BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity Stroller review

Tested by

Jo is a first time mum to a 13-week old baby and lives in central London. She tested the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity whilst travelling around the city, including on public transport.

City life can be overwhelming, so Jo regularly heads out to the countryside in the car, where she was able to test the Oyster Zero on a variety of different terrains.

What were your first impressions of the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity stroller?

The Oyster Zero Gravity stroller comes neatly packaged in one box, with the seat already attached. Only the wheels and bumper bar needed to be added before it was ready to use.

I loved the mustard fabric which felt bright and colourful and not a colour I’ve seen on many other prams.

How easy is the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity to assemble?

The Oyster Zero Gravity comes folded, but I have to be honest, it took me around 15 minutes to find the release button to open it!

I felt that the instruction booklet was far too simple and the photographs needed to be much clearer for each stage. This experience was similar to that of MFM parent tester Katie, who found the instructions “very vague” and the pictures “unclear”.

Once I’d finally located the button, however, the stroller popped open really easily. Katie explained that she “felt a bit deflated when did finally sort it out, as the process could have been sped up if the instructions were clearer”. I have to agree!

Can the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity be used as a travel system?

Yes. The Oyster Zero Gravity is an all-in-one system that has an optional carrycot for newborns and adaptors that allow you to slot in a car seat. The complete travel system set costs £599.

However, switching between the different modes isn't the easiest. Removing and reattaching the pushchair stroller seat was very fiddly with straps, poppers and rods to locate and undo/redo as required. It’s certainly not very intuitive and isn’t something you’d want to do in a hurry, but it’s not often you'd need to swap between the two.

Once you get used to the complicated system of poppers and rods to slide the pushchair seat into the frame it becomes much quicker and smoother, but it’s still not straightforward.

The Oyster Zero Gravity can fit its own branded car seat (which can be purchased separately or as part of a travel package) but I loved the fact it’s also compatible with some other brands of car seat such as Maxi Cosi Pebble 360 – the brand that I have.

The carrycot was easy to put together though, with three bars that you pull up to hold the frame in place and a simple clip handle at the front of the carrycot to clip it on and off.

What do you think of the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity carrycot?

Especially when you consider the price, the carrycot felt pretty sturdy and the fabric is tough and durable. The carrycot comes flat and has three collapsible bars that you lift to hold the sides up and then collapse to store or transport. I noticed you could feel the three bars slightly under the bassinet mattress, but my daughter didn’t seem to notice when she was lying in it.

The hood for the carrycot doubles as the bar you use you lift it which is nifty. My only criticism is that the hood didn’t stay in place very well unless it was clicked fully open or fully reclined.

It has a rain hood that just stretches over the carrycot and doesn’t need zipping or attaching with poppers, so it’s easy to use in a hurry.

At 4.3kg, the carrycot was light to lift compared to some more expensive pram brands, which made it easier to get in and out of the car and I don’t feel like it compromised the comfort or quality. It measures D76cm x W42cm (at the centre) x H64 cm, and is recommended from birth to 9kg in weight.

MFM parent tester Katie however did say “It would be handy to have a slightly larger carrycot as it is quite snug already for our newborn.”

How easy is the carrycot to add on/take off the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

The carrycot clipped easily into the frame and was released with a handle at the end. It was light and simple to use. It also felt like a generous width (42cm) so our daughter could flail her arms around a bit (something she seems to enjoy doing!).

How easy is the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair to fold?

Once you can locate the release button (which really isn’t as simple as you’d expect) it’s easy to open the stroller and it's particularly easy to close again.

To close it, you press two foot pedals and it folds neatly in half on its own (hence the gravity name) – you don't need to grapple with any complicated mechanism. Even with the pushchair seat attached, it still folds neatly. You can use the bumper bar as a handle to lift it into the car or pop it over your shoulder to lift it up and down escalators. At 8.5kg, it’s easily light enough to do this.

The views on the fold do seem to vary considerably between reviewers however, MFM awards judge Jenny said the Zero Gravity was “lovely to unfold but I don’t really like how it is a three-step process to fold it. It took me a few tries”. Fellow judge Christy also had to use the manual as it wasn’t intuitive, but agreed “once you know, it’s pretty simple”. She also found it occasionally fell over once folded.

How compact is the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair once folded?

Once folded, all the elements are pretty flat and easy to store. The pushchair seat was almost flat once detached and folded away. Measuring 68cmx59cmx28cm once folded, it's small enough to keep in the hall or boot of your car without taking up valuable shopping space. MFM parent tester Katie described it as “a dream if you own a small car” saying she had no problem fitting it in her car boot. MFM awards judge Jenny did point out however that it “would be nice if it was freestanding” when folded.

How easy is the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair to carry?

At just 8.5kg, the Oyster Zero Gravity is comfortable to carry for short distances and handy for travel. I was able to lift it into the car boot more easily than the heavy Silver Cross that I normally use, but it’s not as light as other portable strollers on the market such as the Ergobaby Metro+ (7.8kg). That said, it’s more sturdy and is more of an all-in-one, birth to toddler product, so I feel that the weight was worth it for such a multi-functional product.

