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Original poster

Criteria for buggy, anyone got any suggestions?

36 replies

pookamoo · 18/06/2008 13:45

Hi, we've been advised to think about shopping for a buggy while I am still able to summon up the energy to look round the shops and before I get too big to handle them!

We have started to come up with some critera and I wondered if anyone has any suggestions for buggies we should look at. We plan to test them out "live in the shops" and once we've chosen the one we like we'll try to find the best deal.

This is what we're looking for:

3 wheeler
Pneumatic tyres
Light weight
Suitable from birth
Able to travel rear facing (so I can talk to the baby)

We're not worried about it being a travel system as we would prefer to get a buggy which lies flat and a separate car seat which stays in the car and will last until the baby is early.

We'll want to use it both off road and around town.

I know Mumsnetters are good on these things, and there must be some pram-a-holics out there who could give me some ideas!

Thanks!
Pookamoo
x

OP posts:
Original poster
pookamoo · 18/06/2008 13:49

Forgot to say would probably also like to be able to attach a buggy board at a later date!

OP posts:
Teaandcake · 18/06/2008 15:21

OK, this is easy apart from the rear facing thing.

Either Mountain Buggy Urban (you can use a carrycot for the first 6 months, so facing you initially) or Out'n'About Nipper 360, very simple and easy to use but basic in that there is no option for a carrycot (also not much space for shopping etc).
Possibly the Baby Jogger, pretty good for the price.

The only 3 wheeler I can think of which rear faces is the Gesslein Vision an excellent quality pram but is certainly not lightweight to lift.

The only one of these three which is truly buggy board compatible is the Mountain Buggy.
Use of a buggy board will invalidate the warranty of the others.

Don't touch the Jane Slalom and def steer clear of their Matrix car seat, utter unreliable crap.

babyjjbaby · 18/06/2008 16:28

the mother care my3

ilovemydog · 18/06/2008 16:32

We have a phil and teds double buggy for 2 year old and 4 month old.

Um, are you thinking of having any more children soon? The Phil and Teds isn't great as a single pram, but is great if you have 2. It can be a baby and a toddler or 2 toddlers.

Before Phil and Teds, had a Bugaboo which was fantastic and miss it! . It had a 3 in one and if you got a Maxi Cosi car seat, it could snap on

Original poster
pookamoo · 18/06/2008 16:54

Ilovemydog This is our first baby, not thinking of the next for a couple of years, but would like to keep and use the same buggy if we can when number 2 comes along.

I hope that by the time numer 2 arrives, number 1 will be big enough for a buggy board, rather than having a double buggy.
(sounds like "thing1 and thing2 from Dr Zeuss!)

DH has spotted the Phil and Teds around and about and thinks they look great so that's perhaps an alternative, although it's worth knowing that they aren't so great for just one baby.

teaandcake the mountain buggy one looks good!

Mothercare MY3 also seems to tick all the boxes although wouldn't really need the car seat if we get a fixed one.

Thanks!

OP posts:
babyjjbaby · 18/06/2008 17:09

i don't think the carseat comes with the my3

ilovemydog · 18/06/2008 17:11

The Phil and Ted's is bulky and is like wrestling an eel!

Obviously if you are going to be putting 2 kids into a buggy, it has to be substantial, but it is HEAVY compared to other buggies. Plus it takes up a load of space. Go to Mothercare and have a test drive!

But, it's great in the country!

Is there a reason you want a fixed car seat? Is it removable? As you know, babies sleep in cars and when you get home, if it's fixed, would you have to wake up the baby?

babyjjbaby · 18/06/2008 17:25

thisone

babyjjbaby · 18/06/2008 17:26

thisone

Original poster
pookamoo · 19/06/2008 10:02

I would like to get a car seat that goes from 0 to 4 years to avoid chopping and changing too much. The little ones are only in use for a certain period of time (i.e. while the baby is tiny).

The thing about any car seat is that you can't leave the baby in it for more than 2 hours so you'd have to take it (the baby) out when you got back home. You couldn't put the car seat on the buggy base after an hour's drive and expect the baby to stay in it for a two hour walk in the country.

I'm not worried about waking the baby up when I take it out of the car seat because in theory it will be going from there direct to either the pram, its bed or a sling, so hopefully it will go back to sleep. (Am I being too naive?)!

All that said, if the buggy we eventually go for comes along with a car seat included, it would be fine and we would just get a larger one a bit later.

OP posts:
ilovemydog · 19/06/2008 11:20

Hi - not an expert on car seats, but I'm fairly sure you will need a rear facing (when the baby is small) and then a front facing.

DD had a rear facing one until she was about 9 months (based on weight) and then is now is a forward facing.

The people at Mothercare are brilliant at helping with car seats! They will even show you how it straps into the car!!

