Double Stroller? (2nd Time Moms)

[rapunzel87]

Hey ladies,

A question for all the second time mommies here. Have any of you owned or are buying a double stroller? What would be preferable, a tandem or side by side?

My son will be 16 months by the baby #2 comes along iA. Both will probably be using the stroller for a good 3 years minimum. Just wanted to get an idea of what type of stroller is best - tandem or side by side? And do any of you have recommended brands?

Currently looking at the Baby Jogger City Mini. If anyone has personal experience with that, please let me know!

 

[kerrymom]

We have the Baby Jogger city select. We bought it as a single
When our first was born and then added the second seat when we had number two. Love it, highly recommend this stroller. The seats are tamdem, with the front seat lower. You can use as a single, or double, with an infant carrier, kids facing each other, or both facing the same direction. Check it out online and if you have any questions let me know!

 

[lilmisscaviar]

I had a tandem double stroller with my first two because they were only 12 months apart. I preferred that over a side-by-side, which was too wide to get through places a regular stroller would. Also my two would always fight when they were in a side-by-side lol.

 

[Wombat]

I LOVED my iCandy Apple to Pear. Wa easy to use, loved that it doesn't take much space.

My friend has a Bugaboo Donkey, and it is a great option too.

 

[mari35racz36]

When I had my 2nd I bought a double stroller right away! I bought the side by side kind. It's called B.O.B. and it was the best stroller I ever purchased. So light weight I could turn it with one hand. Not too wide that I could fit through most single door ways. I sold it about a year ago when my kids no longers needed it and now I'm pregnant again! Lol I just bought the single version of the stroller for this baby.

 

[mrssat]

Hey. Not sure how much you walk & use stroller etc but when my second came along I waited & just used a sling for the 1st few weeks & pushed dd (fab for weight loss!) & of course car seat when in the car. Then we took them both to the baby shop & really tried them out. So I could see what the little one was like in the pushchair. My dd was 2.5 so in the end I got a single with a buggy board but your lo is younger than mine so a double will probably be needed. My point is if you can wait it's always nice to pop in to try before you buy. I've made stupid pushchair decisions in the past so am cautious before purchasing!'

 

[LoraLoo]

Side by side, tandems are just so heavy. We had the bjcm and it was fantastic. Only downside is that it just didn't quite fit through our front door. Collapsing was easy but just a pain if they were asleep.
We had a push of the mountain and that was fab and narrower so although side by side- it does fit through doors easily. I just didn't want to spend that much as I knew it wouldn't get that much use

 

[VickyLou]

Following. Debating buying a double myself as my daughter will be 21months when this one arrives. She does like to walk most places though so I'm torn between a buggy board or a double. Plus the doubles are so expensive I can't justify the money for potentially a few months. Be good to read others views and opinions on prams though.

 

[rapunzel87]

VickyLou - have you looked at the Graco Grow With Me? That has lots of diff options for the older child and it's not as pricey.

Lora Loo - good that you mentioned this. My biggest concern has been trying to fit through places with a double (side by side). They advertise the city mini as being able to fit through standard doorways but I am reading reviews from parents saying it doesn't fit through theirs.

Mrssat - we live core downtown so me and baby are usually out everyday. But that's not a bad idea! Thank you!

 

[rapunzel87]

We have the Baby Jogger city select. We bought it as a single
When our first was born and then added the second seat when we had number two. Love it, highly recommend this stroller. The seats are tamdem, with the front seat lower. You can use as a single, or double, with an infant carrier, kids facing each other, or both facing the same direction. Check it out online and if you have any questions let me know!

We were initially looking at the city select but heard it's heavy? Is that true? Also, is there enough leg room for child at the back? I actually really like the City Select, not to mention their color options are so pretty! Haha

 

[rapunzel87]

I LOVED my iCandy Apple to Pear. Wa easy to use, loved that it doesn't take much space.

My friend has a Bugaboo Donkey, and it is a great option too.

I can't seem to find any available retailers for the iCandy here in Canada. Did you order it online? It looks superb!

And the Bugaboo is too pricey. Not ready to shell out 2 grand just yet, lol

 

[Rhiannon137]

I will have a 27 month gap and am trying to avoid a double. I wore my son a LOT as a baby, and still do as a toddler. I'm also planning to see how things go once the new baby arrives, and then assess what my needs really are. I also live in the heart of a city and don't own a car, so I cover miles on foot in a typical day. My son will walk forever, but rarely in a straight line or in the direction that I want!

