Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel 3-in-1 Travel System review

We tested whether its quality and functionality were also on par with more established brands.

Tested by

Father-of-2, Luke, tested the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel 3-in-1 travel system with his 2-year-old daughter and 6-month-old son. He put it through its paces in carrycot, stroller and car seat modes, in varying situations from pavements and parks to grass and gravel.

What were your first impressions of the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel?

Premium, high-end and quality. From the packaging to the ease of putting this together, everything felt like it had been designed and engineered to really high standards.

The metals are light, plastics are strong and materials soft, supportive yet tough – and they’re stain resistant.

How is it the Infababy Ultimo different to the brand’s Primo travel system?

The main difference is that the Ultimo is built for all terrain whereas the Primo is more designed for city use. The Primo is also designed as a compact buggy, and our MFM reviewer said of the Primo that she was worried her child might grow out of it too soon. The Ultimo, in contrast, is very generous in size.

The Primo folds much smaller to dimensions of 28cm x 63cm x 57cm (with the seat attached), versus the Ultimo’s 34cm x 62cm x 95cm (chassis only), so they are aimed at very different markets.

Another difference is the use of eco-leather in the Ultimo finish, whereas the Primo features quilted linen and also offers the option of a bling gold chassis finish.

How does the Infababy Ultimo compare to other travel systems you have tried?

The Ultimo’s ease of use is its big feature. While other pushchairs might have fiddly harnesses, the Ultimo’s is simple and easy. The Ultimo also feels very high-end in terms of build quality, with chunky wheels that cope well with any surface, even off-road.

Some others – at a similar price range – are rickety and have wheels that would clog and get stuck if you even went on a bit of wet grass. This unit is reassuringly supportive, just what you need when you’ve got a million and one other things to think about.

What age is the Ultimo suitable for?

The Ultimo is suitable for newborns with the carrycot, and the toddler seat can take up to 22kg, which is the equivalent to an average 4 year old. The car seat can also be used from birth and has padding that can be removed as your child grows. It’s a Group 0+ carseat suitable up to 13kg. The pushchair is generous in size and feels like it would last for a number of years. It has got plenty of width, and the footrest folds down to allow for longer legs too.

Does it come with a carrycot?

The Ultimo comes with a carrycot that is suitable for newborns until 6 months (or until your baby is sitting up). The mattress is thick and soft, but the inner lining sits quite loosely, attached by two bits of velcro. This feels like it wastes a lot of the carrycot as it doesn’t go all the way to the edges.

Also the leg cover is fixed by elastic so is a bit of a faff if you want to remove it quickly – a zip fastening might have been better.

A handy feature is that the carrycot has support feet to help free standing and it is slightly banked to keep your baby's head raised to help with reflux.

Is it easy to assemble the Ultimo 3-Wheel?

This part is really straight forward. Initially the instructions look very wordy with small font and few pictures. But when you start building, it’s all very straight forward, you only need to clip together the wheels and the handle for the carrycot.

The carrycot is the longest build time as it requires the inner, the mattress and the cover – but even that only takes minutes. The whole process, from opening the box to having it all built, is literally 10 to 15 minutes.

Is the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel’s seat unit comfortable and spacious enough?

The main seat is big enough for the suggested 22kg or 4-year age limit, although you might have to remove the seat liner as your child grows. The lining is great for smaller children that are just upgrading to the seat. Another nice touch is a button at the top back of the seat that allows you to recline it with one hand very easily.

The bumper bar that goes over the child’s lap did feel a little snug. While this is good for safety and for your child to grab onto, it can make putting their legs in a little difficult.

How many recline positions are there on the seat?

The seat has 3 recline positions and is very easy to adjust one-handed with the release button at the back of the seat.

How is interacting with your child when in the Infababy Ultimo?

The hood has a peekaboo window that allows you to check in with your child without leaning over. It’s useful to check if they’ve got sun on them when you’re on the move, or to see whether they have dropped off for a nap.

What do you think of the hood?

It’s great that the hood has a peekaboo window, and it also provides really good cover when extended, almost totally covering a smaller child. The action of moving it is easy and feels solid, all moving smoothly, rather than in stages like on a Silver Cross, for example.

How do you fold the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel?

