Road Test: Travel Systems

Bugaboo Gecko

	Lightweight, easy to steer, attractive design and excellent reversible handle functionality.
	Expensive, a lot of them around, collapsing the main frame quickly requires practice, shopping basket is very small.
Features:	Three-in-one design, offering car seat portability, reversible carrycot and seat. Available in three colours: red, black and green.
Price:	RRP £469.00
Weight:	8.11kg
Handle:	104.5cm high
Dimensions:	Folded: 95.5 x 60 x 29.5cm (hxdxw)
Contact:	Bugaboo website

Just shy of 9 kg; its lightweight frame and detachable parts make it easy to manage and store. It looks good with an attractive design available in bright colours. The carrycot function doubles up as a convenient stand-in for a moses basket and the reversible function is also useful, allowing you to face baby or have the bigger wheels at the front for travelling over uneven ground, operated by a simple click and lift function. It's narrower than some systems, so it's good for shopping and it fits snugly into the boot of the car. Collapsing the Bugaboo Gecko can be tricky. There's more of a knack to it then the user guide lets on. There aren't many places either to dangle whoozits whilst the carrycot is attached, plus there are a lot of these buggies about. It's also expensive, and as a final gripe we found the shopping basket to be a little inadequate.

The ThinkBaby verdict

The Bugaboo Gecko looks, and is, modern. Its funky range of colours and simple design are attractive, but best of all its lightweight frame makes this easy to manoeuvre. We'd like the functionality improved for collapsing the main frame and the shopping basket super-sized but overall portability and usability outweigh these minor gripes.

Performance:	4/5
Value:	3/5

Mamas and Papas Pliko Travel Pack

	Collapsing and unfolding is easy, its versatility is also a plus offering a complete solution that can be transformed into a travel system with the infant carrier included, front lockable swivel wheels are helpful and the adjustable four-position backrest is a bonus.
	Expensive, insubstantial, difficult and heavy to manoeuvre, shopping basket structure is weak.
Features:	Two front lockable swivel wheels, four-position backrest with single-hand recline and three-position leg rest, adjustable five-point safety harness, height adjustable handles with integrated cup holder, protective 'gate style' opening bumper bar, spring loaded umbrella folding, net basket shopping attachment. Suitable from birth to 15kg.
Price:	RRP £400.00
Weight:	8.2kg
Handle:	108cm (at highest)
Dimensions:	Folded: 104 x 42 x 39cm (hxdxw)
Contact:	Mamas & Papas website

The brand and hefty price tag are poor indicators of what to expect. The Pliko feels, and is, plasticky. Whilst the two front lockable swivel wheels are handy, they do little to improve the overall manoeuvrability which is difficult and heavy - leverage is particularly poor. Most disappointing of all is the shopping basket. Its one and only shopping trip proved too much, with the basket ripping under the weight of a small load. Redeeming features include the simple-to-use folding system operated by pulling the handle of the backrest upwards. Releasing the finger catches on the handles and lifting the pushchair upwards unfolds it quickly and easily. Assembly is also fairly simple; the user guide is very comprehensive. It's also versatile, the Mamas and Papas Primo Viaggio SIP car seat and the Navetta carrycot attach to the pushchair when it is converted into a chassis. These silver linings, however, fail to make up for its lack of quality.

The ThinkBaby verdict

The Pliko disappoints on almost every level. It's flimsy, difficult to steer and impossible to lever onto different surfaces. The seat unit is adequate but lacks some comfort and the shopping basket is insubstantial. Whilst its flexibility is attractive and the comfort accessories are nice to have, you'd expect a lot more for your money.

Performance:	2/5
Value:	1/5

Hauck I'coo Pico Pushchair

	Easy to assemble and collapse, super-sized shopping basket is handy.
	Thin fabric, not very cosy for a newborn, poor handling over uneven ground.
Features:	One-hand height adjustable handle, 5-point harness with shoulder pads, adjustable backrest and footrest, removable front bar with washable fabric cover, steerable front wheels which are lockable, softfix brakes. Folds down to a very small size for easy transportation and storage at home.
Price:	RRP £199.99
Weight:	11.8kg
Handle:	92-106cm high
Dimensions:	Folded: 90 x 50 x 34cm (hxdxw)
Contact:	Hauck website

Available in apricot, pink rose, blue lagoon and black the I'coo is bright and funky but is at best adequate. Assembling and collapsing the buggy is simple - for speed this scored points - and it fits comfortably into the boot of the car. For taller mums and children, its one-hand height adjustable handle is useful. It also has a good sized shopping basket. My son, however, was less enthusiastic and he looked thoroughly miserable all day - the fabric is fairly thin and lying him flat with the use of the adjustable backrest wasn't popular, obscuring his view too much. With the two smaller wheels at the front, it should have been easy to steer but at one point one of the front wheels did a complete 360 degree swivel in its axis rendering us motionless whilst we crossed uneven ground. Overall a basic travel system that failed to give any real joy.

