12
Feb

Sometimes you just want someone to tell you which pram to get.

I bloody did.

I asked EVERYONE. (Especially Mr Barry Von Google.)

I got some very detailed and thoughtful responses from friends that are mums, ranging from, “Get the Silvercross Wayfarer, I’ve had a Bugaboo and this is way better,” to “Bugaboo. End of story,” to “Shit, I dunno, I think we have a Phil and Ted and a Mountain Buggy, but honestly it doesn’t matter, they’re just gonna trash it anyway, and they all do the same thing,” to “DEFINITELY a Mountain Buggy, they are amazing,” to “Oh, totally the Baby Jogger, we love ours,” to “Whatever one you choose MAKE SURE YOU CAN ATTACH A CARSEAT.”

I took all of their advice and ended up in a pool of my own sweat and vomit, shivering. Of all the things I obsessed over as a pregnant woman who stayed up too late on her iPad, the pram consumed the most time. (That and the dresser change table. Went with this one. It’s wonderful.)

Next I went to A Big Baby Store and had a play round. What a ridiculous expedition that was. All prams have great suspension and terrific handling on soft vinyl flooring without a baby in them. Plus, no offence to That Big Baby Store but the staff were EXTREMELY EXASPERATING. Any pram I asked about was “really good, people seem to really like it,” and that was the end of it.

But in a way, I guess they’re right. Most prams these days are pretty great. They share a lot of snazzy features and you’d be pretty hard pressed to find a complete lemon. It comes down to what you will use it for, really. Friends of mine just bought the Bugaboo Donkey cos they figure they know they’re having a second baby eventually, why not just cut to the chase? Other friends are mad runners and went for big Mountain Buggy three-wheeler all terrain beast. Others still wanted something tiny and manoeuvrable for their tiny apartment so went for the Stokke.

I’m indecisive at best and crave absolute and definitive recommendations, but had been given none that sat right. The problem was that we live urban day to day but travel a lot. Everywhere. Also, there are a million steps from my carport to the back door of our house, and for me to get a pram in and out of the car, and up those stairs (in the rain, possibly), with a injury and an enormous child each day was about as alluring as a kick in the face.

And so it transpired that we have two prams*. One for the house and daily walks using the front door, and one to keep in my car (and for long trips away that required more than an umbrella stroller) that was easily foldable for a small woman with a messed up hip.

I know. How greedy. But I love my prams equally, and find it difficult to recommend one or the other categorically.

There are a few differences that might sway you either way, (like, er, the price…) should you be in the market for a pram and have as much clue as the president of the No Clue society, like me.

Remember, this is my first child, and I have only really tried these two prams, so if you want reviews and recommendations from a load of mums, mums of five kids, on a load of different prams, there are four million other websites out there for you. But like I said, I love definitive recommendations, not a million choices and reasons and pros and cons.

 

THE BUGABOO CAMELEON 3

 

bugaboo cameleon3

LOOKS Such a good looking pram. Total hunk. I went navy blue, as above. So gorgeous.

NEWBORN APPROPRIATENESS The bassinet, which essentially became Sonny’s daytime bed for the first few months of his life, is magnificent. (His cot was upstairs. Too hard. Too lazy.) We once even, illegally since they’re not meant to sleep in the bassinet for more than 4 four hours at a time, let him sleep in it overnight when we stayed at someone’s house. The mattress is soft and padded and comfy, and you can wheel him around while he’s cosy and rugged up in his totally flatlay bed.

Snug as a bug in a (handknitted with love) rug in his Bugaboo bassinet. This was the scene of most days during the winter of 2014.

Snug as a bug in a (handknitted with love) rug in his Bugaboo bassinet. This was the scene of most days during the winter of 2014.

WHEELS It’s a four-wheeler and a delight to wheel around the streets. Not sure how the wheels would handle a rumbly, rugged walk.

ADJUSTABLE? SO adjustable. You can have baby face you or face out, in three positions of uprightness. (I only just let Sonny face out. It was a sad day.) You can have the little wheels or the big wheels at the front. You can have JUST the big wheels (for thick grass) and pull it along. Everything clicks in and out super easily. The belly bar/carry handle can just swing to one side, rather than needing to take it off. The handle can be raised up or down, which is terrific when you are five foot nada, and your husband is six three. Also, the seat can be pushed right up to the table so make it a high chair. This is great in cafes and most space saving indeed. This is a super mega versatile pramatron.

