Worst ever pushchair Phil and Teds

[lazymum]

Hello, all expecting mums! Congratulations on your pregnancy and soon to be out babies. I had my last about 14 months ago and need to vent about my experience with Phil and Teds Navigator pushchair.

My last pushchair was Bugaboo Chameleon but I needed a double pushchair to carry 2 y.o. and a newborn. I was torn between Bugaboo Donkey and P&T’s for obvious reasons – the formidable price of the Bugaboo and the fact that P&T’s has a width of a normal single pushchair. Besides I saw a lot of people carrying P&T’s around which was encoraging.

I sold my 18-month-old Chameleon for £400 on Ebay and bought P&T’s Navigator. Everyday since then I regretted my decision. P&T’s – is awkward to lift on curbs and busses because its 3 wheels design makes it fall on one or another side. It feels unstable especially with a second child at the bottom – it falls backwards easily.

The lower sit has a very small space for a child to sit. The gap between the lower and top sit is VERY narrow, especially for the area where legs go. Even my small 14 months old is uncomfortable in there. It is a pain to watch how he can barely move in there and has a top sit just in front of his face.

While my Bugaboo covers looked like new all the way, P&T’s – looked worn out and dirty almost immediately. The fabric ( mine is black) shows every stain and looks very cheap. The red spongy cover on the brake split up in a first month.

But WORST of all are the wheels. I could not count how many times we had to buy a spare tube and glue existing ones. They are just plain awful!!! When you try to rush out of the house with 2 kids and find that a pushchair has a flat tier it is not fun. You can only buy spares online and will have a broken unusable pushchair for a couple of days while you wait for the spare to arrive. If you are like me using pushchair on a daily basis you will find it unacceptable.

Overall I am supper, supper disappointed. It is totally worth in my opinion to pay extra and get a dissent pushchair that is very well made ( e.g. Bugaboo) and with a good second hand retail value. So if you are like me in two minds don’t hesitate – you will enjoy having a good pushchair and will get most of your money back selling it on Ebay or Gumtree.

 

[lau86]

I also have a p&t navigator. I don't find it too bad but I don't use it as a main pushchair due to the ages of my kids. My main pram is a bugaboo cameleon and I completely agree it is tons better. I think there is a loooooong way to go in the area of doubles. Personally I wouldn't want a bugaboo donkey as it is so wide!
Eta there will be a near 2 yr gap between my second and third, I'm going for a buggy board this time!

 

[lazymum]

Well when I though i listed all bad qualities of Phil and Ted's it was not the case. I am trying to buy a spare tube for the wheels on P&Ts website and shipping alone will cost me £10!!!! And tehre is no customer services phone number or anything you can only email them!!! I hate P&Ts !!!!

 

[lau86]

Well when I though i listed all bad qualities of Phil and Ted's it was not the case. I am trying to buy a spare tube for the wheels on P&Ts website and shipping alone will cost me £10!!!! And tehre is no customer services phone number or anything you can only email them!!! I hate P&Ts !!!!

Oh my, their customer service is APPALLING! I tried to order something last year, it took literally months to arrive. Have you tried eBay?

 

[Mrs_Bump]

I have a Phil and teds dot and I love it. I have coordination issues and tried so many and it was the only one I could control properly. I've never used it a double though and don't plan to so maybe that is the issue?

 

[Misscalais]

I had a phil and teds for my 1st pram. My mil bought it for me. I hated it and rejoiced the day my dog chewed the straps when i had left it on the veranda after a walk one afternoon lol

 

[Bebedeux]

I tried P&T with DS and my BFs newborn. It was nope on planet noway. Also had a bugaboo on my DS and it was the best buggy loved it. I've the city select for DS and newborn I trailed it again with both babies perfect a bit heavy but still it was more agile than P&T. I'd of loving the bugaboo donkey but the having to set the toddler side every single time put me off. So I hear ya. Buggies flipping frustrating and you really have to pay.

 

[Jessicahide]

I have a mountain buggy, they are the best bloody buggies i have ever come across, also just a tip, if you have the wheels that you have to pump up like on the p&t's and mountain buggy, then buy some "slime" from halfords or a bike shop and put it in... thats what i did, works a treat no punctures ever!!!

 

[lazymum]

Thank you for supporting me ladies and thank you for the "slime" advise. Never heard of it but will def. check it out. I am just counting days when my kids will not need a pushchair anymore and I can burn this P&Ts in my garden!

 

[Spudtastic]

The buggy sounds like a nightmare. I have a mountain buggy which is great but sadly have been bought by p&t so I hope they don't go down hill.

For my mountain buggy innertubes I buy them from the local bike shop and they put them in for me too. I have an old mountain buggy though so that could be the reason.

 

[Jessicahide]

The buggy sounds like a nightmare. I have a mountain buggy which is great but sadly have been bought by p&t so I hope they don't go down hill.

For my mountain buggy innertubes I buy them from the local bike shop and they put them in for me too. I have an old mountain buggy though so that could be the reason.

They are all just standard inner tubes.

