Graco Evo XT Review

The Graco Evo XT is an all terrain buggy suitable from birth and we were sent one to test for Finn. For me, the most important features of a pushchair are the ability to parent face and a big basket and as this ticked both boxes, I was excited to try it out.  The Evo XT is easy to put together and only took me a few minutes.  The trickiest bit was the pin in the back wheels but once you get the first one in the second one seems so much easier!

The seat unit seemed pretty generous and Finn fits in comfortably.  At 17 months his legs fit perfectly  and he has space to grow upwards.  The seat sits pretty upright as well as lying flat which is ideal for a nosy toddler.  I like how flat it lays for his when he is asleep and it means I can use it for Cora too if I want to swap them around.

The hood is generous and protects well from the elements.  When the seat is reclined it creates a huge amount of shade which is ideal for creating a good napping environment or keeping little ones out of the sun or wind.  

The handlebar is adjustable and at five foot nine I found it most comfortable when it was pushed upwards.  It was easy to change and to tuck away when we are storing it or on public transport as it folds right underneath.

The basket is very important to me as with four children I carry around a lot!  It was really generous and I could fit in my changing bag, blankets, jumpers and still have space.  It was easier to access when the seat unit is facing out, but I could get everything in and out just fine with the seat parent facing too.  

This pushchair is designed to handle rough terrains and I have found it great to use at the park.  We haven't been anywhere more adventurous to test it yet, but pushing it though parks, around town and on the school run it handles well.  The front wheels are lockable and the large back wheels help it move easily and it is comfortable and easy to push.

This pushchair folds in one piece, although it is best when the seat is world facing, which we never really do.  It is not as compact as an umbrella fold stroller, but smaller when folded than your average travel system.  Generally I would say its place is somewhere in the middle.  The Evo XT is easy to manoevre, light and collapsible like a stroller, yet has the large basket, the parent facing option and the adjustable handlebar of a travel system.  It is suitable from birth and offers protection from a newborn without needing a carrycot and would be a great option if you want to buy just one well chosen pushchair to last your child from birth until they no longer need it.  It is compatible with a carrycot and car seat so you can turn it into a travel system and comes complete with a raincover and footmuff (although it has been too warm for us to test the footmuff just yet)

The design is simple, well built and sturdy and we are enjoying using the Graco Evo XT.

I was sent this pushchair for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. 

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iCandy Peach Blossom

With two children that can't yet walk, a double buggy is a part of our everyday life and Finn and Cora have been enjoying their new set of wheels.  We bought our first iCandy pushchair when we were pregnant with Dylan over 5 years ago and they are a brand that we trust and love.  The iCandy Peach Blossom is a versatile double travel system which I have found comfortable for both children, easy to push and ideal for getting around.

This pushchair can be used for two newborns, two toddlers or a newborn and toddler.  Both positions can be used with a carrycot, car seat or child seat although so far we have only used it in the combo shown in these pictures.

Cora has a carrycot on the bottom and unlike the apple2pear this one is rigid.  It feels and looks secure and snug and is easy to attach and remove.  The carrycot, like with most double buggies, is relatively small but Cora fits perfectly and still has growing room in all directions.  It is suitable for overnight sleeping and we often use it for daytime naps if she lets me put her down.

Finn sits up top at the moment and as a large 17 month old he still has plenty of space.  The straps are easy to adjust and do up and he loves his new ride.  The seat can be reclined easily and Finn has no problem falling asleep in there.  In this mode, the seats both face outwards, but when we change to two seats we can have them both facing in, with the top seat closer to me.  I do miss having Finn facing me and that is one of the only changes I would make to the peach blossom.

The peach is easy to fold, but both seats and the adaptors need to be removed first.  It doesn't take long and everything slots back in to place very easily.  The chassis has a long strap so that it can be carried over one shoulder and that has been brilliant when taking it out and into the car.

The black chassis really stands out and I love the colours of this pushchair.  I chose it knowing I would be using it for both a boy and girl and I love pushing it.  We are finding that the black frame scratches more than our others but with four small children to hustle out the door each morning it may be the way we treat things.

This pushchair can also be used as a single and I have loved taking it out with just one baby in it as well.  In double mode with a carrycot the basket size is limited ( but still able to fit in two raincovers, two blankets and jumpers for all four children) but in single mode the basket is huge and perfect for shopping!

I love pushing the peach and can do so one handed with no problems.  Curbs are easy to manoever and it is much lighter than I expected considering there are two children in there.  We have the seat unit ready for when Cora is sitting up so I will update this post when we have given it a good go with two full size seats.