The fold system is pretty straight forward:

• Put on the brake.
• Remove the seat, carrycot or car seat using the side buttons. Or leave attached in the case of the seat.
• Pull the two levers just below the handle and push the whole unit forward into a fold.
• The lock engages automatically.

It’s super simple to do, even with the seat attached. In fact, leaving the seat on makes it easier to transport as the handle is there to help carry the whole unit.

How compact is the Ultimo when folded and unfolded?

The Ultimo certainly isn’t the smallest folding pushchair, as it’s a big unit to start with. Its folded dimensions (with the seat removed) are 62cm x 34cm x 95cm. So even when folded the frame is long. However, it does stand up when folded, allowing you to stash it in a cupboard easily.

Some other buggies with large wheels, like many iCandy models, are still wide when folded up due to the wheels. With the Ultimo, that slenderness is great, presuming you have enough depth or width in the boot of your car to fit that.

Does it fit in the boot of your car?

For most car boots this should fit if you place it in sideways. You’ll need to have an estate or a large SUV to be able to load the Ultimo in lengthwise and have some more room to the side.

If you have the seat still attached when folded down you will likely need to remove the parcel shelf in some cases to make sure you have enough height.

How lightweight is the Infababy Ultimo?

The aluminium frame is light, as are the air filled wheels, but the Ultimo is large so there is some heft here, and chassis and seat combined weigh 13kg. This is quite standard for a large travel system, but there are certainly lighter options out there, such as the Bugaboo Fox 2 (9.9kg). You can easily carry the Ultimo short distances and load it into the car without too much trouble. Just don’t expect to go far, as this doesn’t come with a carry handle so will mean you need to use grip strength and a bit of a lean to hold it.

This, again, is where that folded height could be an issue for anyone shorter who will have to raise their arms high to hold it off the ground when upright.

How easy is the Ultimo 3-Wheel to push and steer?

The 3-wheel design makes the Ultimo super simple to steer and push. From bumping up kerbs to zipping round on the spot in tight supermarkets, this can do it all easily. That front wheel is really, really well greased so it’ll flip and roll to suit any terrain without you putting in much effort at all.

What do you think of the wheels?

The wheels are fantastic. They’re large enough to eat up any surface and sturdy enough, despite being air-filled, to take a beating. They’re also slim, so you don’t feel they’re adding width when you’re trying to squeeze down a tight spot in a restaurant or in a shopping aisle.

The wheels are also simple enough to be cleared easily with a blast of the hose, if they get muddy. Thanks to not having many small grooves they don’t collect much dirt anyway.

How does the Infababy Ultimo ride on smooth surfaces?

Smooth is the best word to describe the way this system rolls along, or we should probably say glides along. It makes pushing feel effortless, even when loaded up with a lot of weight.

However, even though I found it a dream to push, other MFM testers struggled with the handling of it, and weren’t comfortable with going off road.

How does it ride on challenging surfaces?

Once again those three large air-filled wheels make all-terrain a doddle. We struggled to find a situation where the way this glides along felt anything but easy. Perhaps if you somehow found yourself in a boggy field then that single front wheel could dig in and get you stuck. But even then it would have to be some really muddy terrain that no normal buggy is really made for anyway.

Buyers from Infababy’s online store all agree that this is a very easy-to-push buggy, with the Ultimo consistently getting a 5-star rating.

Does the Infababy Ultimo’s frame feel durable?

On first look, you’d be hard pressed to see the difference between the Ultimo’s frame and an iCandy model that’s more than double the price. This is a really strong frame made from sturdy yet light aluminum. Its chunky build makes it easy to hold and transport, while the brushed metal finish on the model I tested looks great too.

There’s very little flexibility and give in that frame, so when you push you know all your strength is going to use in the forward motion and not being wasted in the flex of a frame that has give in it.

What do you think of the handlebar?

The handlebar is just the right thickness and has a faux leather finish and just enough paddling to add comfort – while it remains solid enough to be very functional. Pressing the two end buttons allows you to angle the handle in a way that folds under, meaning it changes height drastically but without affecting the frame at all. This allows you to get close or further away as well as making height changes.

How user-friendly are the brakes on the Ultimo?

