As part of our exciting new partnership the Blaze Trails community have been road (and trail!) testing our range of off road pushchairs. A very wet and muddy start to the spring has meant they have been tested to their limits and been thoroughly rid of their shiny newness!
Blaze Trails CIC is the UK's parent and baby walking community. With over 70 local groups up and down the country they offer free weekly walks to parents and their little ones, helping people to connect with nature and other families too, which in turn goes some way in helping to combat isolation and loneliness in what can often be those very daunting early years. Alongside this they offer tips and advice to families to support them to get outside together. You can find out more about Blaze Trails on their website, www.blazetrails.org.uk
First up is the Out'n'About Nipper Double Pushchair V5, reviewed by Blaze Trails Peak District organiser Natasha.
HI! I’M NATASHA, A BLAZE TRAILS ORGANISER IN THE PEAK DISTRICT…
I love getting outside with my boys exploring our beautiful country. I’m relatively new to walking having found Blaze Trails when I had my first son two years ago - I couldn’t believe I’d been missing out on nature for so long and there is no way I’m letting my children miss out.
I was super excited to be able to test out and review the Out’n’About Nipper Double off-road pushchair, but was fairly dubious about my need for a double buggy as we had wasted so much money on prams with our first baby and we never found a good fit for our needs.
However, I have been so surprised with how much use I’ve already got from the double pushchair. I look forward to taking it out and find myself seeking pram-friendly walks whereas before I very much avoided them.
The bonus of the pushchair is that you can do far more adventurous pram walks, which is more up our street. We love being out in the Peaks up a hill, splashing in the streams and squelching through mud which has been unavoidable this Spring!
The Nipper Double pushchair has fitted into our lifestyle perfectly.
Aseemebling the Nipper Double Pushchair
My toddler was very excited when the big box arrived containing our new pram, I mean he’s 2 and a huge box had been delivered so what’s not to love?!
The box was soon forgotten once he saw what was inside - he jumped into the pushchair straight away before I’d even got the wheels on and demanded to nap in the new pram…. Toddler approved within 5 minutes! Once he woke up I got the wheels on and we were ready to go. 
I found building the pram straight forward - the assembly instructions are easy to follow on the whole and the pushchair feels very sturdy straight away. There aren’t lots of different settings, levers or components to contend with like other prams I’ve tried and I really like that.
It’s also very easy to fold down everything stays together in one fold.
A downside is that the pushchair is huge when folded down - it’s too big to fit under my stairs or to keep in my hall so I have to store it in the garage or the boot of the car. Due to the size I also find it quite difficult to lift into my boot and I always end up covered in mud from the wheels. For me personally this is a small price to pay and I’m usually already covered in mud!
I was worried about the fit for my younger son as he was only 6 weeks old when we started using the Out’n’About Nipper Double Pushchair. I did look into getting the carrycot attachment or the newborn insert, but we haven’t felt we needed it. The pram can lay fully flat and he fits well in the adjustable harness, and I’m comfortable I can keep a close eye on him through the window in the hood.
Finally a pram that is actually suitable from newborn to toddler!
The Out’n’About Nipper Double Pushchair Around Town
The Nipper drives beautifully over bumpy pavements and navigates curbs comfortably, it’s easily controlled one handed whilst handing snacks to toddlers.
I really love pushing this pram - considering it’s a side-by-side double buggy it’s very nimble and feels light. There was one local café where we couldn’t fit through the narrow door but other than that we had no issues with doorways or accessing anywhere around town.
The Nipper Double Pushchair In The Countryside
We took the Nipper out on canal paths, woodland trails, unmade country roads and, of course, to some country pubs! Given the amount of rain we’ve had recently we encountered lots of mud and puddles which were no issue.
The Nipper is just as easy to handle off-road as on pavements around town - it has a really handy wrist strap for extra security when heading downhill and truly takes all terrain in its stride.
Going Off-Road
I got very ambitious whilst out using the Out’n’About Nipper Double pushchair - we decided we could tackle some less pram-friendly routes so we tested it on a very narrow, rocky woodland ‘path’ and it passed with flying colours.
I felt super confident pushing my precious cargo down this treacherous path that really wasn’t accessible for other prams.
We then tackled some steps and a narrow footbridge - we bounced down the steps with ease, much to my toddlers delight, and despite being convinced the pram was too wide for the bridge we strolled across comfortably.
Next was the river path after the river Wye had burst its banks - the mud was very thick and the water was deep in parts but we glided through, unlike my toddler’s wellies that were lost to the mud on more than one occasion!
We had to carry the pram over some fallen trees, which given its lightweight design was no bother.
I ended this adventure with a sleeping baby, a thrilled toddler and a happy heart following a walk we couldn’t have easily accessed with any other pram.
The Downside
As much as I thoroughly enjoy this pram, it’s not without some niggles:
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The bumper bar – I find it really cumbersome, especially when I’m popping the toddler in and out and there’s nowhere for it to go - it’s too big to swivel up and out of the way and doesn’t bend out of the way either.
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Wind – I didn’t particularly notice an issue with wind, but my husband said he found walking into the wind affected the handling of the pram.
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Big when collapsed – as mentioned earlier the pram is a fair size when collapsed so storage can be difficult.
OTHER FEATURES
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Storage – each seat has a large drawstring basket on the back which works really well for off-road as you can close them and nothing will fall out. These however I’ve found are relatively inaccessible if the seat is laying flat, as is the storage basket that fits underneath when both seats lay flat.
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Pedal break – super easy to use and really secure when on.
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Large hoods – each seat has a hood that works independently, so perfect for different age children. The hoods come out a decent amount over the seats keeping the sun off and they are nice a dark inside so perfect for napping whilst out in the day. Each hood offers a window so you can check on your little ones and has large zip pockets on either side for further storage and easy accessibility.
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Seat recline – both seats recline independently and can lay fully flat, they’re very easy to recline with a squeeze of the toggle. They are a bit tricky to sit back up and this requires two hands. We also find that the strap sometimes gets twisted stopping the mechanism working, it just needs untwisting which can be a bit annoying and inconvenient.
My Final Say:
On the whole I genuinely love this Double Pushchair.
I’ve avoided prams until now as I haven’t found one that suits our needs but I feel the Nipper Double fits the bill - from the easy handling, comfort for both the children and the parent, to the freedom it gives.
I would definitely recommend the nipper and for me personally the pros far outweigh the small cons.
Friends of Blaze Trails receive a massive 10% discount off across the Out’n’About range by shopping here: outnabout.com/BLAZETRAILS
