Maclaren Quest

This pram saved my life! Well, let's not exaggerate, this pram saved my back! I bought a Bugaboo travel system when my baby was born, and it was perfect for her when she was a newborn as the carrycot was very comfortable. Even when we converted the carrycot into the reclined seat, she still liked sitting in it and we still enjoyed wheeling it around.

But as baby got heavier and heavier, the combined weight of the Bugaboo and baby just got the better of me and so I bought a Maclaren Quest to complement the Bugaboo. At 5.5kg, the Maclaren Quest weighs less than my growing baby, so I find that I can even carry baby in one arm and the pram in the other (not that I would ever need to do this!). The light weight of the pram is a major plus as it's easy to even wheel up and down stairs, something I've found extremely daunting with my Bugaboo.

Because the pram is light and can also be folded quite compactly, it is a perfect travel companion as who wants to struggle with all that luggage plus a heavy bulky pram while managing baby at the same time?

Another good thing about the pram is that it is very easy to wheel around. It is in no way flimsy, and it is actually surprising how sturdy it is despite the light weight. The only thing I can find wrong with the small wheels is that when the roads are bumpy, the baby gets rattled a lot more than compared with the Bugaboo where two of the wheels are very large. As such, if I know that I will be going on bumpy or bad roads, I prefer not to use the Maclaren Quest.

The pram seat itself is comfortable and with the footmuff (which unfortunately is an extra), my baby seems quite happy strapped into it. The seat itself can be reclined and the mechanism is very easy to work. However, the lowest position is about a 45 degree angle. This prevents my baby from having a comfortable sleep unfortunately, which means that I am restricted to using the Maclaren Quest for short trips in between naps. Also, the seat is quite low and as such I don't like bringing the baby in the Maclaren Quest onto dirt roads. The dirt gets stirred up and the baby winds up getting dirty and inevitably breathes the dust in.

When I was doing my research on the internet, I have read that the brake is one of the worst features of the Maclaren Quest - unreliable, difficult to operate and prone to breaking easily. I've found this all to be true, but as I've never allowed myself to just rely on the brakes of a pram without hanging onto the pram tightly all the time, I don't find this problem something that makes me lose sleep over.

The rain cover that comes with the pram is very compact - literally a sheet which fastens onto 4 metal knobs. It makes the pram look very neat even with the rain cover on and it folds neatly into the back pocket of the pram when not in use.

The shopping basket is really difficult to use as I find it hard to get things in and out of it. There is however a small pocket at the back of the pram which I find extremely handy. I can stuff a lightweight blanket, my mobile phone and a bottle of water all into it without a problem.

One of the wonderful things about the Maclaren Quest is that it is very easy to fold. Anybody can do it, can with some skill and practice, can do it one-handedly! It was a refreshing change from trying to disassemble the Bugaboo, which can take up to 20 minutes. Because I can fold and unfold the Quest in lightning speed, there is hardly any time for my baby to get impatient or grouchy - something that could make the difference between a really good day and a really bad day as all new mums know!

Ultimately, the Maclaren Quest is not a pram for newborns. The baby has to be able to hold her head relatively well as the seat does not recline fully. Also, the seat faces forward (rather than faces you) and thus isn't very suitable as young babies like to see their mummies. However, as a later stage pram, it is fantastic, particularly since it can last till the baby is about 4 years old. As a result, even though it is relatively expensive for a lightweight pram, it is worth every penny. And for busy tired mums like me, the best thing about it is that I didn't have to pour over the manual to figure out how it works!