Silver Cross Wave review

Tested by:

Sam tested the Silver Cross Wave on the busy streets of East London with her twin babies.

First impressions of the Silver Cross Wave?

A really lovely looking, top quality product. Really easy to set up, lots on little details that showcase the quality.

How does the Silver Cross Wave compare to other travel systems you have seen or tried?

Its super easy to use. Very intuitive for new users. We managed to put it up and down without instructions.

What age is the Silver Cross Wave suitable for, can it be used from newborn?

It is suitable from birth up to 25kg in single pushchair mode, or from birth to 15 + 9 kg when configured with pushchair seat and carrycot and up to 9kg with single carrycot.

Reviewer Anna, who tested it with her newborn, gives it the thumbs up for new babies, but adds: “The pram is nice and narrow but very sturdy with a protective hard shell. My only reservation is that, in double mode, you can’t easily see you baby because the pram goes below the buggy. Also, if you misjudge the length of the buggy, which I did on early outings, the head end of the pram is the first point of contact for any bumps.”

How many different modes/configurations does the Wave offer?

It has an impressive 16 configurations. As parents of twins, we tested it with both the carrycot and now the pushchair.

How easy is it to convert between different configurations?

It’s really easy to convert the pushchair into different configurations. You just lift the connecting levers to remove the part you want to change. It’s really straightforward to change between the modes you’re using and the positions. As our babies are the same age we always use the same thing so 2 x carrycot and then 2 x pushchairs.

MFM reviewer Anna, who tested the Wave as a single and a double, agrees, calling the switch from single to double mode “effortless – the switch can be made in seconds. I really loved this feature as I’m constantly swapping between a double buggy and pram. On days where my elder son is at nursery, I don’t want to be pushing his baby brother around in a double buggy, and with the Silver Cross Wave I can keep converting it back to a pram.”

How does the Silver Cross Wave fold?

The fold is really easy. You press a lever on both sides of the chassis and the frame folds down in one smooth movement.

How compact is it when folded and unfolded?

It’s not very compact when folded because we have 2 x pushchairs or carrycots to also store so we keep it up all the time. If you used it as a single pushchair you would fold the chassis and place the pushchair / carrycot on top to store it.

Does it fit in the boot of your car?

It fits in the boot of our car as a single buggy but the second cot has to go in the front of the car. The wheels pop off the chassis if you can’t fit it in your boot with them on which is very handy. However, once in baby and toddler mode, reviewer Anna says: “Folded and dismantled, the double buggy took up around three-quarters of our Vauxhall Meriva boot, the single pram around two-thirds, both of which were do-able for daytrips and weekends, but not really an option for holidays.”

How lightweight is it?

It’s not particularly lightweight - it’s strong and sturdy - the quality is reassuring. We are carrying two babies so wouldn’t expect a travel system to be light. We have a stroller for use when the babies are older and when we go on holiday but I use this every day to do the school run, shopping, or go for walks in London.

Mum Anna, who reviewed the Wave with a newborn and 3 year old, says: “The first thing you should know about the Wave is that it’s HEAVY! To be fair, it weighs 19.5kg to start and gets heavier with added weights. When it comes to sturdiness, you’re in safe hands whatever the terrain with the Silver Cross Wave, it’s a rock. Saying that, parkland was a bit bumpier than I expected. Uphill it felt even heavier, although the steering was never compromised.”

How easy is it to push in twin mode?

It’s lovely to push. Easy to manoeuvre single handed but best to steer with two hands because of the additional weight. I have a very narrow hallway and can easily get into the house and then turn into the kitchen without bashing into the wall or doorways which is no mean feat!

How does it ride on different surfaces?

We’ve not found a surface the pushchair can’t handle. It’s lovely and comfortable for the babies (even the lower baby sleeps through all kinds of bumps - gravel, cobbles etc). You have to use two hands to mount kerbs if you don’t want to jiggle the babies too much and it can seem like a fairly rough ride but it’s safe and secure. I’ve never felt like the pushchair could topple or tip even getting on or off public transport.

