My daughter was about 18 months when we moved to Germany with a reasonably good pushchair, the Graco Mosaic. It never was what I wanted, but it ticked all the boxes I needed ticked when we first got it – a good all-rounder. Well, within 3 months of use on the cobbled streets in our new hometown, our pushchair’s wheels were worn down completely. No spares available…

So, we started the search for the next good all-rounder. We wanted something with inflatable wheels, better suspension, enough storage space and something that would be easy to use. We didn’t want to spend a lot of money, but we wanted something that would last. We were not exactly planning to have another baby at the time, but after seeing the Phil & Teds Sport in the UK, I wanted to at least look at it as an option. It won, although it doesn’t come first in all the categories…

This is the things I really like of the Phil & Teds Sport:

• The pushchair could be converted to carry two children, without making it any bigger. A double’s kit attaches to the front when the seat needs to be in the lowest position for an infant, and then to the back once the infant can sit. This additional seat could also be used to create a “bouncy chair” for kids with the addition of a separate base.

• It comes in various colours: Apple green, Black/Charcoal, Red/Charcoal, Navy/Charcoal, Beige, Pink and Blue. The Apple, Red and Blue now also come with “Graffiti” mixed colour panels and accessories.
• There is a clear plastic back for viewing the infant when in the seat is in the lower possitions and a “peek-a-boo” flap in the hood with a small storage pouch.
• It has three inflatable wheels. The tyres and tubes are readily available.
• The front wheel swivels, but can easily be locked in place when needed.
• The pushchair folds pretty flat with the push of a button
• All wheels remove from the chassis with the push of a button, allowing the buggy to fold even smaller: 77cm X 51cm X 23cm
• The buggies’ handlebar height can be adjusted – my husband is pretty tall, so this is handy
• The seat in its highest upright position sits nice and comfy, but it can recline completely flat.
• There are great accessories available – The double’s kit, Sleeping bag/ cosy toes, a custom fit rain cover and UV Shade (also for double), Several different liners, Attachments to convert the pushchair into a travel system, storage bags and a baby carrier/cocoon.
• As my daughter is pretty tall for her age, we needed something that would clear her head with enough room when we put the “hood” up. Maybe not so much when she sits in the second seat on top…
• It can be used for kids up to the age of 5 – heaviest child always in top seat…
• There is a 5 point harness on both buggy and double’s kit for safety and a bumper bar, making the buggy quite safe.
• The pushchair manoeuvres really easily, even with one hand.
• The pushchair is very manual. The seat positions is adjusted with zippers and safety clips. There are few that could go wrong.
• Spare parts are readily available
• The buggy comes at a very good price in comparison with other higher end brands. Roughly 680 euro; without accessories; although I have seen them selling for less.

Now, there are a newer version of the Phil & Teds on the market; with lots of great advantages; called the Vibe. I really like this one! It has a more modern build and other great accessories, but I just could not bring myself to splash out on this one. The fact that it only comes in Red, Black and Charcoal, didn’t entice me any further… My old pushchair was Red and Black – I was tired of this combination!
Unfortunately, there are some things I just have to live with:

• This pushchair has a steel  frame, making it pretty heavy: it weighs 10.5kg, without accessories
• The foot break is pretty stiff – I have managed to kick myself quite hard, taking it off! Wearing sandals, I take it off with my hand.
• The footrest is covered in the same fabric as the seat, so it gets dirty very easily.
• The buggie’s front wheel is a bit “clanky”, when running on our cobbled streets.
• The base is a little low and the storage bag scuffs as I steer it up our two front steps. I have seen ones with scuffed through fabric… This doesn’t cause any trouble, but I would have liked an outer shell in possibly something a little harder wearing. I have seen replacements for these too.
• The double’s kit needs to be removed when collapsing the buggy or for access to an infant. I heard the Vibe can be collapsed without taking this off…

Over all, I think the buggy has a good, modern shape and my daughter sits and rides comfortable in it. Without adding any of the additional storage bags, there is plenty of storage. I use the pannier bags when I go shopping and the sleeping bag in the winter. It is fleece lined, but the zips sit on the sides, so not always easy to do up. The rain cover fits tight and clips securely over the pushchair, it folds up quite small. I like this buggy. Yes, I like some of the other ones on the market too, but now our second is on the way, I can get the doubles kit so my daughter could have a ride if she wants to. I have seen people using buggy boards although it isn’t recommended.