NAP-ABILITY? Excellent. The seat has three settings, and one is practically flat so Sonny sleeps in it fine, and the sun cover is suuuuper long on this model (Bugaboo had previously been chastised in the past for skimpy sun shades) so it covers him fully and makes it nice and dark.

FOLDABILITY It is very simple to break down and dismantle, and becomes very flat for the boot, but it becomes two pieces, (frame + bassinet/seat) which is a bit of a pain in the arse if you’re flying. There are easier prams to fold down.

WEIGHT Now now, a lady never tells! (Perfectly fine. Light.)

BRAKES Firm as, and up near the handlebar for ease. Strap for the wrist, also. My paranoid self likes this.

We wear a lot of blue in this family. This is a good or bad thing depending on how much you like to match your pram.

We wear a lot of blue in this family. This is a good or bad thing depending on how much you like to match your pram.

STORAGE The basket is a pain in the arse to access when the bassinet is on, but once you evolve to the seat (around four months for us I think) it’s VERY deep and most useful. I think my bike might be in there somewhere. Has drawstrings to keep it all out of view and safe if required.

LIFESPAN? From newborn to four years old.

COSTS Around $1400… depending on bundle and retailer and colour choice etc.

A VIDEO, MADAME?

 

 

 

THE BABY JOGGER CITY MINI GT
City Mini GT Sand Stone

 

LOOKS A slick, very compact three-wheeler. Compact is the key word. Cos some three-wheelers are massive. Lovely range of ‘seasonal’ colours. I got the earthy tones of sand stone, above.

NEWBORN APPROPRIATENESS Great, because the seat goes down flat like a business class seat. Or you can attach a bassinet, like the Bugaboo. However. I HIGHLY recommend going down the travel system route while the baby is teeny, which is where you attach your car seat to the pram. We chose the MaxiCosi Mico, (which is exceptional, and suitable for up to 6 months old, but as Sonny is a mega child, we moved to the Maxi Cosi Euro at 4.5 months) and the attachment for the pram, which meant I was able to just clip the carseat out of the car and straight onto the pram without waking Sonny. I think this is a game changer, because for the first three months all they do is sleep, and you want to be able to go visit grandma and get them out of the car and into the house without waking them up. Look into a travel system. Trust me. (This travel system also works with the Bugaboo and lots of prams.)

MOMS OUT FOR THE DAY!! Sonny and Johnny in their carseat travel systems. (Johnny's is on a Mountain Buggy.)

MOMS OUT FOR THE DAY!! Sonny and Johnny in their carseat travel systems. (Johnny’s is on a Mountain Buggy.)

WHEELS It’s got big, tough wheels, great for sludge and snow which we discovered in NYC, and bumpy or rocky roads, which I am discovering over here in NZ. Probably good in sand too, but we are yet to test that because my trip to the Sahara to buy a new camel was cancelled.

ADJUSTABLE? Baby can only face out. (But with the ‘travel system’ when baby is in the car seat, baby faces you.’) Handlebar is adjustable.

NAP-ABILITY? Excellent, for reasons stated above.

FOLDABILITY This is its superpower: a super easy one move fold down. You just yank the strap in the seam of the seat and it folds in half instantly, like MAGIC. Fold down and lift into the car in one step. BANG.

WEIGHT 9.5 kilos, light as.

Sonny in the carseat... which we clicked out of the car and onto the pram (or floor/cafe seat etc.)

Sonny in his carseat… which we clicked out of the car and onto the pram (or floor/cafe seat etc.)

BRAKES Firm as, and up near the handlebar for ease. Strap for the wrist also.

STORAGE Real nice. Deep and with nice stretchy net sides for jamming shopping in.

LIFESPAN? Newborn to 30kg.

The pram was too shy to be in this photo.

The pram was too shy to be in this photo.

DOLLARS Around $699 depending on retailer, bundle etc.

A VIDEO, SIR?

Like I said, both terrific prams. Hopefully this is helpful if you’re paralysed by choice like I was.

If you’re a mum, feel free to yell about your awesome pram in comments, of course.