How is it on public transport?

We fit easily on the train but it’s a bit more difficult on buses. My preference is to go lengthways in the space on a bus but we can also move sideways so that other pushchairs fit alongside us. The pram sticks out further than a single pushchair does because we have two seats but we put the handle bar down to the shortest setting and people can squeeze past to the back of the bus. It’s easy to manoeuvre on and off the bus - the babies can sleep through it all.

What do you think of the multi-terrain wheels? And the four-wheel suspension?

I’ve previously owned a Bugaboo which has great suspension on the front wheels. The Silver Cross is very different in terms of not having that level of bounce in the front wheels but it’s very comfortable to push. It feels like a premium ride - even on our shoddy east London streets!

Does the frame feel strong and durable?

The frame feels very strong and durable - there’s not much loose movement if you wiggle the buggy side-to-side.

What do you think of the handles - are they easy to adjust?

The handles are lovely! Really easy to adjust - you just press the middle bar and push down or pull up to extend the length of the handlebars. The motion is really smooth and easy to get to the perfect position.

What do you think of the size of the seat unit?

The seat unit is so comfortable looking. The seat liners feel very padded and luxurious.

MFM reviewer Anna says: “Although the seat is a good size – around 50cm in length – the straps are quite restrictive. My three-year-old, Alex, is tall for his age and once the cold snap kicked in I could no longer secure the seat straps around his thick winter coat. He falls well within the maximum weight for the seat (15kg) so it’s a shame the straps weren’t a few centimetres longer to accommodate him.”

However, she adds: “The seat is fixed at a high level giving your toddler a great view of the passing world, and Alex loved his ‘big buggy’.”

How many recline positions are there - how flat does it go?

There are 3 recline positions - from flat to gentle sitting position to upright see everything mode.

How comfortable does it feel for your little one?

It feels really comfortable for both babies regardless of which one is closer to the ground. The seats and carrycots are very sturdy, padded, warm and comfortable.

How comfortable is it in tandem mode? (if you tested this) - did two seats affect the handling?

I only use the pushchair in tandem mode and have found it incredible easy to manoeuvre. The pushchair has a really tight turning circle and though two carrycots or seats make the pushchair quite long it’s the same width as a normal pushchair so I have no limitations of where I can go.

How is interacting with your little one when in the buggy?

It’s really easy to interact with the top baby but harder with the one on the bottom. I just move to the side as I’m walking along so I can check on the bottom baby and make sure they’re ok. My twins have only just turned 4 months old so up until now interaction hasn’t been as important as it will become moving forward. I will regularly change who sits on top and always make sure I interact with the bottom baby regularly.

How comfortable is the carrycot?

The carrycot is lovely. Padded all around the sides with washable mattress, and ventilation so it can be used as an overnight carrycot for baby to sleep in. Our twins were small at birth so we put them in the carrycot together initially - this kept them both warm and together so they weren’t alone in the big carrycot for initial trips out. There’s plenty of room for the babies to grow in the carrycot. The only downside is that the carrycot is narrow at the bottom and I would have liked to top and tail my babies sometimes but couldn’t because of the narrow base.

What do you think of the hood/s?

The hoods are lovely and big offering plenty of shade and protection with additional pop out visors to offer more coverage if necessary. There’s a magnetic flap that lifts at the back of the hood so you can check on your baby silently and ventilation all around the head of the carrycot and pushchair.

Tell us about the brakes.

The brake mechanism is one lever you press down with your right foot. When you want to release it you press down on a green button and off you go. Really smooth but incredibly reliable.

What do you think of the seat harness?

MFM reviewer Anna tested the seats with her newborn and 3 year old. She says the harness’ 5-way, magnetic system were cleverly designed, but “ but both my husband and I found them overly complicated and fiddly to figure especially when our son wriggled about in the seat. They’re also on the short side so there’s not much room for bigger toddlers.”

