Silver Cross Tide pushchair review

Designed to be used from birth up to 22kg (approx. 4 years), this stroller can transition from carrycot to seat and also be used as a travel system with a compatible car seat.

With 4-wheel suspension, a carrycot that is certified safe for overnight sleeping, a lie-flat seat that can be parent facing or world facing, a UPF50+ hood on both the carrycot and the seat and a freestanding fold, it is perfect for a quick trip to the shops or a full day out, and is light enough to be easily taken on public transport. The 6-piece bundle has an RRP of £595 and won Joint Gold in our MadeForMums Awards 2024 in the Newborn pram/pushchair under £800 category.

The Silver Cross Tide stroller arrived in an enormous box that took up most of my front hall. I was a little bit worried that the pushchair was going to be extremely bulky, but when I took all the parts out of the box it looked a lot more manageable and was lighter than I expected.

Everything about this stroller feels high quality and well-made and it is very aesthetically pleasing. I immediately liked the soft, sage green upholstery, which pairs smartly with the black chassis and seat. More adventurous than black, grey or navy, it’s still a gender-neutral colour, which means we could save the stroller to use with another baby or pass it on to a friend or relative down the line.

I had been using the compact Joolz Aer+ stroller, £429, with my baby Nuala for the first 12 weeks of her life and was initially struck by the Silver Cross Tide’s larger chassis and much bigger wheels, which made it seem comparatively bulky. However, once I clicked on the rear wheels and unfolded the frame, which came already fitted with the pushchair seat, I was surprised by how nimble and easy to manoeuvre it is and found it lighter to push and to carry than I expected.

The chassis weights 7.2kg – more than the entire Joolz Aer+ chassis and seat – and with the seat added it clocks in at 10.7kg. Used with the carrycot, the total weight rises to 11.15kg, but thanks to its smooth handling and large wheels it feels just as easy, if not easier, to push than my much lighter travel stroller and is still light enough to carry short distances when folded. As Silver Cross’ lightest, most compact all-terrain stroller it is also designed to fold down to a manageable size. It measures L61cm x W40cm x H23cm with the seat attached, making it easy to store at home or fit into a car boot for transport.

How easy is the Silver Cross Tide stroller to assemble?

The stroller arrived with the pushchair seat already fitted to the chassis, but since I wanted to use the carrycot for Nuala I needed to remove the seat and assemble and attach the carrycot. The box came with one set of instructions for the carrycot and another for the pushchair, however the assembly is so simple and intuitive that I probably could have managed without looking at them.

The instructions come in diagram format and are clear and easy to follow. First, I attached the 2 large rear wheels, which lock into place with a satisfying click, then unfolded the stroller, which takes seconds and can be done with one hand.

The pushchair and the carrycot both arrive with the hoods already attached and the pushchair seat is set up with its 5 adjustable straps and magnetic buckle already in place and ready to adjust and use. I was very pleasantly surprised by how simple the set up process was. My husband didn’t need to look at the instructions at all because I was able to demonstrate how to use all the functions in under two minutes.

How do you switch between the seat and carrycot on the Silver Cross Tide pushchair?

It's actually very easy. To remove the pushchair seat, I pressed a plastic level at either side of the chassis and lifted it off. Two adaptors click easily into place to hold the bassinet and then all I needed to do was expand it from its folded to its open position, place the mattress inside and slot it into place on the chassis. The whole process took 10 minutes, including reading the instructions. Once I understood the mechanism, I was able to switch between pushchair seat and carrycot in seconds, thanks to the simplicity of the design.

Is this the latest version of a previous Silver Cross pushchair?

The Silver Cross Tide is a new design but if you’re a fan of the brand’s Coast, Dune, Reef and Wave strollers the Tide will seem familiar, offering a similar aesthetic and many of the same top-end features but prioritising a more compact, lightweight build.

What did you think of the carrycot?

The Silver Cross Tide’s carrycot weighs 3.95kg, meaning it is light enough to carry in one hand. It is certified as safe for overnight sleeping, making it perfect for daytime naps at home and saving the need for a travel cot for the odd night away. To my relief, it is quite generously sized. Nuala is 98th percentile for weight and 99th percentile for height, making her roughly the weight of an average 6-month-old and the height of an average 7-month-old at 3 months of age.

