Pushchair wars

When my husband and I realised we were expecting there were already a few of our friends and family who had babies that we could draw advice from.  A lot of mums I know collect pushchairs/buggies and alternate between them all depending on their preference, convenience, outfit choice etc, the market for second hand pushchairs and buggies is ripe with every possible model you could want.  Although we're not massively snobby, my husband and I were not interested in second hand.  This is our first baby we thought, we must spend money so our second baby gets only one level of hand-me-down. 

We set out testing the pushchairs of all of the parents we know and eventually we settled on one, a Mamas & Papas Sola.  At that point an updated version had already been released but we were sold and happily handed them our money for a Sola2.  It was easy to push round, I could push it easily with one hand, the Aton car seat that was compatible with it was the lightest we had felt and was also suitable for ISOFIX and non-ISOFIX cars.   I could imagine pushing my little boy around in it with pride and ease.  On the negative side the pushchair itself is quite heavy and weirdly, is wider at the back making it difficult to squeeze through small bus aisles (see my earlier rant about Transport for London buses). 

I didn't think it could be topped even when my mum mentioned that she intended on buying a new stroller for her to use when she ferries our son around on their days together.   Her reasonings were that our pushchair/travel system was too difficult to use (it's really not), it was too big and should she need to collapse it on the bus, it would be too difficult whilst holding my son.   After doing some serious research and budgeting, we settled on a Maclaren Quest.

Maclarens were the pushchairs of my generation, both my husband and I were pushed around in one and they were universal.  Plus it comes with a lifetime guarantee, that's what I'm talking about.  I was so reluctant to use it but eventually we came round.  The stroller is so light they have a built in handle for it to be carried on its side and a further strap for carrying it over your shoulder should you be so inclined.   They proudly state that it can be collapsed easily with one hand and this is not a lie, it's swift and convenient.  Better still, it takes less time to get my son in it, it fits through our front doors (the other one won't fit through the first door) and it's so narrow, without compromising on comfort, that it easily fits down bus aisles and in our porch where the umbrellas usually are without taking up too much space.  I have also been out and out on public transport easily carrying my son up and down stairs in the Quest something I would never consider in the Sola.  BUT, there are also negatives.  Basket space and accessibility is awful compared to the Sola which carries our changing bag so easily that we don't have to hang it from the handles like the Quest and then once our son is out, wait for it to topple backwards.  Steering also seems to be a little awkward and we have noticed that we have to put in effort for it to drive straight.  There is also no pushing with one hand unless you want to end up going in an anticlockwise circle.  As any parent knows you need to learn to do everything one handed and not being able to push a pushchair with one hand is another annoyance.

Either way, although we don't have something that is the best of both worlds, we're totally happy with our two pushchairs.  We definitely won't become collectors and if we are lucky enough to have another child, they will have to settle with hand-me-downs as this house is not big enough for a third one. 

~AB~