Tandem Pushchair recommendations

[PramEnvy]

I am looking for a tandem pushchair as DC1 will be 19 months when DC2 arrives. I saw the Baby Jogger City Select Pushchair today and it looked quite good. Any other recommendations? Thank you

[Jojay]

I have the BJCS and I really like it. The only downside is that it's heavy to lift up kerbs, but all tandems will be to a degree.

[aswellasyou]

The BJCS is the worst tandem I've tried to lift up a kerb. It also felt heavy with my 8.5kg daughter and 9kg niece when we tried it in John Lewis. I still like it because of the ability to turn both seats around. I also think it's beautiful in amethyst! I'm still really torn on the Select personally, but the inability to go up kerbs was the deal breaker as we go up and down a lot of kerbs.

The Phil and Teds Verve is becoming very popular on here and sounds great. It has 4 wheels so is a lot more sturdy than their other tandems. The Mima Kobi is a very expensive option but it would be perfect!

We ended up buying the 2011 Britax B-Dual which we love but does have downsides. The seats don't go completely upright which I can see being a problem with an older child. It's really easy to push and goes over rough ground surprisingly easily. We've found having the top seat rear facing is doable at the moment but may become less feasible as the babies get taller. I would definitely recommend the B-Dual, not least because it's so cheap at the moment. We bought it here with the second seat and carseat for £354, which I think is a bargain.

In my mind, those four are the best tandems around and cover pretty much every budget.

[Tiggywunkle]

My top one is the iCandy Peach Blossom but with the new blossom kit - but we don't know when it will be released in the UK. But its superb and works brilliantly well. As the others have said the BJCS has fantastic seating positions and I loved mine for the first 9-10 months and then it was too heavy to use (I have a 21 month gap). The B-Dual is very good but the seating positions are a little odd ie the children "hang". The Mima Kobi is lovely. Have a look at //www.bestbuggy.co.uk and under "Side by Side Comparisons" there is a whole piece on the pros and cons of various tandems. I dont like Phil&Teds because storage for shopping is difficult unless you just get odd bits.

[aswellasyou]

I meant to say the Peach Blossom with the new second seat as well. You'd need a carrycot for the first 6 months so plenty of time to wait for the second seat to be available in the UK.

[Tiggywunkle]

There is except that you need the pip convertors to put a carrycot or car seat on, which you can only get by buying a second lower seat.

[pramsgalore]

i have a verve and love it, the panniers hold loads, its so easy to push, gets up kerbs easy, roomy seat, fab doubles seat,i think its the best phil and teds model and i have had them all.

[DialMforMummy]

Thank you for your helpful comments. I was told yesterday by a salesperson at John Lewis that the Icandy was ok but would become too small quite quickly for the older child. Any thought?
I have had a P&T and I agree that there are great to manoeuvre and fantastic off road but my issue with them is punctures (once I had 2 in two weeks) and their bulkiness when folded. Is the Verve smalller when folded?

[pramsgalore]

i never thought the p&t was a big fold, but the verve is bigger [fatter], but it folds with second seat still on and still fits in the back of our 7 seater which really is a thin space with all seats in, and its freestanding.

[Tiggywunkle]

Anyone who says the main Peach seat will be too small quickly doesn't know their product! This is my DD aged 2.10 years (she's in age 3-4 clothes ie she's tall) and she still has bags of room. (excuse the missing photos we are swapping servers at present) The Peach hoods first of all slide up the chassis to give extra head room. If that isn't enough (and we aren't there yet) then they unzip at the back to allow the hood to go up higher. There is a thick liner in the seat which can also be removed to give loads more room width and height wise. The new seats are almost the same size so the older child can go in either seating position which means if the older child goes underneath then their feet rest nicely inside the basket or on the frame.
Re the Verve. It folds really neatly but it's a real heavy chunk when folded. I always put Slime into pneumatic tyres to prevent punctures.

[DialMforMummy]

Thanks Tiggy, helpful indeed. What's Slime?

[Tiggywunkle]

Slime is gunk stuff you put into your inner tube. It's brilliant green and if you get a puncture it seals the hole with fibres etc allowing you to carry on. Some people say it makes a pushchair heavier to push but I would prefer that to punctures. It's easy to buy on EBay.

[PottyRefusnik]

I have used a friend's iCandy Peach Blossom when visiting them so I didn't need to travel with my P&T.

I think it would be a great pushchair for twins, or for the first 3-6months of having a new baby with a carrycot and toddler seat, but I didn't like it for my two (16mo gap).
When I used it mine were nearly 1yr old and 2 years old, both of them want to be able to see what is going on but the one in the back had very little space in front of them before the next seat. If the hoods are up then the one in the back could hardly see out at all.

I know the P&Ts get a harsh review on MN sometimes and I know they aren't stylish like the iCandy but I think that for the gap you have a P&T would be much better in the long run, more space for the back child (though lower down) and once your eldest is a bit older they can climb in and out of the bottom seat when their legs get tired.

[ThatsNotMyBabyBelly]

I have the Graco quattro tandem. Much cheaper and fab to steer and fold. Heavy though, but we don't use it that much.

[Tiggywunkle]

Potty I agree completely with you about the current Prach Blossom, but the new one resolves issues like the space between the seats and the recline. The new Peach Blssom can be used in the same way as you describe for a P&Ts ie hopping in and out, but there's even more leg room underneath in the new version as the child can stretch their legs into the basket or onto the frame (leaving the basket free for shopping / changing bag / handbag etc.

The Graco is the second most heavy tandem I have tried. It has a bit of an identity crisis because the front seat is small and low to the ground so as the toddler gets older they need to move into the rear seat, if nothing else to prevent them trailing their feet on the ground / getting them trapped as you push forwards. But at 6 months plus there is barely any recline on the front seat for a napping child. The rear seat is huge though! There are similarandries with quite a number of stadium style tandems though eg the Jane Powertwin, MyChild Sienta Duo etc.

[ThatsNotMyBabyBelly]

Ah see I have found the front seat great for my lanky toddler but she is only 2. I am hoping she'll be walking everywhere fairly soon, hence I wanted a less expensive model as I don't expect it to get too much use. I did manage to get my 3 year old niece in the front and dd1 in the back though, and wheeled it but quite happily. It was heavy to get up kerbs with them both in.

The back seat is great in a lying down position though and some did seem to come up very small. I specifically wanted a cheaper tandem so it fitted my spec perfectly but appreciate that it is heavy to get into and out of cars and up kerbs etc.

[MamArth]

Hi my daughter has a similar gap with her two and she has the Brittax B dual it is worth every penny with its multi combinations and flexibility. I couldn't wait to take the children out and I am 5ft 3in and have a bad shoulder and have had no problems with it. Well worth a look to see if it will suit you. x

[MamArth]

hi my daughter told me no kisses, just as i pressed send. Sorry I'm new this is my first post. Ooooops sorry.

[DialMforMummy]

Another question about the Peach, how is it on rugged paths?

[Tiggywunkle]

Hmm...how rugged? It handles fine across our thick gravel but we not do anything particularly rugged! It's not an off roader and I do not see it driving straight over huge lumps or ruts, but I am sure it's fine over a bumpy type path! I find the wheels can't cope with being taken head first off a step - they simply bend. There are better pushchairs for serious off roading.