I love this pushchair and it fits our needs perfectly at the moment.  Both children are comfortable and secure and I love the way it feels to push.  This buggy looks great and we have so many compliments.  

The Peach Blossom is currently £955 for the main components, and then an extra £172.50 for the carrycot.  There are lots of other co-ordinated accessories you can buy from footmuffs to travel bags to cup holders.  

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Cosatto To and Fro Double Review

Cosatto to and fro double stroller, cosatto stroller, double stroller, to and fro duo
With two small age gaps under my belt and a third on the horizon, double pushchairs have been a part of my life for three years.  There seems to be more choice than ever and we were excited to try out the brand new To and Fro double from Cosatto.  It boasts all the ease of an umbrella fold stroller but with the added advantage that when using it with a newborn, they can be parent facing.

We love the extra features that Cosatto offer, and the to and fro double pushchair comes with a four year guarantee as standard.  The design is bright and colourful (something I find very important), and I love how much this double stood out.  The package comes complete with raincover, two footmuffs and cupholders and it is ready to go pretty much straight from the box.

My favourite thing about the to and fro double stroller is the fact that the newborn can be parent facing.  For me this is something I will not compromise, especially having had two winter newborns who needed the protection of being facing in.  It is really easy to change from facing out to facing in and it lies completely flat with a five point harness.  The hood is really generously sized and with the footmuff on as well it looks lovely and snuggly.  I have used it for Finn facing in when he is tired, but in parent facing mode the child does have to be flat - I would love to see an option to have them parent facing sat up in the future.

The seats seem quite a generous size for a side by side double, these pictures were taken just before Archie turned three and he is on the 75th centile for his height and weight.  He isn't in a buggy much any more but his little legs still get tired on a long day out and it is important for me that he has a proper seat when he needs a rest.

The pushchair comes with two footmuffs as I mentioned above, but I would say these are designed for twins more than siblings as they are suitable until around 12 months with an average sized baby. You can see in the picture the size of it compared to the size of Archie.  It would be great if you could order co-ordinated blankets for older siblings as I just love the raindrop design and it would be great to continue it across everything.

The buggy was easy to push, I did need two hands but then the combined weight of these two is around 26kg so that isn't surprising!  I found it easy enough to get up and down curbs, around corners and shops and I had no problem taking it on buses and trains.

The baskets were pretty generous for a double buggy when the children are facing out although if they lie down or parent face then they are harder to access but not impossible at all.  I am used to the fact that most double pushchairs sacrifice on basket space and this has the equivalent of two stroller baskets which is great.

The buggy is compact when folded compared to other doubles, it has an umbrella fold similar to other strollers but of course is twice as wide.  I did find that when folded the hoods came off completely so every time I set it up again I had to click them back on again.  I do find it a bit annoying as I can't get the buggy in my house set up so we fold it up and down a lot but it only takes a minute or so each time.

Overall, I would say that this is a good double stroller.  The fact that it can parent face for a newborn is something new and amazing and if I was looking to buy a double stroller to use from birth it would be this one without a doubt for that very reason.  I would say that this is better suited for young twins than toddlers or children with a big age gap, but I find it easy enough to push despite quite a weight and size difference between my boys.

Disclosure :  I was sent this stroller for the purpose of this post but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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The Quinny Longboarder

We have tested our fair share of buggies over the four years I have been a parent, from simple strollers, to bulky doubles and the odd sports buggy too.  The Quinny Longboarder is like no other though and I couldn't resist borrowing one to have a go.

It comes already built so it was ready to go as soon as it arrived and I couldn't wait for the bloke to get home so that I could take Archie for a spin in it.  It is suitable for children over 1 and under 15kg so Archie was perfect for my passenger.  

The Quinny Longboarder isn't designed for going around the town, you need a nice flat surface to really get the most from it, and we are lucky enough to have a beautiful wide promenade just around the corner from our house.  A large park would work just as well - wide paths are easiest when you start off (if you are as bad at steering buggies as me!).

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Stokke Crusi

Having three children so close together means having a puschair with more than one seat is essential.  Whilst I tend to use a single for the majority of trips out, we use a double at least once a week and I was excited to be sent the Stokke Crusi to try out.

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The Cosatto Ooba Review

We were sent the Cosatto Ooba in Charleston to use with our newest arrival and I am really impressed with it.  Not only does the Ooba look bright and fun, but it comes with some great features and extras that make it stand out.

The monochrome design of the Ooba is eye-catching without being too bright and completely unisex too in my opinion.  The frame is really easy to fold, using two simple mechanisms (which are handily labelled too) and folds pretty small, although the carrycot does need to be removed first.  Because of the way the frame crosses over the basket, I was worried it would be hard to use, but we have had no problems putting a changing bag underneath or using it with shopping bags.  

