Top Tips when Choosing a Travel System.

One of the biggest decisions I found when shopping for the arrival of Alfie had to be the travel system/pram. This is a world where you have hundreds of choices and brands a plenty to choose from, I have to admit initially I was overwhelmed by the choices and didn't really have a clue where to start. With some in depth research and looking on the Internet it did become a little clearer and  I started to notice a pattern in the style that I was looking at and I was fairly sure that a travel system was what we needed. I also found it was one of the things that my husband was able to get really involved in, it was a bit like choosing a car for him!  Currently (and sadly!) I don't actually need to purchase a new travel system as the one we still have from Alfie is in decent working order and just needs a bit of a clean, obviously if I had my way we would be getting a new one but realistically we don't. This has not stopped me looking, however and in this post I'll talk about things I think you should consider when choosing a travel system/pram. I think if I was choosing another system one of the brands that I would be likely to consider is Silver Cross, probably one of the most recognised and reputable brands available today. 

Silver Cross has a long legacy and was founded in 1877 by William Wilson, he invented the first baby carriage and the famous Silver Cross bouncing suspension and combined this with a reversible hood to create the first ever modern pram. The brand Silver Cross has long being associated with various royals and celebrities and is a household name.

Here are some points to consider when choosing your pram.

1. How heavy is it? It's likely that at times you will be managing this yourself, putting it into the car and setting it up so it's really important that you consider not only the weight of the system but ease of setting it up. What use is it if it takes you 20 minutes to put it up before putting baby in it!

2. Does it fold reasonably compact? Initially, when using the carry cot you have to factor in that they can be quite bulky but does the main chassis fold up to allow it fit nicely into the boot or back of your car, worst thing is when you put it in the boot and there is nowhere else to fit anything else!

3. What sort of terrain will you be using it on? This is important as different prams are designed for different terrains and the wheels/tyres are usually an indicator of this. If you live in a rural area or plan on alot of country walks, something like the Silver Cross Surf 2 would be ideal as it has chunky, puncture resistant tyres and air sprung suspension similar to that of a mountain bike meaning it can handle rough terrain (and smooth) brilliantly. The wheels can also be locked meaning an easier and smoother ride when the ground becomes a little bumpy. 

Image  courtesy of Babydino.com

4. Your budget. I feel it's important when shopping for a travel system or pram that you do have a budget in mind, they can be expensive things to purchase and you have to consider the amount that you'll be using it and what comes included, it can be one of the more expensive items you'll purchase for baby so having an idea of budget when researching and eventually purchasing is useful.

5. Style over practicality or practicality over style? This is a biggy for me, I am drawn to things that look nice and stylish but the practical side of a travel system/pram must be carefully considered (this is where hubby steps in!). Most these days combine both of these aspects however so there is no need to sacrifice one over the other. If I was to choose a system now for both I would probably be considering the Silver Cross Wayfarer not only does it look gorgeous but it's been designed to offer functionality and comfort and with a variety of colours to choose from there is no issue with style.

6. The shopping basket!! I know it sounds silly but when you're pushing a pram around it's important that you have somewhere to put your shopping and other bits and pieces, there is nothing more annoying than having to hang bags from the handles and thankfully with both these systems there is plenty of space underneath for shopping and all the other baby paraphernalia that you need to carry around with you!

7. TRY IT OUT!! You must, must, must go and find somewhere that you can physically see them and test them out. When I was able to try the systems it totally swung my decision and it was good for me to fold them down and put them back up again to see how easy it was and how heavy they were to lift too. 

Out of the two I absolutely love the Wayfarer, especially in the raspberry pink colour and it would fit mine and the new babies needs perfectly.

So these are my top tips when deciding to choose a travel system or pram, it's such an individual choice and I remember having countless amounts of disagreements with my husband about what to choose! Fortunately we did compromise on our final decision, my only wish now is that we were able to get a pink colour pack for it!

What would be your deciding factors when choosing a system for your little one?