MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
The missus and I are expecting our first baby in October, and I'm stepping up to research prams (it's a substitute new bike 😀 )
We're outdoorsy so looking for a good offroad pram, also called ATPs I believe; Something good for forest paths, gravelly Landrover tracks, urban potholes, but not too heavy and folds up reasonably small. Pneumatic tyres, suspension, interchangeable seats, all the good stuff. Preferably under 10kg.
Initial research says Baby Jogger Summits are good, as are Britax BOBs, Mountain Buggy Swifts, and some Mothercare own brand models.
Be interested to hear the massive's experience of these models, and any advice or tips for a new father-to-be 😉
Right.... lets be blunt about this....
Sorry... but its for your own benefit...
You do realise that for normal life they are totally impractical? That they're the equivelent of a Range Rover Sport with a private number plate? And represent the same aspirational, middle class style over substance. Clogging up supermarket isles, banging into people in cafes and pubs with their look-at-me-and-my-outdoorsy-lifestyle garagantuan awfullness.
Just get a normal pram and walk around without everyone glaring at you with (entirely justified) hatred in their eyes
Landrover did one(Licensed to Pegasus) It did my kids and two nephews and a niece and was still going strong when we gave it to a friend. Some available on Ebay I would have thought.
Important thing is a non steering front wheel and total weight.
Haha fair enough. But we're expecting to use it on a weekly basis, and don't have the space (or the money) for a second ninja pram, so it will have to do it all.
We're not being those overprotective types, I detest RaRo's 🙄 [EDIT] but I'd have a Landy any day 😀
Whatever you get look on Gumtree, for everything. Seriously, we picked up almost all our baby stuff second hand and most of it was partially used at best, some of it basically untouched.
Second hand absolutely.
We inherited a Mothercare Urban Detour after the BiL's kids were done with it. It has served both our kids well and is still going.
I think the modern version is called the [url= http://www.mothercare.com/Mothercare-Xtreme-Pushchair-Travel-System---Giraffe/375003,default,pd.html ]"Xtreme Pushchair Travel System"[/url] 🙄 but it is basically the same design. 3 wheels (very good manoeuvrability) and pneumatic tyres. Removable car seat bit for babies then older infants use the main seating bit.
[img] http://s7ondemand6.scene7.com//is/image/MothercareASE/lr2316_4?&$dw_large_mc$&wid=353&hei=424&fit=fit,1 [/img]
No suspension as such, but it doesn't need it as the seating area and main body flex to take out the rough bumps.
Very hardy, it's been on several ski holidays with us (with suitable knobbly tyres).
It's not light or small though!
any advice or tips for a new father-to-be
Buy second-hand or talk nicely to friends who have had children.
You do realise that for normal life they are totally impractical?
Bollocks.
If its for day-to-day use, seriously... DON'T! They are totally impractical. If you're pushing something around as an exention to your own body for a year (which is the reality my friend) you want something light and nimble, not some Panzer. Leave that to those Mumsnet slaves to G2 Family supplements. If you buy one of those things, then within 2 weeks of trying to get it around supermarkets etc, with an actual baby to look after at the same time, you'll hate it!! And everyone you barge out of the way will hate you!
Shameless plug for stuff I'm trying to Sell.
If you are happy with second hand, I have a complete base pram/Car seat/ carry cot and buggy board from Jane. Its the Jane Slalom Pro set. It is in excellent condition. Its got everything you are asking for plus DISC BRAKES!!!!
It has been great and the brakes really help when your going down a steep slopes in Sheffield. Suitable for children age 0-4, non smoker and pet house and its all been machine washed as all the covers come off.
Absolute bargain at £100 (Cost over £600, 4 years ago) as its taking up space. Its red so you know that's faster.
