Advice on a Double Stroller - Danbury,CT

LOVE MY PHIL AND TED'S!!!! When my son was a new born I would put him in the lay down position and then the second seat would go up top for my girl....... you did not even know I had a baby on the bottom. I have a VW Beetle and it fits in my trunk and I go every where with my Phil and Ted's and the kiddies. I had a side by side and I hated it ....... it did not go into any of the stores in the city or in the mall for that matter. You can get through the front door but then if you want to shop you are pushing things out of the way all the time and for some reason people do not understand you trying to move things around to get the stroller where you need to be in the store. I sold my side by side as soon as I got this stroller!!!! Oh did I mention I love my Phil and Ted's ???? And they have great colors!!!! I have Harley Davidson Orange ........ my husband loves that !!!!

Hi M., Congrats! My son is almost 21 months and my daughter is 7 months and we have the Baby Jogger City Series Double stroller. It's a side by side and fits through ALL DOORS no problem. I absolutely LOVE this stroller. I read thousands of reviews before picking this one, and got it even though it was pricier because with my son only being 13 months when my daughter was born, I knew I would be getting lots of use out of a double stroller.

The stroller weighs 26 pounds (same as the Jeep single stroller!) and folds small and fits easily with a ton of groceries into a Toyota Camry trunk or my RAV4 too. Two drawbacks: no cup holder (though you can get one that fits any stroller for <$10) and the basket on the bottom is small. We hang stuff from the handles with no problem, can be pushed with one hand, the handle is adjustable which is great for my husband who is 10 inches taller than me.

My kids love it, the sunshades are separate and go far enough to actually block the sun, the seats are individually adjustable, and you can buy an attachment to snap the carseat into one side. (I didn't use an infant carrier carseat so didn't need this attachment, but I've seen it in use). Last thing about handling - I can't tell the difference pushing if only one kid is in the stroller (or when my son was 25 pounds and my daughter only 8 pounds). Good luck!

I had my kids very close together so the double stroller was a must. When it was just my boys, I used the duo glide like you were saying. Then when my daughter was born, I had my oldest walk and I was able to put her carseat in the back with the seat all the way down. It isn't that heavy, and as for space I would say it takes up a little more room than a regular stroller, but worth the investment. It also has a larger stowing area under the seats as there is more room for it. Huge plus for diaper bags or shopping bags. I might suggest that you get one with a cup holder it works out so much better. Good luck shopping and congrats on the new baby!!!

Hi M.:

Congrats on your 2nd child! I have 3 children and have had a front/back Peg Perego, a Side by Side and finally I purchased a Joovy Sit and Stand (http://www.stroller.com/joovy-strollers.html?gclid=CJGpno...) and I couldn't be happier! It is a regular stroller seat in the front (with an attachement for a car seat) and in the rear the child can choose to stand or sit (and still has a buckle). We love this stroller and got rid of all the rest!

One Step Ahead also makes one that goes one step further: http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId....

Good luck in your search!

K. Shadek

I also didn't know what to get but wanted a side-by-side. However I let myself get talked into a tandem, and I HATE IT AND WISH I NEVER GOT IT. Thanks for letting me vent.
I have the Contour Options Tandm by Kolcraft, and for a tandem stroller, it's not bad, but I wish I never got it. I should have gotten the Zooper Tango or the Baby Jogger City Mini double. Get one of those - spare yourself the trouble of a tandem. Both of those side-by-sides fit through standard doorways and turn on a dime (excpet in extraordinarily narrow aisles like in cardstores). The tandem is long and unweildy and I feel like whoever is in the front is too far away. I really hate it. I wish I got a Zooper or the City Mini, and now I feel like it's too late and I guess Iw ill get a Maclaren double. But don't listen to the people that tell you you need a tandem - you do not. Get a nice side b y side. The Tango and City Mini both take a wide variety of car seats without sacrificing space like the new Aria 60/40, which is a piece of garbage. Really. Let me live vicariously through you - get the Tango by Zooper or the City Mini Double from Baby Jogger. The Graco tandems are garbage and even my Contour, which is gorgeous and gets compliments every where I go, is annoying.

hi M., i have the valco double stroller, i love it like crazy. here is a copy of a recent reply i made about it:

i have the valco, it is wonderful. i have 3 kids, each about 2 years apart. i didnt even need the jump seat because the way the infant seat clicks in facing you, there is plenty of room for a kid to sit in the same seat facing the baby. once the baby is out of the infant seat, there is still room for the other 2 to sit together, though yours might still be a bit young to do that, since you would probably only be able to strap one in. its a big stroller, if you are lifting it in and out of your trunk or up and down stairs, it may be a bit much. i just keep mine in the back of my minivan, i lean it on the little ledge and flip it up into the back. it folds so easily and fits behind the 3rd row, i love it. but like i said, if i had to lift it all the time it wouldnt be so great. though my sister is taller than me, about 5' 7", so she has longer arms and she lifts it ok. it is expensive, and imo, worth every penny. my stroller is my freedom! we go everywhere, it is comfortable, super sturdy, steers so easily, goes great on grass, gravel, even sand. i love it. i can even sit on the foot of it to nurse, hang out, etc. we walk everywhere, the kids have plenty of room, they sleep in it, etc....best of luck to you.

