When I found out I was pregnant, I researched all the different pushchairs that were available. There were lots of options, but we decided to go for the Hauck InfinityTravel System in Espirit Water (blue/grey/red colours) which comprised the chassis, carrycot component, pushchair seat, footmuff and matching changing bag. This cost us £179 from a wellknown online baby store.
Our decision was based on several factors. Firstly, Hauck is a well known German brand, noted for its quality products at affordable prices. I also liked the look of the puschair as it resembles the far more expensive, but very pretty Bugaboo.
The pushchair weighs 12kgs and seemed perfect for our impractical London 2nd floor flat as we needed something that would navigate stairs (we lock the pushchair up in the lobby but need it to navigate the 5 outdoor steps).
We bought the pushchair 2 months before our baby was born. We have used it from as soon as he was born, although not all that often. We started off with the carrycot component as with a new baby, until they are approx 3-6 months it is better for them to be in a pushchair or pram that they can lie flat in so that their spine develops normally and is not exposed to unnatural pressure. The carrycot clips onto the chassis frame quite easily although it is not easy to do with a baby inside as you have to tip it down to lock it onto the chassis. The carrycot comes with a built in handle/hood which I found less than practical as you can't grasp it well and outer waterproof covers, mattress base. All fabrics are washable and clip on and off of the carrycot skeleton.
We switched to the pushchair component at 5 months as he was getting nosey and this allows him to look around. The pushchair seat can be placed looking out, looking towards mummy or daddy and the angle can be changed to lie completely flat to almost upright. This is done with a little lever on the back. The pushchair seat comes with washable fabrics, a little rain hood (not a full rain cover) through which you can see your baby and lots of safety clips and catches to ensure bubba is fully secured. The pushchair, like the carrycot, clips easily onto the chassis frame.
The chassis comes with a basket attached. I found this extremely impractical with either carrycot or puschair attached as it is very hard to access, obstructed by both pieces and extremely small. I feel like it is hardly worth having a basket as you can't put anything useful in there like shopping and is only suitable for the tiniest of objects. The basket does detach and can be washed and clips back on easily.
The chassis itself is really the core of the product. It has two large back wheels which makes it suitable for rough terrain and going up steps. The front wheels are small and swivel and can be locked into a forward only direction at the push of a switch.
The pushchair is described as 'lighweight' although at 12kgs, I didn't find it so lightweight, especially when you need to move it and carry baby at the same time.
The pushchair is easy to manoeuver and is fairly smooth. The handle has several height settings for taller or smaller people at the click of a button.
The pushchair folds by pulling up and pressing in a button and lever on one side of the chassis arm. This folds the puschair relatively easily. According to Hauck, it can be folded with the pushchair component still in place. However, even when folded it is quite big and it does not fit into our car boot whole. We have to disassemble it by removing ALL four wheels which can be arduous and annoying as planning is always required and an empty boot is always necessary. The handle clips over the folded chassis to secure it down. I always struggle with this as it can be quite stiff. The wheels do detach easily and can be reinserted by clicking them into place in a few seconds.
I find folding the pushchair for boot storage the worst part of this item and there have been several times when I have spent 20 minutes or more struggling trying to dismantle the pushchair so that it fits in the boot of our car, it is very bulky, even with wheels removed and unless you have a huge boot you need to manoever the chassis around several times before it fits in. For our ordinary, average size Skoda boot, it is a nightmare, especially when you have a crying baby and lots of shopping. The least practical thing you could want for a prospective pushchair and the main reason why this gets one star.
After using this for 5 months, 3 of the screws holding the handle in place became loose and one fell out whilst I was out shopping and the pushchair started to fall apart literally whilst I was pushing bubba across the road. I did not find the screw so had to buy a wingnut screw from a local hardware shop so that I could make it home.
When I contacted Hauck regarding this, they were less than helpful and fairly aggressive. They eventually sent me some replacement screws free of charge, but not until I had spoken to several different people several times.
Would I recommend this pushchair? I don't think I would. Although it has its good points, I think there are better pushchairs out there and I am no longer convinced of its sturdiness or durability. It is certainly not the most practical of pushchairs. I do not find it very pracitcal and for me it didn't live up to its reputation elsewhere on the net. I am off out to buy a cheap but cheerful Maclaren, that weighs half as much and is umbrella fold, so no struggling to put it in a small boot :)))
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Gosh I've only ever heard fab things about the Infinity as its so versatile, although I've never owned one myself. But its good to read the other side of it... not every buggy suits everyone and its awful that it fell apart.
Nice review.
Oct 4th, 2007
very helpful by (100%):
