Pushchairs Best Place To Buy

[2008bangkok]

Hi me and the wife was out in bangers looking at pushchairs yesterday and would like some tips 1stly is their anywher else apart from Mothercare(over priced) and All 4 Baby in emporium too look at, they do have a few choices in All 4 baby..2ndly How much did you pay for your pushchair and how lond did it last as my heart is saying go 10-12g while my pocket is saying 5 max???

Are these 5k ones any good or does the wheel fall off as soon as it hits terrain that isnt flat

Im looking at the Maclaren range if im gonna spend a few quid as they lok sturdy..any reviews?/

thanks in advance

[Neeranam]

I got mine at the Emporium - about 5,000 baht 5 years ago - good selection.

[samran]

2nd floor of all seasons place on wireless has a Grayco store which is perptually on sale. You'd get some deals the forst 6-7K. Still to expensive, given they are only $100 in the US or OZ!

We ended up getting the lightest and the cheapest, as that is all you really need in BKK. Lugging a superdooper 4WD buggy in and out of cars, up and down escalators is no fun here. You need something light and versatile (through we have a superdooper one which only gets used if we know no heavy lifting is involved!)

[Niranut]

Agree that you should definitely get something lightweight (and that can be easily opened and closed with one hand) for out and about and BKK. I spent about 1,500 baht for a nice, lightweight model at Central two years ago and it has served us well.

We also went for a "superduper" model for times when that was needed. Again, bought at Central. Brand name was "Cool Kids" and was just 3,500 baht (I've seen them priced up to 5,000 baht elsewhere). This is the lowest priced model for the Cool Kids brand, I believe. And I can attest to its hardiness, as we've been using it for more than three years now, and it's survived two kids and lots of abuse and is still going strong! I also know several other families with this same model and they've all gotten plenty of use out of it.

[Newbee]

My preferences were as follows:

1. Both sitting and lying positions

- can be used immediately after birth

- older child may fall asleep too - think about his/her comfort

(mine can hold a baby up to 20 kg (5 yrs) - great value. But I think I will only use it till the baby is 1.5 - after that babies should walk)

2. Big wheels!!!!!!!! BIG WHEELS!!!!!

- baby will not wake up when you enter an elevator, cross a bump, etc

It all depends on your life style. if you only use it to go shopping - buy a lightweight one. But what's the point? you can borrow it for free at a customer service at any central, siam paragon, emporium, use a baby cart at big C, etc...

if a mother/nanny uses a pushchair everyday to walk 10 min to a nearby Villa or street vendors for fresh fruits/ veggies, go to a rooftop garden to get the baby his/her daily portion of the Vitamin D, or to a swimming pool - go for a big wheel model. small wheel pushchair used to always wake the baby up and drivie me crazy...

big wheel pushchairs are more durable, so it will be a factor too if you are going to get your baby a sister or a brother any time soon.

3. washable seat

I bought mine at a baby fair, 6500. Love it.

[2008bangkok]

I get the feeling then that i dont need to spend 15k+ and a 6k ish will be okay and not fall apart?

[PattayaParent]

I got a sturdy McClaren one for out and about during the day / night and a cheap lightweight one for taking on holiday.

The McClaren has lasted 2.5 years while in the same time the lightweight one fell apart.

Paid about 4k baht for the McClaren in Mothercare back in London.

[Newbee]

I bought mine at a baby fair, 6500.

Forgot to mention - it was on sale after big discount

[colino]

Big C or Tesco Lotus or Robinson's prices from 1800Baht upwards Robinson's has the more expensive Range depending on what you like

[Boo]

I will also recommend maclaren, the XT won every best buggy/pushchair prize voted for by parents in the Prima mother & baby awards last year & I have one too. It is so lightweght, sturdy & easy to put up & down, in fact can be done with one hand (whilst hanging you baby under the other arm ) It also lays flat which IMO is essential esp if you pan to use from birth but even now he is nearly a year old, it is great ot be able ot lay him out when he is asleep ratehr than be all scrunched up. I brought it over from UK on holiday this year in Khon kaen & Bangkok & we had it in & out of taxis, up & down stairs & elevators , the skytrain & even took it on a riverboat.

[Pushit]

I get the feeling then that i dont need to spend 15k+ and a 6k ish will be okay and not fall apart?

Carrefour or Lotus

[think_too_mut]

Combi or Aprica, Japanese brands. Same price, down to 1 baht, as in Tokyo. Emporium or Siam Paragon (same shops).

Quality and durability unsurpassed. Whitstands all the uneven BKK pavements, thousands of foldings. By one hand in and out. Furthermore, they are not exchanged or sold..waiting on the next generation.

My wife has stored them (at 4 yrs of age, our kid does not need the prem anymore) for her niece when she needs the prem for her (future) kid.

Google the brand, you will see what I mean.

[torrenova]

Strangely I'm back in the market for all this stuff as we've decided to leave the buggy and bed / cot in mama's house and get another one for our house as we couldn't be bothered filling the truck with them both when going for extended trips.

So today I found the same bed. Bt7000 here against Bt6000 in Buriram (I'll try for a discount !).

I bought a combination buggy / car seat / car seat base a year ago and I was convinced it was the right choice (I wanted a western or 1st world real name car seat). However, as the baby has outgrown the car seat (she is 10 months but wears 2/3 year old clothes - frightening !) I need a new buggy and a new car seat.

The car seat I'll get first world again but the buggy I won't waste money on as she was in it perhaps twice a month (if that much really) in the last 10 months. Something easy and light will do and I won't be shelling out 15k for one, more like 2-3k. She's walking anyway and I can't see her wanting to ride around in one for ages so why chuck money down the drain ?

I'll see if I can get a proper car seat (say 1-4 year old) and try to pick up a buggy at the same time. If i fil in or around Pattaya I'll go to Bangkok.

[sylvafern]

All depends what you want it for ... I started with a cheap 2000 baht one from the mall (forget the brand) and the seat/padding part fell apart the first time it was washed. If you a buying cheap, make sure the fabric will be able to stand up to wear and tear as it will get food on it, puked on, etc. My second one was a Graco which was pretty good but rather expensive - 10,000 from Central on sale. Only problem, my son outgrew it by about 1 1/2. For me, having my son walk at 1.5 years as another poster said 'should' be done was not an option - I would never expect a kid of that age to walk for hours at a time while in shopping malls, airports, while travelling, at the park for long walks etc. In the end I bought a second hand mountain buggy in New Zealand for about 3000 baht (new they would be 4 times the price). I wish I'd done my research and bought one right from the start. It is a 'super duper' 3 wheeled style one BUT it is easy to get in and out of cars, up and down escalators (all pushchairs are if you know how) and it is very smooth and zippy to push around. What's more it reclines to any height you want from fully upright to fully lying down and the hammock (seating part) is easily removed for washing. My son is 3 1/2 now but it still gets used a couple of times a month if we have a big day out.

My suggestion is think about what you want to use it for and how old you think your child will be before you stop using it and then make a decision ... better to pay more upfront than end up buying three times like I did!

Edited May 5, 2008 by sylvafern

[t.s]

my pushchair was the lightest i could find and i used it until she could walk. now she wont sit in it she would rather walk or can be carried for short distances. no idea where the chair is now at 17 months.

i probably would save the money had i to do it over again. a two year old in a stroller looks almost as ridiculous to me as a father carrying a monster 4x4 stoller behind his walking child