Mamas & Papas was started by husband and wife team David and Luisa Scacchetti. It’s going from strength to strength with its buggies – there are no less than 26 models to pick from – and the company has a haul of awards to its name.
The Mamas & Papas Sola, which hit shelves at the start of 2010, can be used as a forward facing or rear facing buggy. You can purchase a separate carrycot for £129, which is suitable for overnight sleeping. Also, you can buy adaptors (£25) and the Mamas & Papas Cybex Aton car seat (£140) to create the Sola travel system.
As you’d expect from Mamas & Papas, the Sola features front and rear wheel suspension, a 5-point safety harness, an easy-to-remove swivel-round bumper bar and lockable swivel front wheels. What’s really noteworthy however is the adjustable footrest and the adjustable backrest that reclines to flat with just one hand.
There’s a neat way to adjust the handle height too - you push it forward or back, instead of up or down. There’s also a mesh shopping basket hanging underneath the Sola chassis plus a removable hood with viewing window.
What we love
The Sola’s catch cry is ‘Flexible, Functional and Fun’. In terms of flexibility, there’s the reversible seat unit, reclining backrest, easy fold mechanism and height adjustable handle. It’s also very functional, as it’s a dream to push and handles easily. Fun? Well, that depends on how you use it!
When designing the Sola, it’s almost as though Mamas & Papas considered (and dealt with) every niggle that every other buggy has. Removing the buggy’s seat unit is simple (I didn’t utter one swear), changing the seat direction is easy and folding the buggy is just as straightforward.
Two more clever features are the bumper bar that swivels (yay!), and the handle that folds down so you can lean forward to lift your baby out, without breaking your back.
My baby daughter Minnie, 10 months at the time of testing, went in and out of the Sola with no fuss whatsoever. In fact, I found the Sola so easy to use, I was wondering if I was in a dream world.
What to watch out for
It’s tough to find anything wrong with the Mamas & Papas Sola. Of all the models I’ve trialled, the Sola must be the easiest-to-use, no-fuss buggy.
At a push, I’d say that the shopping basket could be larger and is a little awkward to access. Also, at full pace, I once or twice kicked the brake.
While the Sola is touted as being suitable from birth, you’ll most likely want to buy that separate carrycot to use with your newborn. The footmufff for the Sola needs to be purchased as an extra too, which will add £66 to the overall price.
Who is the Mamas & Papas Sola buggy best for?
Parents who want function and (elegant) form at a decent price .
The Mamas & Papas Sola is a modern-looking, top performing buggy. There are some tiny niggles but it handles like a dream, is user-friendly and the functional, thoughtful design distinguishes it from other buggies in this price range.
First reviewed 16/02/2010. Update 02/03/2012.
