Mountain Buggy Urban Stroller Review
By Matt Smith

The Mountain Buggy stroller line grabbed my attention as soon as I saw it. There were several features that I had not seen on other strollers that in my mind were innovative and unique. First, the Mountain Buggy line has four wheels. This means more stability on rough terrain, and less weight on each tire on softer ground (like grass or gravel). The Mountain Buggy line also features the ability to have a baby bassinet on one side, and a standard sling seat on the other. The seats and bassinets are interchangable and removeable. To me, this says two strollers for the price of one, a great deal no matter how you slice it.

I was excited the minute the Mountain Buggy Urban arrived at my door. I immediately began unpacking it and assembling it. Following the instructions was very helpful. As we have a new baby, we wanted to try out the Carry Cot right away. I was disappointed to discover that removing the sling chair and installing the Carry Cot required some minor surgery to the stroller. Several screws including the handle stay, and the center seat support had to be removed to get the sling off. Then I had to put everything back together again to snap the Carry Cot in place. In all, it took the better part of an hour to make the switch, with some bewildered moments.

The Carry Cot itself is fabulous. It is well padded with a great sun shade and complete top access. The only downside is that you can't just lift the Carry Cot off the stroller when your baby falls asleep and you are ready to go inside. The installation / removal process requires some twisting and snapping action once you get the clamps aligned with the stroller frame. I never dared to attempt this with our newborn in the Carry Cot.

My biggest complaint with the Mountain Buggy is the frame stability. Many of the connections are made via plastic brackets screwed to the aluminum frame. This allows a considerable amount of sway and pitch in the stroller, particularly on uneven terrain. The harness system is 5-point, which is good, but the buckles are bulky and cheap.

As with other front-swivel strollers, I missed a hand brake. We have several trails that meander along hills and slopes. With the stroller full of kids and their stuff, slowing the stroller when going down hill was bothersome and tiring. It is understandable that with the swivelling front wheel, keeping the brake there would be difficult, however, with the price point, it would seem that a rear disc brake could easily be included without adding width to the stroller.

In the end, I remain convinced that the Mountain Buggy concept is a good one. All of the features are there, including some unique ones not offered by other stroller manufacturers. However, if I am going to fork out nearly $700 for a stroller, I expect everything to be top quality. A few inexpensive improvements to seat and Carry Cot mounting system, harness, and a frame connection redesign, and the Mountain Buggy would be a solid top performer. I hope to see the next version make some of these improvements.

Summary: The MSRP of $669 is pretty steep, particularly in light of the needed improvements noted above. I would hold on the Mountain Buggy line for now, but keep an eye on it, because with some minor design improvements they will be an industry leader.

For more information contact:
Sycamore Kids Inc.
www.mountainbuggyusa.com
4562 Denrose Court, Suite 2
Fort Collins, CO 80524
866 524 8805

Matt Smith is a contributing editor at GearReview.com, and enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his 5 children and wife.