The ThinkBaby verdict

Good for city living, easy to assemble and collapse with a good sized shopping basket, failed to handle well over uneven ground and newborn accommodation could be improved.

Performance:	3/5
Value:	3/5

Quinny Buzz

	Robust, lightweight, one-touch opening, attractive, adaptable, highly manoeuvrable, great value for money.
	The width of the rear wheel chassis makes it tricky to store snugly in the boot of the car, shopping basket facility is disappointing.
Features:	Unique one-touch unfolding system, front wheel revolves 360 degrees; pushchair seat can be forward or rearward facing, removable safety bar, and front and rear wheel suspension. Available in black, pink, strawberry and capri.
Price:	RRP £330.00
Weight:	Basic 10.5kg, complete 12.2kg
Handle:	71cm (fully extended)
Dimensions:	Basic 67.5 x 60 x 10cm (LxWxH; complete 1010 x 660 x 445mm (LxWxH)
Contact:	Quinny website

Powered by gas spring technology, the one-touch opening system propels this buggy into the top league. Unfolding the Quinny Buzz really couldn't be easier. The front swivel wheel, that can be locked, also assists in making this highly manoeuvrable and combined with its lightweight frame makes it ideal for navigating any terrain. The ergonomic seat unit reclines virtually flat and the extra padding scores points for comfort. It's also extremely adaptable. With car seat adaptors (provided) you can fit the Maxi Cosi or Quinny Buzz Dreami. The height adjustable bar, plus the foot and backrest provide further means of flexibility. On the downside the width between the two rear wheels makes it a struggle to fit into the boot of the car once collapsed. The shopping bag that attaches is disappointing too but a further undercarriage basket can be purchased as an accessory. These minor frustrations, however, didn't deter from the overall pleasure this buggy system provides.

The ThinkBaby verdict

This buggy is flexible, value for money and attractive but best of all it's incredibly easy to use - the one-touch opening system makes the Quinny Buzz a unique product and an ideal solution for any busy parent looking for a robust yet lightweight system that is extremely easy to operate.

Performance:	5/5
Value:	4/5

Silver Cross 3D

	Versatile, easy to assemble, deep shopping basket, multi-position hood provides excellent shelter, good value for money and attractive design.
	In pushchair mode it is cumbersome to steer, leverage is also difficult, car seat is not included in the price and folded it takes up room in the car.
Features:	A three-in-one solution. The 3D pram converts to a pushchair for older babies and has a car seat attachment compatible with the Ventura car seat (sold separately). Lockable front swivel wheels. Available in a range of colours including: cargo, pistachio, coast, vintage, jet sport and apollo.
Price:	RRP £280.00
Weight:	10.3kg
Handle:	104 cm (fully extended)
Dimensions:	Folded: 102 x 103 x 40 (HxDxW)
Contact:	Silver Cross website

The 3D outdoes most buggies for effortless assembly, with ready-attached wheels you have a travel system ready to go in minutes. The incredibly user-friendly manual helps. It's an attractive design which scores points for comfort. My baby seemed very happy in it, the additional head support provided in pushchair mode together with the four position seat back recline is a bonus and the fabric is spill friendly. In pram mode the 3D faces the handler which is always preferable and newborns appear to be well catered for in the generous space provided. The shopping basket is deep and sturdy. Folded, however, the pushchair requires a roomy car boot as its extra padding takes up space. The major grumble, though, is the difficulty we found in manoeuvring it in this mode. Two hands are definitely required and levering it onto different surfaces can be difficult, it feels heavy and cumbersome even with a six-month-old in it.

The ThinkBaby verdict

Attractive, versatile, incredibly easy to assemble, well padded and comfortable fabric - manoeuvrability is an issue, in pushchair mode the 3D is cumbersome, folded it also takes up a lot of room in the boot of the car.

Performance:	3/5
Value:	3/5