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?

Hub - I originally thought I'd get a moses basket then put him straight in a cot in his room (which I'd originally assumed was the done thing) but then I came across Global bedside crib, which I think it's lovely, and it got me thinking seriously that I might want to continue co-sleeping when he's too big for a crib which from what I've read on MN about cribs/moses baskets could be as little as a couple of months - so once I'd investigated, the crib seemed a bit pointless and thought I'd might as well just go for the cot - leaving all my options open! If I wasn't so tight, I might've got both though One great point about the Global is that you don't need space at the side to store the drop side underneath, as there's not much space in our room either. I'm going to use the MB carrycot as a moses basket anyway.

Andif - the Stokke seems like a great cot - narrowness is definitely a plus and all those manifestations! There's no way I'd get a swinging cot in case the baby likes it! Can you imagine having to swing on demand?? As for cosiness in the weeks - the great thing about the bedside cot is that you can just slide baby over to you for a cuddle (he'll probably be actually on my bed most of the time with me. Aw.) Thanks for enquiring about the Landrover for me and I hope your fingers have warmed up! She should put that Landrover on ebay you know, she'd get about £150+ I reckon for one in perfect condition. I think they're getting quite collectable. As we might be going for the Terrain after all it would be silly to have two pushchairs that do the same job. Of course, if we end up with the Urban, I'll be kicking myself if it's not available - mind you, even though £100 is dead good value, I'd still have a hard time justifying it to myself...The Landrover seat doesn't recline at all does it??......brain ticking.....No No I'm getting a nice package deal from Nigel.!!!!!

Hi cp,

Decisions, decisions, decisions

FYI, not sure the MB carrycot is suitable for sleeping overnight... I don't think it's been officially tested to BS etc., so they don't /can't officially recommend it. HIGHLY doubt it could cause a problem but I think the idea is moses basket / cots have more ventilated sides etc. Maybe check with Nigel incase they have done recent accreditation testing etc. ?

I meant I might just use the carrycot for little daytime kips in the early days. Once I know what he's going to be like then I'll pop him in the cot for naps. It'll be early summer by the time he's born so you're doubly right about the ventilation. I think it'll be nice to have him outside in the pram too for kips before it gets too hot Don't suppose you've found any bumper bars have you that might fit the Terrain???/??/?/ Love your sling thread, haven't read it all, am going to now

Could maybe buy the Urban bumper bar, take it to a welder and say 'I'm loony. Please take two inches off the middle of this piece of metal and weld it back together for me' (the 'I'm loony' bit is optional, but probably helpful).

I fear the sling thread is about to degenerate... but it's had some very useful links / comments

I fear we are all just one step away from turning in to this woman! She has actually built an assault course for buggies!! You might want to email her about terrain buggy bumper she seems to personally know the heads of every buggy company!!
Apparently the Mountain Buggy Kings, as this lady likes to call them, are both called Alan!

V. funny you should post that jojo as I came across her site last night. Boy.... does she have a problem....

I e-mailed some typos / bad links to her but forgot to ask about the bumper bar ! Duuuuhhh....

Nigel said "they don't do one" when I asked him about bumper bars for the Terrain and I've trawled the net to no avail, so it's a great idea about the welderer.
I bet my lovely local mechanic will be able to do it actually - I'll ask him. He's not entirely conventional himself and he already thinks I'm a bit loony so he shouldn't bat an eyelid

I could email that woman in the link first I suppose - do you think she'd charge me a fiver to respond though?

Had a read through the sling thread - I am quite attracted by some of the wrap around jobbies, although would draw a line at anything remotely aztec. Might make my own in camo to go with that changing bag I liked....

Hi cp - I am very sure there is no Terrain bumper bar in manufacture. Mountain Buggy would be promoting otherwise.

If the tube size and angles are v. v. close between the two models, I think a welder would be able to sort you out, even if it means some kind of slim 'clamp' in the middle instead of a neat weld (possibly that would be a weak point ?)

Glad he has the measure of you.

Actually, come to think about it, it might be easier for the welder simply to remove the plastic clamp ends (probably just rivetted in place), and copy the bends in the cross piece but making the centre section shorter, IYSWIM...

Do you know what? When I get it I'm going to buy a pipe bender and make one myself! And I'm sure by the time he's ready to go in the pushchair bit I'll've sourced some clamp things (bike shop/camping shop/chandlers....?) I actually have a metal bending equipment catalogue in my old sculpting resources file.... Then I can buy that foam sleeve stuff somewhere I'm sure! Wonder what diameter that Urban bar is.......

Why don't you freak out a buggy dealer and turn up with a micrometer ?

I'd be very surprised if they used two different tube guages on the two pushchairs, so you might want to start with an Urban one for 'inspiration'...

Anyway: Your kid might never want one !!!

CP: Are you a chainsaw-wielder ? What was / is your 'normal' medium ? MIL did MIG / chainsaw etc... entered Royal Academy at around 50 years of age !!!!

AAAARRRRRGHH!!!!!!! Just been to visit pushchairs.co.uk and it says the next lot of Terrains isn't due until MID JULY!!!!! goddamnit. I'll have to phone Nigel in a desparate manner Monday.

