Kiddy Click'n Move 3 Buggy and Travel System Review

I'm really enjoying seeing how Kiddy's products evolve over time.  The Kiddy Click'n Move 3 is the latest incarnation of their successful buggy and travel system.  You can use the Click'n Move chassis with a buggy seat like we do, with any of the Kiddy infant carrier car seats or with a Kiddy carrycot.

Holly is at an age now where she enjoys looking out at the world from her buggy but, depending on how clingy she is feeling that day, it is nice that she can also face towards me in the Click'n Move 3.  The seat unit is incredibly easy to take on and off or to recline (my old travel system used to always bring me to tears every time I had to adjust it).

When the Click'n Move 3 first arrived, three things immediately struck me:-

1. It is phenomenally light. The aluminium chassis means it is so light compared to any other travel system I've touched.  This means it is easy to manouvre and also means it is easy to get in and out of the car.
2. It is very narrow.  This is the first buggy I've owned which fits through both my internal and external doors with ease.
3. The handlebars have a massive range of heights.  This is brilliant for me because I always always suffer with the height of handlebars.  As a tall woman there aren't many buggies whose handlebars go high enough for me but I think the Click'n Move would be just as good for the more petite parents out there.

Holly seems really comfortable sitting upright in the Click'n Move although there is a good level of recline.  I found the 5-point harness easy to fit and adjust and the straps seem both sturdy and comfy.

My favourite feature of the Click'n Move 3 is the large sun canopy which stretches a long way down over the buggy to provide plenty of protection.  I'm also really impressed with the removable bumper bar.  Not only is it easy to take on and off but it also unzips to reveal a light weight raincover for the lower body; the Click'n Move does come with a raincover but this little extra in the bumper bar is great for unexpected showers or just to provide a little protection for the legs.

Little gripes about the Click'n Move include the fact that it doesn't collapse to a very compact shape.  It is an improvement over my old travel system but I would say that there isn't much room for shopping in my boot once the buggy is in there.  I also found the storage basket underneath the buggy to be hard to reach.  Although it is a good sized space that it zips closed (and is even lockable with a small padlock through the zip) I found that for such a spacious buggy, the storage area seems small and a very long way from the handlebars which aren't ideal for hanging a changing bag from.  I quite often end up pretty much sitting on the floor when I want to put something in or out of the storage area!

The suspension on the Click'n Move is also really impressive, there is a lot of bounce in the buggy as you push it over the pavement or 'off-road' and you know what... it feels good!  All in all, I'm really happy with the Click'n Move 3 pushchair and I think that if you are planning a Kiddy car seat then it would be a perfect travel system solution from birth for use as a pram as well.

You can buy a Kiddy carrycot to fit on the Click'n Move 3 wheels and the Kiddy Evolution Pro infant carrier car seat is specifically designed to integrate with it.  The Click'n Move 3 is available in 4 colours - ours is Stone.

You can follow Kiddy UK on facebook and twitter.

Kiddy Mix n Match Footmuff and Hand Muffs Review

Holly and I have been using the Kiddy City n Move stroller since September.  If you've read my review then you'll know that I found positives and negatives when I reviewed it but one thing I've always found is that it oozes quality - My City n Move is by far the smartest folding buggy in town (in my eyes) but during the cold snap last month I found I wanted to add a cosy toe or footmuff in order to keep Holly warm.

My old fleece footmuff was fine but it stressed me out and so I was over the moon when I noticed the new Kiddy universal stroller mentioned on facebook - it looked even smarter than the buggy itself!  Kiddy sent us a universal footmuff and a pair of buggy handmuffs so that we could try out the new range of mix and match accessories.  The second that I opened the parcel I KNEW they were going to be good.  They just look so smart, so luxurious.

The hand muffs are ingenious, your wrap them around the handles of your buggy or stroller and then fasten them in place with poppers.  This enables you to slip your hands into the hand muffs while still allowing you full control of the buggy.  If you've ever been out with your pushchair when wearing gloves and found it hard to have enough control over the buggy, or been frustrated that you have to remove your gloves every time you need to attend to your baby, or reach into your changing bag... well then, these are just the thing for you.  Our hand muffs have a faux fur detachable trim and inside they are luxuriously fluffy.  the best thing about them is that they are big enough for my long, long hands and fingers!

But the foot muff is the show-stopper.  Not only is it thick, warm and stylish but it is also incredibly practical.  The most simple-to-use buggy cosy that I have ever tried.  Once again, the faux fur trim is very easily detachable (in fact I found mine gaped a bit around the poppers) and the contrasting fleece lip at the front is also removable but I find it looks very smart.  Inside, the footmuff is made from a soft fleece but on the outside it is water resistant and heavy-wearing.  At the back of the cosytoe there is a non-slip surface which is a little piece of genius as it means that the buggy liner doesn't slip down when you put your child in in (my number two bug bear when it comes to buggy inserts).