I have a Graco Duo Glide and I love it. Although I dont have to use it much anymore, it was a godsend when I had a toddler and a newborn. It isnt that heavy and doesnt take up that much room when folded up. I was considering a side by side but decided to stay away from those when I went to the mall and really paid attenton to the width of the aisles and spaces between clothing racks. Plus the space in the bottom, I was able to hold my purchases, the diaper bag, etc and the cup holders worked well for snacks or drinks. Mine even had a space for your wallet or cell phone if you were running in someplace and didnt want to carry a ton of stuff. Congrats on the new baby.

We could not get away with 1 double stroller. For a walks(very long ones) in the neighborhood and parks we chose this stroller http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8466659 For the mall and such we have Combi counterpart,(lighter, more compact than graco,takes any carseat in the back, back seat reclines for a newborn, front one reclines enough to take a nap, great canopies(I had to work on the back one to make it go forward more:)), handle is high enough for my hubby who is 6'4, front tray and cup holder(ebay sells one now that fits the back seat too), has parent cupholder and great storage on the back hood, big basket(i fit 5-6 bags worth of groceries)It had bad reviews when we were shopping for double ,so we never considered, but it came in the lot with Britax car seat from Craigslist.....wow it had really surprised me....my boys are 30 and 45lb and it pushes fine with either of them in the front(I even had our 3 1/2 year old god daughter sit in the back with our oldest and it was fine.And the middle set of wheels makes it so much easier to go up and down a curb/steps).When our second was born I got double MOuntain Buggy Urban and wanted to be my one and only. As much as I loved it and it fit through the doors in the stores, it was a pain between the racks, isles,food court,restarants(we had to sell it when hubby lost his job, and went with cheeper one later on(cheeper in price, but quality and features are just as good).

LOVE our Combi Twin Savvy --it's the best out of FOUR double strollers we tried --we had a McLaren, a Peg Perego and a Kolcraft -the Combi is easy to maneuver -easy for me to fold up and go and it's side by side --much better than front/back as far as I'm concerned --and it has one push bar instead of two handles to hold onto like McLaren --one bar is key -so you can pick up a cell phone or have a bottle of water in your hand etc -very sturdy -great stroller!
Good luck! (we got it at Buy Buy Baby a couple of years ago -it was a little over $300 and we used a 20% off coupon from there --also -Buy Buy Baby now accepts Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons!j

M.

Hi. Congrats on your second! I am also due for my 2nd next month and I have a girl who is 16 mos. I just purchased the Bumbleride Indie Twin. It is a little pricey but worth every cent. It is also a jogging stroller so it's like 2 in one. It hold up to 90 lbs and is actually very easy to handle. It accommodates so many different car seats and comes w/ an adapter to fit them all. Look it up online and you will see what it is capable of. I bought mine off of Ebay, brand new in box for $450.00 plus shipping. In Babies r us I found it for $615.00 and online stores for about the same. Good luck, I hope this was a little helpful.

Hi M.,
I have a 9 month old and a 22 month old. I'm not sure about the DuoGlider but I would advise you strongly AGAINST the One Step Ahead Sit and Stand. I've switched recently from using the Graco Snugride bucket in it to using the regular seat for my 9month old. I thought the stroller would be great b/c of the jumpseat option for my older guy but it is the HEAVIEST double stroller that I've ever pushed. Obviously this is partly since it is a traditional front to back option but it is still really really heavy. And also hard to fold. So. Sorry to One Step Ahead but that's my input!

http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...

I guess a lot depends on your price point. The duo glide is a good solid basic stroller. I used something similar when my twins were born 20 yrs ago. They are easy to use and fit through most areas just fine. Good on flat even surfaces. Phil and Ted's comes in around $500-700 so definately more of an investment.

Usually around 3yrs of age the kids don't want to sit in the stroller anymore so the stroller you buy needs to double as a storage bin when you take the baby and the 2 yr old out and about (how we need so much stuff with little ones just for a simple outing just makes you wonder!).

