I have a buggy dilemma... story of my life.
Here's my buggy background:
Before my first baby was born I settled on a Quinny Buzz 3 Travel System after much research. I'll follow up shortly with a proper review but let me say for now that it's cosy but it's heavy as a heifer. At the time I had a Fiat 500 - what do you mean there is no chance of fitting a Quinny in a Fiat 500? I can hear you snigger. Yes, I was a silly, naive woman who did lots of research into pushchairs but forgot the small issue of whether said pram would fit in my dear car. Not a chance. Even with the wheels off!
Quinny Buzz 3
I arrived at my mums one morning after managing to wedge the base of the Quinny into the back seat right beside Eve's Maxi-cosi, it was indeed cosy in there. When I tried to remove baby and pram base I sat on the curb and burst into tears. My Mammy ushered me to her significantly larger car and drove me to Eurobaby where I bought a Chicco Lite Way Stroller, reduced to €110. I was delighted with myself. I continued to use my Quinny but kept the Chicco in the backseat (even that wouldn't fit in the boot of the Fiat!).
Chicco Lite Way
Back to the travel issue.
We brought it on holiday to Lanzarote last Summer. It was light, easy to get around tight spaces but Eve wasn't comfortable in it. Even with the straps tightened she slid around. The recline is quite good but not flat enough for my liking. One week in to the holiday the front wheels started to stick and lift off the ground on shopping centre and restaurant floors. I was not a happy bunny (there were more issues with this buggy so I'll follow up in detail later). The Chicco now lives in Nana's house.
This year I want to spend my money wisely on a stroller that will do me until I'm done rearing my children. I plan to continue using a pram/pushchair but need a stroller for travel and naps etc. Here are my sticking points:
- No flimsy wheels - I don't want the baby to feel every crack in the path.
- Manoeuvrability - I want a buggy that glides around confined spaces without me having to resort to a three point turn.
- Comfort - Properly lined and supportive. Comfy for napping.
- Full recline and leg extension.
- Decent sized hood to product from sun wind etc.
I popped into my local store to have a test drive of both. In concluded that the Tour is light and pretty, plenty of space, great for travel. The downside is the wheels didn't feel overly strong and the seat didn't recline all the way. The Maclaren XT was nowhere near as pretty but was incredibly sturdy and robust, as a result it was heavier. It has full recline, leg extension and a decent hood. Both look cosy but all in all the Maclaren seems like a better option for my needs. The Tour is €127 whilst the XT was on sale in Mothercare for €209 (without foot muff). I am also considering a Maclaren XLR which I understand is bigger than the XT.
Any recommendations, thoughts? What buggy did you buy? Do you like it?
