All-terrain pushchairs: full test results
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Alu-rax Libra
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 Manufacturer:
Alu-rax
Price: £199.99 including hood/sun canopy, shopping
basket, foot muff, raincover, carry case and two-position seat.
Suitability: From birth.
Features: All-terrain buggy with two-position seatback,
hood with viewing window, five-point harness, bell and wrist
safety strap.
Weight and dimensions: 7kg, 50cm wide x 148cm long
Stockists: Tel. 01440 710414 www.alu-rax.com
Accessories: Handbrake, £19.99; baby nest, £69.99; coordinating changing bag, £49.99. Other Alu-rax models allow for
a carrycot attachment.
Parents’ comments:
Very lightweight so easy to lift into car or over stiles.
Versatile: 12-inch wheel good on rough ground and fine around
shops.
Very practical – fabric dries out quickly, mud brushes off
effortlessly and covers remove for washing.
Easy to manoeuvre.
Bell and carry case are novel but were used very little.
Easily adjustable seat back but does not fully recline so not
ideal for a very newborn.
Compact when folded but doesn’t hold itself shut which can be
annoying.
Quite narrow for a large child but generally comfortable with a
softened rubber footrest.
No handbrake, and footbrake to one wheel only.
Babyworld verdict: A good value, very light, useful all-rounder. Minimal frills but works well in most situations, is
practical and tough.
Score: 
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Mountain
Buggy Mountain Terrain
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Manufacturer:
Mountain Buggy (UK)
Price: £345, including sun canopy/hood and shopping rack.
Suitability: From birth.
Features: All-terrain buggy with fully reclining two-position
seatback, hood with viewing window and five-point harness.
Weight and dimensions: 8 kg, 58cm wide x 110cm long
Stockists: Tel 01276 502 587 www.mountainbuggy.com
Accessories available: Rain cover, £35; shade extender,
£15.99; travel bag; £49.99; handle bar extender, £26.50; foot
muffs/liners, from £52.90; handbrake, £18.99; car seat clip, £32.50;
clip-on carrycot, £143.99.
Parents’ comments:
Excellent for manoeuvring. Moved well in town, along the beach and across
country.
Very light and effortless to push even when jogging.
Straightforward to open and collapse.
12-inch wheel size makes buggy more manageable when collapsed.
Quite
flat and compact when collapsed but no lock to secure it.
Metal footrest is easy to clean but is quite hard – could do with some
rubber/plastic padding.
Grill
style basket is quite roomy and accessible, but means anything inside
gets dirty on rough or dirty terrain.
A
lot of accessories are available and will add to the pushchair's
versatility, but add significantly to the already high cost.
Minimal suspension makes this quite a bumpy ride for a newborn.
Babyworld verdict: This is a good all-rounder, all-terrain
buggy. It is pretty expensive, especially if you add in any accessories
but it is light and easy to use. It has the advantages of a heavyweight
off-road pushchair without being to cumbersome for use around town.
Score
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Cosatto Cygnet Pacer
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 Manufacturer: Cosatto
Price: £200, including three-position seat, sun canopy/hood with
viewing window, footmuff, mesh shopping basket, rain cover, carry bag,
tyre pump and wrist strap.
Suitability: From birth.
Features: All-terrain buggy with fully-reclining three-position
backrest, hood with viewing window, five-point harness, multi-position
adjustable handle, hand and foot brakes, Sally Gunnell signature logo.
Accessories available: All included.
Weights and dimensions: 9.4kg, 63cm wide x 120cm long
Stockists: Tel. 01268 722811 www.cosatto.com
Parents’ comments:
Superb value for money.
A very comprehensive package – lots of good quality
accessories.
Excellent hood gives good protection and snug, cosy finish.
12-inch wheels work effectively on rough ground but are also
practical around town.
Very easy one-hand assemble and collapse mechanism. Can lock
securely in folded position.
Excellent, well-fitting raincover, with opening child’s viewing
flap.
Included foot muff, fully reclining seatback and protective sides
and hood make this the snuggest for a newborn or very young baby.
Hand-washable covers.
Adjustable handle height allows people of different heights to use this pushchair in comfort.
Solid and robust but quite heavy – especially if you plan to
lift in and out of the car regularly.