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Cosatto Supa Racoon Riot Review

I love colour and personality when it comes to things for the children and the gorgeous designs that Cosatto bring out are what first attracted us to their products over 3 years ago when Dylan was small.  We chose a little monster stroller for our little monster, and three years on it is still going strong.  We were offered the chance to try their newest stroller recently, the Supa and it has all the great features we love from our old stroller, but with so many more too.

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The iCandy Raspberry

I first saw the iCandy Raspberry at the Babyshow nearly a year ago and fell in love.  It offered the features I loved about strollers, but with the style and options you associate with a travel system.  It comes in such a variety of colours that when I was offered one to review I struggled, but the black chassis and yellow colour pack was perfect for our bright family.

We have been testing this pushchair now for a few months, and on the whole, I love it.  It looks stunning in my opinion, the black chassis is strong and doesn't scratch and the icandy logo is etched in so that it can't rub off as it does on some pushchairs.  The yellow is bright and cheers up even the coldest of days and despite plenty of use, it still looks immaculate.  

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Review of the Stokke Xplory V4

Stokke Xplory v4, stokke pram review

When it comes to Pushchairs, Stokke are top of the range, and we have been finding out why.  We were sent a Stokke Xplory V4 in Deep Blue and I have to admit I am a bit of a convert.   Unfortunately Archie was not a fan of sitting in the pushchair for photos, but if you follow me on instagram then you will have seen him looking happy in it.

My favourite feature is the height of the child.  I still love having Archie parent facing, and when it is just the two of us, we have a little chat as we walk.  Having him more in eye range makes such a difference, and the height means he can see so much more as well.  With both the bloke and I being tall, it is also much easier to lift him in and out without bending as much (although the downside to this is that he can't climb in himself as he does with lower seats).

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The Kudu 4 Review

The Kudu 4 is an award winning pushchair from Casualplay, and we have been testing it out over the past few weeks.  Suitable from birth, parent or world facing and with a compact fold, this is a lightweight stroller, suitable from birth to three years and comes in three different coloured fabrics with this black frame.

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Bugaboo Buffalo Review

The Bugaboo Buffalo is an all terrain pushchair with big air filled tyres, a spacious seat and the biggest basket we have come across on a pushchair.  It seemed the obvious choice for us to take on our family ski holiday and it definitely served it's purpose well.

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The Quinny Buzz Xtra Review

The Quinny Buzz Xtra is the newest addition to the Quinny range and we have been lucky enough to have a first look at it. The boys and I have been putting the Buzz Xtra to the test for the last few weeks and here is how we got on;

The Quinny Buzz Xtra is the next generation from the original Buzz and features a few changes.  The basket is bigger, the front wheel is better on different terrains and the hood extends even furthur than before.

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Bob Stroller Review

I posted recently about what my guest reviewer, Nick thought of the Bob Sport Utility stroller but it is about time that I shared my views too.

The stroller is big, with wheels that are closer to bicycle tyres than your average buggy wheels and the seat is huge.  The whole stroller seems super sized compared to the nippy things we use around town, but this is what makes it perfect for an active lifestyle.

The tyres give it excellent suspension when running or over rough ground and the seat is big enough to fit in a large toddler (or even a small adult - yes, I may have tried).  If you were on a long day out walking or hiking, then you would have no problem giving an older child a rest in this when their legs got tired.  The seat weight limit is 70lb which is double that of your average buggy and I have sat in the seat on a run to feed Archie quite comfortably and without damaging the buggy (it had to be done but I weigh considerably more than 70lb!)

The stroller is incredibly well made, the material is strong and durable and we haven't yet had a puncture or problem.  There is a secure 5 point harness and the hood is large and protective.  The raincover for this stroller is unlike any I have previously come across and is storm proof as well, leaving me no reason not to get out and about! 

I haven't been running with this nearly as much as  I should would like to, but it is brilliant to jog with and makes life much easier as I can take one of the littlies with me.  We have the seafront only a short walk from our house and it is the perfect place to take the Bob for a jog or a power walk.  I find it really easy to use, the handlebars are in a comfortable position for me and I am kept motivated by a little voice shouting ' faster mummy!' the whole time we are out.

I mentioned above that the pushchair is huge, and it is, there is no doubt about it, but it is also smooth and when you are pushing it, it doesn't feel bulky at all.  It is large when folded although it can be made smaller if you remove the wheels, but we tend not to collapse it really as we have space in the house.