How easy is the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity to push and steer on different terrain?

I was pleasantly surprised with how manoeuvrable the Oyster Zero Gravity was. It was easy to push one-handed and steered well. I tried it along a path ridden with potholes and it held up well considering it is a lightweight option. The front wheels have a locking function meaning you can have them free moving like a normal pram/troller but you can also lock them into a forward-facing position, which I believe is designed for pushing over grass and fields.

Personally, I found the wheel lock a bit pointless as it restricted the steering too much. Going into a café I managed to get it easily through a narrow door, even without the front wheels being locked. It felt nice and compact. Nipping around the city was easy as it handled tight corners and it was light enough to lift up and down kerbs.

MFM awards judge Georgina found the Zero Gravity “steers really nicely even with a heavier child”, however it's worth noting that MFM parent tester Katie disagreed and found it was “incredibly difficult to do a tight turn unless you tip it onto its back wheels.”

Is the handlebar adjustable on the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

One of the few frustrations I had was that you can’t adjust the height of the buggy/pram handle.

I am 5’8 with long arms and found it too high, so I imagine if you were more petite, it may feel quite awkward to push. It certainly wouldn’t be a deal-breaker for me, but it’s a shame there wasn’t an option to raise or lower it.

As a result of the handlebar being in a fixed position, I found my body was too close to the chassis when I walked and I kept kicking the back break bar with my feet.

The handle is a solid grey rubber feel and it’s comfortable, but perhaps not as padded as some of the more expensive buggies on the market.

How did the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair perform on public transport?

As an avid user of trains and buses as well as the tube, I found the Oyster Zero Gravity much easier to get on and off carriages and buses than my usual, more expensive Silver Cross pram.

Because it was lighter it was easy to lift the front wheels, while the sturdier back wheels helped it feel balanced at the same time. The locking front wheels should come into their own in theory on public transport to get the chair on straight, but I found it was too tricky to lock them into place and easier to just leave them unlocked.

What’s the chassis like on the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

The frame is sturdy and durable. It didn’t scratch easily and had a nice matt black finish. It’s simple but practical.

What do you think of the seat unit?

I need to caveat this answer with an admission that my daughter at 13 weeks is a bit young for the stroller/pushchair seat, although I did put her in it whilst in the reclining position to try it out. I found it frustrating that the seat only faces outwards rather than having the option to look at your child.

It’s certainly a generously sized seat and the tough mustard fabric was adequately padded for a stroller, although it does have quite a flat seat. What does let it down though is the recline function. It’s just about possible to let it down into the reclining position one-handed, but when you want to push it back up again you need both hands – you have to feed a fabric loop through a clip to get it back up to the seated position. This is not convenient when you’re on the move and have your hands full.

This view was shared with other reviewers, with MFM award judges Jenny, Georgina and Christy all agreeing that despite it being “very wide and spacious” the seat was very hard and not well padded.

What’s the hood like on the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

The extendable hood is made from SPF50 fabric and has the option to pull right down over the chair which I liked. It’s all attached to the frame with poppers so that you can fully detach it if you wish, but that was a bit fiddly to do.

The hood was a popular feature with other MFM parent testers, with awards judge Georgina loving the fact it “covers the whole child” and you can “raise the hood for a taller child.”

MFM parent tester Katie felt that the hood was the Zero Gravity’s best feature, with its “UV protection and large size”.

What are the wheels like on the Babystyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

The wheels were sturdy compared to other lightweight strollers I have used. The two back wheels are bigger than the front and handled a muddy, hole-ridden canal path with ease.

How good are the brakes?

The brake is large and super easy to locate, being in the middle of the footbar at the back. It felt very secure once locked in position.

How big is the basket on the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

The no-frills basket is surprisingly spacious for a foldable stroller/pram. I have a large changing backpack and it fitted very comfortably. The mesh fabric felt strong and secure.

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

• Carry cot
• Footmuff
• Adaptors to switch between bassinet, car seat and pushchair seat
• Oyster Capsule Infant Car Seat

The Oyster Zero Gravity Travel System, £599, includes the pushchair, raincover, carry cot, car seat and adapters, while the Luxury Travel System, £799, includes these plus an isofix base, footmuff and changing bag.

Who is the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair most suitable for?

This is a fantastic budget all-rounder if you’re looking for an all-in-one system that is easy to store and transport. It’s great for city dwellers but is also sturdy enough for those who want something to handle slightly rougher terrain. A brilliant no-frills option if you want one product that will see you through for a few years, without taking up too much space.

How does the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity compare to other pushchairs on the market?

Where can I buy the BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity pushchair?

BabyStyle Oyster Zero Gravity is available from Direct4Baby and Little Angels Prams.

MadeForMums Verdict:

A compact and lightweight stroller which handles varied terrain, but is perhaps more suited for shorter journeys due to its lightly padded seat. It's an affordable option which still delivers on style and functionality, and would make a fantastic city runaround.