Tips for buying Baby Buggies

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:43 pm

Just realised that looking for our first baby buggy is a lot like buying a car!!!

Looked through catalogues, visited buggy showrooms

, surfed the net - amazing selection out there! Do check out "Baby Strollers" at http://www.babyuniverse.com

We really like the Bugaboo Chameleon and the jogging buggy (three wheeler). But we also found some great options by Graco which offers competitive prices compared to the above mentioned.

Our criteria:
1. Compact and lightweight
2. Easy to maenouver - 360 degree turn front wheel capacity for city use
3. Two-in-one combo (buggy-stroller)
4. Able to use in wintry nature tracks

Any tips would be most welcomed! Has anyone used a Graco before? Would also like to hear from owners of three wheelers. Thank you very much!

P.S. Do they have major discounts for baby buggies after Christmas?

**Sponsor:**

karen · Post by **karen** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 1:46 pm

I've heard from two people that this place in Germany has the best prices even with shipping. I'll see if I can find that url for you.

ajdias · Post by **ajdias** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:50 pm

Hesari:Pram was EUR 160 cheaper when bought on line

agn71 · Post by **agn71** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 2:54 pm

Keep in mind also safety precautions.

esmommy · Post by **esmommy** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:00 pm

We've been really happy with our Brio Nova (the smaller of the two Brio versions).

While I wouldn't exactly call it lightweight or compact, it's perfect for Finnish winters and manages rather well in stores etc and lasts right from newborn stage (with babe in a carrying bag) until toddlerhood. Also, because people here know about it, I would think there's an OK second hand value.

We've also had to buy a smaller stroller to keep in the car, go in airplanes etc, but it wasn't a big investment.

If you want to go for something really cool and exotic, we borrowed a 'Chariot' in Canada (everyone on the west coast seemed to have one). Because of their size, they're pretty useless in the city and they're not suitable for newborns (no lying flat position), but they're super light and will go on almost any trail. There are a number of different attachments so, for example, you can take the front wheel off and connect it to the back of a bicycle or mount the whole thing on skis. We're coveting a double version for when number two comes along in a few years

http://www.chariotcarriers.com/

luoto · Post by **luoto** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:25 pm

Whatever you buy, also think of those you will drive into with it or block in shops :) Good luck.

graham · Post by **graham** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 3:27 pm

We had a three wheeler in England with our first born and it was great, tramping the forest trailes etc with dogs was no prob!

BUT and this is a big but, check the stability/centre of gravity! I would not touch a three wheeler produced before 1999 as the centre of gravity was too high and if a child was clambouring over it or that was actually reported on a consumer watch program leant back in it heavily with their feet on the foot rest then they will and do tip very easily. Our friends had a 1998 build model and her son broke all the fingers on his left hand because he got in to it a bit too enthusiastically!

RA · Post by RA » Thu Dec 22, 2005 4:23 pm

The one place you should visit is Vaunuaitta in Lauttasaari. We bought ours there. Also my parents bought my buggy there way back in the 70s. Anyhow, the service there is absolutely great. http://www.vaunuaitta.fi/ But I suggest you visit on a weekday. Weekends there are so many people there. Their prices are okay and if for some reason (God forbid) you wouldn't need the buggy, they take it back and give you a full refund. They even offered to ship our buggy to Kuopio, but we went and got it.

We have a Gesslein and it's really good and light to push. I'm short and small, so it works really well for me. My husband's much taller but you can adjust the pushbar. The material's are washable and are of good quality. And it fits very well into the car (without having to take off the wheels) and into the elevator in our apartment building.

karen · Post by **karen** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:19 pm

This is the German site.

http://www.pingpong-online.com/

scoobymcdoo · Post by **scoobymcdoo** » Thu Dec 22, 2005 5:36 pm

I have a Graco Tour Deluxe that I am selling in the New Year.

I will sell it with the car seat, the base (which stays in the car), the carrycot, the cosy toes, the rain cover.

It is this one but in blue....
http://www.graco.co.uk/product/wheels/t ... deluxetsb/

I also have a three wheeler jogging buggy as well that I might sell.

It is not the lightest push chair but still very good!

Hannah

PS If you are interested PM me, but I am in the UK for the next week.

Shazzer · Post by **Shazzer** » Tue Dec 27, 2005 6:27 pm

Thank you all so much for your helpful information! It has really helped us a lot in what to look out for while selecting the buggy.

