How on earth do you choose a pram?!

hp3

This post sounds very familiar to me. I wasn't sure on where to start with looking for prams. We went into mothercare and I fell in love with the silvercross ones. We went for the wayfarer as at the time they had a promotional offer where the car seat was free with the travel system. It has the carry cot, car seat and changes into pushchair forward and face to face facing. Im not due until November so can't comment on how I feel the usage is for me but after doing my research it has good reviews and videos.

Kynthia

sedment wrote: »

We are looking now for a pram that will have a carrycot attatchment, but the carrycot bit has to be big! Obvious one is the bugaboo cameleon, or the hauck viper i think?. Want a bigger carrycot as planning on using the cot part for daytime naps during the day, and car size isnt an issue, will have a mum bus once i pass my test! Any ideas and suggestions would be great, as we had a m&p travel system for first two, but not keen on having them sat in car seat for extended times

Have you looked at the Uppababy Vista? I love mine and the carrycot seems bigger than my friends' carrycots and is definitely much bigger (longer and wider) than the Silvercross Wayfarer.


When I was looking for a pram my priorities were:
1. Suitable for a tall couple - so holds the baby high up (some put the car seat and carrycot so low down), long handle and no bar straight across the back wheels that we might kick when striding.
2. Included a carrycot for the laying flat.
3. Parent facing.
4. Great control and easy to get up kerbs.
5. Large basket.
6. Can stand when folded (I didn't want it on the floor when waiting to put it in the boot).
7. Can use with the car seat.
8. Sturdy and well made with four wheels (there'd recently been safety issues with the three wheeled Cosatto).


I wasn't worried about it being small and narrow for public transport as I drive most places and occasionally walk. I really liked the look and colours of the Silvercross Wayfarer. So after looking around for ages and trying them in the shops we decided on the Uppababy Vista. It really ticked all of the boxes, it even has a built in sun shield, is really well made, great for our height, massive basket, sturdy, handles really well and the big back wheels make kerbs and cobbles a breeze. I do have to remove the wheel to get it into the boot, but it only takes seconds and I love it so much that it doesn't bother me.


My friend got the Wayfarer and she finds it hard to get up kerbs and her very big baby has outgrown the carrycot at four months. I'm so glad I didn't get it now.

sedment

Kynthia wrote: »

Have you looked at the Uppababy Vista? I love mine and the carrycot seems bigger than my friends' carrycots and is definitely much bigger (longer and wider) than the Silvercross Wayfarer.


When I was looking for a pram my priorities were:
1. Suitable for a tall couple - so holds the baby high up (some put the car seat and carrycot so low down), long handle and no bar straight across the back wheels that we might kick when striding.
2. Included a carrycot for the laying flat.
3. Parent facing.
4. Great control and easy to get up kerbs.
5. Large basket.
6. Can stand when folded (I didn't want it on the floor when waiting to put it in the boot).
7. Can use with the car seat.
8. Sturdy and well made with four wheels (there'd recently been safety issues with the three wheeled Cosatto).


I wasn't worried about it being small and narrow for public transport as I drive most places and occasionally walk. I really liked the look and colours of the Silvercross Wayfarer. So after looking around for ages and trying them in the shops we decided on the Uppababy Vista. It really ticked all of the boxes, it even has a built in sun shield, is really well made, great for our height, massive basket, sturdy, handles really well and the big back wheels make kerbs and cobbles a breeze. I do have to remove the wheel to get it into the boot, but it only takes seconds and I love it so much that it doesn't bother me.


My friend got the Wayfarer and she finds it hard to get up kerbs and her very big baby has outgrown the carrycot at four months. I'm so glad I didn't get it now.

Everything you have listed, is what we need!! Had a look at the vista and it looks fab!! Also had a snoop at the m&p carrycot range but they dont have adjustable handles, but im 5'8 and was ok with my first! However im maybe jumping the gun a bit as im only 8 weeks, but im just so excited!!

dizziblonde

sedment wrote: »

Everything you have listed, is what we need!! Had a look at the vista and it looks fab!! Also had a snoop at the m&p carrycot range but they dont have adjustable handles, but im 5'8 and was ok with my first! However im maybe jumping the gun a bit as im only 8 weeks, but im just so excited!!

My husband's 6 foot 7 and he's actually never found the presence/absence of adjustable handles to be a problem on various prams we've had - thought it would be but it never has done.