We have 3 pusshchairs/prams despite only having one child who uses them. The Quinny is tiny and lives in the car, the iCandy Cherry is the day-to-day shopping/school-run pushchair and travels about 2 miles a day, 5 days a week - did 3 years or so with jr_bandito#1 and 1s coming up to 3 years with jr_bandito#2. And we have the three-wheeler off-road push-chair that gets used for 10-mile runs too. Whip the wheels off and it folds down surprisingly small. I think its an XTS twister
By October, jr_bandito#2 will have outgrown it and we'll be wanting to sell it....
binners - sounds like you speak from experience?
shuhockey - let me speak to the boss!
ir_bandito - will bear that in mind.
We've got one of these, now living in the loft. You're welcome to try it out and borrow it for a year 😉 Great on rough paths, seems to have suspension, rolls over everything. The pram part is there too.
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Firstly congratulations!
We have a Croozer2 bike trailer that can me turned into a push chair with a small wheel on the front and a jogger with a bigger pneumatic wheel on the front. The bigger wheel is great for the beach, even with the small wheel it would be a pita in a pub or even round the shops as its so cumbersome..
We also have a regular pushchair for day to day use, an iCandy Pear.
IIRC we paid about £200 for the Croozer2 and £300 for the iCandy Pear.
I'd recommend both, although we certainly haven't used the Croozer half as much as we imagined, we have triplets and a trip to the local playground feels like a major mission.
If you buy one of those things, then within 2 weeks of trying to get it around supermarkets etc, with an actual baby to look after at the same time, you'll hate it!!
Conversely if you try pushing a "normal" small hard wheel pushchair along the gravel path to the local park, or along a muddy leafy footpath, or across the sand at the beach, or in snow, then you'll soon hate it too.
Buy second hand, buy two.
It's not exactly that one but pretty close
GrahamS - that's our worry. It's hard trying to anticipate life post birth!
Dan - ooh thanks mate. What is it? Would be handy to see if it fits our boot...
We're expecting our first and have the v4 version of this:
[url= http://www.johnlewis.com/store/out -'n'-about-nipper-v3-single-pushchair-raven-black/p969136= http://www.johnlewis.com/store/out -'n'-about-nipper-v3-single-pushchair-raven-black/p969136[/url]
With the ebay discount the other week I got ours for £190, this is the v3 which is broadly similar.
My wife thinks it's a bit big but it is light and manoeuvrable, nicer infact than the 4 wheel ones.
Our lightweight stroller, to compliment the off-roader above, is this [url= http://www.maclaren.uk/WSE04011 ]Maclaren Quest[/url]:
Pretty light (6.5kg), reasonably priced (£195 new, buttons 2nd-hand), and folds small enough with a carrying strap so you can sling it over your shoulder. Fits in the boot of a Fiesta.
No good for rough paths or off-road adventures, but ideal for supermarket trips etc.
Which reminds me, tip 2: don't go to the supermarket with kids. Home delivery FTW!
It's hard trying to anticipate life post birth!
You don't know the half of it yet 😉
We have the baby jogger summit XC. We got as a gift when Wachowchow jnr was born. He is now three and we have another 7 month old.
It has done plenty of miles off road in the 3 years we have had it and still works well. We had a carry cot attachment for the newest addition which also worked well.
There is a glut of sprogs around our social circle and we are the only family that hasn't bought twice due to getting it wrong first time around.
I insisted on this type as my first family (daughter now 16) also had something similar.
The missus goes running with it, I take the boy out on 'hell rides' around the local trails in it.
I take Binners point that it is a pain in the arse in shops and pubs for other people of a more precious disposition but I generally invite criticisers kiss my balls which generally clears the issue up swiftly.
haha what GrahamS said.
Congratulations BTW.
Just get one of those baby harness things and carry the little cherub
Oh, and congratulations. The baby harness thing is great too. Anything that gets them up the woods as early as possible.
My eldest, from the age of 8 months to 18 months had as many afternoon naps in the buggy in the woods as possible. A good 2 hour walk with him nodding off in the woods and then waking up in the woods. Lovely.