And my number one bug-bear is having to undo and re-thread the straps from your buggy every time you want to take a cosytoe in and out but here is the total genius of the Kiddy Mix n Match footmuff... the cosytoe has a smart velcro-style fastening at the back that allows you to insert the footmuff without any need to faff about with straps at all.  For this reason I am totally in love with my new footmuff.  When Lara was younger we struggled to find a footmuff that would accommodate her long legs but I think that this one has plenty life in it, leg-room wise (and Holly is considerably smaller and slightly shorter than her sister ever was).

You can order a Kiddy footmuff or hand muffs from your local Kiddy retailer.  Follow Kiddy UK on facebook.

A Flying Visit to Kiddy HQ (and a sneaky peek at the new City n Move stroller)

Last week, as part of our epic family road trip across Europe, the Mellow family dropped in to say Hi to our friends at Kiddy headquarters in Hof, Germany. When I first visited Kiddy HQ last summer I knew I had to take Lara and Mr. B. there too (I didn't know that Holly would be with us as well!) - Hof is a beautiful place with a lake and leisure complex of which I am very jealous and exploring the internals of a big car seat and children/baby product manufacturer is a fascinating experience I wanted to share with them.

We spent the night in a hotel by the side of the lake and, in the afternoon we all took a relaxing stroll around the banks of the lake in the warm sunshine. Lara had great fun on the playground and she even stripped off and went for a dip in the lake with all the local children. I must say it did look very inviting.

 

Lara and Holly were both very well behaved when we took our tour of the new Kiddy offices. Lara had never before seen quite so many car seats in one place (and I doubt she ever will again) - thousands and thousands lined up and ready to be sent out to customers. I think Lara was particularly fascinated to see a new Kiddy pushchair being tested using a dummy weight by being pushed down the corridors of the R&D department - it makes your own pushchair seem that more "real" when you know someone somewhere put in the hard work to make it just right.

While we were at Kiddy HQ they introduced me to the new City 'n' Move stroller which will be hitting UK stores very very soon. This is the first time that I have come face to face or hands-on with a Kiddy pushchair and the first thing I noticed was that it felt just as good quality as I expect of their car seats.

The wide array of features and accessories of the City n Move were demonstrated to me. Lots of things that you would pay extra for elsewhere such as a cup holder or a large thick hood that comes all the way down. Perhaps the thing which stood out for me was the fact that when folded, the City n Move stood up on its own. I wish more pushchairs did this!

I'm looking forward to seeing the City n Move in the UK soon. Note: I am a product ambassador for Kiddy - this doesn't mean that I receive payment for blog posts, but it does mean that I receive products for review occasionally. This was the first time I had seen the City n Move.

Buggy Wars - Travel System vs Umbrella Pushchair

I'm beginning to think that there are few UK parents who get through life with a single pushchair. Is there really such a thing these days as a pushchair that will last from birth all the way through childhood? Of my friends and colleagues, I can't think of one person who owns less than two pushchairs, in fact, I know of some who have four or five different brands and types for different occasions.

As one of the most expensive items of baby kit that you have to invest in, most parents spend a lot of time evaluating which brand or model of buggy to buy.; the intention being to only ever buy one. I know we spent hours pouring over catalogues and trying out buggies on the high street before opting for a four-wheel travel system with big chunky wheels. Our decision was partly driven by the convenience of being able to attach the car seat and bassinet to it, partly due to the percieved sturdiness and partly to do with style. We noticed that there are few umbrella pushchairs on the market that are suitable from birth upwards (especially for mums as tall as me).

I loved the travel system to start with but as Lara grew out of the car seat, and out of the pram and we needed to use the main pushchair seat more often, I began to resent it. It was heavy to get in and out of the car and the house and trying to remove the seat from the wheels would often reduce me to tears. When Lara was three months old, we went abroad and couldn't face taking the bulky travel system with us so we bought a second buggy – a lightweight, foldable, umbrella pushchair. Originally it was intended for the odd occasion where we needed more space in our boot, or had to reduce our luggage. Over the months, it has slowly become our primary pushchair (because it just seems easier) until this weekend when we noticed our poor folorn-looking travel system in the garage and decided to give it another shot.

Is it a luxury to be able to have one pushchair for some scenarios, and a different pushchair for other scenarios? Do you wish you had made a different decision when choosing your buggy? What tips would you offer to parents-to-be to help them decide whether they should buy a travel system or a lightweight buggy?

Who Steals A Buggy?

Bugg theft is a real issue for many UK parents. According to recent research from Halifax Home Insurance, there has been a worrying increase in the number of reported buggy thefts as buggies and pushchairs become increasingly expensive and more desirable.

