fact it was a bit higher off the ground. I also liked the adustable handle. The whole pushchair looks really robust and I really don't think it would fall apart on my dog walks. It's so hard though. I'd love to be able to test them in the field.....

Just to clarify - I think charleypops meant £489...

Sorry you didn't have a 'conclusive' product test. I think you'll be happy with either, but must admit it sounds like you're going to spend much more time walking (dogs / countryside etc.) than walking around shops...

I never saw the low-down position as a problem... I mean the E3 explorer second child seat is low, but the Terrain didn't feel low to me. If anything, it means the centre of gravity is lower down, so it's easier to tip the nose for effortless turning and baby / buggy is less likely to go sideways...

What about the Urban particularly appealed to dh ? Was it simply the gentle gliding turning within the store ?

Did you try and pick both up when folded ?

I also preferred the Terrain's metal tray - the Urban lolls around, but admit you don't get some of the pockets... really, though, you're gong to be carrying phone / keys etc. in pocket, and nappies / toys etc. in some kind of bag anyway...