Silver Cross are such a well-known British name when it comes to buggies – and after 130 years experience in the business, Silver Cross has quite a range to show for it. The Linear Freeway is one of what Silver Cross calls its “Pram Systems”. These are prams that convert to pushchairs, which by adding a car seat you can make into a travel system. “Linear” refers to the chassis – the Linear chassis features lockable swivel wheels, and once folded it’s self-standing.
For £510 you get everything you’d expect from a travel system; a pram (with multi-position recline and a 4-point locking mechanism), a buggy (with a very cosy footmuff), a matching car seat and all the accessories to boot. You can reverse the seat direction too, from forward facing to rear (parent) facing and back again. The travel system is comprised of the Linear Freeway pram/pushchair, which is £395, plus the Silver Cross Ventura Plus car seat, £115 of the total price, which lasts from birth to around the 9-month mark (13kg).
What we love
Setting up the Silver Cross Linear Freeway Travel system couldn’t be simpler and it looks pretty good, too.
During my first outing in the Linear Freeway, I took my 14-week-old daughter Rosie to the shops. We set everything up, smugly flicking out the chassis and plonking on the pram with ease. Rosie was very happy in her fleecy lined carrycot and nodded off to sleep in a matter of minutes.
The shopping trip was a success. The pram was fairly easy to manoeuvre and the large shopping basket easily stored all our treats, without me having to worry about hanging things off the handle.
The cosiness of the Linear Freeway Travel System is a real winner. The carrycot lining is as soft as silk and the Ventura Plus car seat comes with its own detachable added apron so you know your little one will always be snug.
The pram is lovely to push. It’s incredibly comfortable and has a really nice feeling about it – you can walk for miles and miles knowing you and your baby will be happy.
The Ventura Plus car seat is easy to fit on (and take off) so it’s perfect for short trips. We even did a Buggyfit class in it, which was a good giggle. I’d previously been with a pram so it was lovely to be able to take her out of the car (asleep), plop it on the chassis and run around like a lunatic. It also meant her nap wasn’t disturbed.
What to watch out for
The wheels are lovely and smooth on hard ground but off road, they’re not so great. And once you convert the pram into a buggy, the wheels almost seem to have a mind of their own. I found myself bumping into everything…although it has to be said, I’m not the best pram driver in the world. I thought I’d be a pro by now but I still manage to bash the walls coming in my own front door!
I ran into trouble with the carrycot – specifically, trying to get it off the chassis! I can’t do it. It’s as simple as that. It’s incredibly easy to slot in, but once that carrycot’s on, I cannot move it for toffee. Now I do admit to being a bit of a weed. My husband can remove it without a hitch, but if you’re short and lacking in upper body strength, it’s a bit tough.
The other downside is the weight. The carrycot is pretty heavy, which is probably why I struggle to remove it from the chassis. You also have to take it off to pack it in the car, which is a bit of a pain, and also means you need a decent sized boot. Oh, and the car seat’s a bit on the weighty side, too.
Who is the Silver Cross Linear Freeway Travel System best for?
Urban parents after a snug travel system from a trusted name.
For comfort, style and practicality, the Silver Cross Linear Freeway Travel System definitely gets the thumbs up. While it’s by no means light and there are a couple of imperfections, the option to have your baby rear or forward facing, an easy to attach (and detach) car seat and good sized shopping basket make the Linear Freeway a travel system with features that work in real life.