We had to get my parents to help us out with the purchase of a travel system for Lara – it is a big expense. A buggy or travel system can often be the single most expensive item of baby equipment that you buy and with the price of travel systems often pushing through the £500 barrier, it is no surprise that there is a growing black market for second-hand buggies.

I do understand that financial pressures may drive people to buy second-hand buggies from unknown, or disreputable sources but I just can't get into the mind of anyone who would steal a pushchair from a mum or dad. Given the estimated 315,000 buggy thefts per year, people obviously do.



When I am at a park or playground where I have to leave my buggy outside, I often worry about abandoning it because it is tricky to keep an eye on a pushchair and a toddler at the same time. Occasionally, when I visit places such as Legoland where I have no choice but to leave my buggy unattended, I deliberately take my less pricey umbrella pushchair because I am uncomfortable leaving my buggy free for anyone to nab. The Halifax research revealed that at home, or just outside your home was the most common place for your buggy to be nicked, but cafes, shopping centres and car parks also featured highly.

I have been trialling the My Buggy Buddy Lock which is designed to make it harder for thieves to take your buggy. It is a dead simple combination lock that is very fast to apply. I slip it over the main handle bar of my Mothercare Mychoice (it matches the handle wonderfully) or around the frame of my Maclaren. When I have to leave my buggy for even a few moments, I can find somewhere to hook the clip onto, snap it shut and turn the combination. Easy. I've used it on park railings and outside supermarkets but I recently saw someone in a cafe attach their My Buggy Buddy lock to a spare chair while they popped to the baby change – if someone really wanted to steal their Buggaboo then they would have had to take the chair with them!



We also have a My Buggy Buddy Clip which is a similar shape. It is designed as a more sturdy, secure way of attaching bags to your buggy. It won't solve your weight distribution problems but it is certainly a more effective way of clipping shopping to your buggy handles than the little plastic clips you can buy. I didn't find the My Buggy Buddy Clip so much of a lifesaver on my Maclaren because it is actually quite easy to hang bags from the individual handles on this, but with my Mothercare MyChoice which has a single bar across the top, it is a lifesaver. I have always struggled with bags on the handle bar and have tried several brands of plastic clip which all pop off or fall off with the weight of the bag. This buggy clip can't fall off or pop off and I can put it anywhere across the width of the handle bar.



The My Buggy Buggy Lock is available for £8.49 and the My Buggy Buddy Clip for £5.99 from hippychick.com.


Images courtesy of threepipe

5 of the Best - Winter Buggy Cosies and Cosy Toes

Following on from my popular review of summer buggy shades, I thought it would be appropriate right now to review some winter buggy inserts and cosy toes.

These days, many pushchairs and travel systems don't come with cosy toes included. When it comes to buying one, remember you don't HAVE to buy the same brand as your buggy, there are lots of choices out there which are universal buggy inserts. The branded cosytoe on my Mothercare MyChoice almost brings me to tears every time I have to try and put it on so I have been on the lookout for a replacement. Here are my experiences

Wallaboo Footmuff
The Good Bits: It is made from soft microfibre suede on the outside and is snuggly on the inside. Every time we go out in it, people stop us to comment on how great and warm it looks. Its thick and can cope with very cold weather.
The Bad Bits: It is a bit too short for my toddler's legs - perhaps more suited to a smaller baby. It is also so special-looking that I find myself worrying about getting it dirty. I have to take the top part of the Wallaboo off when I fold up my umbrella buggy as it it so big and snuggly that it prevents it from folding properly otherwise.
Price: £69.95
Buy From: Hippychick
Rating: 7/10

Jojo Maman Bebe Polarfleece Buggy Cosy
The Good Bits: It is quite easy to fit to pretty much ANY buggy and of all the cosytoes that I tried, I found it the easiest to zip up around Lara. It was lovely and long and spacious which added to the ease of getting Lara into it.
The Bad Bits: Because of the wonderful length it did get quite dirty at the base (but it was easy to wash). It got wet pretty quickly in the rain.
Price: £24.00
Buy From: Jojo Maman Bebe
Rating: 8/10

Jojo Maman Bebe Reversible Waterproof Fleece Buggy Cosy
The Good Bits: Very much like the Polarfleece Buggy Cosy but with one side of the fabric as a water resistant, wind resistant fabric. We prefered it because it kept dry for longer in the rain (long enough for me to find the raincover or leg it back to the car). It has great length even for Lara's long legs.
The Bad Bits: I found that when the water-resistent fabric was on the outside that the buggy cosy slumped in the buggy when we used it, less so on the fleece side - maybe I just needed to tie it up tighter to the frame of the buggy? It meant we sometimes had to hoike it up when Lara was still sitting inside it! It is still my favourite of the lot though in terms of its wide range of uses and value for money.
Price: £34
Buy From: Jojo Maman Bebe
Rating: 9/10

