Opinions on double strollers...

chavamom

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 2:12 am

The hood on my Macclaren has broken, so I'm looking to replace my double stroller...

I'm looking for real-life opinions on these:

Joovy Groove 2
Baby Planet (I got a single when they were on shnoop.com for $99 and am still kicking myself that I didn't get a double too)
Inglesina Twin Swift
and the Ted and Phil - I think it's an amazing idea, esp. since I'm talking about a (very petite) 2 y.o. and a baby, but can't get past the price. Want to convince me it's worth it?

pinktichel

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 6:00 am

I just bought the Baby Jogger Citi Mini Series Double... new carriage... came out about 4 wks ago.

I love it! It wheels like a dream, it's narrower than most side by sides, weighs just 21 lbs (!), folds with one hand, it's extremely sturdy, and the price was great ($325). So far, I couldn't be happier.

mamacita

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 7:32 am

I have a phil & ted thanks to my ILs but dh and I would have forked over arms and legs for it. It's a life saver! It's no wider or longer than a single stroller and it is 10lbs lighter than the lightest double we saw. It folds very flat and has a big shopping storage. It works from newborn, pushes very lightly and does curbs easily since it has big wheels.

The cons: two hand fold, only one seat reclines (in specific position) no multiple recline levels. Ok, so some of these things are only because we have an older model the newer ones are a little different but you pay more for more features too.

Feel free to PM me if you want me to gush more about what a bracha it's been to allow me to get out with two babies!! I've done buses, cabs, cars, stores, stairs, elevators, airports, etc and a lot of it alone.

farmom

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 9:15 am

I have a Phil & Ted. I bought before my baby was born, and I haven't bought the 2nd seat yet (since my baby is all of 2 days old) but I love it, even for 1. The wheels are great - the push thru anything (ice, snow, up hills, etc) It is relatively light. It is so hardy - I am really hard on my things and the stroller is holding up beautifully.

I would say that it is not a good stroller for in and out of cars (b/c it is kind of heavy, and doesn't fold tiny), but if you want it mainly for walking, it is amazing.

BTW, I saw 2 links that looking cheaper than your link
http://www.babybungalow.com/phtebapr.html
http://www.tinyride.com/Phil-a.....20ted

Hashem_Yaazor

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 9:37 am

I looked into the first 3 a drop. Of those, I would take the Baby Planet.
Supposedly, they're not really suited for a newborn, and the weight on them is quite prohibitive for someone of my size, and the fact that I don't live on ground level. But the handle on the BP allows one handed pushing if you need to give the other hand a rest.
(Chaval that shnoop put a single BP up yesterday; no double. I was thinking of you!)

(PT, I WISH that stroller existed when I needed one. I think I would have preferred that to my Combi since the wheels are bigger. Of course, I probably couldn't have fit it in my car for road trips, so maybe it's better I didn't splurge on it Wink

)

queen

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 1:59 pm

chavamom wrote:

chavamom--- MAZEL TOV!!!! I didn't know you had a baby!!! Boy or Girl???? when was it born????

Phil and Ted although very cute and great concept for easy to get through small areas- I feel bad for the kid who's behind (almost as if in the basket itself!!!) as they can't see ahead. Isn't part of taking your kids out that they get to see and experience the world around them??? I personally don't care for the bottom "basket type" seat as I call it.

but that's my opinion.

mazel tov again!!
feel good!

mamacita

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 4:24 pm

chavamom wrote:

mamacita wrote:

It folds very flat and has a big shopping storage.

You can use the basket with a toddler in the 2nd seat?

My toddler puts her feet on whatever is in there, but there is a limit to how much you can put. It's still much more than my friend's basket holds and I also pile things onto the canopy. My 18mos old doesn't mind sitting in the back since she gets out and walks periodically and she can see out the sides just fine. My friend's 4yo climbs in and out by himself and doesn't mind, but you can swap them around so each gets a turn in the front.

Pickle Lady

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 5:34 pm

WaitingtoDeliver wrote:

my friend and I call it the Trunk Stroller for a reason. Why would you put your kid in the trunk of a stroller with only a view of their sibling's back? I think anyone over 6 weeks deserves to enjoy their trips out.

that cracks me up. I have friends who love that stroller and others that have the same view as you.

pinktichel

Tue, Feb 12 2008, 7:27 pm

Quote:

Didn't we talk about this in the park?

Dh and I say it's abuse! (not literally, before you all jump on me!) We just feel so bad for the kid below. As practical as it is for me, I would never have the heart to deprive a kid of the view.

Doesn't the kid on bottom get a bumpy ride? Besides, how do you stop yourself from kicking the kid if you have long legs?

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Feb 20 2008, 12:46 pm

sleepless-n-ny wrote:

also the jogging strollers are the best like the mountain buggy

That's not true. They are not "the best". There is no one best. What is best is what works for the particular situation. In my case, a stroller like the Mountain Buggy would have been the worse stroller.

Hashem_Yaazor

Wed, Feb 20 2008, 1:05 pm

sleepless-n-ny wrote:

why? I looked a lot into it and the ones with hte small wheels are so hard to push. I have the pegero and never used it.

Well, for one, I live on the top floor of my apartment building and would not have been able to leave it downstairs. It's awfully heavy and big for me to shlep.
For two, I had a small car at that time and would have had no place to put it. As we drive out of town for Y"T I would either have had to get a second stroller that fit in our car or do without.

My point is that what's best for you is not best for everyone. Everyone has different needs, and the major needs I had (lightweight, compact fold) were not even remotely covered by an MB type of stroller.

manhattanmom

Thu, Feb 21 2008, 9:13 pm

WaitingtoDeliver wrote:

Pros: It's a space saver! I can't imagine keeping a large double jogging stroller open all the time in the front hall of my apartment!!
Also, I know a family who has one for their three year old twins and there are always tears about who gets to sit on the bottom because they both LOVE it!!!

mamacita

Fri, Feb 22 2008, 2:37 am

sleepless-n-ny wrote:

phil and ted isnt good-its not fair to the underneath kid. also the jogging strollers are the best like the mountain buggy

Forget that my toddler doesn't mind that seat and actually prefers it if the rain cover is on . . .

I shouldn't get a stroller that is convenient and/or easier for me out of fairness for my child's sightseeing? Seriously, for welfare kids come first, but I am the parent not the chauffeur, hehe.

That's like not choosing the car you want because dd doesn't have enough access to cupholders, hehe. Maybe people do that . . .

suomynona

Fri, Feb 22 2008, 4:37 am

Hashem_Yaazor wrote:

sleepless-n-ny wrote:

why? I looked a lot into it and the ones with hte small wheels are so hard to push. I have the pegero and never used it.

I have the Mountain Buggy. Someone lent it to me so it's great for the price we got in for Smile

but I would not have chosen it. It walks great, but it's too big. It's sitting smack in middle of my living room taking up space (at least my daughter naps in it sometimes). It's hard to get in and out of the building. If the hallway would be a few inches narrower, I wouldn't be able to get it out of my apartment. At the beginning my back really used to hurt bumping it down the steps, but I learned to put the strain on the right muscles so now that's ok, but I don't let my son into the stroller until we get down all the steps of the building because he's too heavy. I also would never be able to take a taxi with it so it's only for local walking.