If I was a baby, I would want to be seen in this!!!!!!! (OBaby Zezu Pramette & Infant Car Seat)

Member Name: luigi0778

Product:	OBaby Zezu Pramette & Infant Car Seat
Date:	07/11/09 (279 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stylish design, convertible from pram/stroller, great value

Disadvantages: Durability unknown, minor quirks, heavy weight

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+Background+
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Despite the 2009 recession busting idea of renaming a variant of the humble flu, "H1N1" or "Swine Flu" and scaring everyone into thinking we are about to die, and governments into stock piling side-effect ridden anti-virals and paying non medically trained staff to issue them like sweets to everyone with a sniffle. Not to mention the nation wide vaccination (experiment?) effort currently taking place. The media hype etc. etc. And etc.

Many people still seem to have been at it this year! Despite the pandemic! Many people I know are about to be having babies, thinking about making them, or like my brothers wife just had one.

With a recent addition to the tribe requiring urgent transportation, I somehow got roped into the task of assisting. After applying a bit of male perspective and objectiveness to the purchase, and having previously spent many an hour getting dragged around playing with, pushing, subjected to cursing, followed by "how much", and just generally trying to help and somehow understand, the whole confusing world that is choosing a pram.

I instead steered my sister-in-law clear of the likes of Mothercare and its £400+ travel systems, and the numerous other over priced equivalents, and instead "took" to the internet to research for some sensible alternatives!

Thankfully for the review conscious shopper, better options are out there, and huge savings can be made.



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+General Details+
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This Pramette/Stroller is made by a not so well known UK based company called "Obaby" Who make a range of other products. Their main design ethos appears to be based around style, innovation, practicality and budget.

This fact is quite evident in most of their product range, with the use of vibrant colours, quality materials, and innovatative design touches. The Obaby Zezu Pramette, is a good example of this, with their clever combination of the hybrid stroller and carrycot system.

I am not sure if this is absolutely unique to the Obaby design, but it isn't something I have seen as a common feature on this type of product made by other manufacturers. With just a few clicks and gentle pushes it can smoothly and easily transform from a traditional parent facing pram, to a stylish looking forward facing Stroller. If the parent prefers however, this can also be used as a parent facing stroller.

The unit is suitable from birth, all the way through to approximately 3-4 years of age (15kg).

The Item can be purchased as the prammette Stroller, or in combination with the Obaby Infant car seat as a total travel system solution.

General Dimensions are on the manufactuers website, but is, as a guide the size of the Mothercare MyChoice Pram system. Rest assured though it is much cheaper.



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+What you Get+
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The total travel system which was the option chosen, consisted of the "from birth" easy click car seat. Which conforms to all Uk standards, is rear facing etc.

A rain cover, which is basically a clear plastic cover which fits over the whole unit and is attached via velcro at fixed points on the pram chassis.

The main chassis unit and front and rear wheels, you'll be amazed how large the rear pneumatic tyres are!

Lastly you get the convertible pram/stroller seat unit, hood, and padded washable pram liner.

One point worth making to a prospective purchaser is that no baby head support is included for use in pram mode. Fortunately she had a spare which could be used, but otherwise a worthy point to make. Apparently our heads wobble when we are little, strange!


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+Assembly+
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To say this could be assembled by a chimpanzee is no slight on my sister-in-law, who although blonde, managed to assemble this without asking a single question of anyone, and strangely without even consulting the literature provided. However, as always when assembling something which might be critical, considering what the cargo is, I would strongly advise reading the instructions and safety notes first!!

But. Basically you unfold the chassis frame, attach the adjustable handle with foam grips, clip on the wheels, click into the place pram/seat unit and your done. The wheels and attachments are even colour coded, so you can't place a left wheel on the right hand side etc. Why does that matter you ask? That's because the wheels have a special camber angle to aid aiglity, and the axle and wheels have been produced as matched pairs.

One point worth mentioning here, is that although we did not notice any potential places for tiny fingers to get caught or trapped there undoubtedly are, so before opening or closing the chasis unit, keep your, and your children/babies fingers well away from the hinge mechanism. Most of the hinge is sheathed safely behind black plastic, but worth pointing out!


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+Appearance+
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Once assembled, and either in stroller, pram, or travel system mode, this thing looks pretty impressive for a pram!
My brother and his wife were over the moon when they first saw it assembled!

The option they chose was black/red as pictured above. However these do come in a range of colours including green/black, blue/black and pink/black.

The thing that makes the pram striking, is the attention to detail. In particular in red/black it looks like it has been designed by Sergio Pininfarina. The clever effect of having the padded part of the stroller looking like carbon fibre mesh. The pin striping around the harness, and the red flash of the inside of the hood. Just give it a "sports" car type look.
Even in parent facing pram mode it looks sexy, it has a sleek curve, and width stitched panneling giving the impression of strength and quality.

