Read on for a Sola pushchair review... the buggy I recently opted for with the birth of my first baby!
When I first started to look at purchasing a pushchair for my new addition to the family, I was kind of overwhelmed by the amount of choices there were available. Should I go for a pushchair, a travel system, separates... so much variety!
What Do I Want?!
I had a few pre-requisites in mind before making my purchase. I wanted a fairly lightweight pushchair, I wanted one that could fit a carseat on to the frame (not on top of the buggy part) and I wanted a car seat with isofix compatibility. I wasn't asking much, but it seemed quite hard to find a system that met my wants.
I do really like the Mamas and Papas baby equipment. A lot of my family have used various pieces from them in the past, and always have excellent opinions of them.
What is Isofix?
For those of you who don't know about isofix, it stands for "International Standards Organisation FIX." It's basically a standard for fitting car seats into cars, and most later models of cars now have isofix.
I have it in the back seats of my car, and it looks like 2 large metal hooks, where the base of the seat meets the back. If you want to read a bit more about isofix, there's some good info here on the childcarseats page.
Visiting A Store
I decided to visit a local store which sold various buggies and travel systems to see what felt good. When you are making this kind of purchase, I really believe that you should have a try of it before you buy, and not just buy it online. I spotted the Sola pushchair from Mamas and Papas, and I liked the feel of it. In store, they only had the green model, but the purple was more appealing to me.
Now, the matching car seat (The Cybex Aton) did not have isofix, so I didn't really want to go for it. But I was informed that other car seats in the Mamas and Papas range were compatible with the frame of this buggy, and other car seats were also isofix compatible. I was directed to the Primo Viaggio range of car seats, and I ended up going for this one. I just had to buy 2 little adapters from Mamas and Papas and the car seat now fits on to the buggy base.
The Sola Pushchair Review
I love the Sola pushchair! I just purchased the pushchair itself, and didn't bother with a carry cot. I already have a Moses basket for using at home, so I didn't really see the point in going for the Sola carry cot.
The Sola pushchair is really easy to use, it's light and versatile. I find it very easy to steer, whether I am walking down the street or flying round Tescos. The pushchair folds up nice and tight and fits well in the boot of my car. The handle is easily adjusted too, so we can put it higher when my taller partner is wheeling the pram.
I also like how the buggy can face both ways. I currently only have the baby pointing at me, but when she is a bit older, I am sure I will use the forward-facing option too.
The Primo Viaggio Car Seat Review
The Primo Viaggio car seat is also really handy. I love how I can just pop the baby in the car seat and then click it into the Isofix base. I don't have to become a contortionist and fuss around with trying to wrap a seatbelt around the car seat. The only problem I have with the setup is that it makes a little bit of a clicking noise when driving, but I can live with that.
Conclusion
Since I purchased the pushchair, I have since joined which online only to find that they also do comprehensive reviews of pushchairs and travel systems. I wish I had used that reference when making my decision!
I know you can buy a complete travel system for around £100 or £150. I spent quite a bit extra in buying the Sola pushchair and all the accoutrements, but I am more than pleased with my purchase. As it is my first baby, I wanted to get a specific type of pushchair, as I will be using it for a few years, and maybe even for a second child in the future...!
And I will finish off with a personal photo of mine, it's the Sola pushchair in action, holding my little baby Maya!
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