Light, manoeverable buggy for town AND country walks... possible?!

[Beesmummy]

Hi there, I am new to this site but have already got lots of good tips from the forums.
I have an 11 month old daughter Bee (short for Beatrice) and am preggers with my second, due in July when Bee will be 17 months.
I guess I am looking for something impossible, but I am fed up with having three, sorry four buggies cluttering up our house! They are all hand-me-downs, so I don't feel too guilty about buying one new buggy if I can find a good one - any advice very very gratefully received!
I currently have

1. a Mamas and Papas pram with removable carry cot which is great for tiny babies and for taking to friends houses overnight.
2. a really old tatty Phil & Ted's E3 which is good for the beach and country walks (we live middle of nowhere in Somerset) but really heavy to get in and out of the car - and we nearly always go in the car to get to good walks.
3. a falling to bits Graco town pushchair which has been brilliant for holidays etc because it is fairly portable and the seat lies flat, so Bee can nap during the day in restaurants etc.
4. a £20 Mothercare umbrella basic basic pushchair which is great for chucking in and out of the car in a hurry, but doesn't recline or have swivel wheels. Part of me is looking at the double buggy option (Jane Powertwin) but perhaps I would be better off looking at a really good buggy and taking baby number 2 in a sling. So: I want a buggy that I can fold and put in the car easily (ie not too big and not too heavy), that can trek across a muddy field, but also nimbly get around shops, and that is comfortable for a baby to have a snooze in if I can't get home at nap time. I am looking at the Micralite Toro/Fastfold (with optional accessory of the all terrain wheels, carrycot etc), but have also heard good things about the Mountain Buggy and second hand Landrover buggies. Sorry about the long post, but does anyone have an opinion on these buggies, or a suggestion for another sort of buggy? thanks thanks thanks!

if 'teaandcake' is around - any advice pleeease?!

Also, now puzzled about whether to look at Micralite Toro or Fastfold... I was going for a Micralite because they are so light, and a Toro because it reclines, but is it much heavier?

thanks heaps!

Hi Beesmummy, welcome to Mumsnet!

OK, I think you may be looking for the impossible!

I'm afraid something with big wheels which can cope with off roading and beaches will not be lightweight. Personally, I prefer to push a buggy with big air tyres and a swivel front wheel, I just find it easier. The compromise is that it is heavier to lift in and out of the car but worth it IMO.

With a 17 month age gap your Phil & Teds may just be the answer. Two children in a single sized buggy, Its as compact as you can get.

If you plan to use a carrier for the new baby then you could use your lightweight buggy for Bee or invest in a really good umbrella fold like a Maclaren Techno which will fully recline for the baby or toddler depending on what you're doing (Bee may fancy walking for a while so the baby can have a ride and give you a break from carrying). Fairly compact and manageable for the car boot, great around town. This does not solve your off road walking problem though.

If Bee is a really keen walker you could get away with a buggy board. She could hop on or off when necessary.

I'm not terribly keen on the Micralite. The new 'Toro' seat unit is far better than the old 'Fastfold' but whole thing is a bit flimsy. It has never felt very stable to me, and has always worried me a little.

Now my big recommendation is the Mountain Buggy. I know it is fairly big and heavy to lift (just something you must accept) it does everything else you need it to do. It is one of the very few buggies strong enough to take a Buggy Board without invalidating the warranty. It has a very generous and comfortable fully reclinable seat unit suitable for both toddler and newborn napping, therefore a long life, it won't be outgrown too soon. Mountain Buggies also hold their value fantastically well so you could get a decent return on eBay when you're done with it.

HTH

this? lightweight stroller with big wheels?

I have the Instep nipper single (NCT nearly new bargain) and the double version. They are super light - you could push the double with toddler and baby in with your fingertips! The single is fab. We do lots of country yomps and it's perfect. It is a three wheeler so not ultra compact but you can take the wheels off really easily for putting in the boot of a small car.

The instep doesn't have a swivel front wheel but I have never found that a problem tbh.

Ooh blimey, forgot about the Nipper!

Yep, a single or double Nipper 360 might be exactly what you're after.

Superb price too, always been pretty reliable. Definately worth test driving.

brilliant, thank you!
think i was just being swayed by the snazzy micralite website...
will look into all of these - i think we need to find a big buggy supplier and go and give all of these a trial!
Our E3 is just too old and bust I think, it was the very first version of a P&T pushchair (anyway I have got excited about a new, or nearly new one now!)
Does anyone know of a buggy saleroom with lots of choice in the south? Nowhere east of London or north of Bristol though please!
Will look into Nipper suppliers now.
Thanks again!

I have a micralite toro and absolutely love it.

You can buy an all terrain kit for it, but we took it on a beach no problem just by tipping it back onto the back wheels.

It's not that much heavier than the fastfold as I have both.

Message withdrawn

i have xts twister which is fantastic-light,easy steer on and off road.only thing is its big when folded and thats if you can get it folded might be just me though.i got ours on ebay quite cheap and has been well worth it.and i defiantly plan on using it IF we have another!

ive just been brought a micralite fastfold but havent tried it yet!so excited- trixymalixy-please tell me its good!

Moljam, i really liked the fastfold as well apart from the fact that it doesn't recline. I also felt my 6 month old DS was too wee for it, it is better for an older child.

Which is why I bought the toro when it came out.

but it has got 2 positions hasnt it?would you say ok for 2 year old to nap in?

I think a 2 year old would nap in it fine. I plan to use the fastfold when DS is older .

thanks i was panicking!

As a mum of 2 with a 16mth age gap I would definitely recommend a double buggy. It may be ok at first to use a sling and a single but a few months down the line the baby would be too heavy and your dd would probably still need quite a lot of help if she wanted to get out of buggy and walk/play at park etc- you would find this much easier if the baby was in a buggy.

I have the double mountain buggy- it's brilliant but I should have got the urban cos swivel wheels would be better. However it is not small when folded! I love the idea of the P&T but have heard mixed reviews.

I am just about to have no.3 and looking at buying a better single buggy but I will keep my double mountain for off road trips. I don't think there is any perfect buggy for every occasion! (if you find one let me know)