They definitely succeeded in what they set out to do and there are accolades endorse this, including a third place in Practical Parenting and Pregnancy 2011 Awards for best lightweight stroller. The awards are well deserved - the PEPP is a brilliant lightweight pushchair for an older baby/toddler. However, I would be uncomfortable using it with a newborn.
Nuna has other baby and toddler kit to its name – there’s the ZAAZ (a highchair) as well as the LEAF (a baby rocker), plus another item or two in the works, such as the SENA (a travel cot) due out in April 2012.
I tested the Nuna PEPP with my second daughter, 5-month-old Sofia.
What we love
When I receive the Nuna PEPP, one of the great things is that the buggy is already assembled. Once up, I can literally just push it out the door. To open it, you release the Velcro fastening and then unfold, one-handed. The design honestly reminds me of a mobile flip phone.
At only 8.6kg the Nuna PEPP is ridiculously light to push. This means, when needed, I can push it with one hand, keeping the other free for my adventurous 3-year-old Esme.
The wheels function well and actually, you’ll need to keep a good hold of this buggy as on smooth surfaces it runs away from you it’s so fast. Seriously, the PEPP needs some weight in the form of its cargo to stop it from wind surfing!
Along with being so light, the PEPP is compact. If you’re someone who travels a lot, this buggy would appeal - it can be pulled like a suitcase, stand independently and collapse and open with ease. Its clever fold-in-half design also means it will fit into smaller cars.
The Nuna PEPP looks the part. Futuristic yet elegant, it’s a real head turner, and it can’t be compared to any other pushchair I’ve seen. Sofia and I try the ‘Night’ design, which is mainly black, adding to its slimline effect. There are three colours currently available but Nuna tells me this will soon increase to five (as of May 2012).
Along with being superbly smart to look at, I can’t get over how well the PEPP performs - I can whiz about town, I can dash in and out of shops, I can jump easily on the bus. Then, when Sofia needs to sleep, I simply lower the seat by unzipping each side, letting out fabric, increasing the resting angle.
Height adjustable handles, a very easy step-on braking system, a high seat that sits up pretty well and overall sturdiness all make for a great pushchair. Even my 3-year-old enjoyed trying it out!
In short, the Nuna PEPP is chic and unique. It is basically a number of straightforward ideas that work incredibly well. Consequently, the £200 price tag matches the workmanship and thought that has gone in to designing this clever product.
What to watch out for
Although the Nuna PEPP buggy comes assembled, I confess to having trouble working out how to attach the hood. It isn’t made that clear in the instruction manual either.
The shopping basket is minimalist, as you’d expect with such a compact buggy. The shopping basket is also a hindrance when it comes to wheeling the buggy over deep steps - it simply sits in the way.
Depending on the surface, wheeling the buggy can be a very noisy affair. And the wheels scuff immediately after use, but giving them a wipe with a damp cloth sorts this out to a degree.
Heading off the pavement with the PEPP is not that easy because the wheels are just too small. Pushing it over a wet grassed field results in the wheels being coated in inch-thick mud. I wonder with the weight of a toddler how much harder it would become? I also attempt a wooded, bumpy path and needless to say it isn’t much fun at all. Nuna’s progressive suspension technology claims to result in a nice easy ride, which it does, but just on concrete.
By far the biggest bugbear I have with the Nuna PEPP is that it’s supposedly suitable from birth. It’s billed as lie-flat, making it suitable for a newborn, however it doesn’t seem to go to a completely flat 180-degree angle. It’s also not parent facing, which I value when pushing a newborn. Even now I don’t like the fact that I can’t see Sofia in the PEPP unless the hood is up. Even then, I’m looking at the back of her head.
Because Sofia is still so small, with the seat upright she appears perched on it. Her legs fall over the edge and there’s no adjustable footrest to meet them. This is more obvious when the seat is fully reclined, yet in this reclined mode she sleeps well, even with legs dangling.
The £200 price tag is for the buggy only. Accessories such as a footmuff and raincover will cost you extra.
Who is the Nuna PEPP buggy best for?
City-folk with babies who are already sitting up.
Nuna’s ethos is to make parent’s lives easier while embracing design and style, and this all holds up - the PEPP is compact, lightweight and smart. It’s definitely best for the urban environment and despite being a more expensive option (for a lightweight), it isn’t ideal from birth.