I'll also just add this link here from Peanut's Mom which l personally found useful.

http://livingwithpeanut.blogspot.com/20 ... chive.html

Does anyone here own the jogging buggy (three-wheeler) Herqules Raptor 3 Spin from Switzerland? Would like to hear your review of it. Thanks!

bibiche · Post by **bibiche** » Thu Dec 29, 2005 8:37 pm

One precaution I would take with 3-wheelers is to check the width of the back wheels. We were hesitating between Herqules and Quiny and in the end we went for Quinny SX.
It is quite good in the sense that it is very easy to maenouver (360 degree front wheel) and light with the seat unit (but much less when adapting the carry cot). It is also probably shorter than other 3-wheelers. Globaly I like it and find it very easy to use in helsinki center and shops (I don't know about nature tracks). The negative points are the following:
- ridiculously small shoping basket.
- adaptable carry cot is a bit narrow (after 1,5 month only!) for our baby who is sleeping on her stomach, and is quite heavy.
- Although the pram looked quite compact to us, it appeared that it is too wide to fit in the old trams

but otherwise, the compactness is good and I think better than the Herqules.
We prefered this Quinny compared to the other models of the brand because of the bigger size of the front wheel.
You can check quiny products on there web site:
http://www.quinny.com/
You can also see the SX in stockmann.
It is a bit cheeper in suomen lastenvaunutukku (http://www.suomenlastenvaunutukku.fi/index.htm) which is in Vantaa but they seem to be mooving or openning a new shop in espoo.
We also found some Quinny stuff even cheeper on a finnish web shop: http://www.leppakerttu.fi/index.php. These guys seem not to sell anymore the Quinny prams but it might be worth to ring them and ask, they were very helpfull to us.
good luck for your pram chase!

irnbru · Post by **irnbru** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 1:33 pm

Buy it online from www.oliversbabycare.co.uk I saved about €500's compared to the price in that Lautasaari shop although I have bought a stroller from there too and the service is good.

My recommendations are:

Emmaljunga: like a Landrover. perfect for Finnish winters, we did have something break on it though (swivel arm locking mechanism thing) but it was guaranteed for 3 years so we got it fixed for nothing.
Maclaren: Puschair for travelling, shopping centres etc. This has just been quality, absolutely brilliant.
Phil and Teds: Good space saver for when the next one comes along early enough for you to need a tandem.

Sara · Post by **Sara** » Tue Jan 26, 2010 11:05 pm

irnbru wrote:
My recommendations are:

Emmaljunga: like a Landrover. perfect for Finnish winters, we did have something break on it though (swivel arm locking mechanism thing) but it was guaranteed for 3 years so we got it fixed for nothing.

This I agree with! My little one is just over 2 now and it still looks perfect! We took the big classic base as its great for shopping and can be pushed easily though huge piles of snow. The pram part was a good big size and lasted until around 6 months when we swapped over to the pushchair part which is still going strong. Plus they keep their value very well for resale. We did buy a lightweight pushchair to keep in the car and for flying etc.

My friend in the UK has a twin 3 wheeler and she found it a nightmare in the snow, locking the front wheel helped a little bit but it was hard work.

irnbru · Post by **irnbru** » Wed Jan 27, 2010 8:25 am

Sara wrote:
irnbru wrote:
My recommendations are:

Emmaljunga: like a Landrover. perfect for Finnish winters, we did have something break on it though (swivel arm locking mechanism thing) but it was guaranteed for 3 years so we got it fixed for nothing.
This I agree with! My little one is just over 2 now and it still looks perfect! We took the big classic base as its great for shopping and can be pushed easily though huge piles of snow. The pram part was a good big size and lasted until around 6 months when we swapped over to the pushchair part which is still going strong. Plus they keep their value very well for resale. We did buy a lightweight pushchair to keep in the car and for flying etc.

My friend in the UK has a twin 3 wheeler and she found it a nightmare in the snow, locking the front wheel helped a little bit but it was hard work.

I still have the Emmaljunga but don't use it now as I have another baby. I bought a Phil and Teds doubles 3 wheeler and it's coping pretty well in the snow. Not as easy to use as the Emmaljunga but you have to make a few compromises if you want to push 2 around together and still save space.

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