Babyworld verdict: This is definitely the one to choose if you want to use an all-terrain buggy when your baby is very young. The large number of good
quality accessories makes this excellent value. It's a very snug and
practical pushchair.
Score: 
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Little Green Earthlets Joggeroo
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 Manufacturer: Little Green Earthlets
Price: £375, including sun canopy/hood, rain cover and shopping
basket.
Suitability: From four months.
Features: All-terrain buggy with one-position seat, sun canopy/hood
with viewing window, basket, five-point harness and hand brake.
Designed for one-handed folding.
Accessories available: Foot muff, from £35; liner, £19.99.
Weights and dimensions: 8.85kg, 62cm wide x 124cm long.
Stockists: Tel. 01825 873301.
Parents comments:
Large 16-inch wheels are excellent for very rough terrain, including
going up
hills, down bumpy lanes and through mud.
Feels very light and easy to manoeuvre.
Very easy to collapse with one hand.
Covers remove and are machine-washable.
Good suspension for a smoother ride.
Seat is comfortable but recline position does not adjust.
The included raincover is useful but not the neatest fit.
Quite bulky when collapsed but wheels do remove easily to make
it more compact.
Basket fits below seat and gets very muddy so isn’t terribly
practical.
Long and wide – not great in town.
Babyworld verdict: This was excellent for true cross-country use and gave a fun,
smooth ride through the roughest of countryside. Very simple to
collapse and machine-washable covers are ideal on this type of
pushchair.
Score 
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Out 'n' About 10K
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 Manufacturer: Out ‘n’ About
Price: £260, including sun canopy, storage pouch and raincover.
Suitability: From birth.
Features: All-terrain pushchair with reclining seat, sun-canopy
with viewing window, storage pouch, safety wrist strap and five-point
harness.
Available accessories: Newborn support, £15; seat-liner/cosy toes,
£40.
Weights and dimensions: 7 k,. 63cm wide x 134cm long.
Stockists: Tel. 01234 772631 www.outnabout-atp.co.uk
Parents' comments:
Large 16-inch wheels excellent for very rough cross-country
terrain – coped with anything, no problem.
Comfy – child fell asleep every outing.
Good suspension so child is not bounced about too severely.
Excellent solid plastic footrest with small front mudguard –
very practical and ideal for a child in muddy boots.
Storage basket is strung high at the back of the pushchair so it's accessible and kept clean in all terrains.
Tough, hard-wearing fabric but wipe clean only.
Brakes work well but require two separate actions for each
wheel. No handbrake option.
Bulky when collapsed and not freestanding.
Not good around town.
Babyworld verdict: This is a true rough terrain pushchair
that can
cope with just about anything but is not practical around town because
it is too long and wide for ease use around shops. A fair price if you
intend a lot of cross-country use.
Score: 
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Easylife Sport
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Manufacturer: Easylife
Price: £320, includes raincover, parcel tray, sun canopy/hood, all
over sun shade, car seat clip, co-ordinating back pack.
Suitability: From birth.
Features: All-terrain pushchair with two-position seat, lockable
front swivel wheel, hood with viewing window, wrist strap.
Available accessories: Foot muff, £37.50; travel bag, £45.
Weights and dimensions: 11kg, 68cm wide x 95cm long.
Stockists: Tel. 0800 917 8605 www.easylives.co.uk
Parents' comments:
A good wide seat – ideal for a larger child.
12-inch wheels work well. Swivel option adds versatility and
improves ease of use on some terrains.
Very firm, easy-to-use crossbar footbrake.
Car seat strap is included so you can use your car seat (check
compatibility) with the chassis.
Robust, solid construction.
Very comprehensive sunshade and raincover – both work well for
all-over weather protection.
Compact when folded but doesn’t have a securing lock.
Seat reclines but is not completely flat.
Takes a while to work out the collapse and assemble mechanism,
but once you are familiar with it, it becomes quite straight forward.
Heavy.
Babyworld verdict: This is a roomy and tough pushchair which is
solid and hard-wearing enough to stand plenty of knocks and bumps. It
is, however, pretty heavy and not ideal if you are likely to lift it in
and out of a car regularly.
Score
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