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A compact, easily maneuverable stroller with suspension - city + some all-terrain, <2OO GBP

12 Mar 2020

A compact, easily maneuverable stroller with suspension - city + some all-terrain, <2OO GBP

Hello, I would like your advice on choosing a stroller.

Currently, we are using the Gesslein S4 Buggy Air, purchased last year (2019). I like how lightweight this stroller is and that I can use only one hand for the manipulation. Besides, the folding is easy peasy. What doesn't suit me, though, is its instability – especially, when I attach a changing bag on the handlebar while the baby is napping (seat lying flat), the stroller tends to flip over.

Although we were told that it could handle some terrain, I have my doubts. We do visit the mountains often, in winter as well as in summer. The snow usually stays wrapped around the wheels, and the stroller is struggling to get through snow overall. In the summer, when we were using a path through a field, the stroller rattled so much I was worried about the safety of my child (she was still in the carrycot). I actually thought I would shake the soul out of her.

Therefore, I am considering purchasing some kind of different stroller that can handle these conditions better. If we're not in the mountains or outdoors, I take my daughter for urban strolls, shopping, etc. I want the stroller to be stable, with a sufficiently large shopping basket, easy to maneuver (even with just one hand). The suspension should be at least some. I also expect an easy folding system. The stroller has to offer enough space for the child and last us as long as possible. I'm not against a three-wheeler. I'd even consider air-filled wheels. At the same time, a beautiful design is essential. Preferably, all this in a price range of up to 200GBP.

My favorites are:
Hauck Rapid 3R
Petite&Mars Street Air (or something similar)

I would appreciate your opinion and recommendations.
Thank you.

Eli • 12 Mar 2020

Hi there!

I don't know if I'm gonna please you much - after your Gesslein S4, all-terrain ride with the
orthe Petite&Mars Street with inflatable Air wheels will feel the same (not great), or worse, actually, driving- and rattling-wise. I personally wouldn't use these for frequent mountain-, forest-, snow-walks - virtually no suspension system and the overall performance being very average (which is, however, on normal/undemanding terrain acceptable). Your stroller is actually better off in this way.

Regarding the flipping over - with lighter - any kind - pushchairs it is not recommended to hang any bags on the handlebar; usually, the manufacturer in the instructions even explicitly prohibits it. It is due to the weight of the stroller - to be lighter, it is not simply built for the extra load on the handle (plus the reclining of the backrest and weighing it down with a sleeping child, which changes the center of gravity of the pushchair, will make this even worse). So even with other buggies in this regard, you won't help yourself much, and I recommend to store your bag in the basket.

If you, however, really insist on another model, that could work for you ... I would look at the Emmaljunga NXT30, but that is a bit more expensive model, unfortunately (and also design-specific, so you might not be its fan). The price is also given by its overall quality and durability, which you'd need in this case, I believe. Maybe the cheaper Britax B-Motion 3 Plus or a Joie Mytrax could fit you, but truth to be told, neither will be perfect, especially at this price range and your requirements. I would rather look at the Baby Jogger City Elite, but it's also a more expensive pushchair/jogger... so I will also recommend looking at pre-loved ones. Because here, it is really important to consider the quality and overall workmanship of the buggy - the cheaper, the more you will feel the drawbacks and the driving characteristics on the harsher terrain.

Your -very berry- Eli.

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