All that being said, I've started researching some double options, both online and at the playgrounds. The City Mini is VERY popular around here, as is the GT version that comes with sturdier tires. I have been impressed by how easily it seems to go through doors and narrow shop aisles. Personally, I'm only considering models that can convert to a single. The City Select is also quite popular. In talking to people, they don't say it's necessarily heavy to push, but can seem heavy to hop up onto curbs when it is a double, just bc the weight is distributed so far forwards relative to the back wheel. If I feel a double is necessary early on, I think I'm leaning towards the UppaBaby Vista with the hope of getting a used one. I have the UppaBaby Cruz and absolutely LOVE it.

The Bugaboo Donkey does look amazing, but it actually costs more than the last car I owned! Sadly, not an option for me at this time.

If I end up getting a double later on, id I'd probably do a "sit or stand" lightweight option like one of the Joovy Cabooses.

So many options, but I'm still hoping to avoid it all together!

 

[kerrymom]

We have the Baby Jogger city select. We bought it as a single
When our first was born and then added the second seat when we had number two. Love it, highly recommend this stroller. The seats are tamdem, with the front seat lower. You can use as a single, or double, with an infant carrier, kids facing each other, or both facing the same direction. Check it out online and if you have any questions let me know!

We were initially looking at the city select but heard it's heavy? Is that true? Also, is there enough leg room for child at the back? I actually really like the City Select, not to mention their color options are so pretty! Haha

It is heavy, but I don't take it a lot of places or have to get it in and out of the car. We will prob be adding the gliding board to the back to let my oldest stand when our third baby arrives. I have my oldest kid in the front and her legs are long and hang out. But it can be converted back to a single which is nice.

 

[wish4baby]

Hey, I had to chime in about the bugaboo donkey...I just got one - for $400 used! It's great, and worth every penny, so used is definitely an option! (It was listed as $600 but I wore her down lol) worth a look if you can find a used one - I agree though, I'd never pay full price for it!
Anyways, it turns on a dime, one hand steering, unbelievably smooth ride, isn't heavy, tons of storage - I have a lot of stroller experience (lots of kiddos lol) and its definitely the best we've ever had!

 

[Rhiannon137]

Hey, I had to chime in about the bugaboo donkey...I just got one - for $400 used! It's great, and worth every penny, so used is definitely an option!

So jealous! Even the used ones around me are listing in the $700-800 range - and those are for the mono set up.

 

[Wombat]

I LOVED my iCandy Apple to Pear. Wa easy to use, loved that it doesn't take much space.

My friend has a Bugaboo Donkey, and it is a great option too.

I can't seem to find any available retailers for the iCandy here in Canada. Did you order it online? It looks superb!

And the Bugaboo is too pricey. Not ready to shell out 2 grand just yet, lol

I bought mine used (hardly, and as they are such a great quality, they last for a ling time) off eBay.uk
Maybe worth trying eBay in the USA if you are in Canada?

 

[bbbbbbb811]

I LOVED my iCandy Apple to Pear. Wa easy to use, loved that it doesn't take much space.

My friend has a Bugaboo Donkey, and it is a great option too.

Sorry to jump in but did your icandy apple to pear have spacious seats?

 

[Wombat]

As far as I remember, one seat was slightly smaller than the other. But for both of my boys it was fine. They had quite a bit of room.
Only negativity I can say, that the 2nd baby carrycot was smaller than the usual baby carrycot/bassinet in a single pram. But I noticed, when I used my icandy, I used mostly car seat (maxi cosy) and a normal seat first, and then I used 2 toddler seats and it was great.

I have tried a lot of buggies with my two, and, to be honest, there isn't a perfect double buggy. Either seats are too small, or it is too wide, or too big or too heavy, or one seat is much lower than the other.
But, icandy comes as close to perfection as possible. I really loved it! Loved it so much, that now, 6!!! Years later, despite all the other buggies on the market I will be getting that one. I'll get Apple, and if I have another LO soon I'll just add Pear kit to it later on.

 

[azure girl]

I use my city select almost daily, but less often as a double. DS doesn't like to listen to me, so if we go on walks he sits in the stroller. I use the frame with the seat adapter to connect DD's keyfit to it and haul the groceries in the spacious basket (tenth floor condo, gotta have some way of wrangling two kiddos and hauling my groceries). The fold is...odd. I just take it apart to fold and stack the pieces. The frame is somewhat heavy, but it's so nice that I don't mind.

 

[smileyfaces]

I had the Britax B-Dual it was fantastic