It is appropriately lightweight, handles brilliantly with its three-wheel base, and is comfy and simple in design.
And while there are many different types of 3-wheeled, jogging buggies on the market, the Little Nipper’s nearest rivals in it’s class are surely the Mountain Buggy Swift, Baby Jogger City Mini and Phil&Teds Classic pushchairs.
But being lightweight, it can probably rival the Maclaren Techno XT, because it is also compact, easy to fold and store and sturdy.
What’s in the box?
- Buggy
- Wheels
- Raincover
- Sun canopy with plastic viewing window (for parent)
Any additional extras?
- Nipper carrycot - £130.00
- Foot muff - £49.95
- Newborn support - £24.95
- Mini tyre pump - £9.95
- Puncture repair kit - £4
How is assembling the Out’N’About Little Nipper?
The Little Nipper is very easy to put together, thanks in part to refreshingly clear instructions.
It takes five - 10 minutes at the most, with no need for screwdrivers or other equipment.
It comes with the basic gear: the buggy, the canopy and rain cover; which means you’ll have to buy your own foot muff (£49.95) if you want one for winter.
The buggy is being sold on being lightweight, but how light is it?
Really light - its lightweight qualities are due, in part, to the fact that it’s made primarily out of canvas with an aluminium frame.
How does it push when out?
The Little Nipper handles marvellously, being so lightweight and simple in design.
The weightlessness has the advantage of giving a really comfy ride, although the triangular chassis can make for a sharp bump if you catch the front wheel on a pothole.
Once you get used to avoiding them, your little one will be well suspended over bumpy tracks.
Testing its ‘trundle’ capabilities to the maximum, we bumped it up over Ilkley Moor in Yorkshire over winter, and with some careful negotiation of track, managed to keep Arthur asleep for most of the trip.
It’s also comparatively narrow (57.5cm), with a small turning circle, which is great for buses and lifts. (You can tuck it in backwards on the bus, making friends of other mums who then have plenty of room for their own buggies.
However, a minor design flaw is the use of Velcro on the window and on the raincover.
It’s simple and light, but if you’re quietly walking round the park with a constant hum of sleep-inducing background noise, a sudden rip of Velcro at close proximity will likely wake your baby up!
Is this pram suitable for newborns?
Yes and no, but not as a stroller. The Little Nipper on its own is only forward-facing and the thin (but durable) materials used to make this buggy may be more suited to slightly older children, perhaps four to five-months-old, rather than newborns, for whom most parents instinctively want wrapped up in a really warm pram.
Having said this, you can always buy a newborn back support (£29.95) or carrycot (£130), which can face towards the parent or towards the world and would be ideal for tiny infants as it’s travel-system compatible - a better option for smaller babies.
How is interacting with your little one when he’s in the stroller?
Being forward-facing, interaction with Arthur is minimal but the window lets me see whether he’s gnawing at ‘Dan’ (le Girafe) or has nodded off.
This is another reason why the Little Nipper might be better for older babies, because it’s nice for your baby to see you and, especially if it’s your first (and you were like me a few months ago), you’ll want to easily check he’s still breathing every half an hour or so!
What are the recline features like?
The seat unit is easy to recline when my son’s in the buggy, but it’s very fiddly to hoist it up again unless he’s not in it.
You have to hold the baby up to take the weight off, then it’s quite tricky to adjust it with one hand.
Tell us about the storage on the buggy?
The storage tray is a little shallow at the back – but the way Out N About have marketed the buggy, being a compact stroller that can be easily thrown into the back of a car, suggests that it’s not designed for trips to the launderette or supermarket.
One slight niggle is that there’s nowhere to put your changing bag except for over the handle, and it then slips down onto the canvas and covers up the viewing window.
How do you fold it?
You fold the stroller by pulling a handle in the crease of the seat, and it springs nimbly together – easy! A little catch on either side automatically locks it in place and it’s done.
Is it compact when folded?
In terms of compactness, it’s hard to compete with a Maclaren buggy – but the Little Nipper comes close.
Folding horizontally rather than vertically means it takes up a bit more boot space than its peer, but removing the quick-release wheels gives you a little extra space and if you had a messy walk, you can easily pop them into a plastic bag to minimise the mud in your car.
Is it comfortable to push?
For me it’s a great push for all the reasons I’ve mentioned above, but the handle height is a tiny bit short for my husband, who is 6’4”.
He can still use it of course, but occasionally his foot catches the brake a little. The issue could be easily remedied if the handle was slightly longer.
Will the Little Nipper last the full-recommended four years?
Yes, I think it will, the design of the buggy is simple enough to ensure a pretty failsafe life, and so far (one month in) it’s hard to imagine anything malfunctioning.
We’ve certainly put it through its paces.
MadeForMums verdict? I would recommend the Little Nipper to anyone seeking a durable, lightweight, versatile stroller that is easy to handle both on and off the road, and folds up easily.
In its basic form, probably best for older babies, unless you have a travel system or are prepared to invest in the carrycot or newborn back support.
