[Closed] OT pramtrackworld

Something from Chariot:

[url= http://www.chariotcarriers.com/en/GB ]http://www.chariotcarriers.com/en/GB[/url]

Pricey but worth every penny. Check ebay as they come up on there sometimes.

One of the original style Phil and Teds,steel frame built to last,Pneumatic Wheels & tyres.
Most seem to have doubles kits for a little Un and a Bigger Un.
Not the lightest out there but definetly fills all your other criteria.
Mountain Buggy are worth a look too(similar to the above).

We have the Phil and Teds Vibe and its been excellent. About ready to go now though after 4 and a bit years.

Since you are planning a second a Phil and Teds sport is the default choice for a reason.

.. But you can't then convert the P&T into a bike trailer like you can with the Chariot.

You're on here so I imagine that may appeal.

Phil and Teds here too - has done sterling service but due for retirement very soon so could be worth a look if you're local. Have the double kit etc.

Cheers all

Back from what is I am sure the first of many trips to look at prams..

Looked at the Phil and Ted explorer and it felt well built BUT blimey it is heavy...and with my partner being on the petite side I worry it may be too heavy.

The mountain buggy caught my eye...( I like the name mountain in the title)..it felt really flimsy.

The chariot - I'd love one of those and love the utilitarian nature of it - but it looks way too big to be really of any practical use outside of the cycling application.

Whereabouts are you hughjayteens?

Where are you OP?

I may have one if you're not too far.

Phil and Teds!
Had 2 now, first one lasted 8yrs and we still got a couple hundred quid for it secondhand. Bought the second when we had kiddy number 4.

They are indestructible go pretty much anywhere you want to go, can add 2nd seat rain cover sun over etcetc!

My wife is 5' 2" and has no probs pushing it round both town or the bush!

Buy one it'll be the best pram you ever buy and we've had quite a few to compare!

The mountain buggy caught my eye...( I like the name mountain in the title)..it felt really flimsy.

We have a Mountain Buggy Urban Jungle, it's definitely rugged. It's handled all manner of off-road paths, beaches etc. without issue. Not sure if you can double up, but I'm sure google will tell you. And they don't fold up small.

we have an old phil and teds as well as a new phil & teds and a chariot (which we use more as a buggy than as a trailer). The new P&T is flexible, weak, badly designed and pants. The old phil and teds is ok for light offroad but the chariot is in a different league. Look at the size of the wheels, now imagine what it would be like trying to get a brompton over rooty/rocky bits compared to a 29er and there you have it. Bigger wheels on the chariot and better clearance mean its made for the job. I would not call the phil and teds an off road buggy. The clearance is rubbish as theres only a couple of inches below the luggage rack and the ground and the wheels arent big enough.

I also find the hand brake on the chariot is essential when you're properly offroad (steep drops etc) as you need it to regulate the speed when descending, especially as the child gets older and heavier.

Any chunky buggy will be heavy - the old P+Ts because theyre steel, as you have noticed, and the Chariot because its a big buggy - more like a small truck - although its aluminium so relatively not bad for its size. If you want a proper offroad buggy with big wheels, it will have to be a bigger buggy, so will be heavier. Shouldnt be a problem though, parents arm muscles tend to grow rapidly what with lifting the kids.

We have a single chariot, with 2 kids, and the other kid is carried, either the toddler in a backpack or the baby in a front sling. Just tends to work better that way either so the toddler can see more, or so the baby can have your body heat and sleep.

Dont forget protection from the elements. The weather protection on a chariot is awesome - we've been out in it in deep snow and blizzards in minus ten and littl un was fine and with the various meshes windows and seals it can be totally sealed or left airy. Also since it has a bigger 'cockpit' than a non-offroad buggy, theres room for a big sleeping bag and blankets so littl'un can be well-protected from the cold. The phil & teds is not really designed for being in exposed places in really bad weather.

(mountain buggy is owned by chariot and they are similar and are essentially the budget model).

Phil and Teds Sport here.. amazing, most useful thing we ever bought!

Friends have tried others but nothing matches the simplicity and effectiveness of the P&T. It'll do anything you need.. shopping trip, folds up for aeroplane trips, fits in the back of our focus wagon easily by wheelying in then releasing the fold catches... rolls straight into a minivan without folding, straight on the bus, off road (to a point), through snow and slush etc etc

BOB make some rear suspension alternatives, but if I had to do it again, it would still be the P&T with the double kit and lazy ted bouncy seat kit too!
Warm bag type inserts fit the P&T just fine. The new strollers have a more effective sun shade/weather cover. We bought a clear plastic wet shield that works just fine.. there a double rain shield also.
New models also have different (better) double positioning now for maxi cosy type seats.

Brilliant stuff from the Aussies!

I have nothing to add on prams but would like to thank the OP for not using the hateful word 'stroller' in his post 🙂

Nipper 360 for a much cheaper (and lighter) alternative.

We've a Chariot used purely as a trailer - it's a double and we've only got one little 'un, and it's just too big for a lot of the stiles and gates round our way.
As a buggy we use an Out N About nipper, which is available as a double. We have an old model kept at the inlaws and a new model at home that replaced a Mountain Buggy. The Mountain Buggy didn't fold very well - it filled the boot of a Seat Leon completely and just wasn't as good as we hoped, so it went and the newer Out N About replaced it. On the whole we like the new one, it has some better features than the old one (ability to take a car seat being one) but one thing that really bugs me is that the brake pedal/bar is below the level of the rear axles, and therefore catches on rocks, I'm convinced this is why we've bent it (making it useless - though it was replaced under warranty). On the whole though, and for what it costs compared to others, it's pretty good.

Edit - it's the Nipper 360 as mentioned above.

Very good point re the Mountain Buggy - we tried a load for size (double ones) in the back of our Mazda 3 and the Mountain Buggy wouldn’t even fit with all wheels off. And it weighs a TON!

The 360 needs one (quick release) wheel taking off and that’s it.

Micralite buggies alwyas looked good to me, and I think you can replace the small wheels with big wheels making it capable off-road. and as the name implies, they're not heavy...

We have an icandy cherry for "normal" use, and a 3-wheeled off-road thing for off-road/running etc. Can't remember what its called though.

Note, if you get pneaumatic (not solid) tyres, get some thorn-proof inner tubes and tyre-liners. Standard tyres are usually rubbish.

Wow thanks for all the replies so far. I never imagined buying a pram would be so ?interesting ?

We are off to one of these 'baby shows' so hopefully all the big retailers will be there for us to try out a few.

Thank goodness I have a shed of bikes which means I am set up on that front.

Oh and Im in Chichester, W Sussex if anyone is offering there prams ;^)

ps yeah hate the term stroller also

We have the Urban Jungle by Mountain Buggy and got from Wynstanleys in Wigan and can have no complaints and it also comes with a range of very good accessories