Nigel sounds like the kind of guy who'd have a micrometer in his pocket so I might ask him to measure the Urban's bar for me. If I'm still speaking to him after he tells me he cannot get me my pushchair package before June that is. What do kids do with their hands if they don't have a bumper bar to hold onto or fiddle with? Especially when going downhill?

Wanted to make my own metal armatures but never got round to using metal at all and never welded, but will as soon as we get the space. Just used clay/plaster/ resin/fibreglass. Not done anything for ages. House is just not suitable at the moment

Only showing no stock / July for saphire and black colourways. Am sure if you e-mail now and phone first thing Monday, you'll be able to get one... I think green and navy look fine anyway...

And between all the other stockists I'm sure you can haggle someone down to a reasonable price.

Don't worry about it. You will get your magic buggy !

Ref: hands: LOL is all I can say. They'll be strapped in, so can't 'go anywhere'... I'm sure all the Terrain owners have lived without !

Hope any future house you might move into allows you to return to your messy work. Maybe a studio when babba is older ?

There's a baby shop local to me that swears they can match any offers, so I'll try them if Nigel has short-ordered.

I had a lovely daydream today of me and Pod (as my pre-baby is known) sharing a studio and both getting covered in paint and clay and stuff. Aw.

And it MUST be black Hub!!!

I called them this morning on the off chance and guess what?They had a few left after all so I ordered one and MY NEW BLACK PRO TERRAIN ZIP HAMMOCK CARRYCOT/FLEECE PACKAGE ARRIVES TOMORROW!!

Phew! - that was a hard one!! Thanks everyone for your help.

Congratulations, CP, you've done it at last!!
Dh had serious chat about 'do we really need such an expensive pushchair' on Sat, so took him and boys off to John Lewis - they all loved the urban- the new adjustable handle is great as ds1 could push it easily. Mind made up!
Went to Wisley today and was still pushchair watching.......mainly e3, Jane and MB terrains... 5 more months of this!!

CP - did you read the press release on the MB Web site this AM ?

They're ceasing the Urban soon to create a Terrain with a second drop-down fixed wheel in a new axle so you'll get all the benefits of the rigid front wheel, but when you need to you just press a button on the handlebar and the wheel swaps over to the swivel one...

Brilliant system - v. clever. You might want to look into it.

Gotcha. . Congrats on the order. Do post when you set it up ! Enjoy !

Hey Andif!

Well done deciding on the MB urban - it's a lovely pushchair. Did you go to the Kingston JL? They had a 2004 model on sale there on Saturday. New one's gorgeous though isn't it? Which bit of Wisley do you go to? (obviously don't be too specific - never know who's watching I never see anyone with pushchairs there - just the occasional bloke in office clothes shiftily hanging around the carpark....

Hub you are so naughty! you certainly nearly pushed my buttons then! You decided yet??

cp: I am a man of action. A man of conviction. Of course I haven't decided !

Only kidding, almost certainly Terrain in navy as gift from our family in the US I think.

Sorry for the wind-up - couldn't resist.

Cp, we saw the 2004 model in kingston, useful to compare them and actually prefer 2005. Thinking of buying the 2004 to sell on ebay as it's £100 off and plenty of mugs will pay £400 for it, but think it may be missing some bits, so will phone tomorrow.
Wisley great - although I realised all is about to change - at the moment I just need me, keys and purse and can leave the house in 30 secs flat!!! Met my cousin there with 2 week old baby - it took her half an hour to get kids out of the car, let alone the pushchair.....

Thought I'd announce I've also just ordered my buggy.

Woohoo. He made a decision.

Terrain in navy with carrycot, sun / rain covers, hand brake (yeah for all my joggin ROTFPMSL ), travel bag.

Ordered from the States for delivery to US family who will visit for the new baby.

Andif - did you get that pushchair? I've noticed a few more popping up on ebay after that £400 jobby.

Well done Hub! Congratulations on your imminent buggy! Was it loads cheaper in the USA? Are they visiting after the baby's here?

I now have a gorgeous black MBTerrain with carrycot/fleece/FAT tyres/headhugger

I very of your handbrake Hub.

Morning, charleypops.

I only got the handbrake to p*ss you off.

Actually, I often see people trying to hold pushchairs still - on sloped pavements at the approach to crossings, or just when laden with juicy babbas on streets with slopes - so I thought I'd give it a bash.

The US retailer I am using www.jackandjillfurniture had a typo which meant their carrycot was a bargain (I pointed this out to them before I purchased, but they were kind enough to honour this reduced price), so yes, for me it did work out cheaper. If you pay their regular price and also needed Nigel's big tyres / puncture protection, lambswool shoulder harness strap covers, lambskin fleece etc. I don't think there's really as much in it by the time you pay VAT etc. (I'll say that just so you don't get upset. LOL. )

Family should be visiting before and after due date.

Can you give a status update on moses basket vs. dropside crib vs. dropside cot ? How're you doing there ?

Hi!

Just got home with my AS NEW Matrix carseat with all the accessories - still in box with instructions AND EVERYTHING!

There's really no stopping me now!!!

I will be purchasing the Global Bedside cot from here , probably, as it's the best deal I have found so far. I've just about given up on my fab water mattress idea as it appears to be just too progressive right now Probably not going to bother with a Moses basket - I'll see what His Highness thinks, I can always send dp out for one and pop it in the cot next to me I suppose!

Decided on a sling yet?