What HAS been a bit of an issue with some that we hadn't considered is his stride length - especially with tandem style doubles on some of them his feet catch the lower seat a lot of the time.

skintchick

I had a Silver Cross Sleepover on linear chassis and loved it. We;ve just got it back out of the loft for our second child due in a few weeks.

If it helps, this is what I think of it:

Linear chassis folds up flat so easier to store than the more traditional chassis (the big metal one)

It's still big! Didn;t fit in my Fabia boot so had to be hung over the back seat headrest, which was fne with one child but this time I've bought a secondhand Bugaboo Frog to go in the boot and be the "car pram"

The car seat was heavy but I don;t know if they all are. I never removed it from the car as it fitted with the seatbelt (we chose not to get the Isofix base) and I found it a faff to secure in and out, plus I used a sling or the pram itself as they can;t be int eh car seat for longer than two hours at a time anyway.

It is lovely and sturdy with a massive basket I could fit my shopping in.

There is no separate carrycot so no extra bits to store

It faces parent for both baby and toddler, which was my preference as we liked to chat together (DD was an early talker)

It looks really nice. I don;t like the modern ones that much myself

It could also be used a Moses basket with the indoor stand

However, it's a pain on public transport if you have to fold it down as it just doesn't (our local bus never asked me to though) - the seat bit comes off so the chassis can fold but then what do you do with the seat bit?

Overall i loved it and am so glad we bought it but I might buy the Isofix base for this child, in case I want to remove the car seat (although DD always woke up as soon as the car stopped so there was no real need) and I wish i'd checked it would fit in our boot instead of assuming.

If you have space to store it at home unfolded, and a big boot, then it's a fab pram system and much sturdier and attractive than most out there.

Also, if you like a traditional style pram check out Emmajlunga as well.

Kynthia

sedment wrote: »

Everything you have listed, is what we need!! Had a look at the vista and it looks fab!! Also had a snoop at the m&p carrycot range but they dont have adjustable handles, but im 5'8 and was ok with my first! However im maybe jumping the gun a bit as im only 8 weeks, but im just so excited!!

I'm 5'9 and probably would have coped with a lower travel system but my husband is 6'5. It was only when we actually tried both the Silvercross Wayfarer and Uppababy Vista at the same time that we realised the difference in height. So if you get a chance to try out a few in a shop side by side, like I did in John Lewis, then do so.


Plus I know that Bugaboos are popular right now but the carrycot seems extremely low down to me so I would have absolutely hated it. One thing that is worth looking at is prams that don't require a separate carrycot as the baby can lay flat in them, as the carrycot is extremely bulky to take out and about in the car.

Cash-Cows

Never bothered with a pram. Seemed an expensive bit of kit which would last 5 minutes. Bought pushchairs once old enough to hold head up.

BAGGY

I was limited to choice as I had twins. BUT
Think of the weight of the thing and how easy it is to collapse with one hand if needed.
Colour choice - neutral resells better than sex specific colours.
Can you get spare parts for it?
Do you need everything to match like changing bag and stuff?
We never intended to off road but got a lay flat buggy (nipper) that had all terrain wheels. It was a god send on the beach and on grass if I ever took a short cut.
I never found the need for a carry cot thing as the idea of waking my two to transfer them in the car was a no no. But unclipping and carrying into the house may be an idea. I have heard they only last a few weeks so perhaps get this part second hand?
Budget is an important factor (or it was for me). My buggy was from birth to toddler so for £250ish was a bargain. I resold it for £200 also as I chose a popular colour. If you want interchangable bits that are not going to last the life of the buggy can these be obtained second hand.
I think the chasis is the most important bit - that it's adaptable and good quality.

GlamGirlie

Cash-Cows wrote: »

Never bothered with a pram. Seemed an expensive bit of kit which would last 5 minutes. Bought pushchairs once old enough to hold head up.

CAsh Cow so what did you put the baby in when it was too young to hold it's head up, if you don't mind my asking?

GlamGirlie

Cash-Cows wrote: »

Never bothered with a pram. Seemed an expensive bit of kit which would last 5 minutes. Bought pushchairs once old enough to hold head up.

Cash Cow - so what did you put the baby in when it was still too young to go in a buggy, if you don't mind my asking?