Testing a buggy

[Jessicas429]

Hi,

Can anyone recommend the best place locally to look at a good wide selection of pushchairs and buggies? I only moved to this area a year ago and find myself needing a double buggy in about 6 weeks time. Have done a bit of research into what I think would suit, but would like to view a few before rushing into buying one.

Many thanks for any help,

Jessica

[Jessicas429]

Not sure how clear this message is now I've read it back! I mean possibly a shop in the local area or around south-east london which stocks a good selection of pushchairs/buggies.

Many thanks,

Jessica

[Bonfire2010]

Hi Jessica

I went to Kiddicare in Croydon when looking for a buggy/pushchair. They had loads of models on display to try out. I called ahead to make sure they definitely had the model I wanted to look at so as not to have a wasted journey.

[LittleOwl]

There's a shop on Rye Lane in Peckham called Tommy's Wear and Cheer. They had quite a good selection when we got our pushchair last summer- don't know about double buggies though.

[Belle]

I think there's a Mothercare on Old Kent Road that would be good for this?

[slh2009]

Baby Nest in Croydon is good

[Convex]

If you can face it, id really recommend john lewis...

Peppermint in clapham have quite a few but the shop is very small so you can't really try them out.

[Strawbs]

Kiddicare Croydon is great to do this. X

[se15mum]

I think I'm going to do this at kiddicare - will call ahead to heck what they have

Has anyone got any good recommendations for doubles? My son will be 2.5 when number 2 arrives

(Sorry to hijack your thread Jessica)

[Bonfire2010]

SE15 mum - I am selling a tandem Britax B-Dual if you want to have a look :-)

[snowboarder]

If you are going to kiddicare in Croydon you could easily drop in at baby nest and there's a mothercare round there too. I tried a couple of different doubles (with a 22m age gap) - my favourite was the mountain buggy duet for when I needed a double full time - so easy to push and super narrow (ok on buses). For when the older one was in the buggy less I preferred the Phil and teds style - easy to jump in and out.

[Jessicas429]

That's ok I'm looking for a double anyway so any tips /recommendations would be great x

[Gooders79]

Re doubles I think it depends how you will be using it. We did really well for short journeys with a buggy board for our 20 mo and newborn, but now they are 14 mo and 2 y 10 I wouldn't be without our phil and teds, need to get them both in for the 20min walk to nursery every day. I coveted a mountain buggy duet but think the side by side setup wouldn't have been great for us (would still be my buggy of choice if I ever had twins though!)

[Strawbs]

I a got a baby jogger city select and now baby Strawbs is in the seat I love it! Toddler Strawbs is 3 in October and happy in it. It has 16 diff combinations and can be a single too which is ideal for me as toddler Strawbs at nursery 3 days a week. Dropped kerbs are a pain but I just use my foot on the bottom bar to push it up and it's fine.

I wanted a baby jogger side by side but it wouldn't fit though my door and actually I'm glad I don't have a wide pram now as it's the width of a single. X

[Convex]

Agree with Strawbs on the city select. It's long which takes a bit of getting used to but you have 2 full seats plus a decent basket for your stuff. Though I am slowly starting to use my dot more I do wish I'd made different decisions when I was buying a double.

Looks like my select is sold stc now so I have to accept I'm actually selling it!

I really need a hobby that isn't prams. Sigh.

[snowboarder]

Convex - my two are 5 and 3 and I'm over the buggy thing now - we only have an emergency maclaren left and now I buy sandals and handbags again :-)

[Convex]

I'm relieved to hear that SB. There is hope for me yet!

[rachel4]

Convex and snowboarder if you were starting again what buggies would you choose?

[snowboarder]

For a double? The mountain buggy duet or nipper 360 if you could get it through your door. My baby hated the p&t explorer cocoon and grew out of it really fast - the MB was so easy to push and comfy for both children, really narrow (something crazy like the width of a regular p&t), and just great. But I do like the p&t style once you have slightly older children - always thought the micralite twofold looked good - so a main buggy for the younger child and somewhere for the preschooler to hop in and out.

The only downside to the mountain buggy I thought was it was big when folded and super heavy to lift in and out of the car. I tried to City select and didn't get on with the weight distribution and getting it up kerbs.

I'm sure there are more options out there now though - I'm out of touch!

[prm]

I have a P&T navigator and I am a HUGE fan. It is the newer version of the Explorer and it is so light and easy to manouver I ofter push it with just one hand even with 2 kids on it and on bumpy surfaces. Also easy to fold. We got ours at Peppermint in Clapham where they had one to test and they matched the best prices I had seen online plus gave us a couple of freebies (footmuff and raincover I think?). But that was over a year ago so if u were heading that way I would call first to check they have whichever models u r interested in testing.

[Convex]

If I had a big enough hallway I'd go for a side by side, with a single for when I had just one. Agree with SB above ie mountain buggy duet or the new narrow nipper, but the baby jogger city mini always looks nice and light, and I like that it has separate hoods.

If I wasn't so set on air tyres then I'd also look at the newer icandys. The p&t promenade was good too but I couldn't get on with the hard tyres.

I think there us no double that does everything, you just have to work out what's most important and go from there.

Eg the promenade was good for me in that it had good basket, good full seats for both kids, but the hard tyres were a deal breaker.

The dot has great tyres and is very nippy but the basket is tiny (and the newborn bit very tiny)

[rachel4]

thank you. I do like the look of a mountain buggy duet. And what do you recommend as a single buggy for when just out with one child? (6 months + fine) and a tiny fold up recommendation?

[Convex]

Tiny fold is babyzen yoyo or mountain buggy nano.

Not cheap though!

Depending on how small it has to be when folded loads of people swear by the babyjogger city mini.

Also google babyjogger vue not available here yet but is in the states and looks interesting (parent dancing stroller like the njoy bubble)

[rachel4]

I really love the look of the bugaboo bee+, does anyone rate it and will it still be big enough for a 2 year old?

[Pickle]

We have a Bee+ and my (average sized) 2.5 year old still fits in it with ease. It's been a great buggy, nice and compact, easy to manoeuvre, really sturdy. My 6 year old sat in it before Xmas when she had chickenpox and even she seemed to fit ok :)