However in my opinion, its not a chav-esque equivalent of a big bore exhaust on a Citroen Saxo, its more of a wide gait, and indescript badge of the M3. More of subtle thoughts and hints, rather than shouting and screaming in your face.


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+Weight+
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This is not a light weight pram, however is that really a disadvantage. If your purchasing this type of pram with the large rear pneumatic tyres your not going to the be the city type, that needs to only pop along around the corner, and light weight is all that matters. Your going to be using this for hard work, all terrain, long distances, in and out of the car etc.
It isn't designed to be a lightweight, folding butterfly.

The Pram comes in at around 15kg. Which is heavy in my book. However as my sister-in-law pointed out, she rarely needs to lift it, and when you consider the weight of the shopping bags she lifts into the car, this pales into insignificance.

So basically this is no light weight, but you wouldn't expect a Mini and a Range Rover to weigh the same neither.



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+Quality+
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The quality and feel of all the parts (and Uncle Luigi touched most of them) is undoubtedly good. The plastics used are better quality than some of the stuff used in my Alfa Romeo. The fabrics, feel tough and durable.
The kickpad area of the stroller, where undoubtedly dirty feet are going to be kicking in years to come, looks very hard wearing, and is in any case fully washable.

The metal frame, and hinge look sturdy and heavy duty. I found no areas that I could be negative about, my sister-in-law is still in love with the thing, and my brother is still happy about saving a few hundred pounds.

Durability however is unknown. The pram has been in use for a couple of months, of course being the doting Uncle I have pushed the thing around, and assuredly im told nothing has broken, faded, or worn out.
Yes it is a question mark, but given the quality, I would expect the pram to be able to handle some heavy usage without any problems.

Normally, if something feels and looks sturdy and of good quality, it normally is going to last. Although do avoid icebergs if crossing the Atlantic! That's always good advice!



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+Cost+
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The cost ranges from £270 as a travel system on Kiddicare (price paid in July) or for a reduced £197 for the Pram/Stroller system only. However shop around as on some websites £300 is being quoted for just the pram unit.

Is that a good price? Compared to the similar looking and feeling prams available in most of the high street shops, with a similar specification, this is at least several hundred pounds cheaper.



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+Test Drive, Used in Anger+
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Forget about everything else that has been said so far, (for now) this is by far the most important section. My sister-in-law, was so happy with her pram travel system she helped complete and input the rating/criteria for key areas.
Unfortunately the experience is only for a pram, not as a stroller, but most criteria will appply.

Folding/Unfolding:
Seeing as this was going to be taken in and out of the car very often, this was a key area. This folds very easily by first removing the seat unit by clicking two buttons, and by then folding the chassis down. In my siter-in-laws Ford Fiesta this takes up less than a quarter of the boot in footprint size. Reversing the procedure is just as simple and little effort is needed. Compared to some other products tried, this is dead easy to use.
Rated: 8/10

Maneuverability:
Given the pram is quite bulky, it does surprisingly turn and twist very easily. You can turn the thing around on the spot.
Rated: 10/10

Ride/Push Comfort:
All of the harnesses are easy to use, and secure. The handle is a slight weak spot, the angle is adjustable but the height/length ratio didn't feel right until alot of adjustment. However it is very pleasant to push once sorted. The large rear pneumatic wheels make lifting up over kerbs, or down them a doddle, and baby sleeps through the lot. Considering this thing is quite heavy, it really is effortless to get moving, or slow down and change of direction is no problem.
Rated: 7/10

Terrain/braking system:
Living quite near parks, open fields as we do. The pram does get pushed over grass, mud, loose gravel, and rough ground fairly frequently. To be honest there is not much noticeable difference in handling. If we are going to the beach, we do lock the front wheels as it is easier on sand, but other than that it handles everything easily.
The brakes are easily applied using your feet, and lock the rear wheels tightly, I have no doubt they would work on an incline, but I would only recommend relying on them, on level ground.
Rated: 9/10


Travel System:
As a travel system this is perfect, baby can be taken out of the car, still in the seat, and clipped straight into the pram chassis. Without the need for fussing around with clips and buckles, or spacers as with some other travel systems.
Rated: 10/10



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+Summary+
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In my experience many companies which concentrate hard producing stylish products, often have a loss of focus on practicality, value, and relevance.

In the Obaby Zezu pramette there is certainly no case of Style over substance, as this unit I think is a real stonker. Exceptional value and quality, and seems to sell out as soon as it gets re-stocked. Go check out their website!

Summary: If I needed a pram, this is one I would definitely go for!