Calling all Opinions
So, with baby #3 coming, it is time to think about a stroller, yet again. We have a Joovy Sit and Stand and liked it somewhat, but don't know that I want another one. (It has seen better days, so we are going to get a new one). It was hard to push (but then again, that might be the nature of the beast with all double strollers). That is what I am wondering.
I would love all you moms out there, to share your opinions on double strollers and what you like and don't like. Tandem, side by side, front and back... pros and cons. I don't want to spend $300 for a stroller, but I do want a good one and one that won't break my back pushing it. Although, I might be considering the Per Perego Aria Twin, so maybe price isn't an issue.
Please, oh please... everyone share your wisdom with me!
Posts
19 comments:
I'll send you Lisa Ure's email. She's the queen of The Double! She's got 4 girls now, you know!
I have the Peg Perego Aria Single and I love it!!! I don't know what I am going to do when I have to get a double stroller and can't use it anymore because seriously, it is the best!!! Super light and easy to fold up and store. I will talk to my friends tonight at apron night and see what they think...many of them have all sorts of different kinds of double strollers.
Had my first 3 babies in 2 1/2 years... did the strollers (although they have gotten better since then). Did NOT like side by side at all, rather front and back. I usually needed to put 3 in at a time. I liked the kind that you could lay down all the way flat b/c I could have the 2 year old sit and another one in between her legs and she could be the holder/helper. But I don't think they even make those anymore.
Good luck. It sure can make life easier to have the right equipment!!!
I had that peg perego side by side with my twins... for the twins it worked great but my sister bought it for her kids and we noticed a few things..
1-it's hard to steer when there is a big weight difference between the 2 kids... it tends to "lean" to one side.
2-it's not great for newborns... i could not use it until my twins could sit up - maybe they have made improvements in that department but i did not like that.
3-since the handle bar was large (long) you could not hang diaper bags/grocery sacks/ drink holders etc... on it...
i would stick with a lightweight front/back style that you can hook an infant car seat on...
oh- also there is not a good basket underneath... you could not get anything in it! very hard for zoo trips and trips to the mall etc...
Here's another vote for a front/back double stroller...much easier to maneuver, especially in narrow store aisles. I also love when the back seat reclines all the way, and a large basket underneath is awesome! I have used Peg Perego and Graco... I like the Graco better.
I think Heather just got this one
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3012699
Right now she has the front seat out and her infant seat clips on the front with her 2 year old in the back seat. you can also have two seats in or just a front one and then the back is like a sit n stand. She seems to like it.
I bought a front/back double stroller YEARS ago and hated it - it was so hard to turn. But I am sure, especially from the other comments, that they are much better now.
I am trying to figure out what double stroller to get for my twins. My SIL is researching it for me (she loves that kind of stuff). I will let you know what she finds out - but a double stroller for twins isn't actually the same as for 2 kids.
Side-by-side are the best double strollers. I found a Jeep double side-by-side at a thrift store and have loved it! It is light weight, folds easily, is lightweight, can fit in the back of my car, and BOTH KIDS CAN SEE AT ONCE. The only drawback is that getting through doors can be a little harder (but not much).
We bought a McClaren side by side and I've loved it. It's a little taller than most of the others so I'm leaning over less AND it accomodates taller children easier which is a consideration for us. There is great underseat basket room and it is easy to push around. Very sturdy ride! It doesn't accomodate an infant car seat though.
Julianna
My kids were 19 months apart, so we decided to get a Graco Duo Glider for them. It is awesome. It is easy to turn around corners, in between store aisles, and is easy to push. It has a huge basket underneath for gear and a console on top for drinks and things- one half of it has a lid that snaps shut for your wallet or whatever. Both seats recline, the rear reclines all the way. They both have trays, which can be removed. We had a Graco carseat and we could install it in the forward or backward seat. Both seats have a canopy and the front one can be removed. We have a Toyota corolla which is pretty small, but if I remove the front canopy and tray it easily fits in my trunk. (That's easy to do too.)
I can't remember how much is cost, around $200, (I think we paid a little more to get the black one) I think--but worth every penny! I used it way more than I used my car last summer and fall.
I really can't think of much I don't like about this stroller.
Christina
Your pregnant? How did I miss that? I guess I haven't been keeping up to date on my blog reading lately. When are you due? And more importantly, is it another girl?
Now that you mention it, I should be looking into a double stroller too. It's been great reading all the comments to get an idea of what I need to think about.
I loved this stroller myself. I sold it and got the Joovy sit n stand, and I kind of wish I had stuck to the combi. It's the greatest... I'm starry-eyed!
OK...I totally blogged about this before I had my second, and floods of responses came pouring in. You can check them out with these links. I ended up with a sit-n-stand type deal which has been great for the price, but now I would consider a side-by-side one. Whereas before, I was not a fan of the wide load!
http://degraffblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/suggestions-please.html
http://degraffblog.blogspot.com/2008/01/you-know-youre-mom-when.html
I have the graco duo glider. It's pretty easy to manage, even with my older boys in it. We've been happy with the front/back, because it is easier to use when shopping. Good Luck!!
I linked here from Sugardoodle. Thanks for the great ideas for YW handouts. Anyway, I jsut wanted to tell you that we bought the Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Plus Stroller for around $180 at Babies R Us. IT has been really nice because you can change the seats around to have them facing each other or both forward or both back. The seats can lay back. It comes with a baby car seat holder that you just strap the car seat into and then the two regular seats. It is pretty big and kind of bulky but it steers pretty well. It also has a HUGE basket. We have really liked it.
I have the joovy sit and and stand right now and love it. With my last baby I had a graco double (front and back kind) that I would not recommend. It was easy to fit through doors at the mall and such, but it became difficult to steer the bigger and older my kids got. On the lower price range my sil has a double side by side jeep stroller that she loves.
I just got a Joovy sit and stand, but I also have a Combi side by side (like you have posted), and a Graco front back. It's like a stroller Graveyard in my garage.
I like that the Combi really is narrow enough to fit through doorways. I like the single bar for pushing instead of little hands (like Peg Perego). The Combi is really light and compact when folded. I like having the little food/drink trays too. I HATE the baskets underneath. They barely fit anything. My nasty Graco could fit a kid in the baskets if you needed to. And be sure to get a Combi with the sunshades with the extra extender so that it actually shields your kids' faces.
Best of luck!
I had twins and then a baby the next year. I have had many storllers and my favorite by far was my In Step double jogger. It took a little time to get use to not having the turning wheels but, by far it was the easiest to push especially when your load gets heavy. I think they have a few styles now that have a turning wheel in the front as well. I found the front and back strollers to be very hard to push. Our stroller folded up in half without having to remove any wheels and the new version even has a cup holder/tray. I just sold it after 5 years and it was still in great condition. It went on many trips including several air plane rides. It was a little on the big side but, that thing toted around a ton of stuff.
I recomend a side by side vs. front and back in any stroller. Sometimes the side by sides don't fit through doors as easily but, with all the stores needing handicap access now it really wasn't that big of deal to me.
Post a Comment