Morrck Baby Hoodie
The Good Bits: Although it isn't strictly a cosytoe, the Morrck baby hoodie does make a great buggy (or car seat) insert for smaller babies. We liked the soft scrumptious hood and the fact that it easily flaps open and closed and you can wrap your little one up as tight and snug as you fancy!
The Bad Bits: For older children with wiggly legs and flailing arms (like Lara) the wrap doesn't stay wrapped for long.
Price: £35.99
Buy From: Morrck
Rating: 6/10

Concord Hug
The Good Bits: Officially targetted at the Concord Neo buggy, this is an incredibly snuggly 'sleeping bag' that reminds me of the wind-proof sleeping bag my Dad used in the army! It is fleecy on the inside and water/wind resistant on the outside. The Concord sleeping bag is incredibly thick and by using the draw-strings you can really tighten it up around your child like a wintery cocoon! I am pretty certain that it is the warmest of all the cosytoes we tried. My favourite part is that you don't need to undo the buggy straps to get the sleeping bag in and out so it is INCREDIBLY easy to fit.
The Bad Bits: In slightly warmer environments you can unzip from the front (which is far easier than most which are at the side/bottom) BUT the fabric is very thick and rigid and means the sides flap about a bit.
Price: £50 approx.
Buy From: Kiddies Kingdom or Mothercare
Rating: 8/10

A Summer of Buggy Shades Reviewed

Summer is gone. Boo. So why then am I writing an article all about products designed to protect your little ones from the sun? Well, having spent the summer trialling different types of buggy shade, I have lots of experience which is fresh in my head and now seems like to right time to pass this knowledge on to anyone who is planning a purchase for a winter sun holiday. I'll also remind you all next spring when you might be planning to purchase something for the summer months ahead.

We have tried three different brands of buggy shade over the summer on our two totally different buggies. In case you're interested, we own a Maclaren Triumph and a Mothercare MyChoice.


The Shade-A-Babe

We bought the Shade-A-Babe this time last year for a mediterranean trip. Even then, when Lara was just 3 months old, her little legs rubbed against the harsh fabric over her knees. We bought it because of its UPF50+ sun protection and because it claimed to fit all buggies, ever. It does this through use of extra-long velcro loops which you trim to size; this is all very well but if you, like us, have to swap it between buggies which require two different sizes of velcro, you can't really trim them and they end up flapping around all over the place.

The Shade-A-Babe is the easiest to get your child in and out of as it has a big zip-up opening. It also has an extra level of sun protection over your child's face and it is the only buggy shade we have tried which is genuinely long enough to cover the full length of the Maclaren pushchair. The Shade-a-babe is bulky and the pushchair won't fold with it on so we got very stressed having to put it on and off all the time.

The Shade-a-Babe costs around £30 and they also make them in different colours and sizes to fit double buggies.



The Snoozeshade

The Snoozeshade sells itself more as a mobile blackout blind than a sun shade. It is full length buggy cover that offers UPF50+ sun protection.

We loved the fact that the Snoozeshade is made from a soft elasticated fabric because it was gentler on the legs when/if they rubbed and because it was easy to stretch over the buggy. It is also a lot more compact than the Shade-a-babe and can be folded up into its own little carry case.

We found the (fixed-length) velcro tabs a lot easier to fit and as such, it is more more appealing for when you know you are going to have to take the cover on and off frequently. We were a little disappointed that the Snoozeshade didn't quite reach to the bottom of the pushchair - it looked like it would be a better fit on a pushchair with a slight angled shape to it and it worked well when the MyChoice was in pram-mode.

The Snoozeshade has a very small peek-hole which zips up - I think I'd rather have a bigger opening in case I need to quickly get to my child.

The Snoozeshade costs around £20.



The Kurtis Baby Peace

I recently reviewed the Kurtis Baby Peace on The Family Panel. I liked it but I came to the conclusion that it is much better suited to a pram than a pushchair and that it wasn't very good value for money given the short amount of time that your baby will spend in a pram.

The Baby Peace is much easier to use than the other two shades because it doesn't require you to mess about with velcro. You simply clip the 100% organic cotton cover onto the roof of your buggy using plastic shower-curtain-esque rings. The Baby Peace looks great, offers the same UPF5-+ protection and is less cumbersome than the other two. It is incredibly easy just to push it to one side if you need to reach in to tend your child but it isn't really long enough for use on an upright pushchair.

The Baby Peace costs around £30 and would make a great luxury gift for a newborn.



None of these buggy shades is 100% right for our needs. There is no single one I would say 'yes', that's the one I recommend. I feel they are all lacking a little and could evolve a bit more. In terms of value for money and general ease of use, I tend to prefer the Snoozeshade for a pushchair. In terms of quality and looks, the Baby Peace is my favourite for a pram.