I'd say to figure out your budget first and then make a decission from there.

I found the back to back kind - your child grows out of quicker. I loved my Graco side by side.. it worked great even when kids turned 4.. they have more room. Only problem is shopping around the holidays.. it's a tight squeeze.. but I still loved it!!

The only thing I can tell you is to stay away from the side by sides! they are a pain! Too difficult to turn around and fit through doors. as for the regular front and back I'd suggest the lightest one you can find lifting them is tough! Good luck and have a happy healthy baby!

Hi M.,
Congrats on the upcoming baby! I have 2 strollers for my twins...one is the Graco Duo glide and the other is a Peg Perego side by side. They both have pros and cons. The Duo Glide is wonderful but heavy (30something pounds). It is big but still much smaller than many front to back strollers and can haul around a lot of stuff. It's easy to stear and push. I love it except the weight.
The Peg Perego is super light (11 pounds) but very narrow. It does not accomodate an infant carrier but here are some things to take into sonsideration when looking. Now that they are getting bigger they are right on top of one another since it is narrow. As their weight has increased it has become VERY hard to push and stear. You may find it more difficult too b/c you will have different weights on each side. My twins are only a pound difference in weight. The wheels get stuck when you go through doors and you get stuck in the doorway. Of the two I have to say I prefer the front to back overall but often use the side by side b/c it's smaller and lighter. Then I get mad at myself b/c I get so frustrated when I get stuck in a doorway!!! Good luck with your decision. Hope my input helps.

I liked the Combi side by side. It folded easily and even had a strap to carry it-not too heavy either. And it was easy to throw in the trunk of a taxi or store in your apt folded. Also the single bar handle across made it easy to steer with one hand. The kids liked being next to each other and I didn't feel bad for one always having the view while the other was in the "backseat".

I have the Graco and I loved it. My kids are older now, but I have a nephew who is the same age as my daughter and we use it all the time when we are all out together. My sister in law has twins and when they were little she had a side by side and she said it was great for open areas like the park, but it was tough to use while shopping. I am sure you know how tough it can be with a single stroller in some stores. I would highly recommend the Graco, mine is 6 years old and still works great!!!!

If your toddler doesn't need to recline and sleep in the stroller, I highly recommend the Joovy Caboose where she can stand or sit and it fits the infant carrier (Graco is the one I have). Just had my second and have a three year old and am loving it!

I have the sit-n-stand stroller and I love it. My son was 3 when my daughter was born. I got it second hand, but you can buy it from One Step Ahead. They have 2 and they are both great. Here is the link:
http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId...
They are universal for baby seats too so it is adjustable to fit any carseat.
I know people who had the side by side and hated it. You can't fit through doorways and the isles and things in the mall because their so big. Everyone I know ended up buying something else because they hated them.

Hi M.,

It's been many years (mine are now 11 and 13), but I can tell you that a had a Graco and it held up great.

Avoid the side by side. They are too wide to manuever easily in stores.

depending on you and your needs...I think a sit and stand would be great if the two yearold will stay put...I've gone both routes....down falls of a side by side are the whole touching/grabbing/pulling thing between siblings and even though we had a combie the thing still didn't get through everydoor even though it said it would and there wasn't enough space in the basket....for the tandem I loved the basket space and that it fit through door ways although when the one in the front was grabbing at something I couldn't reach him from behind the stroller and that was at times an issue(at the mall in line etc) and they take more effort to push, hopefully they've improved them in the last 2 years... all in all I don't think there is the perfect stroller out there, it just depends on what your needs are...I guess I'd say I liked pushing the side by side better but I liked the features of the other one better....best of luck!

My friend has a Phil & Ted's stroller- you can buy a second seat attachment and an adaptor so a car seat can fit in it too. It's got a smaller profile so it can fit through a door but it's not as long as the regular double strollers either so it folds up smaller and is not as unwieldy. They are a bit pricy but they are very good quality and I think it's worth spending the money because you will not need another one in a year or so.
http://www.philandteds.com/nz/index.htm

Hi M.,

I actually have a Graco Duo Glide that I'm looking to sell. I loved it, but my twins are almost two & it's not so easy to get one in the back seat at this age. My daughter has to be in the back since her brother pulls her hair if she's in the front....she's not the most flexible, which makes it hard to put her in the back. But, you could always put your eldest in the front & snap your son in the back in his car seat. The back also reclines a bit. There's a huge basket underneath. I found it extremely easy to steer, even with one hand. The only downside is that it is rather heavy (I'm not a big girl, so I find it heavy). If you live in Rochester, NY & want to look at my used stroller, let me know. It's in like new condition.

