Babystyle Oyster2 with Ride on Board Review by Kerry

I have been using the Babystyle Oyster 2, with Ride on Board, for approximately 6 weeks.  As a childminder I require a compact pushchair, which handles well, is robust and can be used for a variety of ages from 6 months to 3 years.

The Babystyle Oyster 2 more than fitted my brief.

Aesthetically, the Babystyle Oyster 2 is a very attractive pushchair, I have had several positive comments when using it.  The chassis is compact, yet it has a huge basket and a large seat.  I could easily fit changing bag, my handbag, snack bag for 5 children, drinks and 2 bags of shopping in the basket.  The hood is great for sunny days or light showers.  It is large enough to shade a child and keep them dry whilst you find the raincover, which is easy enough with the inbuilt storage (a fantastic addition).  Whilst the viewing panel is a nice addition I didn’t find it added too much to the pushchair.

The seat is large and comfortable, the babies loved it and the toddlers requested the Babystyle Oyster 2 for nap time and walks from my array of pushchairs.  It reclines fully and has a bar to attach books and toys to.  The 5 point harness holds children securely and the straps are nicely padded to ensure children are comfortable.  The seat of the Babystyle Oyster 2 can be used in either parent facing or front facing for all ages, wonderful if you have a particularly chatty toddler and to be able to see babies.

The Babystyle Oyster 2 is a lovely pushchair to walk with, it is very comfortable to push and feels very light, yet very sturdy, even with a 2 year old in the seat and a 3 year old on the Ride on Board.  The handle is adjustable and very comfortable to hold whilst pushing. 

The Babystyle Oyster Ride on Board which I used with the Oyster 2 is easily the best I have used.  It is short enough not to catch my feet on whilst I am walking (I am 5 ft 6, with quite a long stride) yet large enough for a tall 3 year old to use comfortably.  The Ride on Board folds and clips into place when it is not in use.  It feels very well made and the children all loved using it.  Even with the Ride on Board attached the brake is still easily accessible.

As I do not drive another essential part of my brief for an ‘ideal pushchair’ is its ease of use on public transport.  The Babystyle Oyster 2 fits on even compact buses easily, leaving room for a second pushchair in the buggy space if required.  It is light enough to lift onto and off trains without assistance, another very useful feature.  The ‘turning circle’ of the Babystyle Oyster 2 is small, which means the Babystyle Oyster 2 is very easy to turn around even on buses and trains.

The Babystyle Oyster 2 is easy to fold, the only issues I found was needing to fold the bar across the seat down first and the clip to secure the folded Babystyle Oyster 2 is not easy to fasten whilst keeping hold of a small child.  The Babystyle Oyster 2 is, however, light enough to lift with one hand and compact enough when folded to fit into the bag storage on buses and trains.

Try as I might I could not find anything to really dislike about the Babystyle Oyster 2, I did worry at first that it was designed with looks rather than functionality in mind.  This worry was quickly put aside as the Babystyle Oyster 2 proved to be as functional as it is attractive.  Put simply, it is easily one of the best pushchairs I have used.