The Urban has been designed for townies who like to go off-road, rather than for serious all-terrain use (if that’s what you want, Mountain Buggy’s Terrain may be a better choice). From the moment you take this out of the box you just know it’s going to do what you want: the wheels are simple to fix on, and off you go. With the front wheel swivelling, it can be steered one-handed on smooth terrain, so despite its size, it’s easily manoeuvrable. With the front wheel fixed, it can handle the park, the woods, a bumpy footpath, though you’d probably balk at the idea of a proper mountain. There’s a jogging strap (not very long) on the handlebar, so you could take baby for a run if you had the energy. The handle itself is nicely padded and easily adjusted for optimum comfort.
The seats on these used to lack padding, but this has now been much improved, so your baby can lie back in comfort – you’ll be able to see whether she’s asleep through the viewing window at the top. The hood gives good protection, but doesn’t lock open (a pain when attaching the raincover) and there’s no pocket in the back.
But what the hood lacks in pockets, the shopping basket more than makes up for – the main basket is big and deep, with two elasticated mesh pockets inside, another one outside and a zip-up section to boot. The pump stows safely in the basket.
The raincover is one of the cleverest I’ve seen, with zips at the front to give easy access to your baby (if she’s demanding food, for example!) or roll up the front section if the rain eases off for bit.
Recline the seat by pulling the straps on either side at the back, and your newborn can lie nice and flat or when old enough sit up and enjoy the view. At the end of your trip out, the Urban folds down simply – and is very flat with the wheels removed – and has a strap to keep it together. A car seat adaptor will transform this into a travel system, and if you want a little extra luxury for your newborn, a carrycot is available.
