If you’re after a quality system that does it all, this should definitely make your shortlist; the interchangeable carrycot/pram, car seat and chair can face in either direction and click easily into place. Front swivel wheels make it easily manoeuvrable even with one hand and the height adjustable handles are handy too.
This system is all about luxury; it looks good, handles well and is incredibly comfortable. The big sell is the capacious carrycot that is perfect for newborns. Like all Mamas & Papas prams and pushchairs, the Ultima has a 2-year guarantee.
The Ultima 8 in 1 has a choice of chassis. You can have the MPX Chassis, with height adjustable handles, a more compact fold, front swivel wheels, individual suspension and more contemporary look; the X-Cel chassis, a more traditional pram look; or X-Cel Plus chassis, which looks like the X-Cel in many ways and has adjustable handles and removable tyres. I have the MPX Chassis.
What we love
Okay, so it was the polka dot pattern that initially caught my eye but when I looked at the Mamas & Papas Ultima 8 in 1 & MPX Chassis I quickly realised that it ticked all my boxes. I wanted an investment that would last from newborn through to toddler and beyond and I didn’t want to compromise on comfort or style. I liked the attention to detail – the wheels have individual suspension and the height adjustable handles were great for me as I’m quite tall.
The Surefix one click system is great and you can kind of randomly slide the car seat on and it clicks magically into place with no effort at all.
When Ari was first born I used the pram every day and loved how substantial it was and that she was able to lie flat, with the option to slightly elevate if I wanted her to have a look around. Compared to most other prams, the mattress is lovely and soft and when we went away we even used it as a travel cot up until Ari was 6 months – the long handles are cleverly concealed in two side pouches making it easy to carry.
What to watch out for
Without a doubt, the most difficult thing about this system is its size – which is roughly that of a baby hippo. The price you pay for a spacious pram is that it doesn’t fold and has to be dismantled separately from the chassis. I used to put shopping bags etc inside the Mamas & Papas Ultima 8 in 1 to maximise room in the boot.
The pushchair can be folded down while still on the chassis but then you involve risking a hernia lugging it up to the boot, so I simply put them in separately – I’ve worked out an angle that still gives me roughly half of the boot for my shopping. Having an estate car definitely helps, although it did also fit in a Peugeot 307.
I’ve been using the pushchair part since Ari was sitting up and one thing that bothered me at first was the safety bar which is very thick and slightly claustrophobic, but over time we’ve both got used to it. It was also slightly frustrating not being able to click normal pushchair mobiles etc onto the bar. Making up for this though, the footrest comes up which is helpful, especially when it comes to naps.
I take a while to work out any baby paraphernalia but hand on heart I have to say that the Luxury Collection Universal Parasol, which you buy seperately is rubbish. After many ambitious attempts to fix it into place it broke into pieces.
Lately the pushchair hasn’t been clicking in as easily as it used to – which may be due to wear and tear as I do literally throw it in and out of the boot. It does firmly click in eventually though.
Perhaps the most quirky feature is the sandwich and hot drink tray which fixes onto the handle. I’ve used it once and found it weeks later with decaying apple inside.
Who is the Mamas & Papas Ultima 8 in 1 Travel System best for?
Style-savvy first-time mums with a big car boot.
A luxury investment buy that offers both style and substance, the Mamas & Papas Ultima 8 in 1 travel system this is probably one of the most versatile and attractive systems around, The size is an issue though, so it’d perfect for someone with a spacious car.