 

[wildflower79]

I have a Phil and Ted's navigator I bought 2nd hand and haven't really had any problems with it, but find it so heavy, especially lifting in and out of the car. I bought it to replace my old out n about nipper, which I liked a lot better, although that was a single not a double. I've not used the p&t as a double yet, so not sure how I'll find it then. DD will be 4 when baby arrives, so might not even need to use the pushchair by then.

Like other posts mentioned, you don't need to buy spare tubes from p&t's. Any bike shop or Halfords if you're in the uk will sell them. They're probably 12" tubes, but you can take the whole wheel in and I'm sure they'd be able to tell you the right ones. I also would recommend to slime your tyres. If you're getting punctures quite often, it's probably because the tyres have worn and become quite thin. They probably need replacing and I would recommend buying some puncture resistant ones too. We did all the above with our nipper when we kept getting punctures all the time and it solved the problem.

 

[wishingonastar]

Shame you've not had good experience. ..I loved my p&t while my two were small. We swapped to a city mini double after about a yr/18 mths as they then whinged about who should go in the back. I only ever got one puncture which I'll admit was a pain

 

[AP]

I agree with the OP. Worst buggy decision I ever made. I thought it would be logical, rather than a side by side. I bought a City mini once i got rid of the phil and teds and never looked back

The phil and teds one i had was heavy, a nightmare to push with kerbs and the front couldnt recline leaving my oldest with a stiff neck when she napped. When that happened, I decided i was selling it

 

[Twag]

I have a P&T navigator and love it but I am not using it as a double I have an out & about nipper for that
We live in an area with a lot of countryside and 2 dogs so it is perfect for that!

It is heavy tho!

 

[shellideaks]

I'd buy your inner tubes from eBay. This is the seller I use for my Mountain Buggy Duet and I've never had an issue with them;

https://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&id=130496185188&alt=web

I'd also second the 'slime' suggestion. I have that in all my tyres and got my first puncture the other week (have been using the pram for nearly 2 years). I buy it from Wilkinson;

https://www.wilko.com/bike-parts+accessories/slime-tube-sealant-237ml/invt/0289616

 

[lomelindi17]

I haven't gotten to use it yet but I got the Britax B-Ready, I narrowed it down to either that or the Phil & Ted's. I only want to have to buy one stroller and since we plan on having more kids I went for a convertible. The P&T just seemed like so much more work as far as adjusting the seats and having to rethread the straps etc. Plus you can't switch the seat direction on it. I really like the B-Ready just playing with it so far, it's a bit heavy but hey it'll keep me in shape lifting it into the car haha. I haven't tried a 3 wheel but I like the idea of a 4 wheel better, seems more stable.

 

[mummytobe_93]

Hello, all expecting mums! Congratulations on your pregnancy and soon to be out babies. I had my last about 14 months ago and need to vent about my experience with Phil and Teds Navigator pushchair.

My last pushchair was Bugaboo Chameleon but I needed a double pushchair to carry 2 y.o. and a newborn. I was torn between Bugaboo Donkey and P&T’s for obvious reasons – the formidable price of the Bugaboo and the fact that P&T’s has a width of a normal single pushchair. Besides I saw a lot of people carrying P&T’s around which was encoraging.

I sold my 18-month-old Chameleon for £400 on Ebay and bought P&T’s Navigator. Everyday since then I regretted my decision. P&T’s – is awkward to lift on curbs and busses because its 3 wheels design makes it fall on one or another side. It feels unstable especially with a second child at the bottom – it falls backwards easily.

The lower sit has a very small space for a child to sit. The gap between the lower and top sit is VERY narrow, especially for the area where legs go. Even my small 14 months old is uncomfortable in there. It is a pain to watch how he can barely move in there and has a top sit just in front of his face.

While my Bugaboo covers looked like new all the way, P&T’s – looked worn out and dirty almost immediately. The fabric ( mine is black) shows every stain and looks very cheap. The red spongy cover on the brake split up in a first month.

But WORST of all are the wheels. I could not count how many times we had to buy a spare tube and glue existing ones. They are just plain awful!!! When you try to rush out of the house with 2 kids and find that a pushchair has a flat tier it is not fun. You can only buy spares online and will have a broken unusable pushchair for a couple of days while you wait for the spare to arrive. If you are like me using pushchair on a daily basis you will find it unacceptable.

Overall I am supper, supper disappointed. It is totally worth in my opinion to pay extra and get a dissent pushchair that is very well made ( e.g. Bugaboo) and with a good second hand retail value. So if you are like me in two minds don’t hesitate – you will enjoy having a good pushchair and will get most of your money back selling it on Ebay or Gumtree.

Aw that's awful I have a bugaboo donkey and can't fault it. I absolutely love it! The width is a bit of a pain but the quality makes up for it x

 

[Mrs_Bump]

I think it's just dependent on what works for you. I'm pretty strong so the weight is actually better for me plus I live in a semi rural location so I need something that copes well with mud and leaves. Plus the dot is small. You do need to keep the tyres pumped up and greased but I definitely rate this buggy. I also love that it has no extra bits. But my sister loves her icandy and I don't like it at all. So I think to be honest the best buggy advise is purely try before you buy.