Think I want the Britax B Dual - tell me the pros and cons please!

[acatcalledfelix]

After much umming and ahhing about whether to bother at all, I've decided I really will need a double buggy and this seems to tick all my boxes.
I'll have a NB and a just-two year old. I really want the NB to be parent-facing as this was really important to me when I bought DS's pram (Also a Britax). The NB seat has to lie flat at first, I have a Britax Vigour carry cot that may well fit onto the Dual, if not I'll just need to buy a new one.

• Does anyyone know how well the hard carry cot fits with the second seat? On another of my posts the other day it was suggested not very well!
  
• Does the toddler usually go in the front or back? From looking at the website and Youtube videos it looks like getting them in the back seat could be tricky?
  
• I have a Britax SHR car seat so I'm planning on using the pram as a travel system too when needed. Is it possible to use it this way with the toddler in the second seat too?
  
• I've got a Ford Focus - it should fit, but will it actually fit?!
  
• Are both children generally comfortable in it?.
  
  Argh! This is such a hard decision! The parent facing aspect is what's made the decision so hard I think but it's one thing I can't bring myself to compromise on. I can't afford an icandy or, god forbid, and Bugaboo Donkey! So the Dual seems to be a reasonably priced alternative. I really don't want to spend more than £400, preferably less.
  
  Thanks in advnce for you help .

[acatcalledfelix]

Bumpity bump?

[suzie38]

People are out during the day...Sure an owner will pop on later in the evening.

[acatcalledfelix]

I know Suzie, I'm just impatient!!!! Thanks for replying, I'll check back after tea

[aswellasyou]

I bought a B-Dual with my sister for our daughters who were both 10 months and are now 12 months.
I can't comment on the carrycot properly as we haven't used one. I don't know whether it can be put on while using the adapters that push the top seat away from you. If you can, I'd say it would work but I'm not sure if your toddler would have enough room without using those adapters.
I don't think it matters too much which way round you put the children. If you had the baby on top, you could have the top seat rear facing with the footwear vertical so the toddler has enough space. That way you can see both children easily. It's not really easy to put the child in the second seat but it's not that difficult really. If the oldest was having a tantrum, I'd put them in the top seat though.
You can definitely use the carseat either on top or at the bottom while using the other seat unit. You might as well put it on top though because you have to buy an adapter for the bottom seat to take a carseat.
I would say it would definitely fit a focus. It fits in my mum's 207 with one wheel popped off when most doubles don't fit at all.
Our girls seem very comfortable in it. The seats don't go completely upright but that hasn't been a problem so far.

I am really glad I bought this after having four that didn't work for us. It's amazingly easy to push and handles rough ground very well. I think it's the best you can get for less than about £700 and it's a lot cheaper than that.

[aswellasyou]

I bought it here for £354 using the code onscreen including the second seat and carseat. It also came with the carseat adapters even though I didn't pay the extra for them.

I've just look on the britax website and a hard carrycot on top using the position movers with the second seat is shown in configurations.

[acatcalledfelix]

Thanks ladies. I just had another look at the Britax website and found the configurations section. There is indeed on with hard CC on top and seat on bottom but not much room for the second seat. But, I really can't find a suitable alternative so really think this is the best we are going to find. If it fits in a 207 then it should def fit in my Focus, but may go and try it out at Mothercare on the weekend just to check. Then I'll buy it online of course!

[Nicplus2]

I bought it and returned it before dd2 was even born, i cant deal with humongus wheels - and my they were the size of a steering wheel and the hood was so big i felt like a 3 year old trying to push a pram

Just my opinion though and like i said i bever actually used it, my plan was to put the newborn in the lower seat as it lays flat and babys dont really mind where as my 2.7yr old wouldnt have been hapy in it an to be fair she did try it and looked silly.

Def go n have a play imo

[aswellasyou]

What's wrong with big wheels and a big hood? The big wheels make it easy to push, and the big hood shades the sun and protects the child from light rain. The non-2011 versions had a bigger hood but the 2011 version has little stick adapters that lift the hood up by about 3-4 inches if you need the extra height without having an even bigger hood.

I agree you should try it out in real life. That's what made me do a complete U-turn on the City Select and love the B-Dual even though I didn't think it was a real option.

[Tiggywunkle]

The main cons are: the width - I found myself crumpling the wheel guards going through some shop doors. Older children 'hang' from the harness. There seems to be no logical reason for this ie deep seat, good harness etc but I know a few people who say they gave the same and I have spotted the same out and about. Putting the legrest up or reclining the lower seats, seems to alleviate it. I think the lack of any footrests is maybe to blame.
But beyond this it's a good all round tandem. One of the best on the market at present.
As I said before you can put a carrycot on the top but the user who I know ditched it after a week or two because it was compromising her toddler too much. She bought a soft cot for the bottom. If you have the mesh open on the lower hood then you have a perfect view of your baby from above.
You don't have the same compromises with the car seat on top - I loved this position because the baby was really close and the toddler had room underneath. Definitely go and see it or buy from a no quibble retailer and order the carrycot and soft cot to try them both out. But I do recommend the B-Dual.

[mamaesi]

the width is a problem for me as i need to go to shops and on the bus!

why didnt you like the city select?