It's true. I have a problem.
I wouldn't have said I have a particularly addictive personality. I like the odd scratch card, but I can take them or leave them. The same goes for alcohol. I don't gamble, it doesn't interest me. Drugs? Apart from the ones that keep me alive, no thanks. I've no need to be popping pills or doing lines in a club to have a good time, dancing with my girls is good enough fun for me. So what is it? What am I hooked on?
Buggies. Pushchairs. Prams. Strollers. Whatever you call them, I love them. I can't quite explain it... I suppose it started with the search for the 'perfect' travel system when Crazy came along. When I was expecting, I happened upon an travel system in the sale (a pushchair with car seat that clips on top nicely, everything you need in one go) and ordered online. Lovely- job done, another tick on the 'be prepared for baby' list. That was it.. for the first few months. It was by Hauck, black and red, did the job nicely. Except I kept accidentally stepping on the brake bar at the bottom because the handle didn't come out far enough. I happened across buy and sell groups on Facebook where mums and dads sell on and buy secondhand baby and children bits at a reasonable price, no need to buy new ever again- perfect! Then I found groups specifically for pushchairs! I joined a couple to see what was about and different styles of buggies came trickling into my news feed. I bought and sold happily in my search for 'the one'. For those who don't know, buggies usually aren't cheap new. Depending on the brand, they range from anywhere from £30 for your basic stroller to thousands for the all singing, all dancing top of the range types. Let's be clear- I only dabble in the little leagues! I chop and change amongst the <£100 range. Maybe that is why I have never found 'the one' but Crazy is happy to walk distances these days so I just can't justify the expense.
Mr T despairs at my habit. Gone are the days when he says "is that another buggy?"
He now fully expects to open the boot to find a new contraption ready to mystify him. 'How do you open this piece of sh*t?!' - he doesn't share my love of the kid-wheels. So why do I change them? On more than one occasion I have been heard to say 'this is it! I LOVE this one! It's a keeper!' and they have lasted me a few months. Some have not served me for more than 24 hours. What's the deciding factor? It varies. What am I looking for in a buggy- surely it just has to get Crazy from A to B? Well, yes it does, but there is more on my wish list... Extendable handle is a must, most are too short, one handle is desirable for single handed steering whilst meeting the demands of the little dictator ("juice! more yum yums!", he will not wait). I need a big basket for the 'must-haves' that see Crazy through the day. I need lightweight, but strong enough to hold all my shopping. Good steering. Good suspension. A seat wide and deep enough to ensure Crazy's comfort. A decent sun canopy. Straps that aren't too fiddly. Small folding for the car boot, but sturdy, not flimsy. The list goes on...
I have tried to recall just how many buggies I have been in possession of in Ollie's 21 months on the earth... I can't. Probably at least enough for a new one for every month of his life. Let's be clear- I don't keep them all. I have never owned more than 3 at once and that only happened for a few hours when there was an overlap on the buying-selling front. I don't get attached to them, I am not a hoarder. I rarely give them a second thought once they've gone (except the Sola, I owned four different ones of those, two of them the same colour even- that was my favourite). For anyone interested in the pros and cons of the buggies I can remember I will provide a little review at the bottom of this blog- but as I am well aware, that will interest very few of you!
How do I know I'm not alone in this obsession? Well for starters, I see many of the same people on the buggy groups doing exactly the same. The same buggies are recycled with plenty of parents doing the same. Some will freely admit their buggy addictions on my doorstep- "I've had three of these- I'm so excited to have this colour! I've had 5 buggies in the last month!". Only yesterday was a lovely lady telling me she was adding the stroller she was buying from me to her collection of 8 at home. At least I only keep one at a time, Mr T! Am I going to do anything about this habit? Nope! I'm not hurting anyone. I check that each purchase is safe to use before allowing Crazy for a test drive. I never sell on anything in a condition that I wouldn't want to use myself. I'm not running up debts, each buggy is matching in value give or take a tenner- its just a game of swaps really. So I shall continue in search of 'the one', much to Mr T's frustration (sorry dear...) and continue to smile and nod when people say "is that another new buggy?! What was wrong with the last one?" and my reply will always be, "don't ask, I have issues"- because its true! But don't we all...
Reviews (my own opinions, tried and tested- I recommend YouTube searching for the best 'how they work' guides and reviews)
Hauck Malibu Travel System-
Pros: lightweight, easy cleaning, sturdy, practical, big basket
Cons: fixed height handle, cheap plastic wheels, no suspension
Good for: short trips using car seat- car to shops, not for off roading
Mamas & Papas Sola-
Pros: Looks great, easy steering, adjustable handle, easy brake pedal, big basket, great sun canopy, parent and world facing seat...a favourite of mine!
Cons: Seriously heavy for in and out of the car
Good for: versatility, you can add compatible car seats straight to the chassis, good on most terrain, comfortable for little ones awake and asleep
Mothercare Xpedior-
Pros: seat unit converts to carrycot, plenty of seat positions, parent and world facing, big basket, great canopy- another winner here
Cons: Bulky, just about squeezed in the boot, better suited to younger ones, Crazy was a bit tall for this
Good for: newborns and younger toddlers, long walks and suitable for longer naps in this one
Petite Star Zia-
Pros: very small folding, good steering
Cons: weak frame, not for heavy toddlers or much shopping, tiny basket, not great for up and down steps
Good for: holidays- the perfect travel companion, but that's about it
iSafe Visual 3-
Pros: the built in window inside the hood for a tablet, good manoeuvrability, lightweight, small folding
Cons: attracts attention and comments whether welcome or not! (what a great idea! how lazy... children today can't cope without a computer...) not very sturdy, Crazy tipped this one over twice
Good for: when you're waiting around somewhere littlen's can't roam free, I loved this for hospital visits when Crazy was confined to his buggy with little to do- I'm happy for him to watch Pocoyo on the iPad in situations such as this- judge all you want!
Mamas & Papas Pulse-
Pros: lightweight stroller, small umbrella fold, good steering
Cons: small basket (as with all strollers)
Good for: ditching the big tank buggies for the big kid stroller, this was a pretty good all rounder (I just don't like strollers)
Micralite-
Pros: lightest of them all, easy steering, adjustable handle, small folding
Cons: no basket, poor hood, not a particularly comfy seat and almost no recline
Good for: cross country walks, this one is great for older children as its so light to bring along
Bebe Confort Loola-
Pros: sturdy, big basket, fine to load up with heavy shopping, great accessories (snuggliest coseytoes!)
Cons: pushing this buggy is a workout! Harsh steering and very wide chassis
Good for: Keeping them warm? That's all I've got- I hated this one
Even I'm bored now, but if you're thinking of investing in some new kid-wheels, give me a shout. Chances are I've tried it and can give you a brief summary of good and bad!
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