Phil and Teds Explorer or Baby Jogger City Select

[needabetternickname]

DD2 due in 5 weeks and DD1 just 18 months so I'm definitely going to need a double buggy to get around. Side by side won't fit in our front door and I seem to be down to choosing between P&Ts Explorer and the BJCS. Has anyone else had to decide between these two? I don't love the idea of the 2nd seat in the P&Ts being so close to the ground and I know that some people have issues with steering and baby growing out of cocoon before it's ready to sit up. BJCS looks great BUT is it too big for London streets/shops/buses? I fear it might be....any thoughts?

Thanks!

[HauntedPramsScreamsGalore]

i'm a fan of p&t's and they fit on the bus [well my local ones] i have a verve at the moment and love it, the back seat reclines and not just the fabric but the seat, the hood slides up the frame to give loads of head room and the four wheels really do make a difference, the explorer has had any problems dealt with now so would be a good choice aswell, but the second seat does not recline, but you can buy a hammerhead seat for it and then it would have a zip recline like the sport.i have read the bjcs is heavy to push and get up kerbs once dc's are a bit heavier, i find the p&t's very easy to push etc, i have owned a few models.

[needabetternickname]

Thanks so much - didn't realise that the Verve seat reclined- that makes a big difference. Think I'd written the Verve off because it look so similar to the Vibe and we had one of them originally before getting a refund as it just had so many problems....I also found it SO wide that I'm now a bit paranoid about getting another pram that restricts my ability to go in and out of places and get around.

[HauntedPramsScreamsGalore]

i owned a vibe and hated it, got rid of it as soon as it came back after having the front wheel replaced, i find the verve very easy to fold with the second seat on [i used to take it off the vibe to fold] it's quite heavy to lift, but really easy to push. there is also the b-dual which is like the p&t's in that the second seat is underneath, i have not used one but they do get very good reviews on here i think they are a bit cheaper as well, i would try one if my dc's were younger

[HauntedPramsScreamsGalore]

this is a good review and it is the b-dual they just have a different name over there

[needabetternickname]

Fab, thanks so much for your thoughts - really helpful! I'll take a look at the reviews now. How does the Verve compare to the Vibe in terms of width? Is it pretty much the same?

[HauntedPramsScreamsGalore]

can not really remember, but i would think it is the same width.

[MrsDobalina]

I have the old explorer, p&t sport and I think it's great. We actually didn't have any choice as it's the only double that fits in our tiny lift where every cm counts! It's fab on London buses and has a great turning circle to squeeze it on the bus in the tightest of spaces and IMO is easier to steer than my maclaren.

Re growing out of the cocoon, you can ditch the cocoon and put a sheepskin in it's place so you can continue to lie your DC flat once they grow out of the cocoon. My almost 10mo DD had a nap lying flat underneath DS yesterday.

My friend has the mountain buggy duet (and a narrow front door!) which is a nice pushchair if you like side by side and has a wheelbase only 1cm wider that the explorer??

[Tiggywunkle]

Amazingly the BJCS is shorter than the Phil&Teds Dash and the Phil&Teds Verve so I have no reason to think the Explorer would be any different. BJCS v's Dash or BJCS v's Verve. If you ever got stuck eg getting on a bus it would be really easy to pop the carrycot off the front, or the seat and carry it on. Not ideal but its not hard. You can also fold the BcS with both seats on although hopefully you never need to. Some BJCS modes are shorter than others and I suggest to people that they set the BJCS up in a short mode for getting on the bus and then switch it if you want after the bus ride. I loved the BJCS and the good storage, seating arrangements, large hood, small fold etc were fab. However by the time by two were 2 and a half and ten months it became too heavy to push. But it got us through that first ten months great. Just bear in mind there may be an order lead time with the BJCS so you may wish to ask a retailer what it currently is.