NOW CLOSED: Talk to Central YMCA about the best buggies for exercising with....you could win a £100 John Lewis voucher.

[AnnMumsnet]

We've been asked by the team at Central YMCA to find out your best buggy for exercising with.

So if you are you a regular buggy exerciser please share on this thread the buggy you would recommend for mums looking to power walk, jog or generally push themselves fit while out and about with their baby?

Please say why you'd recommend it - what makes it good and why you chose it over others.

Please also state what age your baby/ child was in the buggy, any bad points and your overall opinion of the value for money you've had from the buggy.

Please post your responses below - the responses on this thread will be used by CYMCA in an exciting new free digital product for mums from Central YMCA. If they want to use your direct quote we may well be in touch with you to find out your name and location so this can be attributed to you - eg "xxx" said Jane from Bolton.

Everyone who adds their recommendation to this thread will be entered into a prize draw where one winner would get a £100 John Lewis voucher.

Thanks, MNHQ

I've had quite a few buggies but really rate the Baby Jogger City Mini for exercising. I'm not a hardcore runner, but I do a lot of walking and attend buggy fit classes.

It is light, nippy, turns easily and crucially is very difficult to tip, unlike my bugaboo which falls over if you so much as look at it. My 11mo loves it and seems very comfortable in it.

It is also a reasonable price, so value fore money is excellent. Under £300, not the thick end of a grand which seems to be the going rate these days.

The quick fold is excellent for slinging in the car too. We took it to the beach this week, and it handled the sand without a hitch.

I run with my 4 month old DD at least 3 times per week and I have three pushchairs, all of which have been used for running at least once (as I sometimes forget to put the nipper into the car), the pushchairs are the Out N About Nipper 360 V1, Baby Jogger City Mini and the Quinny Buzz.

I didn't purchase the BJCM or the Quinny to run with them, the Nipper was purchased for this purpose.

The running I do tends to be rough parks and woodland tracks, a little bit of pavement road running too.

The Out N About is by far the best in my opinion, easy and light to handle, safety strap included (very important), good suspension for DD and makes running easy. I find the Nipper easy to fold and set up, if the wheels are very muddy they can easily be removed and popped into carrier bags before putting into the car boot! I also like the freedom of sitting positions for DD (as in there are no 'set' seating positions and the safety for the 5 point harness. The new V2 also takes a Maxi Cosi which I think now makes this the idea off road hiking and running pushchair (see below).

The BJCM is ok on smooth ground but I bought this pushchair for shopping and the hard tyres are hopeless when running on rough ground compared to the others. Love this for shopping/visiting people, very light and a dream to put up and down

The Quinny, I didn't intend to use this for running, to be honest I don't like this pushchair much at all, I bought it because I thought my PFB should have a proper carry cot to sleep in when out and about (now realise that this was a mistake and she would have been fine from birth in the Nipper or BJCM).

However, As I have a V1 Nipper and it doesn't take a Maxi Cosi seat, when my DD was younger (I started running with her from 7 weeks) she was very small (5lbs 4 oz at birth) and she would not have been safe in the Nipper as she slipped about, no matter how much I padded her. I also felt if I was to have an tipping over accident she wouldn't be safe. As a result I used the Quinny (pimped with an off road front tyre which can be purchased separately) with the mazi cosi until she was about 3 months old. It worked ok, the ride was smooth for DD but the shopping basket had to be removed as it rubbed against the off road front tyre.

The V2 Nipper (with Maxi Cosi holding capability) would therefore be my ideal running pushchair. If I have another DC I would use this with the Maxi Cosi seat until DC was approx 3/4 months and then use it without the car seat.

In summary, key points for me are:

• Safety (strap, which out of mine only the Nipper has)
• Ability to hold a small/young baby who doesn't yet have head control (I don't know if this is the scientifically correct answer) but I felt that having DD in the Maxi Cosi was by far the safest option given the support it provided
• Weight
• Stability
• Suspension/comfort of ride for DC
• Ease of putting up/down/cleaning

I think the Nipper V2 delivers on all of these

I haven't found one that's easy to lift over a stile on my own so only use a sling

another vote for the mountain buggy, I have had both the terrain and urban (7 Kids!)
for running,excersise and proper off roading then I think the terrain is probably better;

it is lightweight
very stable over rough ground
comfortable for baby with either an optional carrycot or seat that lies flat for baby
absolutely solid and extremely well made
adjustable handle height
the jogging strap for additional safety when going down hills
very simple to put up and down
wheels remove very easily (great if they are muddy)
easy to take covers etc off for cleaning

the Urban is a fantastic buggy with the bonus of a front swivel wheel which is handy for shopping it can be fixed for running or off road

I have tried many others including Mamas and Papas three wheeler, Mothercare Urban but have not found anything that comes close to the Mountain buggy

I love my Phil and Teds double buggy. It's great for transporting my 2 and a half year old and 8 month old baby on any type of terrain. It is especially sturdy with three large wheels and extremely well made. The only downsides are that when running, I find the handle bar is too low so I have to bend uncomfortably. But for walking, it's perfect. It is reliable and as I bought it second hand, very good value for money.

For proper running it's got to be the baby jogger performance. I've done a lot of miles with mine (which was second hand and already well used) and ran with my older daughter until she was at least 3. It's not had quite as much use second time round because I just don't have as much time, but it's still great!

For walking I think any pushchair will do as long as you're comfortable pushing it. I prefer something with bigger wheels that doesn't make that awful rattle as you push it along on uneven paths, but that's just fussiness - if it pushes, you can walk with it, and therefore exercise!

I definitely wouldn't run with a baby in a sling - way too jiggly for their little heads - and I wouldn't run with a baby in a pushchair under 4 or 5 months for exactly the same reason.

Hello - thanks for all the great tips. Am pleased to say StellaAndFries name came out the hat and she has won a £100 John Lewis voucher. Well done!

Thank you Mumsnet and Central YMCA my JL vouchers arrived this morning so hopefully I'll be ordering my much wanted kindle shortly :)