 

*I’m embarrassed to admit we actually have three prams, the final being the Mountain Buggy Nano, which is a travel stroller, and awesome for (non-snow, non-rugged terrain) travel, ie, our trip round Europe last September when Sonny was four months old. I will do a post on this later as part of a bigger travel post, but it is sensational, weighs only 6kg, and is like a ‘proper’ pram, not a wiry, airport stroller. The best bit? It fits into overhead storage on flights. “Gosh” is right.

 

Responses to this drivel: 71 Comments
Responses to this drivel ( 71 )
  • Sarah

    Hi Zoe, 
    Loved the post! We have our keen little eyes on the iCandy peach 3 – did you ever look at this pram? Does any of your lovely readers have one?? It seems very similar to the Bugaboo (looks, price, travel system, accessories etc)
    However – our dilemma! we haven’t decided on whether we will buy the bassinet and a 0-4+ car seat OR buy the maxi cosi capsule, for the car to pram travel system!

    We love the idea of long sleeps (fingers crossed!) in the bassinet, but also love the ease of the capsule… however all the staff in these baby stores are saying that babies shouldnt stay in the capsules for longer than 1.5hrs! which sounds crazy to me! (what, are we supposed to pull the car over every 1.5 hours to move the baby!?)
    HELP!

    • jane

      It’s possible you will have to pull the car over even more frequently than that to feed the baby…in my experience. Not sure how many long car trips you have planned!

      • zoe foster blake

        Really? I hadn’t heard that. I reckon we definitely had him in there for 2.5-3 hours overall, on occasion. (With nappy changes and feeds in there.)

    • Kim

      Sarah I have the iCandy Peach 3 and I absolutely love it! It’s very similar to the Bugaboo however the wheels can’t be changed around and the sun shade doesn’t extend quite as far. I went with the bassinet and borrowed a capsule from a friend however my 4 week old could have also gone into the 0-4 baby seat that my 3 year old uses as he is ready for a booster. I chose the black frame and black bassinet for my little boy. I also have the option of making it a double but found we haven’t needed it yet as my 3.5 year old is happy to walk everywhere. 

  • Jess

    Pram envy is a thing! I can’t tell you the amount of times I look at other mums and wonder how their pram feels to push/ how heavy it is etc etc. Love this post Zoe!

  • Jen

    I’m glad we weren’t the only ones on struggle street. Spent bloody ages at baby stores watching the staff put prams together and then tell us specs of which we had no understanding.  Don’t be doofuses like us and forget to try collapsing the pram.  We got it home and realized we made this fatal mistake and the pram stayed unfolded until we were brave enough to tug on odd handles and straps… whoops.

    • zoe foster blake

      Yes, definitely, that and learning how to put the car seat on/on/out. I was in tears on the street with a 3 week old Sonny also crying on an ambitious trip to Coles because I could NOT get the seat to clip back into the car.

      • Beckxoxo

        Oh my lordy. This is why I love you. Big thumbs up for sharing stuff like this. Too many Mummas think they’re alone in weird teary moments that occur in those crazy few months. 

        Grown ups don’t cry on the side of the road. OH YES THEY DO! 

      • Jen

        Oh no!!!  I feel you – I had the exact same problem while I was still a novice with the pram.  Bodhi was in his car seat crying and crying, I was in the car park crying and crying shaking that pram for all it was worth.  So my recommendation is the Phil&Teds Dot/Navigator is slimline, compact and great for running and daily activities but for the love of Pete practise collapsing that sucker more then once before taking it out.  Poor babies.

  • Hannah Watson

    I’m with you Zo, we love our Baby Jogger but got the City Elite, which is a bigger version of the City Mini GT and a beast of a thing!  We have the attachable carry cot and like you, slept our son in it during the day downstairs, for the first few months of his life.  It also attaches to our Maxi Cosy car seat, a total godsend when you’re out and about and they’re sleeping.  Also, more recently we purchased a Silvercross Pop for travelling to France this summer and back to Australia for Christmas.  The sun shade is massive, it’s super light weight and folds down to nothing, perfect for the plane.  When all said and done though, no matter what you buy ladies, I’m sure you’ll be super happy, as there are so many amazing brands out there!