Despite her size, she fits comfortably in the carrycot with 3 or 4 inches to spare at the top. I don’t think it will last her until she’s 6 months old, but it should continue to be suitable for another month, at which point she could safely transfer into the Silver Cross Tide’s seat, which has a lie-flat option and is suitable for newborns in its parent-facing configuration.

The carrycot’s design has a few small niggles that could be improved. Firstly, the hood is attached to the carrycot’s handle and can only be fully lowered or fully raised and locked into place, meaning the baby can’t be partially shielded while still able to see out. Also, the carrycot’s air mesh ventilation panel – a nice touch for hot summer days – is covered by a flap of fabric that tends to ruck up when the hood is opened. It needs to be smoothed down by hand each time as there is no zip or Velcro to secure it.

What is the Silver Cross Tide's carrycot mattress like?

Personally I find the bamboo-lined mattress quite thin and flimsy. The elastic on the fitted waterproof sheet I tried to use crumpled it up so much that I had to give up and use a far larger bedside cot sheet, tucked under at the edges, in order to get the mattress to lie flat. Once in place, however, the mattress is firm yet breathable and Nuala slept very soundly on it every time we left the house.

How easy is the carrycot to add on and take off the pushchair?

The carrycot is very easy to remove from the chassis. All you need to do is pull up the lever at the front and lift it by the carry handle. To place it back onto the chassis, you lower it onto the adaptors and it slots into place.

How easy is the Silver Cross Tide stroller to fold?

the Silver Cross Tide stroller is very easy to fold. When used for an infant, the carrycot must be removed first and then the chassis folds down separately. This means it requires more storage space than a compact pram like the Joolz Aer+ or the Babyzen Yoyo, which folds down with the carrycot attached. However, since the carrycot is spacious and comfortable, I ended up using it as a place for Nuala to nap at home during the day, meaning that only the chassis needed to be folded and stored.

It’s worth noting that although the Silver Cross Tide is advertised as having a freestanding fold, that only applies when it’s folded with the pushchair seat attached. When the chassis is folded separately it needs to be laid flat or propped up against a wall. With the pushchair seat on, the stroller can be folded down in both parent-facing and world-facing mode, meaning that from 6 months onwards it will take up a lot less space and be quicker and easier to fold.

The folding mechanism is straightforward but requires two hands and takes a few tries to do quickly. To fold, you need to pull up a level on either side of the chassis, while also depressing a small lock button on the right-hand lever. The stroller then folds down to the ground and a plastic arm close to the rear wheel automatically keeps it closed. To unfold, you just release this arm and pull up on the handlebar. This takes seconds and can easily be done one-handed.

How compact is the Silver Cross Tide stroller once folded?

The stroller measures L61cm x W40.5cm x H23cm when folded – similar to the Inglesina Quid 2 at L58cm x W46.5cm x H19cm – making it quite shallow and easy to store in a narrow hallway or a hall cupboard or to load into a car boot. It can be lifted and carried by the handle and because it folds so flat it is easy to manoeuvre one-handed and to lift into a car boot.

How easy is the Silver Cross Tide stroller to push and steer on different terrain?

Having got used to the Joolz Aer+’s small wheels and low-to-the-ground carrycot, I was amazed by how smooth the Silver Cross Tide is to manoeuvre and how clearly I could see and communicate with Nuala in its carrycot. I can push it around town with ease, across uneven paving stones and textured ground, and the large wheels and suspension mean that the carrycot sways slightly from side to side rather than being bumped or jostled, making for a smooth ride. I found that I didn’t need to slow down or lift the front wheels at all when going up low curbs or over small bumps and Nuala fell asleep easily in the stroller and stayed asleep over lots of different types of terrain.

In the park, the stroller did well on grass and uneven paths and was also easy to wheel over loose sticks and protruding roots when navigating a narrow footpath. It felt sturdy and smooth and was easy to push and steer with one hand on even ground. The front wheels have a locking function, which came in handy on the footpath, allowing me to focus on forward motion rather than steering. The strong handle also made it easy to lift the front and back wheels to mount high curbs and to go up the two wide steps to my house.

