BabyStyle offer choices in fabric, choices in chassis type, and on the classic chassis I tried, not only do you get choices of frame colour (champagne, glitter and chrome) but you even get a choice of wheels. I calculated that there are roughly 700 odd combinations of pram configurations once you take into account fabric choice, chassis choice, wheel choice and seating configuration, which can be carry cot mode, car seat mode, forward facing or rear facing. The matching car seat is an optional extra for £69.99 that makes the BabyStyle Lux 3 in 1 become a travel system.
I have spent some time entangled in the various combinations and hope I can help guide you through the BabyStyle choice jungle. The first choice you have is the fabric type: Prestige or Lux. Prestige is a classic choice, whereas the Lux comes in brighter more contemporary designs. One of the biggest decisions is the choice of whether to go for the swivel-wheeled 3SD chassis (which will cost a little less at £409) or the classic pneumatic wheeled retro style chassis (for £449). I tried the Lux 3 in 1 with classic chassis.
The classic chassis has a single handle that runs the width of the pram. The handle is adjustable, but requires superman-like finger strength and flexible wrist joints to push both buttons in at once, whilst adjusting the bar up or down. Simple click fit mechanisms attach the car seat or carrycot. From box to pavement was a very simple operation.
What we love
What’s not to like? The BabyStyle Lux 3 in 1 has the fun factor, and for me, that overrode almost every other quibble I had about this pram.
The first time my daughter Tirion and I went for a wander in it, I was initially flummoxed by how on earth one turned a corner when all four rubber wheels are completely fixed. As you can probably tell, I was a coach-style pram virgin and had only used swivel wheeled strollers up until I got my hands on the BabyStyle Lux 3 in 1. Once I learned that you lean down on the handle, putting the weight on the back wheels only and use the springy suspension to swivel round bends, I was in my element. We bounced it here, we bounced it there, we bounced that BabyStyle everywhere: even the muddiest Pembrokeshire fields and ditches proved no problem for this classic chassis.
Anyone who likes taking the baby out for fun, or who has to walk on rough terrain, or for long distances will love this Lux. It makes mincemeat of mud, ditches, pebbles – and any other surface that traditionally makes life hard for a buggy. It makes walking with your baby a joy. We used it on the beach and even on soft sand were still pushing when other families had given up and were carrying their prams. That said, you couldn’t pick this one up and carry it very easily, so beware the temptation to get into terrain you might not get out of!
Meanwhile, Tirion was thoroughly enjoying her very upright seating position. She could see everything that was going on around her, but a simple push button click allowed us to put the seat back to a recline, or a flat-bed if she decided it was time for a very long blink (Tirion seems to think sleeping is for lightweights, and this is as close as she’ll come to giving in to a nap).
What to watch out for
Any coach-built style pram is going to suffer from being a tad bigger and heavier than the average buggy. In fact the classic chassis weighs in at a whopping 16kg, so it’s not the best option for travelling with. That said you can remove the wheels quickly and easily (as we had to in order to make it fit in the boot of our Rover 25).
Although the chassis collapses flat(ish) to just 36 cm height, you still have to find space to put the rest of the pram, and even though the seat will lie flat, it takes up a fair amount of room.
It’s also difficult to manoeuvre in small spaces, so if you live in a flat, or are living with narrow doorways or corridors the BabyStyle Lux 3 in 1 with classic chassis may not be the pram for you. My own house requires a 90 degree turn from the porch into the living room and although we developed the ‘BabyStyle bop’ (a 7-point turn while bouncing up and down on the pram handle and pulling frantically) in order to get the pram into the house, it’s a far from the perfect set-up.
Who is the BabyStyle Lux 3 in 1 with classic chassis for?
Mums without space constraints after a bouncy ride for their outdoor jaunts.
The BabyStyle Lux 3 in 1 with classic chassis makes walking a joy. With fully adjustable seating and a huge tray for shopping, it’s versatile, practical and fun to use. But it is big!