  • scooty

    A pram fetish is what my Dad calls it. I started with the cameleon and a peg perego capsule, when number two came along I added a peg perego twin side by side that the capsule clicked in. Then a phil & teds for walking. I have just traded the cameleon for a bee which I use with a wheelboard for the 3yo. Car space is at a premium when you need to cram 50 balance bikes and 10 scooters in the boot. Thats 4 prams in three years- who am I? I do not know this previously rational person at all.

  • Lanz

    Love love love the city mini gt! We live on a dirt road so this is perfect for the walk to school as well as everyday shops etc. Being able to attach your car seat is perfect especially since this was our 3rd baby and he got dragged between kinder, school & the shops. It folds so easily (that was a selling point for my hubby)  We have the green version but my one suggestion is don’t buy a hot set colour first time out if you know the sex of the baby because chances are baby no. 2 could be the opposite. 

    • zoe foster blake

      He’s bang on. Hence my neutral tones. Which actually I would switch up for plain black I think, then jazz up with coloured inserts and stuff.

  • Mel

    Long time reader, first time commenter – but I couldn’t resist as I SO relate to this post! I overwhelmed myself so much with choosing a pram, I even created a spreadsheet matrix to more easily compare features. Pram count now at 2, seriously considering a 3rd.

    • zoe foster blake

      Spreadsheet Mel, I don’t think we’re alone in this.

    • Diana

      Sad creator/owner of a spreadsheet matrix myself. Choosing a pram was worse than buying a car, far worse. Have chosen the Uppbaby Alta 2015 version and keeping fingers crossed!

    • Melanie Holmes

      I too made a spread sheet, it’s a must when pram shopping. After what seemed like 100’s of shopping trips and hours online my partner chose the Baby Jogger City Select. It’s awesome, as versatile as the Bugaboo Chameleon, front and rear facing as well as bassinet and travel system,plus you can add a second seat if you need too later on. My only complaint is it’s heavy-ish at 12kg.

    • Megan

      First pregnancy and I am in process of looking for a pram… CAN I HAVE SAID SPREADSHEET!!!???

  • Serena

    You are not alone Zoe! We found ourselves completely in the same boat and ended up with two prams too.

    Because I’m a walking cliche and can only drive small cars, we got a Bugaboo Bee (even the name is cute) which is small enough to go in a small boot and it zips around shopping centres/cafes so easily.

    Then for big walks around the neighbourhood and outings where we need a bit more gusto we have the Bugaboo Buffalo.

    Do we feel like prententious tossers when we say we have two prams? A bit. 
    But are things WAY easier? Totally!

    Also…side note – as someone who had my little girl a few months after you had Sonny, can I just say all of your baby posts have been a god send. All of your tips (the belly bean pillow, recovery shorts etc) have been the absolute bomb and are etched in my brain to share with all my pregnant friends in the future. Thankyou!!

  • Serena

    Oh and if you ever want to share more of your travel tips with a baby (I’ve loved the ones so far), I’d love to hear them!

  • Kez

    Thanks for the article! Did you look at the Joolz at all? I’m tossing up between Joolz and City Mini gt

    • Erin

      LOVE my joolz! Looks amaz, handles well, faces both ways, with practise it becomes easy to fold, peeps complain that the basket is too small but it was fine for us. I do wish it had a one handed recline but that’s my only con. X

    • Jenny

      I LOVE my Joolz too!! Like Erin said it looks amazing (having a good looking pram totally lifted my mood in those early weeks when I knew I looked like a train wreck!) and handles great especially in our hood full of gravel walking tracks. We decided on this one as my 6ft5 hubby liked the baby was sitting higher so he could actually see her and I liked the accessories esp the additional shopping basket which fits our full weeks grocery shop. If you do decide on Joolz wait until the big baby expos (esp the one in Sydney) as lots of the web stores who exhibit go on sale- we saved almost 40%! 

  • Angela

    Great article – wish I’d had this a few months ago when we were choosing (bubs is due any day now!). We too ended up with a Baby Jogger City Mini GT and are obsessed with how easy it is to fit in our car!  Took us a while to choose a capsule for it but ended up with a Joie Gemm which clips in the same attachments as the Maxi Cosi but looks to have a bit more room in it for our ‘chubby bubby’ (thanks to the sonographer at 32wks for that gem!).  This capsule was pretty hard to find in stores but it is worth looking at if you’re having a slightly bigger bubs like we are!  

