Best double stroller?
We're expecting our second child, and so, we're in the market for a double stroller. Any ideas as to what a good one would be?
6 Answers
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We received the Phil and Teds as a second hand gift from a friend (yes, it is expensive) and we are very happy with it. It fits in the trunk of our Peugeot 307 (a compact 5-seater car), but doesn't leave room for luggage. For this reason, we didn't bring it on our vacation.
Based on the pictures of the Joovy, I can think of many occasions where the Joovy would not have cut it... longer trips, or cold weather, resulting in two sleeping kids (they are 2 years apart). Additionally, the Phil and Teds easily handles grass, gravel, and uneven terrain.
On the other hand, the Joovy appears more compact for taking on trips, and the second child gets a proper view - unlike the Phil and Teds though we haven't had complains from the little ones.
If you can, definitely avoid the side-by-side double strollers as they are too wide for everyday navigation.
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Our top two favorites for a 2 year old and a new baby (as of early 2009) were the Phil and Teds and the Joovy.
Our prime consideration was to try and get the smallest footprint possible (trying to avoid side-by-side strollers), and secondarily to make sure it fit in the trunk of our car (a Prius).
The Phil and Teds is inline, one seat forward and higher, one seat back and lower, and sporty with good off-road wheels.
The Joovy is also inline with one seat forward and a place for an older child to sit facing backwards or stand facing forwards.
We ended up getting the Joovy because it was so much cheaper, and also lighter, and we thought our son would enjoy standing even more than he'd enjoy being low to the ground in the Phil and Teds.
Net: We're really happy with the Joovy.
I second the Joovy recommendation. We have the Ultralight Caboose and although it's certainly not as easy to push as a double jogging stroller (like the Bob), it's still extremely practical. Our older son usually prefers to walk anyways, and only when he's tired, he'll use the stroller, so having a fullblown double is usually not needed.
- aknitter, Nov 25, 2009
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Given what we estimate will be a short and infrequent use of a double stroller I just found a used, used bob jogger on craigslist (the previous owner had also gotten it off craigslist) and I figure I can get rid of it the same way once the older one gets over wanting to be pushed (She hadn't been in a stroller for over a year, but of course once the baby is in one, she has to be as well).
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The Bob actually works decently well as a double for short distances. Our younger one sits in the stroller and our 3 year old straddles the front "nose" section where our daughter's feet would normally rest. Just make sure your child is old enough to understand not to reach down and try to touch the wheel while in motion.
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We have the Phil and Teds one previously mentioned and love it. We expected fights over who got to be in front, but we just make them switch every day and it works out fine. We did something where the kid in back gets to pick which direction we head for our walk, so they don't feel totally boned. It's a bit bulky, so it tends to stay just at home, though we have hauled it to Disneyland before. But, the stroller itself is solid and well made. Having nice, air filled, rubber wheels is a plus.
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We have a Baby Jogger City Double which we LOVE. The front wheels can be fixed or rotate, it has air-filled tires, it is side-by-side (we briefly had an in-line stroller which I thought was too hard to take corners with), it is narrow enough to fit through doorways, it is comfortable. We can even take all 3 kids by having the 5 year old sit on the footrest when we are on long trips or he is tired. It takes up less space in our trunk than our single stroller. Only downside is that the basket underneath is a little small, though we can put stuff on top of the sunshades for extra storage.
We have some new results to report about the Phil and Teds on account of having THREE children now. We recently spent the day at Parc Asterix amusement park with our 4 year, 2 year, and 2 month old... that is to say, a day full of walking and a lot of loading and unloading the kids. We brought a newborn front carrier expecting that the stroller would be fully loaded with the other toddlers most of the time, but in fact we almost never used the carrier since the stroller can carry all three!
Our newborn lay flat in the lowered main seat, while the other two took turns sitting in the attachment seat (in the primary position) and sitting on the footrest. The higher child does have to spread their legs to give the lower child space to sit, but they always comply given the alternative of sitting on the footrest. And the child on the footrest is always happy given the alternative of walking. :) Steering, however, requires more strength when the heavier child is over the front wheel.
The Phil and Teds is fantastically flexible and we appreciate it now more than ever. Since we've been cruising with our three kids, we've invited hundreds of curious glances and answered lots of questions and comments from new parents. If anything were to happen to the stroller we'd buy another without hesitation.
- Hotdog, Aug 13, 2010