He now likes nothing more than riding his bike with me up the woods.
howsyourdad1 - cheers 🙂 yeah I wanted to just use a papoose sling thing and go minimal. What's the saying about lifting a calf above one's head every day?
Right.... lets be blunt about this....Sorry... but its for your own benefit...
You do realise that for normal life they are totally impractical? That they're the equivelent of a Range Rover Sport with a private number plate? And represent the same aspirational, middle class style over substance. Clogging up supermarket isles, banging into people in cafes and pubs with their look-at-me-and-my-outdoorsy-lifestyle garagantuan awfullness.
That is ENTIRELY dependant on where you live. We f***** a normal stroller in a week thinking it'd do, because we live in the middle of nowhere, and even old white roads are too much for them.
Phil & Teds (second hand) saw us through 3 boys including many occasions when it was carrying two. It's smaller and more maneuvarable than a double stroller anyway as the less loved child gets tucked underneath with no view. We had a Quinny before that and the stroller and it was pretty poor quality, except the dockable car seat being handy for the first 6 months or so.
Plus you can enter Waitrose with your head held high 😉
We had an out'n about nipper 360 which was great. Lightweight so the wife can get it in and out of the car, pneumatic tyres for comfy offroad travel, you can jog with and it takes the knocks (airport luggage handlers tried their best but it survived many flights).
http://www.outnabout.com/products/nipper-360-single.asp
See my link above, much cheapness
binners - sounds like you speak from experience?
Fortunately from someone elses experience, while we were looking. A mate had bought one of the big off-road ones at his wifes behest. After about a week of trying to navigate crowded urban streets/supermarkets etc, he was ready for burning it. He'd also discovered it wouldn't fit in the car boot. Genius!
They bought something more everyday, a bit more like [url= http://www.mamasandpapas.com/product-zoom-trio-package-black/493225300/type-i/?cm_mmc=Shopping-_-Google%2520Product%2520Search-_-Zoom%2520Trio%2520Package%2520-%2520Black-_-493225300&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Shopping+-+All+Products&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=nlEkMGoR|pcrid|61958850250|pkw|pmt||&gclid=CjwKEAjw_MisBRCTuNPfoMqU4ngSJACrJv1Vvw1FgYHXyUuL5d4Ap7ecu7tgtaXtaZHKb0qqlSQECBoC_h3w_wcB&locale=1&bll=1 ]this[/url] and the big off roader never saw the lght of day ever again.
And sorry... I forgot tosay... congratulations!! 😀
All great info, thanks all!
Get a normal small pram for general use, use a papoose type thing while they are little then one of those rucksack carriers when they are a bit bigger and can support themselves, then make them walk. All available second hand for peanuts and take up next to no space in the boot!
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then
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+
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This is coming from someone who's pram fleet ended up in double figures searching for the perfect combo 🙄
They bought something more everyday, a bit more like this
LOL. So you're saying [i]this[/i] is completely impractical and represents [i]"aspirational, middle class style over substance"[/i]:
[img] http://s7ondemand6.scene7.com//is/image/MothercareASE/lr2316_1?&$dw_large_mc$&wid=353&hei=424&fit=fit,1 [/img]
But [i]this[/i] is radically different despite being nearly the same size, more than three times the price and sold by Mamas&Papas FFS!
[img] http://i1.adis.ws/i/mamasandpapas/493125300_1?$productpagemainimage$ [/img]
😆
Can't be bothered to read all those other posts!
Initial research says Baby Jogger Summits are good, as are Britax BOBs, Mountain Buggy Swifts, and some Mothercare own brand models.