Take care,
A.

We have the graco duo glider I love it. It is the only double stroller that would fit in the trunk of our car. It is light and easy to get around with. We bought ours 19 months ago and it is still holding up very well. My kids are 19 months and 3 1/2 and my 3 1/2 yr old still fits in it very well she loves the back seat. Oh she is tall for her age too.

I like the sit n stand! It's bulky and heavy, but serves it's purpose really well.

When my oldest was 13 months we got pregnant with our second. I took him on walks, through my whole pregnancy and he "practiced" holding on to the stroller while we walked. If he let go of the stroller we stopped and went home. He got the hang of it pretty quick that if he wanted to go to the mall, park, library he had to hold onto the stroller. I now have 4 kids. My youngest rides in the stroller, she is 16 months old. The other 3 hold the stroller. I get comments all the time about how I can get them to all stay with me. I do have a double jogging stroller but I never had a stroller that was really suitable for a toddler and an infant. If you can't find a stroller that works for you try to teach your 2 year old to walk with you and hold the stroller.

I have the Graco one. I received it as a gift and since we had Graco infant seats, it worked out. I am happy with it for the most part. It is pretty easy to steer, although because it's longer, it takes some getting used to. If you want it to fold as flat as possible, you have to take the canopy for the front seat off, otherwise it sticks out too much (it's easy to do). Overall I am happy with it and I use it at least 5 days a week.

I second the recommendation for the Joovy Caboose - but be sure to get the Ultralight one. It is lighter and easier to maneuver than the original. I use it with the Graco Snugride car seat and am comfortable with how securely it fits, even though it doesn't "snap" in. The part it rests in is very stable. It is fairly long when folded but does fit in the back of my car (Honda CR-V). My daughter was 2 yrs 6 mos when our second was born, and we have been very pleased with it. One note: I think the older child has to be at least 2 to sit on the back, so you might want to check their website. Good luck!

http://www.joovy.com/pages/pd_cabooseultralight.php

I had the Duo-glide for my 2 daughters, now 3 & 5. It was easy to open & close. The back seat is wider to fit most baby carriers, front or back facing. Has a strap to hold the seat in place if you want to use it. Not really necessary unless you plan on making any quick turns. Overall a great stroller, & one of the least expensive.

Hi M.
I have the Graco Duo Glide, and I have to say, We have been really happy with it. Before I bought it, I really "drove" it around Babies R Us. I took it through clothes racks, up and down aisels, even in the bathroom! I couldn't believe how great it handled.It has also been really easy to open and close. It does weigh more than a reg. single, but not by too much. We also love how much stuff you can get into the basket underneath!And that it has two cup holders!(very important!) Our baby carrier fit into the back seat great with a nice canopy to cover the baby from sun, rain, wind, etc...
I was sort of against a double stroller. I wanted the one where you have the little platform on the back where the older child can sit/stand. I didn't work for us at all, so we looked into the doubles. I knew I didn't want a side by side, too wide! We take ours every where with us, and it has served us well. The only downside...It does take up a bit of room. We have an SUV, so it works great for us(I can still get groceries and stuff in the back with it in there.)I'm not sure how well you would do with it in a trunk? My girls are 5 and 2, and they both still ride in it for walks around the neighborhood(that's a real work out!) and when ever I need them to be in it. We mostly use a single for the baby now. Good luck, hope this helps. What ever you do give it a good test run before you buy it!

Hi - I had both kinds. The side by side was sometimes too wide to fit through doors and it allowed my 2 year old to hit the baby. I preferred the other kind although it was heavy and took up room in the trunk. I bought a van at that point
which was also easier to get the kids in and out of as well.

I had a duo-glide, handed down, that worked pretty well. (My boys are 2 1/2 years apart.) It is long, and cornering is tough, especially in stores, but otherwise, it handled well. My single stroller is also a Graco, and both of them collapse easily, and I can lift them into my van without much difficulty, as long as I don't have anything else in my arms (backpack, diaper bag, etc.). The one problem I had with the duo-glide that I had (mind you, we were the third pair of boys to use it, so it was well broken in by the time we got it) was there was no cup holder on the handle for Mom! :-)

HTH

Hello,
My son was 25 months when my second son was born in december. I was given a side by side, it was ok if you want them to nap because the two seats recline.But it takes up a lot of room and doesn't fit in the aisle of the mall. So i got the Joovy sit and stand (love it). Because my oldest like that he can sit, but he can also walk with me if he wants out.The front seat has a universal infant carrier attachment so all fit. It is smaller than a regular double. My biggest advise is try them out and see what you like best.
J.