Babyzen Yoyo as everyday pram?

[babyzenquestion]

Hi all

We're expecting our first baby in a few months and I'm thinking about what we need to buy.

In terms of a pram, I think the Babyzen Yoyo looks like it would really work for us. We live in London in a Victorian terrace with a very narrow hallway. We'd mostly be using it in the city, on buses and the tube, so I'm looking for something compact and light.

I was wondering what people think of the Yoyo as an everyday pram? I've seen lots of reviews of it as a travel buggy, but less so as an everyday option. A lot of people seem to have them in our corner of east London so I assume they're good, but given the current situation I haven't been able to actually try one out (and starting to worry I won't be able to at all!).

A few reviews I've seen have compared it with the Bugaboo Bee, which is a bit chunkier and sturdier, but I like the compactness of the Yoyo, although now I'm starting to wonder if the Bee is a more sensible choice?

Thanks for any thoughts.

[PeaOp]

We have one as we have an upstairs flat and access to our station is stairs with no lift.
We both love it (as does our dc). Light, easy to manoeuvre, easy to clean and folds away super small which is useful when you have no place to store it.
Remarkably sturdy and can cope with a little rough ground but not a country fields walk obviously!
Very pleased we got it.

[LeeMiller]

I love our babyzen yoyo, I'm petite and it's the only one I've tried that is light and compact and easy enough to put up and down while also holding a baby (now toddler). We have stairs to leave the flat then have to fold it to get onto busy public transport (pre covid at least) - anything bulkier or heavier and that wouldn't be manageable alone, whereas the yoyo can go over my shoulder.

We do have an off-road baby jogger buggy for country walks as the yo-yo can't cope well with rough ground- but for every other situation I am fine with the yoyo, or a sling.

[Kaffiene]

We got one as a travel buggy but ended up using it far more than we thought. Its so well designed - well it should be for the price I guess 🤣

[dorapie]

We got it as a travel buggy and it immediately just replaced our 'everyday' one. Wish I'd saved the £1,000 on the iCandy Peach and just bought the yo-yo in the first place!

It is noticeably lighter than other buggies and yes not as sturdy, but if you live in London the benefits far outweigh this!

[BoxOfShapes]

I highly recommend it. Mine's still going strong as my everyday pushchair two years on.

Its narrowness is such an asset. You might even find you can leave it up in your hallway and still have space to get around it, and if not then it's easy to fold up.

I don't know if you're thinking of using a sling too but if you don't have back problems, I'd recommend doing so because they're even less faff, especially in terms of stairs/escalators on the underground and in shops. There are many different kinds and what I did was join a sling library where I borrowed several (and also ended up making a good friend)!

[babyzenquestion]

Oh thanks so much everyone, this is what I wanted to hear!

Have any of you used it from newborn (obviously with the newborn pack)? I've seen a few reviews suggesting it feels a bit flimsy to be secure for a newborn, but I think it looks really cosy. Obviously I don't actually have the baby yet though so perhaps I'd feel differently?

Have people found the handlebar a bit awkward or the basket too small? Those are two things the review mentions, and I'm unsure whether I'd find these an issue or not.

I am hoping to use a sling too, if possible. I'd rather avoid getting a chunkier pram for country walks, although I realise the Yoyo won't cope with that. It would be fine for parks though wouldn't it? Slightly rough paths but not country paths?

And finally, did anyone choose between a Yoyo and a Bee? Any thoughts on those two? I'd not really considered the Bee but it does seem to come up in reviews as an alternative.

Thanks again! This is so helpful, I'm getting a bit stressed at the possibility of not being able to go to John Lewis and have a play around with them all!

[LeeMiller]

The basket is small, but it's never been an issue for us - I can fit a couple of.bags of shopping in it, or the rucksack I use as a changing bag. I think they might do a bag on wheels you can attach if you want to carry more stuff.

It's useless on gravel but I think a slightly rough path would be fine.

