New buggy before move to HK?

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vicki_viking

Registered User
Hi all, we are moving to HK in July/Aug 2012. Our son is 14 months, and we currently have an Icandy Apple 3-wheeler buggy, which I love because I am 6 ft 2 and the handle is extendable and it's easy to manouever. However, I've been looking at some older forums which suggest it would be a pain on narrow streets/on the MTR etc, as it has a wide wheel base and isn't easy to fold up etc. I am getting the idea that a stroller would be better, but I haven't yet found one I like - I am always tripping over the back of the stroller/treading on the wheels! Not sure where we will be living but likely to be outlying islands or new territories, eg hopefully less busy areas. Does anyone have any recommendations or buggies/strollers to avoid? Info from tall parents particularly welcome!!! Thanks so much.
 
The Maclarens are quite popular over here. I have one and love it. I'm only 5'7 and hubby is 5'11 and the handle height is fine for us. Not extendable though. Very light and easy to open/close, but still sturdy.

Another popular choice is Combi - they also are light and easy to open/close but I find them less sturdy and don't like it as much, personally.

At 14 months, for Maclarens, I would be stuck between getting a Quest (which has a recline feature but is a bit heavier) or a Volo (no recline, but lighter. Less back support too). The Volo is great until a child wants to nap in it - but at 14+ months, that might not be such a big issue. The Quest is good, particularly if you will have another baby and want to use it again - I think you can use the Quest from 3 months old...
 
Thanks for that - we're going to go an look at some buggies/strollers to get a better idea of what might be better for HK, but still good for my height. This may be a stupid question, but if you had another child, what do you do with them when they're tiny? Carry them in a sling/baby carrier thing? Thanks
 
Hi,
It really depends where you live in HK. If you're going to settle in Central, the lighter the better, and definitely would be carrying the second baby. I live out in Tung Chung now so size isn't a big deal. Lots of people push bigger strollers here, like Icandy, phil and teds and the bigger bugaboos.
 
Hi vicki-viking, I have an iCandy Apple and I love it (4 wheels, not 3). The buggy situation in HK is really personal I think. Before we had our baby, friends advised us not to buy one, or just to buy an easily foldable one, as they carried their babies in slings more than used buggies and found them really difficult in HK. But I couldn't live without my iCandy, and it has been a godsend with my son. He loves it; I love it. I have never regretted buying it.

I have used it on the MTR, on narrow streets, up and down the escalator, as well as many supermarkets. We also take it with us when we travel / on the plane. I really don't think its that tough - though you would have to find the MTR lift where there aren't escalators as you can't carry it plus baby.

We have a car though. Whether or not to bring it will depend on what your circumstances will be, I guess. If you are going to rely solely on public transport then it would be easier to get a lighter smaller push chair...but don't assume you can't bring your iCandy with you / that it will necessarily be too difficult to use in HK.

We bought an iCandy version that allowed for a second bassinet to be added and that is what we are planning for when we have #2 - i.e. we'll use the same buggy for both - though not sure how that will work in practice...
 
My two are 21 months apart. For the first little while, I used a carrier and a stroller - but then as my older daughter got better at walking long distances (and listening to instructions!!), she would walk instead. At first, it was a bit rough, but easier than a double stroller in my opinion... When we go back to Australia, we have a Phil and Teds (some friends in Australia gave it to us), which many people recommend over here - but it is heavy and much harder to use. I personally couldn't imagine using it over here!! We never brought it over...
 
Another popular choice is Combi - they also are light and easy to open/close but I find them less sturdy and don't like it as much, personally.

I'd probaby avoid the combi if I were her. I have one, and love it for the ease of use, but it's more geared up for short people I would say (I'm 5'2 and it's pretty perfect height for me to push). Hubbie struggles a little with his feet at times on it and he's only 5'9.

And yes, just about every parent I know out here has a sling of some sort - locals and expats.
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I have used it on the MTR, on narrow streets, up and down the escalator, as well as many supermarkets. We also take it with us when we travel / on the plane. I really don't think its that tough - though you would have to find the MTR lift where there aren't escalators as you can't carry it plus baby.
Thanks so much for this - I think we will be relying on public transport a lot initially - how do you cope with the barriers at the MTR, do they have wider gates for buggies etc? We are still looking at other options; had an interesting trip to Mothercare today, found one stroller that is actually tall enough for me, but........ I am still not convinced by strollers!!
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Also, my son takes after me and is tall/big, so he looks HUGE in some of the less sturdy strollers! Am currently liking Liquorice's answer about loving her ICandy Apple! Will keep thinking/investigating on this one! Oh BTW we are thinking we would probably live outlying islands/new territories, so not central HK.
 
Not all MTR barriers are exactly the same size. While there are 'luggage' size built for the handicapped (and can take rather large loads) they are not always available at every exit, and in some places you'll still have steps to get up/down into the station.

For example, I have a McLaren that's pretty narrow. It can fit through the barriers at say Admiralty but it cannot fit through the slightly narrower barriers at Hong Kong / IFC (by the Disneyland ticket office). The difference is literally just 2 inches or so, even though they look almost identical. There is a wheelchair entrance on the other side though and for the Airport Express exit. Basically it just means I have to enter and exit that station a particular way.
 
what ever you decide, get your stroller before you get here, as they really gouge you on the trendy stollers here (the flip side is there are often used stollers in very good cond. from the high end brands here.

as to MTR, every station has at least one wide gate, but as PS says, getting down into the station itself SOMETIMES invovles unavoidable stairs or a very circuitous route...

i would prob avoid a 3 wheel stroller as I wouldn't be comfortable riding the escalator up with it...my opinion
 
Hi there, I bought a Maclaren Quest once I arrived here. Previously I had an Air-Buggy (from Japan) 3 wheeler but a 4 wheeler is much easier to manage on escalators and stairs. You also need to go for the lightest one possible as quite often you'll either need to carry it up/down stairs or bump it up/down. The other plus side of Maclaren is that most of the taxi drivers are helpful and know how to collapse and put it back up for you and quite often they will help you in and out of taxis.
I like the recline feature as my 2 year old will sometimes have a quick nap while we're out and about and it just makes their sleep a little more comfortable.
At the MTR buggies will not fit through most turnstiles but generally they will have a wider one at one or more exits, failing that they will have a person standing around who can open a wider gate for you somewhere in the station.

At the end of the day, a 4 wheeler is definitely the way to go in HK, but it's just a case of finding one light enough to suit your height.
 
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