BabyStyle Oyster Zero Review

Pushchair Review

What's in the box?

• Pushchair
• Wheels
• Bumper Bar
• Raincover

The RRP of the BabyStyle Oyster Zero is £229

Accessories

• Oyster ride on board £45
• Carrycot £129
• Carrycot Colour Pack £25
• Footmuff £40
• Changing bag £40
• Sun Shade £10
• Blanket £29.99
• Colour Pop Seat Liner £20
• Oyster Zero Multi Car Seat Adaptors £19

Colour Options

 

The BabyStyle Oyster Zero is available in a choice of luxuriously textured fabrics:

Ink Black, Olive Green, Oxford Blue, Wow Pink and Pure Silver. 

BabyStyle Oyster Zero Review: Chassis

As the name implies, the Oyster Zero is designed to be lightweight. Zero weight, Zero fuss, Zero compromise for parents! At just 7.9kg it is easy enough to lift and carry over your shoulder. The bumper bar even doubles up as a clever and comfortable carry handle.

The lightweight aluminium chassis is sleek to look at but when stood behind the handlebar, it has a superb feeling of sturdiness. There is no rocking, bending or giving in the frame and it definitely feels as if it has been built to last.

With a light but workmanlike frame, the Oyster Zero is beautifully dressed with the tan leatherette bumper bar and handlebar - perfect to add that touch of glam on the school run!

 

If you are looking for a no-fuss, go anywhere pushchair that will have to ‘wear many hats', then the wheels on the Oyster Zero will make you smile. The solid wheels look effortlessly classy with their three moulded spokes. Behind the sleek exterior the wheels are supported by all-round suspension which gives the Oyster Zero the ability to push over mud, grass, pavements and cobbles without a fuss. When there is need for more stability, you can lock off the front swivel wheels to tackle trickier gravel paths. The front swivel wheels are slightly smaller and give the pushchair ability to weave in and out of aisles whilst the larger rear wheels can drive the pushchair over rougher ground and give baby the most comfortable of rides. To lock and swivel the wheels you twist a wheel rather than push a button on and off. This is a fab feature as it means the buttons can't be hit accidentally.

So far the Oyster Zero has been a very neat and tidy pushchair, and the same can be said of the brake pedal. In fact, the brake pedal was a little bit too neat and tidy for our size 7 shoes to find easily. Tucked away by the right hand rear wheel, the brake pedal sits neatly. It is solid and reliable to use however could do with being a touch bigger for ease of use and practicality. Once you've got used to the pushchair though, it is simple enough to use. One thing is for sure, you won't go tripping up over it.

It's often the case that smaller and lighter pushchairs skimp on storage. This is certainly not the case with the Oyster Zero! The basket will see you on many picnics and will carry shopping, coats and wellies galore! The high mesh sides and clever angle of the basket means nothing will topple out so you can really pile the basket high! The angle of the basket also means that it won't drag on the ground or rub on the wheels when fully laden - it's the little features like this that really make the Oyster Zero such a useable pushchair.

BabyStyle Oyster Zero Review: Seat

 

Although it can be used from birth, the Oyster Zero is a forward facing pushchair only. If you want your tiny bundle to face you out on your strolls then perhaps you could consider the Oyster carrycot. We tested the Oyster Zero with the carrycot too and although it is an extra £129 on top of the cost of the pushchair, we would highly recommend buying one if you plan on using it from birth.

The carrycot clips on and off the frame with ease when you use the carrycot adapters. All you need to do to prepare the frame is undo the poppers of the seat fabric and slide the seat fabrics off the frame.

 

It's lovely and roomy inside and totally coordinates with the colour of pushchair that you choose. Or, if you would like, you can choose a totally different coloured carrycot altogether. Using the carrycot as a from birth option means baby can be facing you and when the carrycot is clipped onto the frame the Oyster Zero feels much more like a full sized pram than the lightweight, zero fuss buggy that is really is! 

When baby has outgrown the carrycot, you can pop the seat unit onto the frame and away you go. The harness can be altered to suit the smallest and tallest of babies by simply threading it through the loops on the seat back and using the sliding harness adjusters. The five point harness comes complete with really soft harness pads and is very easy to do and undo. 

To recline the seat there is a strap recline system. One of the smoothest strap reclines we have seen on a pushchair, the seat can be moved down by squeezing the clasp on the back of the seat together and pulling to whatever position suits your baby. To sit the seat up again just pull upwards on the cord and stop when you reach the position baby needs. As is the case with most strap reclines, the seat doesn't quite sit fully upright, so our 20 month old tester pulled himself up on the bumper bar when he was wanting to have a good nosey. 

 

Making baby even more comfortable is an adjustable calf rest which can be up to support younger babies legs or down when your toddlers legs are long enough to sit on the plastic footrest at the bottom of the pushchair frame. 

The UPF50+ hood is the crowning glory on an already gorgeous seat unit. Its strong metal frame makes it easy to pull up and down and helps it to keep a lovely shape and there is a clever magnetic mesh window for checking in on your baby without disturbing them. A strong and easy to grip zip can be un-done to extend the hood giving baby the most fantastic protection and shelter from any weather. The inside of the hood is soft and there is also a large pull down reflective visor that comes all the way down past the bumper bar to give baby ultimate protection from the sun. In the back of the hood there is also a handy pocket which is great for putting small items in. 

 

The Oyster Zero can also be used as a travel system in conjunction with most leading brands of  infant carriers when you buy the multi-car seat adapters separately for just £19. This was a handy option to have for nipping in and out of the car on really speedy errands where we didnt want to wake baby. 

BabyStyle Oyster Zero Review: Driveability 

The Oyster Zero is as light as a feather to push. The light but robust wheels went everywhere we wanted them to go. We locked the front wheels into place over trickier ground and the all-round suspension means that baby isn't woken up every time you go over a lump or bump in the pavement. On urban trips, it was easy to pop up and down curbs with the Oyster Zero and to navigate shop aisles and doorways. From a parent's point of view, we didn't even notice that we were pushing the pushchair and the children seemed content too, either sleeping or chattering away in the nice roomy seat.

BabyStyle Oyster Zero Review: Fold

This Zero fuss pushchair features a zero fuss fold too. It really couldn't have been any simpler to do. Just push the sturdy red catch on the right of the pushchair frame inwards and pull the handle that is cleverly tucked away in the crease of the seat unit. The pushchair folds into two, briefcase style and locks into position automatically. It is easily stored as it free-stands when folded and can also be carried using the bumper bar as a carry handle.

The fold was easily operated with one hand and whilst many parents are fiddling around with complicated folds, yours will be in your car boot in a flash.

 

To unfold the pushchair you need to release the frame lock by pushing down on the grey lock catch which holds the pushchair together. Once this is released, we just grabbed the handlebar and flicked the pushchair into place. Everything clicks into place itself so there's no need to worry about locking off any levers.

BabyStyle Oyster Zero Review: Conclusion

The extra large extendable hood and leatherette detailing on the handlebar and bumper bar give this pushchair a real luxury feel for both baby and parent but still retains its practical and workmanlike qualities too. If we were to be really fussy, the fact the brake pedal is quite small would be our only tiny niggle with the Oyster Zero - but this is a feature that you get to grips with after just a few uses, so is not something to be too critical over.   For such an incredible price at just £229, the Oyster Zero is a fabulous pushchair providing parents with a zero fuss, stylish pushchair that will blend in with daily life perfectly.

We give the BabyStyle Oyster Zero 5 out of 5 stars

To find out more about the BabyStyle Oyster Zero, visit the BabyStyle Website.