This stroller is not designed for the city and the front wheel only has the fixed position meaning to turn corners you do have to lift the wheel up.  The buggy feels almost weightless even with my 16kg toddler in but this is still a bit of a pain around town.  The basket is lovely and big though and it does hold quite a bit of shopping!

This buggy is perfect for what it is designed for and as an all terrain/ jogging stroller I cannot think of any improvements I would make.  It wouldn't be suitable as a main pushchair however due to the bulk and the static wheel.

For more information then check out the Bob website and to see a review from a Man's perspective, read here

Disclaimer:  I was sent this stroller for the purpose of this review 

but all thoughts, photos and opinions are completely my own.

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Petite Star Zia 4+ Review

Although we primarily use a pushchair, there are times when a stroller is just far more convenient and I wouldn't be without one.  We were recently sent the Petite Star Zia 4+ and have been trying it out for the last couple of months.

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Graco Sky Review

As part of Graco's Ambassador cometition we have been sent a Graco Sky travel system to review and I have been busy testing it with both the boys over the last few weeks.

The pushchair comes in a choice of three colours, black night, sea pine green and purple shadow and all three are unisex enough for both boys and girls.  I went for the green as it was a lovely and unique shade and I haven't come across a pushchair quite like it.   

The pushchair comes as a chassis, seat unit, footmuff, raincover and car seat and the seat can be either world or parent facing.  This is a huge priority for me as even at 2 my toddler prefers to be facing me as we walk so that we can have a chat as we go.  His new favourite pastime is singing me nursery rhymes and it works a lot better when I can hear what he is singing!  The seat unit is plenty big enough to accommodate him (and he is a very large toddler - 99.6th centile for weight and height at 25 months), yet it still looks comfortable and secure with my seven month old in the seat.  The seat is lovely and padded so perfect for smaller babies.

This model doesn't come with a carrycot and instead has a newborn 'nest'.  As the seat reclines, it creates a cocoon around the baby and the footrest comes up, revealing some material that attaches round with velcro making the nest secure, cosy and perfectly sheltered.  It has the benefits of a carrycot without the added piece to store although as Archie is a tummy sleeper, I would still have preferred a mattress for him as this will have the straps still. If I was using this for a newborn, I would pad the bottom out with blankets to create more of a bed.

There is a handily placed parent unit by the handlebars with two drink holders and a seal-able middle tub which is perfect for munching on the go.  The basket is quite frankly the best pushchair basket I have ever seen and I have been tempted to try and climb in myself to really test it.  It has no problem holding my nappy bag, jackets for me and the boys,  a small lunch box and my handbag and this is certainly my buggy of choice for shopping!

The carseat is easy to use and comes with a removable frame that helps it attach to the chassis.  It seems secure, comfortable and safe and has a removable headrest for new babies.  It has a 3 point harness which I find easier for using with a sleeping baby and still feels as safe as a 5 point parness.

I would prefer it if the seat panel came off as it isn't fixed all the way round and it would be great if you could take it off to wash it.   The seat unit is fully recline-able though and can be done so with one hand.  I do find the material is quie hard wearing and I think it would be easy to clean with a sponge but being a paler shade and knowing what newborns are like with their nappies, I do prefer something I can pop in the washing machine.

The fold is incredibly simple and can be done one handed too which is great for using it on public transport.  It is surprisingly compact as well and can be folded with the seat still on when forward facing.  When folded it is free standing though which is perfect for storing when there is not much space.  

This pushchair is much more traditional looking than many of its competitors, but it still has all the features you would want from a travel system.  It is sturdy, well built, comfortable and easy to push with such a great basket.  I would recommend it as a great value travel system, as it comes with everything you need to get going.  Although I do prefer a traditional carrycot, this would be great for those with little space to store bulky parts or for those on a budget as the newborn can comfortably use the seat unit as a nest or go in the car seat on the chassis for short periods.

Disclaimer:  I was sent the Graco Sky for the purpose of this review 

but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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Britax Bob - A Man's Perspective

As well as testing the Britax Bob Sport Utility Stroller myself, I asked a male friend to help me out with this review.  Despite my best intentions of getting fit, I know I still have a fair way to go so our friend Nick has been helping out.  I think with a pushchair like this it is helpful to have more than one opinion too and as men are quite often taller and faster, their experience will be different.

Nick has been taking his 2.5 year old son out with the stroller and here is what he had to say:

My initial scepticism, upon taking this buggy out for the first time, was soon replaced with a level of respect for the design and quality of build. This has clearly been designed and built for running. It is light and rolls forward with minimal resistance. The lack of friction results in the runner requiring very little effort to keep the forward momentum going on the buggy. From the runners point of view the ride of the buggy is smooth and fills you with confidence. The buggy’s suspension and tyres handle minor bumps, potholes, low kerbs and grassland without a fuss.