  • Sars

    Hi Zoe, 
    With daughter number 1, we purchased a peg perego, it was EXPENSIVE and good, but not great. With daughter number 2, I desperately wanted a new pram and thankfully hubby was on board after seeing a lovely mum pick up her 9 month old in one arm and in the other hand fold up the Baby Jogger City Elite in the other. Joy!! New pram purchased and gorgeous 4 month old now loves it!! 

  • Mary

    Yep I’m with you, one pram will not suit most people’s lifestyles. You really need a compact car pram and a bigger all terrain pram. My perfect combo is a Mountain Buggy a d a Baby Jogger, the fold in the BJ can not be beaten! Still wish I would have tried the Bugaboo but my youngest (of 3) is 2 so my husband may kill me if I buy another as I tried many prams to get to my perfect combo. Oh and definitely a capsule that clicks into a pram, this is my only advice to any new mums. Newborns love the cosyness of their capsule. Oh and Isofix will change your life when it comes to car seats! It’s just become legal in Aus but I’ve been using it for years because I’m a rebel, and I hate/could never get my carseats to feel properly secure.

  • Alice

    If you don’t want to re-live the pram buying experience within a couple of years, I suggest considering a pram which you can attach a second seat onto. My first pram is a Mountain Buggy Urban which is fabulously light to push and steer. My second, which holds a baby and toddler is a Baby Jogger City Select which is much heavier with both in there, particularly when the toddler is seated further away (and surely everyone wants the baby up closer). Though its great to have two seats, as three year olds tire of walking quickly and it is much easier to move around than a side-by-side pram.

    It does make me laugh at the amount of time I have spent researching and trialing prams, and don’t even get me started on nappy bags!

  • Amelia

    I can totally understand the angst you went through choosing a hot set of wheels for the bundle of joy … We took a few trips to the ‘mainland’ (Tasmania is a little limited with access to a broad range of baby stuff) just to look at prams in said big baby shops … I actually also have two prams – the Mountain Buggy Swift bought 16 months ago for our first baby – and I love it.  I also have the Bugaboo Donkey – bought just over four months ago for our first baby and second baby.  I use both on a daily basis for long walks along the street … really wanted to say beach but life in Tasmania is not quite that romantic – well not all the time.
    The hard thing I have found also is that buying a pram (or any other baby/child products) is a bit like buying a new mobile phone … you choose the newest, snazziest model and walk out of the shop so pleased with your purchase, particularly after all the research you put in, only to establish there were five newer, snazzier models released about three hours later … damn it … Mummies can never win …

  • Rebecca

    This will be my first bub (due June) so I feel completely out of my depth with all this stuff! Has anyone tried the Quinny range, in particular the Moodd? I’ve given it a whizz at the shop but am undecided. Love the fact that it is so easy to put up & down but is quite heavy so worried about lifting it out of/into my SUV. Of course that could be a good thing for my arms but not so much for my back! The thing that really grabs me is the price tag (including the bassinet) which is a lot cheaper than the Bugaboos & it’s cute to boot too! Any thoughts would be much appreciated! 

    • Sass

      I’ve got a Quinny Buzz with the bassinet attachment. Seen me throughout two babies and will use when 3rd is due soon. Live it! Easy to handle, put up and down and I found it light after my csections.

    • Samantha P

      We have the Quinny Moodd and can’t rave about it enough!
      We used it with the Maxi Cosi Mico capsule to begin with and it was a life saver in terms of moving Bubba in and out of the car.
      The wheels on the Moodd are fantastic and it’s so light to steer. The pram attachments are also great  – three adjustable recline positions + rear/forward facing positions and great sun cover.
      We spent the summer in Sydney and got a second pram / stroller for travelling about – the Quinny Yezz which is also awesome – hammock style seat, folds down to nothing (you can carry it over your shoulder with a strap) and weighs only 5 kgs! 
      Bit of a Quinny convert / nerd these days!!

  • Linda

    We have a Stokke Xplory and a BOB Revolution Flex. The Stokke was our every day pram, loved the height, changeability, etc, etc. The BOB is for exercise – walking now and running, when I get back to it. Both handle like a dream. Love them.