We got a mountain buggy swift and it's been great for both our kids. Pretty narrow, not too long, not heavy, folds down flat and the wheels pop off easily enough. Was fairly mid-priced. You can get a nice sleeping bag accessory type thing, as well as a waterpoof cover and a sun cover. Fine for round town and off roading. Mrs Blobby happy to take it out on off road dog walks. It really has been a great buggy for us.
ny advice or tips for a new father-to-be
Get some sleep while you still can 😐
LOL. So you're saying this is completely impractical and represents "aspirational, middle class style over substance":
No.. YOU said that 😉
OP - Congratulations! We are also expecting our first in October.
Mrs CD is Danish and is insisting that we get a Danish style pram which si a bit like the one Glasgowdan posted. In Scandinavia where they leave their children outside in them all year round - including when going in to shops and cafes, can't see that happening in the UK! Anyway they are supposed to be good off road.
I suggested NCT sales and Gumtree as a good source for baby paraphernalia but knowing Mrs CD it will all be new as SH won't be good enough.
Uppababy Vista is working OK for us as a compromise between town/train use (with folding it away in the car) and rougher countryside stuff. Front wheels lock forward which helps a lot.
The proper offroad ones with pneumatic tyres and the like work better if that's all you do but I've rarely seen one that folds well or that is particularly light.
We use a sling too, but babies chuck out a lot of heat - better in cooler weather than now!
In Scandinavia where they leave their children outside in them all year round - including when going in to shops and cafes, can't see that happening in the UK!
According to my mum this used to be common practise in the UK too.
But not in these paranoid times. 🙁
cheers_drive - congrats to you too! We were at a Jack & Jill sale last weekend and saw a pre-loved modern Silver Cross pram (like Dan's above) - very plush. Was pretty heavy but didn't try to fold it.
We used a mothercare 3 wheeler, no brakes, didn't need them, but it was invaluable for dog walking and taking junior without larger, air filled tyres you cannot manage it. It was a maxi cosi something or other. I never found it too big or a problem.
Oh and taken apart which was quick and simple it would fit in the boot of a fabia hatchback easily, in fact if I bungied it upright the dog would fit in the boot with it
B.O.B revolution
Don't listen to half the negative comments on here there are buggies out there that allow you to cover all bases incl outdoors. As someone else posted.. It all depends where you live and your current lifestyle / places you visit.
We bought ours and it has been amazing it's used daily around town, has just survived a second glastonbury, and been up snowdon twice and is in constant use either on the beach or South Downs.
Crackin piece of kit
We used to leave our little angel outside the cafe to sleep in minus 15c in the pram . It's the Swedish way. Total madness but everyone does it , so you must too. Which is also the Swedish way .
We have an out'n'about one thats been brilliant so far as we live beside the beach. They are prone to punctures as they have proper tyres but after putting that goo stuff in we have been fine. Think they are made by Bill and Teds but are a bit cheaper and also lighter. Would definately recommend, we have had no issues with its size.
Think they are made by Bill and Teds
Excellent!!! 😉
We had a Little Life carrier for 'off-road' duties. We had a bugaboo but it was crap off road despite big pneumatic tyres. A really pain in the ass to push/pull over rough terrain - suspension is pointless, it doesn't work and the baby didn't like being jostled around. The backpack was far more comfortable and the little ones were far happier in it. we did 10mile hikes with them - unthinkable with an 'off road' pram. Also the bugaboo was massively impracticable - the Maclaren Pliko stroller style pram we originally had was far better in every possible way apart from street cred with the other fashion-victim mums.
Maybe if they did one with 29" wheels it might work better.
I've got an original mountain buggy which was made in New Zealand it's about 14 years old has been through 6 children not all mine ! ( all cousins though ) which is going on eBay for £120 ish so if you want the ultimate buggy then let me know !
I have a bob revolution that I used running and country walks and an original bugaboo with all the trimmings. Need rid of both. £100 each.
We had a baby jogger for most stuff, and a MacLaren fold up job in case we needed to go into town
Baby jogger was great away from Tarmac, you would need a big estate or a berlingo to accommodate it
Thanks guys, lots to think about!