The fixed wheel at the front works well despite my initial concerns. Cornering and sudden changes of direction are able to be accomplished intuitively and without too much disruption to the run. The handlebars sit at just the right height and allow for regular shifting of hand position. The hood is the best I have come across – it actually keeps the sun off the little cherubs face when the sun is directly in front. Everything about this buggy suggests utility and quality.


I have also taken this buggy shopping into a busy town centre. Whilst the lightness and ease of movement made for an easy trip from the house to town, once in the shops it was easy to forget the length of the buggy. This resulted in a few apologies to other shoppers after they received a bump from the front tyre. Having said that it was extremely manoeuvrable even on the shiny floors of a supermarket and made for an easy, uphill walk home when laden with shopping.


I would compare this buggy to a good quality hybrid bike. For example, running uphill with it is uncannily similar to riding up a hill - leaning on the handlebars as your legs feel the burn. Running along with this buggy genuinely evokes the feeling of cycling.


Taking this buggy out for a run changes the very nature of that run. The real danger that this buggy could encumber and annoy the runner has been ameliorated by excellent design and superb build quality. This is refreshing and I am genuinely pleased that I had the opportunity to use this buggy.

So it sounds like this is a stroller that can take the pace, and is suitable for dads as well as mums for running with.

Disclaimer:  I was sent the stroller for the purpose of a review 

but all thoughts and opinions are my own (and Nick's)

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Kiddy Click'N'Move Review

We are huge fans of Kiddy, and have already shared how much we loved the Evolution Pro, the City'n'move and the Phoenix Pro so I was very excited when I found out about the launch of their new travel system.  I was sent one to test and we love it.

From the classy black frame, to the reversible seat to the ingenious raincover, I find this pushchair easy to use, light to push and comfortable for my babies.

The Click'n'Move 3 comes in a variety of colours, and I went for the Cranberry as I am a huge fan of buggies that stand out.  The colour is red bordering on pink but my boys can definitely pull it off.  The seat can be both parent and world facing and is very easy to switch - using the two clips on the side it clicks out, can be turned and pushed back in.  The seat unit is comfortable and a good size although my large toddler doesn't have much growing space left so I would have loved it to be ever so slightly bigger.

The hood is large and has a viewing panel which is great for checking up on the boys when they are world facing.  The bumper bar has a zip along it from which a raincover/ footmuff pulls out.  I absolutely loved this feature as I find raincovers can be quite bulky in a basket and typically as soon as you forget one it starts raining! The cover is loose enough to let the child still kick their legs around, but the elastic means that they can't pull it off.  The hood offers plenty of shade and so the child stays dry without having their face covered - perfect for toddlers who are not that keen on being covered up.  I have wondered how well this would work in a storm but we haven't yet had to deal with that.  I have discovered that the Kiddy raincover for their stroller does fit over this buggy though so I think we will use that if it comes to it.

The black frame looks great and is very easy to fold and unfold.  The basket is deceptively big and I have fitted my twins pink lining bag in alongside jumpers for the boys and I.  The basket can be zipped up and this keeps the pushchair looking great and neat, as well as protecting your possessions (I have a habit of losing things out the side of baskets!)

The handlebar is fully adjustable and suitable for parents or carers of any height as it goes low enough for a child to push and high enough for a very tall man to still be comfortable.  The steering is incredibly light, in fact one of my only criticisms of his pushchair is that sometimes I found it too light, even with a 15kg toddler in the seat.  Generally this doesn't cause any problems though.  The brakes are very handy and are activated easily by pushing down with your foot and pushing down on the other end to take them off. I have found this feature perfect for the summer as I often struggle with traditional stroller brakes in my flip flops.

We were also sent the Carrycot for this pram which was invaluable during our hospital stay as it also doubled as Archie's bed some nights! As it happens, he slept better in there than he ever did at home so I think it is fair to say it got a thumbs up from him! The carrycot is traditional yet modern and looks great on the travel system.  It was spacious enough for my long 5 month old to still be comfortable although by 5.5 months he was well and truly out of it.

This travel system takes the Evolution Pro car seat which we love for so many reasons (you can read my review here) and I found it so useful when we needed to pop out from the car that (with adaptors on) the carseat could just slot in, and that Archie could lie flat as we walked.

Overall we loved this travel system and have found it difficult to fault.  I think it looks great, it is easy to push and both boys love using it.  There is a great variety of colours and accessories and it is perfect from birth upwards.

Disclaimer:  We were sent the Click'n'move free of charge for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are completely my own.

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