Buyer's Guide to lightweight buggies

Hauck Uno 6

Additionally, with most big prams, systems and pushchairs costing you at least £200, you don’t necessarily want to go on holiday only to see a mangled £400 buggy roll off the luggage carousel at the other end! Sure, some of the really funky new pushchairs are designed to hike with you over sandy beaches, but you’re going to fele more comfortable with something cheap, light and easy to care for when you’re on holiday.
That’s when the lightweight buggy really comes into its own.

If they’re so good, why not just buy a lightweight from day one?
Most lightweight buggies, despite the pros, have a few cons too.
By their nature they tend to be pared down versions of manufacturers other lines, in order to reduce their bulkiness. The seat will often be less comfy for long periods of sitting, or they will have fewer reclining positions.
Most don’t take a car seat, which can be really useful in the early months if you want to transfer a sleeping baby from car to pram.
Lightweights tend to be less sturdy than bigger models and, whilst they’ll do you proud round town, they’re not so suited to three years of parkland or country walks. Because they tend to be cheaper, most people have a transition period (usually at about six months) from their big pushchair, which they still use occasionally, to using a lightweight buggy. Some even have an ultra cheap model they use for air journeys. But if you want to, it is possible to find some good lightweights that you can buy and use from day one.

What to look for

• Check out the size of the buggy when it’s folded if carrying on planes etc. is important for you.
• Try to find one with a carry handle on the side as this makes it easier to carry when folded. (Some come with their own carry bag.)
• Look at the seat. Some are very simple to make their cheap and light. Is the seat going to be comfortable enough for your child on a daytrip where you might be out for hours?
• Look at the wheels. On cheap models, simplicity means you can’t expect super manoueverability, but it is worth checking out as some with light plastic wheels can still be nippy little movers. Some plastic wheels offer a rather hard ride which might not be a good idea if you’re going somewhere with lots of cute cobbled streets!
• Does it take a car seat? Some at the top end of the range will take a car seat and this can be useful if you’re going somewhere where you are going to ‘fly-drive’. However, they will probably only fit car seats from a selected range of makers.

  Mamas & Papas Nipi

  Lightweight buggies from birth
  Most lightweights suitable from birth are, let’s face it, less lightweight than ones for older babies.
  Extra padding and suchlike to make them more suitable for a tiny baby means they inevitably involve more mechanisms etc. Most of them are also more expensive than strollers for older babies, but that is not always the case.
  At the higher end of the market in terms of extra features and only a little extra cost, the Nipi Buggy is suitable from birth, weighs just 6.4kg, and has lots of cute nifty features. It is suitable up to about three years and comes with a two-year guarantee, which is not bad for a from-birth buggy for just £60.

  Maclaren are in many people’s eye to buggies what Hoover are to vacuum cleaners. Long before other manufacturers were creating pushchairs you could fold down into a long stick, Maclaren were leading the way. You’ll see lots of models based around the Techno XT which is a good solid model that weighs 6.5kg and is suitable from birth. Extras include a UV-treated hood and sun visor, useful if you’re taking it out on holiday somewhere hot. At around £159.99, it’s not a cheap option, but it is a very reliable pushchair you can use all the way through, from birth until your child is around three years.

  Bébé Confort have some nifty, stylish lightweights that are not cheap, but can be useful if you are looking to buy just one, good travel system that can be used as a lightweight, too. Their Loola retails for around £230 or at about £439.99 if you get the whole travel system option at the same time. The basic buggy weights about 6.6kg, and they also do an ‘Urban’ which is pretty good, too. Check out their fabulous animated website and you’ll be completely sold on how tiny their buggies can fold down!
  The Micralite Fastfold is a light option that can be added to to make it a full-on travel system. It folds down neatly into its own bag and the basic buggy weighs around 6.8kg. Prices start from around £130 plus the extras on top.
  From the Graco range, the lightest from-birth model is the Mosaic One which can be used from birth to about three years, costs around £109 and weighs 6.7kg.
  The real star if you’re looking for a super-light buggy with no frills but which can be used from birth, is the Hauck Sprint 6 which is 6.5kg. It’s a very simple little thing but at around £50, it’s perfect for life on the go when you don’t want something for very long walks! Most models like this are only suitable for older babies but the Sprint 6 reclines back so you can use it from birth. (For stockists, call 0870 840 6727.)
  In the higher range of from-birth, lightweights with all the bells and whistles, Silver Cross launched their POP buggy to great acclaim a couple of years ago. At £99.99, it competes well with the lux end of this market and it weigh 7kg. (For 2008, all eyes are on its even lighter younger sibling: the FIZZ! This is suitable from six months and weighs just 4.5kg, with a very appealing price tag of £75, which includes a £5 donation to the Meningitis Trust.

  Hauck Alu Flash

  Suitable from three months
  Even by 12 weeks, the suitable options begin to get light and usually cheaper, for lightweights. Hauck have quite a few different pushchairs and other products suited to keeping light on the go, from super-light models for taking on holiday, to something a little more durable for everyday use.
  Maclaren do the Triumph stroller which weighs just 5kg basic, and is suitable from three months. It has a breathable mesh seat, which is great for travelling around in warmer weather, and sells for around £80.

  Suitable from six months
  By six months, the choice really open up because you baby can support himself much more. This doesn’t mean you necessarily want something that has no flexibility, but if you want something super light (especially for toddlers) then there are some cheap, cheerful and superlight models on the market.
  The Cosatto Dixie Sport is a popular model that's suitable from six months and weighs 6kg. It has multi-recline positions and comes with a four-year guarantee.
  The Maclaren Volo costs around £65 and is a beautifully made little buggy. Whilst it only has one seat postion, it weighs just 3.9kg!
  (That may not exciting to you right now, but I promise, you find yourself getting a bit obsessive about weight when you start to look for a lightweight buggy!)
  In the three-wheeler market, most are pretty heavyweight, but the Quinny Zapp has had some rave reviews from new parents because you get the three-wheeler look but it weighs just 6.9kg. It costs about £130 but it is well designed and suitable from birth if you add a car seat. It folds down into its own holdall too, which is great for plane journeys.
  We haven’t picked out so many in this range as you’ll find pretty much everyone does a light buggy suitable from six months. Just make sure you take your checklist of priorities along with you when you go shopping or browsing online.