If I have to pick again, I think I will still go for this buggy.
The website: http://www.phil-and-teds.de/xt/  Take a look. There is plenty of info on the other versions too.

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As a mom living in Germany, I have a lot of experience with rough, cobblestone streets. I know several expecting moms who have asked what to look for in a stroller that you’ll be using on bumpy streets, and here’s some points:

• Pneumatic tires — at least two of the tires should have rubberized tires with an air-filled inner tube. These help cushion the bumps. My Quinny had a flat (a problem that comes with pneumatic tires, unfortunately), so I was out with my Maclaren with it’s solid plastic tires for a day, and by afternoon, my back was a mess. The bumpiness of the road gets transferred right up your arms into your back.
• Front tires that swivel - It doesn’t matter if you go for a three wheel or four wheel stroller, the front tire or tires should swivel. You’ll also want to be able to lock the tires in place for when you’re in shops or someplace with smooth floors, as the swiveling can be a nuisance on those types of surfaces.
• A sturdy stroller — While you don’t have to go out and buy the most expensive stroller out there, it is usually a good idea, when your stroller is going to be under a lot of stress, to not buy the least expensive stroller you can find. Invest in a good, sturdy, quality stroller, especially if you’re hoping to use it with future children or want to sell it after you’re done with it. Cobblestones are hard on a stroller and can cause a cheap stroller to quickly fall apart.
• A lightweight stroller — With cobblestones usually comes other obstacles. Many places won’t have elevators and you’ll have to face stairs, steep slopes, and other difficult to maneuver situations. A stroller that’s lighter will help immensely.

Unfortunately for your pocketbook, putting all these things together usually bumps the strollers price tag up quite a bit. When we were stroller hunting, we didn’t find anything that met these criteria for under 300 Euro, and ended up choosing a Quinny Buzz.  Before you buy, you (and anyone else who’ll be using the stroller on a regular basis) should go to a store and test drive the models you are considering.  Fold up the stroller, make sure it will fit in your trunk.  Think about the terrain you’ll be traversing.  Think about whether that white or cream canopy really is such a good choice!  To help you get started, here is a partial list of strollers that should work well on cobblestone:

• Quinny Buzz — It has a wide wheel base that doesn’t allow it to fit through narrow doorways, but it not only does well on cobblestone, it has no problem taking on the gravel road and even fields and hiking paths around our house. It’s a popular choice of parents in our nearest city, Regensburg. The Quinny Speedi is more heavy duty option, with three pneumatic tires.  I saw a lot more Speedis than Buzzes in Munich.
• Bugaboo Cameleon — This stroller is very popular in the larger German cities like Munich, Berlin and Frankfurt.  It’s very maneuverable and has a smooth ride.
• Mutsy 4rider — Another option from this company is the Mutsy 3rider.
• Phil and Ted’s strollers — Any of the Phil and Ted’s strollers fit the above criteria.  The neat thing about these strollers is that a sibling chair can be added on to the back without doubling the length of the stroller.  If we have another child, I’d really like to get one of these — wish I’d known about them before we had Oliver.  Phil and Ted’s also has a twin side-by-side stroller.
• Chicco S3 — These strollers are everywhere in Italy, all those Italians moms can’t be wrong!
• Hauck Roadster SL — A heavy duty jogger that’s pretty common in Germany.
• Teutonia strollers — Any of the fully customizable Teutonia strollers would be a good choice.  They’re also quite popular in Germany and have a twin side-by-side option.
• Stokke Xplory - Your child sits higher off the ground in this unique stroller.  I’d heard of stability problems when this first came out, but I think they’ve been dealt with, since I haven’t heard anything recently.  You don’t see a lot of these around, I’ve only seen one maybe 5–6 times.  If you go with this stroller, you’d certainly turn heads!
• Orbit Infant System — This is the new cool stroller for Hollywood parents.  The seat can rotate 360 degrees, so your child can face forward, backward, or even to the side.  At $900, it’s got a hefty price tag, but you’ll definitely be the coolest mama on the block.

I know I’ve missed a lot of great strollers.  What stroller do you have?  Is it a good choice for a cobblestone frequenter?  Do you have any other tips for choosing a stroller?

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