MrsBadger · 19/06/2008 11:42

ilovemydog, you can get convertible carseats that turn round after 13kg.

ilovemydog · 19/06/2008 11:55

mrs badger - oh, thanks! Didn't realize...

Original poster
pookamoo · 19/06/2008 14:29

In Sweden apparently they have rear facing until about 4 years of age!

Yes, we're looking at getting a convertible one, to get the most mileage out of it.

OP posts:
babyjjbaby · 19/06/2008 15:37

the britax first class is a nice combination seat i got it and haven't had anything wrong about it lol

Teaandcake · 19/06/2008 17:10

Hi pookamoo, I would definately recommend a rear facing infant carrier for a newborn its just easier.

Imagine it is raining, you are very tired, the baby is crying, you are standing on the side of the road leaning into the back of your car trying to place a reluctant baby in the permanently fitted rear facing car seat whilst trying to adjust the harness to the correct fit, making sure the straps are not twisted. Nightmare!

If you had a group 0+ infant carrier you could put the baby into the seat, adjust the straps to the correct fit, tuck in a blanket whilst still in the house then just carry the baby in the seat to the car and fit it.

If you have ISOfix anchorage points in your car I would def recommend you use them. You will need to invest in an ISOfix base which stays in your car, you then simply click the car seat to it every time you go out in the car. It is safer because the correct fit is not dependent on the correct routing and tension of the seatbelt. There is no margin for error. Trust me on this, worth every penny when you consider how many times you have to get in and out of the car with the baby.

If you don't have ISOfix in your car there is an alternative base which is permanently fitted with the seatbelt it works in the same way when clicking on your car seat. here.
I hope this explains well enough, the instruction movie is excellent. I wrote a long reply with loads of links when my PC crashed! Sorry.

There is an argument that a seat which covers more than one stage does neither very well. I know this means buying more than one seat but is better in the long run.

If you want to go rear facing until 4 years you will probably have to buy another one anyway. A group 0-1 seat will have to be turned around to front face when the baby reaches 13kg. You would need something like this for group 1 rear facing.

FWIW I have a Mountain Buggy (which I cannot recommend highly enough!). I too decided not to use my car seat on the chassis (the one I chose was not compatible with it anyway, it was the one which was the best fit in my car) and always laid my DS nice and flat in the carrycot, much better.

babyjjbaby · 19/06/2008 17:17

a mamas and papas ultima on xcel or sportline chassis hauck infinity hauck targo still thinking lo

babyjjbaby · 19/06/2008 17:18

oh didn't realise u only wnat 3 wheeler them 2 i sai dain't no good then

Teaandcake · 19/06/2008 17:27

Sorry, duff links, try again Maxi Cosi Cabrio www.maxi-cosi.com/maxicosi/productdetail.aspx?id=9&language=ch-en ISOfix base]] Easy Base

Recaro

Teaandcake · 19/06/2008 17:31

Sorry, duff links, try again Maxi Cosi Cabrio ISOfix base Easy Base

Recaro

Gawd, Its all going wrong today, apologies.

Original poster
pookamoo · 21/06/2008 09:39

Thanks Teaandcake! That makes a lot of sense about putting the baby in the car seat before you put the seat in the car... I hadn't thought about that side of it, more taking the baby OUT! I guess in the dream world I live in I hadn't considered it might rain! duh!

Babyjj we don't necessarily ONLY want a 3 wheeler, just that as we'll be spending a lot of time in fields (we live fairly rural!) I thought 3 wheelers were better for that?

My car doesn't have isofix as far as I know although my brother was talking about it. His car and my parents both do. I don't really want to buy a new car too!!

I wasn't really thinking of rear facing until 4 - I can't work out where their legs go!

We're off to "That's My Baby" in Swindon today for some road testing! www.tmbdirect.co.uk/

OP posts:
onelittlelion · 21/06/2008 10:47

I love my mountain buggy but do think there is a funny time when too big for carrycot and seem to small for seat altho a bunker footmuff or nest type thing would solve it. there were some great offers on too altho they're not cheap. will last forever tho! I also loved my slalom and my friend's had v good customer service directly from them altho have read differently on here. My friend loves her nipabout and you an get air or solid wheels for them. That's all I can think of for now

onelittlelion · 21/06/2008 10:49

You can get a maxi cosi adaptor for MB too and they do isofix or an easy base which we had which was good for the car and did really well in Which. I think quite easy to use the adaptor while in carrycot mode altho we bought it and never used it.

nappyaddict · 21/06/2008 10:53

You are looking for the i'coo peak. It has all the features you meant to except for lightweight but it's lightish for a 3 wheeler.

nappyaddict · 21/06/2008 10:57

the my3 and mura 3 aren't great for fields cos the front wheel is smaller than the back wheels. you want the front wheel to be big too.