It moves very silently and felt extremely light, which surprised me, given its larger size. It can also turn very tightly, making it easy to wheel between tables in a busy café and to fit on buses and trains, where it needs to be slotted into a tight spot and locked in place for the journey.

How well does it work on public transport?

I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to get the Silver Cross Tide stroller onto both a bus and a train. I was able to lift the front wheels high enough to get it from a station platform onto a train without help. I also found that even when getting off a train with quite a large gap between the train and the platform it felt safe and in control at all times, thanks to the sturdy handle that can easily take the weight of the stroller and the baby without bending or compromising on balance. Although not as compact as my travel pram, it fitted easily into the wheelchair space on a bus, as well as into the vestibule of a train.

What’s the chassis like on the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

The chassis is striking to look at, with a smart matte black finish. It feels strong and well-made and is seemingly scratch proof, remaining in pristine condition even after being folded and unfolded several times on rough gravel.

How do you rate the buggy handle of the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

The rubber handle has a soft faux-leather finish and is very comfortable to hold, with a smart Silver Cross logo in the centre. Its adjustable height was a big plus point for my husband, who is 6ft 4in tall. The handlebar height is easy to adjust using levers on either side, but we found that if the handlebar is not completely level it won’t lock into place, so it can be a bit fiddly to get it to lock at the height you want it, particularly if you’re in a hurry.

What do you think of the Silver Cross Tide stroller’s seat unit?

At 3 months old, I felt that Nuala was a little too young to use the seat unit, which has a very slight angle to it when in the lie-flat position, so I kept her in the carrycot, where she had plenty of space and was shielded from the winter wind. However, the seat is smartly designed and looks very comfortable and I would feel comfortable moving her into it from 4 months onwards or as soon as she outgrows the carrycot.

The seat is suitable up to 22kg (approx. 4 years) and has adjustable calf support. It can be parent facing or world facing. It is also quite raised, meaning that your baby remains close to you. It has 3 different levels of recline and is very easy to adjust, with a single lever at the back allowing it to be lifted off the chassis and switched from parent facing to world facing. The same lever enables the back to be raised or lowered once slotted into place on the chassis.

The 5 adjustable straps ensure that an infant or toddler is safe and the magnetic buckle can be quickly locked and released without fiddling around to get all the pieces in the right place, a definite advantage when dealing with a squirming toddler.

What’s the hood like on the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

The UPF50+ hood is made from anti-crease jersey fabric inspired by luxury sportswear. It has a lovely soft, matte finish and feels very high quality. It unfolds and folds very easily using one hand and can be unzipped to create an extended cover that comes far enough forward to shield an infant or toddler from the sun or provide a dark space in which to nap. It stays in place well and, like the carrycot, has a flap of fabric that can be folded back to increase airflow and create a mesh window that provides a view of the child.

What are the wheels like on the Silver Cross Tide pushchair?

The wheels seem very sturdy and quite bouncy, giving the stroller great suspension so it moves smoothly even over rougher ground. They have an anti-puncture design, which set my mind at ease when wheeling the stroller across the sharp gravel of my building’s car park, and remained in pristine condition after several weeks of use over all types of terrain.

They can be removed with the press of a button and replaced in seconds – a bonus when cleaning them after a very muddy trip to the park, and have quite a deep tread, giving them good grip. The front wheels can be locked into place on rougher ground, but I found that it wasn’t necessary to use this function except when pushing the stroller on a path through woodland, where it was bumping over loose sticks and protruding roots.

How good are the brakes on the Silver Cross Tide pushchair?

The plastic brake feels chunky and is easy to flip on and off. A press of the foot locks the stroller in a second, but to release it you need to push up from below with the top of your shoe, which might prove annoying when wearing sandals in the summer or if wearing shoes or boots that are easily scuffed.

The brake feels strong and works well both on slopes and on public transport, holding the pram still on a bumpy bus ride and on a train. The brake is positioned to the right side of the chassis. This means I never engaged it by mistake – a repeated problem with my Joolz Aer+, which has a central brake – but it may be a bit of a faff for left-handed (and footed) parents.