  • Tina

    I can totally relate and am stoked you recommend your bugaboo too! We got a bugaboo cameleon for bb#1. When people asked me if I loved my pram I never knew how to answer as it was all I knew – as far as I was concerned it did what I needed it to do so I was happy. Then we acquired a phil & teds navigator with 2nd seat for when bb#2 arrived. I can now fully appreciate my first pram since having a second pram to compare it to. Whilst the p&t served a purpose to cart our baby and toddler, I dearly missed my bugaboo! Now bb#1 is now (mostly) happy to walk, I’ve farewelled the p&t and am loving using my bugaboo again!

  • Alex

    Oh my golly gee gosh! I was EXACTLY the same during those long insomnia/reflux nights in late pregnancy…way too many hours spent googling pram features and way not enough hours spent sleeping before baby came! My mum bought us an Emmaljunga City Nitro with bassinet and seat attachments which was amazing for the first couple of months but then just became a beast that couldn’t be tamed…huge and bulky to fold into the boot of the car and pretty big trying to manouvre around the already tiny shop aisles. So…after another good few hundred hours of googling we bought, like you, the Baby Jogger City Mini GT and absolutely love it! How easy is it folding it in half and chucking it into the boot, even with a whole boot load of shopping! Could not recommend it highly enough! But…shock…have just found out we are pregnant with number 2 and the pram panic starts all over again! Will have a 20 month old and a newborn when he/she arrives so definitely need a double or tandem pram but oh my god it’s like a whole new ballgame in pram-land!!

  • Amy

    This is so timely for me as I have been madly researching prams all week and actually dreaming about them as it’s the last thing I look at on my phone before I go to sleep! I have just discovered Rozibaby which is basically a Bugaboo, at half the price AND Aussie owned & made. I have become a total pram stalker, I check out all the pram pushing mamas in the shopping centre where I work each day, surprised I haven’t been pulled up for staring hahaha

    • Jules

      We’re looking at the Rozibaby too! Looks great doesn’t it!

      • Amy

        I emailed them as they said there was going to be a price rise but they’ve assured me this is because they have made a few improvements to the product 🙂 

    • Lara

      I know its a few months later so you have probably already bought, but if anyone else comes along and is considering rozibaby….. Don’t do it! I have one and I really don’t like it. My son is 8.5mo and I still look at everyone’s prams wishing I had bought something else! We have a yoyo which is amazing and that’s all we use now (also had the nano but it’s terrible, falling apart after a few months). If you are considering rozibaby, put it through the ringer before the 2 week guarantee is up, we didn’t and by the time we realised how much we disliked it it was too late to return it

      • Sarah

        Hi,
        What did you dislike about the Rozibaby? We have a 3 wheeled one and love it.  We love the customisable nature and the price tag when compared with something like the bugaboo.  The storage underneath is adequate and my hubby runs with it by locking the front wheel.  Yes it’s a little big but it will last until my little one is much older.  
        The accessory pack is very useful too.  

  • Emma

    Gosh I love reading your posts! 
    We are about to have number two and are upgrading our pram! With my first pram we bought the Steelcraft Agile, I fell in love with the colour (forest) and the travel system which was Fab for transferring a sleeping baby! Sadly, it has fallen apart from so much use in the last 2 years 🙁
    This time I made the executive decision to purchase the Bugaboo Buffalo, my Partner did whinge about the price and asked why we even need a new pram (for starters the wheels seize up giving it a mind of its own not to mention the straps to click my son in have fallen apart, one even roped right out! Needless to say unsuitable for newborn!) I’m super happy with my decision. Along with all the features the bugaboo has, the accessories are great, My son will love the wheeled board to go with it! 
    Trust me your not the only one to have multiple prams to choose from, I know so many people with more than 2! 

  • Staxey

    I  must be a crazy cat as I loved 
    researching prams!!! 
    Pramwise we have the bugaboo cameleon 3. Got it in immaculate 2ed hand condition of gumtree…..
    I do have ‘pram envy’ for the baby jogger GT mini….for level of ease folding up, as I do find the bug abit difficult to fold, & snug in our boot….

     Carseats are my headache ahhhhh
     I ve avoided it like the plague up until now…..but the boy is getting snug in the capsule …..
    Anyone for tips on car seats? 
    I Want too check out the maxi cosi euro and the new infasecure Evolve

  • Chaz

    Never had pram envy and never wanted another pram because I love my iCandy peach. While I’ll admit I mostly wanted it for its looks it’s turned out to be great. 
    Light and doesn’t fold too big, newborn perfect if you buy the bassinet. String and sturdy. Good sized basket. No complaints. 