The brake is a single flip pedal to the right of the bottom bar. It’s a nice big and chunky plastic unit that can be pressed in shoes, flip flops or even barefoot. Once the brake is on there’s little movement, which is reassuring.

The only downside is that the brake pedal is a little close to the top bar, so sometimes you need to angle your foot in to push it down without getting your foot stuck. If you’re wearing boots this can be a bit of a faff. Well, we say faff, it just means remembering to angle your foot a bit.

Do you like the Infababy Ultimo’s basket?

The basket is brilliant. It’s massive, it’s deep and it’s easily accessible from the back. It’s very tricky to access it from the front unfortunately, as the leg rest is in the way. The basket accessibility scored quite badly with our MFM Awards judges this year, as they found it nigh on impossible to access with the carrycot in place.

The bottom of the basket is flat and solid, while the sides and top are made of a mesh material so you can see what’s where. There’s a handy zip pocket on the back to let you access the inner basket without having to remove the lid – great for quick access to snacks, wipes or your phone.

What did you think of the car seat included in the package?

Considering this is part of an affordable package, the car seat is impressive. It has lots of inner layers making it super comfy for a newborn but large enough for your child as it grows. That said, once the padding comes out, the seat itself is quite hard – although no harder than an equivalent from other leading brands.

The carry handle is chunky and strong with an easy adjuster button on the top. The whole unit is very light, making it easy to carry, and the handle is long enough to leave your baby with lots of forward facing space. The quick release harness is also great and the unit as a whole feels strong and secure.

Can the Infababy Ultimo be used as a travel system with other car seats?

The car seat can be used with the Infababy ULTIMO Isofix Base (RRP £169.99), which can be bought as an optional extra. But you can’t use it with any other car seat brands.

Do you like the style of the Ultimo 3-Wheel?

This is an undeniably good-looking system that goes for a modern finish, with the chrome and chunky bars. I tested the ‘Black Beauty’ model, which is relatively good at staying clean and also, being black, goes with everything. You can also get the Ultimo in Champagne Supernova or Space Grey.

That 3-wheel design gives it a bit of a sporty look, while the high handle position makes it feel large and strong.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis and basket
• Carrycot with lining and cover
• Toddler seat
• Car seat
• Adapters
• Linings
• Raincover

Are there any additional extras that you can buy?

The main extra you might want to get is the Infababy ULTIMO Isofix base for car seat, £169.99. This allows you to quickly clip the seat into your car rather than having to faff with the car’s seatbelt.

You can also add the following accessories:

• Ride On With Seat Unit (£109.99)
• Changing Bag (£16.99)
• Footmuff (£24.99)
• Bottle Holder (£11.49)
• Ultimo Mosquito Net (£19.99)
• Air Pump (£19.99)
• Parasol (£19.99)
• Extra Large Raincover (£24.99)

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel?

I think the fact that the carrycot top doesn’t have a zip would have been nice to know. Also the fact that the wheels are air filled and therefore might require pumping up sometimes. On the plus side knowing that you can fold this down, with the buggy seat still attached is great.

What was your favourite feature of the Ultimo?

The best feature has got to be that ability to fold the entire buggy and seat down while still attached. This gets it compact enough to fit in the car boot, while it’s still light enough to carry if needs be. Folding down and popping up is so simple that it can be done quickly with no hassle at all. This feature makes this an ideal car boot buggy that doesn’t compromise on size, sturdiness or looks.

Is the Ultimo 3-Wheel worth the money?

This is well worth the price. In fact it feels more premium than it’s priced at. Especially considering that Infababy’s products are nearly always on sale on their website. This is a superb deal that is worth recommending for sure.

How does the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel compare to similar travel systems?

Where can you buy the Infababy Ultimo 3-Wheel Travel System?

Buy direct from Infababy.

MadeForMums verdict:

The Infababy Ultimo travel system is a very impressive bundle for the price, especially when you buy it in one of the company’s regular half-price sales. The build is strong and solid, yet attractive and modern with a premium feel and finish. Building is easy and folding the system is very simple. It is the ideal starter set for a new parent who wants everything in one package. It is not compact, however, so if you’re after an easier-to-store, lightweight runaround package, this is not the one for you.