Pushchair recommends for Mum who walks a LOT!

[Delilah27]

Hi all,
I'm new here, but reading through, you all seem to know your stuff.

Basically my daughter is 11.5 months and I'm after a new pushchair.
I don't drive, I walk everywhere and can easily cover 20 miles per week (now and again I get the bus), so she needs to be very comfortable as she can spend a lot of time in it.

I prefer the 'handle bar' option rather than 2 handles as they give me wrist strain.

I am currently using a Graco Mirage which is on it's last legs (and I'm far from impressed with) and my daughter screams everytime I put her in it!

Prior to that I had a Graco Citisport which also died a sorry death (and was way too small).

Maybe I walk to much for a pushchair to cope with, but there must be something suitable?

I was considering an Urban detour (3 wheeler -swivel wheel) or M&P Freestyler or M&P Aria - can anyone help me please?

Thanks,
Delilah.x

3 wheelers are great if you walk a lot but they are quite difficult to get on a bus with (very long)and are also quite heavy. A friend of mine has a Graco (suitable from birth so a but bigger than you're after probably) but she walks to work and back 3 times a week (at least a couple of miles) and walks every where at weekends with it and her DD is nearly 3.
Good luck - welcome to the pushchair minefield (and to Mumsnet of course )

freestyler - we have one and has lasted us well.

it is very roomy - my large 2y 3m ds is still comfortable in it

the shopping basket thing is a bit flimsy
it is quite bulky to fit in the back of a car - fits ok in ford fouc boot - but only just
has an adjustable handle type thing - at 5'6", i use it on the lowest setting (dont know whether it is helpful to know that

you get a cosy toes and rain cover with it but the rain cover is a pain in the backside to use as you have to zip it onto the hood etc

steers very nicely though and seems confortaable and hard wearing. will be using it again when the bump arrives early next year
hth

erm - that should be ford focus boot!

oh and it is easy to put up and down.....

but i would buy a 3 wheeler if i was buying another....one of the main reasons i got it was due to the travel system component and the ease of fitting car seat into it

I walk at least an hour a day with my pushchair and get on 2 buses. I have a maclaren quest which ds seems to be comfortable in, he's 6 months nearly. It does have 2 handles but they're kind of tilted so that your hands are facing forwards, if that makes sense. very comfy anyway.

I noticed there's another maclaren pushchair which is more padded and stuff. It was more expensive, which is why I didn't buy it, but it might be more comfy for your daughter if you're using it a lot.

I walk everywhere too and I have a Quinny Fashion which is excellent - great suspension and good design for the raincover (unzips so you don't have to take it off completely if you are in and out of shops etc). Easy on the wrists too as it has a padded handlebar and a handbrake! Still using it on the school run for DS who is 3.

I have a mountain buggy urban and do TONS of walking and it is great. Not much heavier than some of the 'light umbrella strollers'.

I don't recommend a chicco stroller - I have had mine 2 months walk alot and get the bus. One wheel is about to fall off. Before that I had a mothercare 2 in one - very good but too big and clumsy for public transport.

Delilah, I've got an Urban Detour (and have a double version now too) and walk loads and they are both great. Thoroughl recommend, and not as pricey as others.

As someone who has pushed 6+ different types of prams and walks everywhere (no car, live in London) I would say that one of the main things is to have big wheels - they really make the difference. Haven't pushed the Mountain Buggy Urban but have only heard good things about it.
Good luck!

Hi Delilah,
If you're in London and interested, I've got a 3-wheeler that I want to sell, it's a Koelstra (a Dutch brand), has got big inflatable wheels, no swivel front wheel but very easy to manoeuvre, a handlebar, a good size basket underneath, one large pocket on the back and two small pockets on the side bars. It's pretty basic and very robust, good suspension, no handbrake but a very easy to use and effective "foot-brake" (don't know what to call it!). I used to walk everywhere with it, it's quite heavy but as I said very easy to manoevre. It's quite long which can be a problem but I used to take it on the bus too, only got stuck once on one of the small "hoppa" buses. I don't know how confortable it is but my dd never complained and she used to spend quite a lot of time in it!
Anyway if you're interested CAT me.

My childminder swears by her Emmaljunga - the 'Rolls Royce' of prams. She walks everywhere, as she can't drive.

I love my mothercare three wheeler - can't think what the brand name is. Love the solid feel and well sprung tires. The Handle bar means I man keep it moving woth one hand and even by just pushing it with my belly to get both hands free . Down side is that there is absolutely no way I'd attempt to bus it...