How To Choose The Best Pram For Your Family

Our guide to discovering the best pram options to suit you, (hint, it’s more than something to get your baby from A to B)

Your pram will be one of the major initial investments when it comes to preparing for your baby’s arrival. They are an essential element in your new parenting tool box, providing you with the flexibility and ease of getting out and about and in the fresh air with your child. Whilst all prams are created for the same base purpose, they are not all equal. With so many to choose from, here are our top tips for finding the right one for your family, taste and lifestyle.

Pram Lifespan

Whether your baby will be using the pram for the whole duration from newborn all the way until four years old or just a fraction of that time, the recommended lifespan of the pram is an important component to consider when deciding on the most suitable set of wheels for your baby.

All prams have typical weight and size guidelines to suit babies from newborn up until your child reaches four years old. This is all weight assessed, with the JIVE⁵ Pram reaching 20kg capacity, and the Bugaboo Fox 5, UPPAbaby Vista V2, and Joolz Geo 3 all able to carry a tiny bit more weight at 22kg. All our pram models include a newborn bassinet insert for babies which provides a safe and comfortable environment for your baby to lie flat whilst their spine and neck muscles are developing. It is recommended up until they are 6 months old or can sit up unaided.

The majority of prams that we stock are suitable for supporting life's adventures and outings from newborn until 4 years old, however if you are looking for a pram to suit a particular purpose such as travel, we recommend clicking here to view some our other options.

Transportation

If you are one to use the car on a regular basis, public transport or navigate cityscapes then your pram’s storage, weight and portability may deserve a bit of consideration to help avoid the potential manoeuvring, heavy lifting, jamming in the boot and the struggle to put the pram together at the other end of your journey.

The Capsule to Pram

Transporting your baby from its capsule isn’t an easy feat, especially when you don’t want to risk interrupting their precious nap. All our prams are capsule compatible (with adaptors) ensuring a seamless and undisturbed click and go at your destination. If you are wanting to use a capsule for your pram, then the one you choose may affect your pram options (and vice versa) so make sure to find out which capsule model is compatible with which stroller. The Bugaboo Fox 5 and Bugaboo Donkey 5is compatible with Britax, Maxi Cosi and Cybex capsules while the UPPAbaby Vista V2 and UPPAbaby Cruz V2 are designed to work with Maxi Cosi and Nuna models using the universal UPPAbaby car seat adaptor, and the upper and lower versions for the Vista depending on your desired configuration.

Space Saving

Kids come with lots of stuff, and depending on the size of your car, you’ll want to consider the space a pram can take up in it. Car shape and boot size/ capacity is crucial to consider in line with how compact your pram gets when folded, to save space in the boot for more important things! With it’s ultra light frame, weighing 11.4kg (with seat) and 12.2kg (with bassinet), the Redsbaby JIVE⁵ Pram is a standout for compactness. When folded with its seat on, it only takes up a space of 88cm (width) and 40cm (high) leaving plenty of room in your boot for more important things! The Joolz Geo 3 is surprisingly compact for a larger model and can fold in either two parts (when using the bassinet) or as one with the rumble seat attached. The UPPAbaby Vista V2 is a little more bulky in the boot, but this is down to its sturdier base and large storage basket, so it is important to pick your player here and what you feel you value more!

Weight

Getting your pram in and out of the boot is easier these days, due to refinements in materials and overall design, the prams are much lighter. However, for those with lower back or pelvic injuries, tears, or if you are recovering from C-Section, the weight of your pram should be safely thought over. The UPPAbaby Cruz and Bugaboo Fox 5 are your lightest larger frame options, with the seat and frame weighing 11.6kg and 10.4kg respectively. It goes without saying that the fabulous urban hybrid pram; the Bugaboo Dragonfly, takes light weight in its stride, weighing a few kilos less (7.9kg, even with it’s seat on), perfect for city adventures.

View our comparison chart here.

Lifestyle

A good pram should emulate and enhance your day to day life and routine. Because of this, there are several lifestyle factors that expecting parents may want to consider before investing in the perfect set of wheels.

Urban Living

If you are a city slicker and spend most of your blissful baby days in and amongst city streets, tackling narrow spaces and tight corners, like cafes, shops, markets and restaurants then the Redsbaby Aeron or Bugaboo Dragonfly may be the perfect choice for you. With their slimline design, narrow wheel base and four wheel suspension, it will help you tackle smaller spaces with ease. Both prams are lightweight and compact options for families who value portability or have limited storage space, but don’t want to compromise on the added features of larger prams. Both models have a large basket size ideal for running errands and to top it off, a seamless one handed fold. Not to mention, they look pretty chic too!