How do you rate the basket of the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

After acclimatising to the very small basket of my compact travel pram, I found the Silver Cross Tide’s generous basket to be a huge bonus. It is deep and wide enough to hold a large changing bag, a handbag and some shopping or a couple of toys and the height of the carrycot or seat leaves plenty of space to access anything stored in the basket without having to crouch down, even with the carrycot attached. The mesh sides make it easy to see what’s inside and it’s deep enough that nothing fell out, even when I forgot to bring a bag with me and ended up with a lot of loose shopping inside.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Carrycot with hood
• Seat unit with hood and magnetic buckle
• Car seat adaptors
• Bumper bar
• 2 x Rain covers

What additional accessories can you buy?

The Silver Cross Tide can be purchased with a bundle of additional accessories that includes a matching changing rucksack, footmuff, phone holder and cup holder. You can also buy the Silver Cross Dream car seat and base, which is compatible with the Tide as a travel system, in one bundle.

What did you think of the packaging of the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

Silver Cross has focused on sustainability with the launch of the Tide stroller. It is shipped in fully recyclable packaging and, although there was slightly more plastic than I would have liked in the box, I was able to dispose of everything in my building’s communal recycling bin.

How sustainable is the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

The Silver Cross Tide comes with a 3-year warranty against manufacturing faults that covers the chassis, frame and wheels and any accessories supplied. In order to prevent waste, the brand offers a special Silver Cross scheme that includes valeting and servicing of their products. The stroller can also be donated back to the brand for sustainable disposal when it is no longer needed. Silver Cross promises the scheme is designed to reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfill.

Can the Silver Cross Tide pushchair be used with a car seat to create a travel system?

Yes, the Silver Cross Tide is compatible with the Silver Cross Dream i-Size infant carrier and the car seat adaptors are included with the stroller. It is also compatible with a range of other premium car seats when used with universal adaptors, which are sold separately.

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the Silver Cross Tide stroller?

That a larger, heavier stroller than the Joolz Aer+ could be so convenient and easy to manoeuvre in small spaces and on public transport. Despite its larger size, the Silver Cross Tide gives us everything we were looking for in a stroller – it’s smooth and easy to push and small enough to take into cafes and on buses with ease, it folds up small enough to store in our narrow hallway, it has a comfortable carrycot that’s safe for sleeping and as a bonus it has plenty of storage space and looks very stylish with its black and sage green colour scheme.

Who would the Silver Cross Tide stroller be most useful for?

I would recommend the Silver Cross Tide to anyone looking for a good all-rounder. It may not suit the needs of a cross-country runner or a frequent flyer who wants a stroller that folds to hand luggage size, but for most families the Silver Cross Tide will tick all the boxes. For city dwellers, it can handle tight spaces, steps up to shop entrances and public transport with ease, and for those who spend more time in the countryside it’s sturdy enough to withstand wheeling along unpaved roads, narrow footpaths or grass, and won’t take up too much space in the boot when driving into town.

Is the Silver Cross Tide stroller worth the money?

The Silver Cross Tide is a luxury stroller and comes with a luxury price tag (£595 for the 6-piece bundle) but in my opinion it is worth the money, especially if purchased for a newborn. That way parents can make the most of the comfortable carrycot, which doubles as a great place for daytime naps and overnight trips, saving the need to buy a moses basket for the house or a travel cot for overnight stays during the first 6 months. Versatile, stylish and durable, it promises to last our baby well into her toddler years and it does everything we need so I don’t anticipate needing to buy another stroller or pram down the line.

Where can I buy the Silver Cross Tide pushchair?

Available from Silver Cross, John Lewis and Amazon.

MadeForMums verdict

With its robust chassis, comfortable carrycot, reversible seat unit, adjustable handlebar and spacious basket, the Silver Cross Tide is a well-made stroller that is a pleasure to use.

Striking a careful compromise between compactness and durability, it lived up to my desire for a stroller that is easy to store and light to carry, while also capable of tackling a range of terrains, allowing me to use it both on city pavements and at the park. I was impressed by the suspension and enjoyed having my baby at a height where I could easily keep an eye on her, whether she was looking up at the trees above her carrycot or snoozing peacefully under its hood.