Advice on double pushchair purchase

[magie73]

Advice on double pushchair purchase

I am looking at buying a new double pushchair (preferably a parent facing one) and would like some advice.

I don't mind 3 or 4 wheels.

I have a newborn and a 1 year old so will need a basket and seat (initially) then two seats.

I realise the below is a lot to ask but if you could let me know which ones are not feasible I'd be grateful.

Also, what are the downsides of your suggested pram? e.g. x is great for a but rubbish for b. I understand I might have to trade off an item or two on the below list.


Buggy Wish List:

1. robust (and if it breaks can it be fixed easily/at low cost?)
   
2. easily steering i.e. one handed
   
3. light weight (I'm not the strongest person)
   
4. small enough (and thin enough) to negotiate the bus corridor and then fit into the buses various sized 'buggy'/'wheelchair' area (usually the bit with the pole).
   
5. able to get on/off buses (especially when drivers park 1 foot away from curb. I travel by bus a lot.
   
6. good for taking children on long walks (I also do ALOT of walking).
   
7. space to fit changing bag and additional bags i.e. shopping. This space needs to be easily accessible (many aren't).
   
8. easily fold up i.e. 1 handed and with each component attached (seat or capsule for car)
   
9. adaptive/system i.e. car seat/pram seat/newborn basket options
   

10. convertible to multiple children (will have a 1 year old and a newborn initially)
11. my preference is to have the children facing me. (again due to long walks)
12. rain cover/sun shade which is easy to put on/off
13. easy to get each child in/out without hurting/waking the other.
14. to be able to handle one child (probably the top spot) in the pram i.e. not to fall over (or give the impression it would) even with shopping/change bag.
15. easy to apply/take off the sturdy brake.

An optional 16. would be - I already have a maxi cosi car seat so does this fit the suggested pram?

I'm sure I've missed something so would appreciate any thoughts.

[APixieInMyTea]

I have a baby jogger city select.

Lie flat carrycot for the baby and toddler facing me in the seat.

I love it.

I can steer it one handed fairly easily with both kids in it.
It's quite heavy to lift when folded but doesn't feel like it once pushing. Has air tyre's which makes it easier.

I get on the bus with mine all the time. Not the side with the bar but if someone is on the other side then I just ask to swap places. Not had anyone say no yet.

As above, it's easy to get on buses. You may have to use your foot on the bar at the bottom to lever it up slightly but still fairly simple. Getting off the bus is easier going backwards but then the pram will already be facing that way anyway.

The big air tyre's make it great for walking. I've been all over all sorts of terrain with it and had no problems.

The basket is huge. And has zips to open the basket wider meaning everything is easily reached.

It does has easy fold up. Not sure you can do it ohe handed though.

Adaptive system it certainly is. Carrycot for a newborn or carseat with additional adapters. For 2 older children both in seats you can have them both facing you, both facing out, the kids facing each other, one facing you and one facing out. Loads of combinations.

Rain covers are simple slip over one's. Each seat has it's own raincover so one child will stay dry whilst you are getting the other one out or whatever.

As the seats are completely separate there is no risk of either child waking the other one up whilst getting in/out etc.

The pram also turns into a single once the older one is walking. And does take the maxi cosi carseat with the adapters.

All in all. I absolutely adore this pram, and how easy it's made getting out and about with a newborn and 1yr old. I really cannot think of any downsides to this pram except that it doesn't fold in one piece but that's a small price to pay for all the great features it has.

[APixieInMyTea]

Oh missed one.

The brake is a small lever at the side of the handle that you just flip up or down with your hand. Easy peasy.

[magie73]

Thanks for that.

Since you've replied I've been told that the iCandy double and the Phil & Teds are good.

Does anyone know if these two are better than the city jogger? What are the merits/problems of these?

Also, someone mentioned that the city jogger is very long compared to the other two. Is that true?

Oh and one last one - I've been told that there's been a few faults with the city jogger e.g. the handle becoming wobbly and needing to be sent back for repair. has anyone experienced this?

[Suzihaha]

Phil & Teds folds without needing to remove any seats. It was good when the youngest was under 6 months but not great when we had the two seats. The back seat (where the youngest has to sit) doesn't have much of a recline at all (and the youngest needs to sleep more).

Then when they get older, they end up kicking the back of the front seat and annoy the older child.

The 3 wheels are useless for getting on and off buses. 4 wheels are much better. And the basket isn't very useful in the 2 toddler seat combination.

Personally, I wouldn't buy the P&T again. The City Select looks great.

Only other one I can think of is the Britax B Dual.

[CappuccinoCarrie]

Absolutely love love love our phil and teds, only draw back is basket size when you have a toddler's feet down there. You can hang a skip hop change bag off the lower seat but its a bit awkward. The basket can be accessed by folding the side down so its not inaccessible.
For width, manouverability, convenience, seat variations etc I think its brilliant, would buy it again. Took our two DCs (3.5 and 2) to london in it today, trains, even the underground including escalators, and it was great. Neither child minds being in the bottom and the older one hops in and out when her legs get tired. You can get a bar to fit a carseat on although we never did, just used the cocoon underneath, then when DS was too big for that just put a blanket in there and lay him on that til he was big enough to be sitting up.
There is no option for having the child face you though. You can easily lock the front wheel which we did in the snow and for getting on the bus (or just go on backwards)

[elk4baby]

We'd looked at the three: P&T, iCandy and BJ City Select.
We thought the P&T was rather awkward to push with the bottom seat getting in the way of your feet. Plus, the bottom seat seemd rather small, even for our average-sized 18m.o. Plus, it's not parent-facing (which after having a RF pushchair would be a real shame to loose - DS loves it! and so do I).
The iCandy was waaay too small. The seats aren't equal size to begin with. But even the larger one was just awkwardly small - short (esp. leg room) and quite narrow (though DS is rather small in the bum :)).

Given our age difference (21 months), we decided, we'd go with the BJ City Select. Mainly because it offers comfortable seating for the child beyond 2 years (both of them :)). Given our experience and experiences of others, it's highly unlikely that a child will give up the pushchair any time before 3 years. And even if your little one is a good walker, it's still very difficult to get anywhere as toddlers are way too curious to just walk alongside of you. And if you have two LOs on your hands, it gets even more complicated.

[magie73]

Thanks for that.

I'm still confused even with your help. I think I'll need to go and try them out.

Someone also mentioned that it's possible to get a 'pod' to attach to a single pram. they way they described it, it sounded like a trailer which I don't think would be very easy to get on and off busses.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

[DilysPrice]

I loved my P&T but the shopping space is rubbish once the baby is past 6 months and they can't face you. If at all possible you should get yourself to a big store (John Lewis / mothercare superstore etc) and try out as many as possible. Failing that, hang around at the playground and chat up mums with double buggies - I'm sure most of them will be just as happy to talk to you about the pros and cons as we are, and even let you have a bit of a push.
I was an early adopter with P&T and I answered so many questions from pregnant strangers with toddlers and got so fed up with scrawling details on bus tickets in lipstick that in the end I printed out several copies of my list of details to hand out.

[Suzihaha]

I also used the Bibi Strolli Rider (a bit like a scooter seat that attaches to the side of the pushchair): fine when walking round the shops but useless for steps and buses.