If you’ll be running a ton of errands and want to take all the stuff, then the UPPAbaby Vista V2 is a good choice. It boasts an extra large storage basket, with more than enough space to carry nappy bags, picnic rugs and any shopping on the go, all whilst having easy access from both the front and back of the pram. In addition, it also has a generous sun canopy with an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) of 50+, protecting and treasuring the precious skin of your baby from an early age.

Rural Living

Out breathing in the fresh, country air? Lucky thing! Some prams are not as cut out for country living like you are, so it is important to pick a durable, terrain loving pram to complement your lifestyle. If this is the case, then you cannot go past the Bugaboo Fox 5. It takes off road journeys in its stride, safely tackling all terrains with large, puncture proof wheels and its advanced spring suspension system protect against bumps and jolts, providing the smoothest ride for your baby. Heading on a trail walk? Bugaboo Fox 5. Heading to the beach? Bugaboo Fox 5. Heading to the Snow? Bugaboo Fox 5. We really mean it when we say it can tackle anything!

Growing Family

If you are intending to have more children in the future, you may want to factor that into your decision making process for your pram, including the rough age gap between them. It’s all about future proofing, considering whether you need to accommodate two seats on your pram, or just a buggy board or add-on accessory, or not at all.

If it is an extra seat you need, gone are the days of bulky, wide, double prams that could barely fit across pathways and through doors. Luckily, we have entered a new era whereby if you have two young children, there are many sleek options available to suit your growing needs. All of our prams (except for the Bugaboo Fox 5 and UPPAbaby Cruz) have the option to comfortably accommodate two children, providing a sleek and comfortable experience for all. Below are a few of our favourite convertible prams, that can be effortlessly transformed from a single to double.

Tandem Options (Single to Double)

1. Redsbaby NUVO

The Redsbaby NUVO adapts effortlessly to your growing family with a remarkable 18 different set ups, and accommodating up to three children (with a buggy board.) It is the most lightweight double pram in its category and boasts the unique ability to fold whilst keeping the seats attached! The NUVO comes as a single, double or twin using adaptors so you can easily add an extra seat if you are expecting another baby!

2. Joolz Geo 3

Oh so chic! The Joolz Geo 3 is as adaptable as you are when your family grows. Offering 15 configurations that means flexibility and comfort for everyone, whilst not compromising on compactness. With the help of simple upper and lower adaptors and an extra seat or bassinet, you can turn your Geo Mono (one bassinet or toddler seat) into a duo (toddler seat and bassinet) or twin (two bassinets or two toddler seats).

3. UPPAbaby Vista V2

That pram you’ve heard and seen everywhere? It’s probably the Vista V2 Getting top marks for versatility and street cred, the V2 grows with your family with additional attachments to fit more than one child. Having another child? Easy. You can add a RumbleSeat and push both around with ease. If you have twins, you can add a bassinet to the configuration.

Side by Side (Single to Double)

1. Bugaboo Donkey 5

The Donkey is a real life packhorse. With it’s three unique configurations (mono, duo and twin) it has your parenting journey covered and is more nimble than you may assume. It seamlessly transforms from a single to a double configuration in just three clicks, giving you the flexibility to accommodate two children when needed (plus a larger child on the buggy board.) One child? The Mono option is for you, simply use the handy side basket in place of a seat, carrying an additional 10kg . Twins? The Twin version is your winner here! Two bassinets or two seats side by side, great for bonding and interaction as well as equal viewing both for them and for you! Toddler and baby? Try the Duo configuration. Perfect for two children of different ages, with the flexibility of a bassinet and seat on side by side. Cute for hand holding and your older child getting used to the new arrival!

Options for older children

1. Wheeled Board (seated)

Most seats have a weight capacity up to around 22kg (4-5 years old) so if one child is past that age but you still have a younger child taking up a seat or bassinet, something to consider when buying a pram is the accessories to add on that can make everyone’s ride smoother. Below are some great pram add on options, giving you flexibility and ease for those mid walk meltdowns, meaning everyone can join in on the adventure!

The clever design of the Fox 5, Donkey 5 and Dragonfly allows for the simple and sturdy addition of the Wheeled Board with no adapter needed. Your older child can sit or stand comfortably, so both children and parents can enjoy a secure and fun ride. When not in use, the board can be easily clicked up or detached. If you have the Donkey and add this board option, your pram magically accommodates 3!

2. Buggy Board (standing)

The UPPAbaby Vista has a separate PiggyBack Ride-Along Board, made with natural eco-friendly wood, with a non-skid surface which prevents slipping. Same goes for the Joolz Geo 3, with their footboard. Given that both these prams can turn into a double with ease, the addition of the footboard means that you can comfortably get around with 3 children. Talk about compact - the footboard for the Redsbaby Jive can only be used when the pram is in a single configuration, but is ultra streamline and won’t get under your toes (literally!)

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