  • Pascale

    I have major pram envy of all of you! I got the Mountain Buggy Cosmopolitan (because I live in the Blue Mountains but wanted that stylish ‘cosmopolitan feel’) and I have never been more disappointed with something. The suspension is gone already, the handle bar shakes like mad, the front wheels can’t handle a simple pebble, the shade cloth buttons just come undone for shits and giggles and the basket netting is breaking (My son is also only 6 months old and is one skinny kid, so it ain’t him doing any damage). I want to cry when I look at this pram, which is every day.

  • Katyerine

    Uppababy alta! Light, great turning circle, huuuuge basket but especially love how high bub sits. 

  • Kellie

    We also have a baby jogger, but the city versa, and we just love it!! I had the advantage that my sister is one of those research-y people so I just ring her and ask what she recommends! Heaps easier!! But I do love my pram!! We use it A LOT!

  • Jenna

    Great advice! We have two prams, the Bugaboo Cameleon (for everyday use) and the Babyzen Yoyo (for travel) and I would highly recommend them both. The Babyzen Yoyo can also fit in overhead plane storage. We’ve used it on the hot bumpy streets of Bali and the icy, snowy streets of Colorado and it handeled both like a champion. We’ve also used the Maxi Cosi and Maxi Euro car seats too and loved/love them! Now we’re in the market for a third running pram

  • Loulou

    Great blog post! OMG I was 8 months preggo at a baby show negotiating strollers, total nightmare. SO stressful & overwhelming. It was like buying a car! As an anal list maker I’d written a list of priorities which really helped: 1. Easy to compact & store, 2. robust design for walking hilly parks & gravelly tracks and 3. able to attach a basinet. I also wanted 4. forward facing but we got the City Elite Jogger too, which ticked all the boxes but the last one, and it is AWESOME! Mountain Buggy was on the list, but the Jogger seems a lot more comfy for bubs? Also the sales guy was awesome & the only person who actually took the time to talk to help us, but it’s been great & now baby #2 is in it. I take the bassinet bit off for bubs to nap in when visiting too. If $ was no object though, I deffo would’ve got a 2nd “coffee stroller”, a nice wee lightweight, small buggy to nip around the shops, as trundling the Jogger through small aisles at cafes & shops is a bit of a mission – but, even though it’s big, it’s surprisingly really easy to manoeuvre, & it’s so simple to fold up with one nifty yank on it’s handle – major bonus, esp as I had two C-sections. AND fits in my teeny car boot – another thing to consider! But anyone who’s starting the stroller search mission, I’d def recommend writing a little list of what you want, as everyone has different priorities & needs. Really helps when you go looking, even better if you can narrow down the brands.

  • Mel

    Zoe (and other friends) – I desperately need to know what accessories/extras you got/use for the Bugaboo.

    Cupholders? Fancy upholstery bits? Parasols? I am a hot mess of indecision and confusion.

  • Theresa Rose

    Oh hey girl! I’m also a new-ish mum

  • Jess

    I love prams!  I have 4 at the moment & started with the Emmaljunga Nitro white leatherette, very heavy to lift but great as I used it with the unity capsule for the first 6 months and now use it for walking but bub hated being in the bassinet part so I got the Bugaboo cameleon 3 when he was 4 months – this is amazing and my favourite by far!  It does everything and is super light to lift, great for shopping and my baby loves to sleep in it. I then got the Maclaren Quest for a weekend away because the other prams take up a lot of room in the boot.  Not long ago I also purchased the Baby Jogger City Mini GT with the snack tray, we take this one with us when we go out for tea.  Have to say I love my Bugaboo the most!

  • Katie Ferguson

    Look forward to reading your blog

  • Alex Zinn

    Hey, 
    Like evey other mom to be out there I’ve been obsessing about prams. I’ve chosen to get the bugaboo 3. Everyone tells me I’m isane because of the price, but the baby can sleep in the box right? Any hoo, where did you get yours from Zoe? I can’t find it online anywhere and I’m yet to start trawling the shops annd I must have it it navy.

