Road Test: Travel Systems

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 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.

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.

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 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.