[PeaOp]

We used the newborn pack. It was very cosy and seemed sturdy enough to us for out and about. It does look a little like a toy pram at that stage as it is so compact 😂

[babyzenquestion]

Haha yes it does, but I think it looks cosy! It is quite low and I can see why people say it doesn't feel very sturdy for a newborn, but I'm really trying to avoid getting a 'tank' if I can!

[BoxOfShapes]

I used the newborn pack and it was great. Very cosy as you say! And in the summer I took off the footmuff/cover bit, and also used the mosquito net for it abroad. All worked great.

It'll manage bumpy park paths fine (just gravel and sand are a nightmare!). I have treated mine as "all terrain" to be honest and just recently bought replacement front wheel units from the company (£30 or so for both I think) so it would run more smoothly again after what I'd put it through for almost two years!

The Bugaboo Bee is definitely a bit wider and not as nifty to fold, but if you would like your baby to be parent-facing after 6 months then it is one to consider instead.

My friend with the Bugaboo Bee 5 saw my YoYo and wanted to get one for travelling and popping to the shops which does suggest she found hers significantly bigger (while I was jealous her baby could be parent-facing at 9 months!). It's 9kg rather than the Yoyo's 6kg, and 9cm wider which can make all the difference in a narrow hallway or shop.

The basket has seemed fine to me, not the biggest I suppose but then if you are carrying a lot in it it's a pain to fold up as you have to take everything out each time. I haven't tried that bag on wheels that you can get for it!

The handlebar has been totally fine. Although it doesn't adjust, the foam goes all the way around so you can hold onto it at the point that's the right height for you.

[Claphands]

I use a yoyo for my 2 1/2 year old, the downsides are it is less of a ‘baby kit station’ if that makes sense, meaning there are less pockets and less room to put all babies kit on but I use a bag over the handle which works well, also it doesn’t do so well on bumpy ground (expected) and occasionally the handle folds down on its self if you tip the buggy to go up a kerb-that might just be my little chunky toddler in it though.
Overall it’s a great buggy and holds its resale value too.

[mynameiscalypso]

We have a Bee and a YoYo although I've barely used the latter as we bought it just before lockdown. I really like the Bee as it feels very robust even over certain wobbly pavements etc. We've got a YoYo for travelling and although I like the size, I don't like the fact that it's forward facing (after newborn). I think it will be okay when DS is bigger but he's 8 months now and I still want to have him facing me so I can see him and he feels a bit more protected that way round.

[FenellaMaxwell]

We love the yoyo, but IMO it’s better for slightly older children as it has to forward face.

[smeerf]

If I was having my first again, I'd just get a yo-yo and a Caboo Close sling from birth, an Ergo 360 Omni from 5 months then a Cosatto Whoosh or similar from 12 months.

[butterry]

We had both- the Bee is a bit sturdier but we much preferred using the Yo-yo. It’s light, easy for use in London. Perfect for restaurants. The Bee basket is bigger, the Yo-yo basket is ridiculous. You need a rucksack as well. Both are rubbish for anything other than pavement though like grass, gravel.

[BendingSpoons]

I love the Yoyo. We used it from birth. It is easy to push, I can carry it down a flight if stairs on the tube if needed, it sometimes fits as a third buggy on the bus and folds up under the table/chair in a busy cafe. I often feel very smug I bought one if those buggy clips to go in the handle to add extra bags if I had too much stuff. DD (age 4) can still get in it now when she is being lazy and DS (age 1) is walking!

[Fernleaf1]

I’m having the same thoughts- Yoyo or Bee. I worry the Yoyo will be too flimsy for parks and cobblestreets of London.. also the basket is offputtingly small

I’ve also started looking at the Nuna triv which is also quite compact and folds down like the Yoyo. It has a big basket and is both forward and Parent facing. Has anyone had any experience with Nuna?

[Epli]

Brining this thread one back to life ;)

Has anyone used the Yoyo2 with bassinet? I had a look at different strollers and the space seems so limited! or are baby really that small? Is my baby going to be comfortable on long walks? (I understand it's for the first 6 months)