    Thanks man

  • Jasmine

    Great Post Zoe,

    My little man is due in August (Australian Winter) and I have been looking for about a month-two now. Still no closer to a clue, I am tossing and turning between Rozi baby, Quinny Moodd and a couple of others in that 3 wheel style. I wanted a jogger but quickly gave up as it’s chunky and would not fit in our VW golf. Anyone out there with moodd or rozi baby?:)

    • Lara

      Hi Jasmine,

      I have a rozibaby and I don’t like it (I commented above). I also reviewed it on product review in feb I think. If the jogger didn’t fit in your boot I think the rozibaby would be out for you because it’s huge and a 2 part fold so if you’re hard up on space in the car you’d probably be playing a very irritating game of tetris every time you un/loaded it. And then you wouldn’t be able to fit anything else in I’d say. Ours takes up most of the boot of our small suv so we can’t use it if we’re going away and need to pack luggage in the boot also. Go as compact as you can! 

      • Jasmine

        Thanks Lara!
        In the end I decided to go with the Quinny Moodd Britto. It fits in our boot, – just! We have to take one wheel off though!:) But that’s okay it’s only a click away. I think we made a good decision!:)

  • Anna

    What a ripper post Zoe. I’ve read it about 500 times and am sold on the Bugaboo however I can’t seen to find it in the denim/ navy which you have. Would you mind letting me know where you got it? I’ve probably missed the boat with getting your response on this post but the navy is definitely the best colour and apparently haven’t been available for a few years.. Thanks Heaps! Anna.

  • Mickey

    Hi Zoe,
    I’m a longtime reader and lurker of your blog. I had a serious case of déjà vu this morning when I started reading this blog post here: http://www.becmarksthespot.com.au/read/307-For+the+love+of+God+can+you+just+tell+me+what+pram+to+buy+please%21%21.htm
    It seems to me to be a blatant plagiarism of your writing!
    Thought you may like to know 🙂

  • Sharna

    Hi Zoe, I know this is an old post but just wanted to ask, how did you find the Baby Jogger when Sonny was first born? Did you use the bassinet or just the pram on its own? Also, if you had to chose between the two prams which would you pick? This pram this sure is confusing!! 

  • Sonia

    Hey Zoe! 

    I know this post is a tad old! Opps! Hey I have two young kids!! This is the rate at which I get around to things! LOL! Anyhoo… I also have two prams a bugaboo chameleon and mountain buggy swift. I love both prams equally but hated their storage just as equally! So….. Incase you are interested, I have developed a product called the Prambasket! Gorgeous extra pram storage for your pram. Would love you to check it out! Sonia xx

  • Sarah

    Has anyone bought a Redsbaby pram? Recommend? Yay or nay?! Looks to me to be pretty similar to the bugaboo/joolz but half the price- seems like a no brainer to me but I’d love a recommendation if anyone has one!

  • Mandy

    Oh shit. Dialing PramPigs.
    Have four prams (Uppababy Alta, City Mini GT, Maclaren Double and an Uppababy Stroller plus a Klein Dreumes KidSit board/seat attachment).
    Seriously use them all for different purposes!
    Have a baby and a 2.5y/o to cart around.
    Whatever makes life easier I say :o)

  • lily amelia

    Interesting commentary ! I was fascinated by the points . Does anyone know where I might be able to get a template HI DoT BB-1 document to type on ?

  • Isabel

    This made me giggle, with my last baby we have ended up with the same 3 prams as you. Now mr chunky monkey is 3, we have narrowed down to 2 prams, the baby jogger. And the nano for holidays . Love love love all your insights xx Iz

  • Em

    Oh goodness me, like a mirage in a desert of pram confusion, this article has helped massively. WHY has nobody invented a light, easy to fold, goes anywhere, study, non ugly, stylish pram with adjustable handles for my tall husband!? i think we might end up with two as well., but thank you so much for this article as i just need someone to tell me the answers. They have wedding planning services so HOW do they not have baby planning services….again someone could get onto that and make a fortune.

  • Stokke Stroller 2017 Stroller Review | Baby Journey

    […] Storage – You might think storage compartment is not necessary. However, when you are about to go out with your small child, you will need to bring his milk bottles, diapers, wipes, pacifiers, toys, and the list goes one. Hence, storage is crucial (Zotheysay.com)! […]

  • Amy

    Hi Zoe. In an insta, you mentioned how much baby stuff has progressed in three years – any updates on the above following #2?

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