How easily can you access the basket in single mode?

I love the basket when you only have one carrycot or seat in place you can really make full use of it. It’s far superior to the Bugaboo’s basket.

How easily can you access the basket in double mode?

Access to the basket is somewhat affected when there are two carrycots on the pram because the bottom carrycot covers up a lot of the basket but you can still put items in. It’s very sturdy and can easily carry 3 x 5 litre water bottles for example as it has a hard shell so it can support a heavy load of shopping - believe me I use it every day for multiple items as I have no spare hands to carry bags of shopping.

Fellow reviewer Anna adds: “With a double, the base of the pram lies very close to the top of the basket which meant I tended to stuff and squeeze my belongings in and out of the narrow gap. It’s handy to have storage but a larger space between basket and buggy would be more convenient.”

Is it car seat compatible?

It's compatible with the following car seats: Silver Cross Simplicity, Maxi Cosi Cabriofix, Maxi Cosi Pebble, Maxi Cosi Pebble Plus, Maxi Cosi Rock, Besafe iZi GO Modular i-Size, Cybex Aton Q, Cybex Aton, Joie Gemm, Joie i-Gemm, Nuna Pipa Icon, Nuna Pipa Lite, Nuna Pipa Lite LX

What’s in the box?

We got the chassis plus

• 2 x carrycot (with mattresses and aprons and safety bar)
• 2 x pushchair (with seat liners and aprons and safety bar)
• 2 x simplicity car seat
• Raincovers for each carrycot, each pushchair, mosquito nets for each
• Adaptors for each part and for tandem item
• Cup holder

Are there any extras you need or might want?

I can’t think of additional items we’d need - it feels like a lot when you see it all in one bundle!

Is it easy to build the Silver Cross Wave?

It’s so easy to put together because the chassis is a simple one click to unfold, then you have adaptors to position depending on whether you’re using one or two seats. The mechanism for this is really easy to change and super smooth and easy.

I watched a video online to see how to change from carrycot to pushchair and it was very straightforward. It took a few minutes to put in the seat liners and adjust the straps for the babies but the actual getting the seats into place took seconds and it’s so easy and intuitive to adjust the seat incline.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Silver Cross Wave?

How long the pram becomes with both carrycots / seat units on it. If you have twins, no matter what product you go for, there will be pros and cons. I love the fact the babies are genuinely comfortable in this pushchair and they will be well into toddlerhood.

I have had a single child and I look at little pushchairs like the Bugaboo Bee or the YoYo and think how lovely it would be to have a tiny buggy. But realistically with two babies that’s not an option, and it’s lovely to have a spacious, comfortable mode of transport for them on the rough streets of east London.

Who would the product be most useful for?

The Wave is a great pram for twins but also for people who will have kids close together. People are often surprised when they realise I have two carrycots / seats and an extra baby as on first sight the pushchair looks like a standard Silver Cross pram and they don’t expect to see two babies.

It really does work well for us - I walk a lot and don’t mind getting the bus but I wouldn’t choose to get the train in case I get stuck on stairs as it’s pretty heavy!

What is unique about the Silver Cross Wave?

The amount of configurations that are possible is great! Especially if you have a baby and a toddler. We have fewer possibilities because our babies are the same age but it’s still great that the pushchair can be forward facing and parent facing.

Is the Silver Cross Wave good value?

Yes. The basic set would be for one baby (prices vary when you’re adding additional carrycots and the tandem seat) but you get all the extras, liners, aprons and covers (rain covers / mosquito nets) as part of the price.

This is really good value - you don’t need to buy the extras that are basic needs for your pushchair (e.g. rain covers) but as your family grows you can purchase an additional seat (you may not need to depending on the ages and age gap between your two kids).

Where can I buy the Silver Cross Wave?

It's available from Silver Cross, John Lewis

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