Can someone please just tell me what double buggy to buy?!

[blushingmare]

I just can't decide and don't know what my priorities are! If I tell you my circumstances can you just tell me what to do because I'm hopeless and lazy 30 weeks pregnant, in the middle of moving house and fed up with having to make decisions about things I'm not sure about!

DC2 is due end of April. DD will be 23 months. She only started walking a month ago and is still slow and low tolerance at the moment, plus we are quite often out and about over her nap time, so I want something that will comfortably recline for her to have a reasonable sleep in.

We currently live in London, but are in the process of moving to quite a rural spot, but that is 10 mins from a town. I imagine mostly the buggy will be kept in the boot of the car and be used for fairly regular trips into town, where we'll be in and out of shops, but not on/off public transport.

We have a Ford Focus (not the estate), so I need it to fit in the boot and as it'll be in and out of the car relatively frequently, not be having to do lots of dismantling and reassembling each time. Lightweight to lift in and out of the car would be a bonus too.

DD hated the carry cot and spent the first 4 months in a stretchy wrap sling, so I hardly used the buggy at all in the first few months for her, but I know there's no telling what this one will do. I'm happy enough having a baby in the sling around the house, but ideally would want to put it in a buggy to go out as do find the sling hard on my back, especially when pushing a pushchair.

Having said that it'll be kept mostly in the car, once DD decided she actually liked the buggy, it was the only place I could get her to take her daytime naps until well over a year, which meant having the buggy in the house. I ideally don't want to be having a massive double buggy hanging round the house and having to rock DC2 to sleep in it. Maybe I need to bin this thought and deal with it if and when it comes up?

I'm not massively keen on the double options where one child sits under the other and can't see out very well.

I'd love something that the younger child can be parent facing for a bit, but i don't think realistically this is going to be possible with my other needs, so will put that as a low priority.

I'd like something that's nice to push and can be done one handed as can see that there'll be lots of times when DD will want to get out and walk and I will need to hold her hand.

I no longer have a single buggy at all (well apart from an umbrella fold that I couldn't have a newborn in) because it got trashed so need to get something to put the newborn in.

We'll most probably be looking at getting something secondhand as not got a massive budget - ?around £300??

Sorry I know that's a long list and there's probably not my ideal buggy out there, but I just don't know where to start and what to prioritise. Haven't looked at any in the flesh yet, but have been thinking about BJCM double, BJC select, Micralite twofold, Out n About Nipper double and Oyster Max. Any comments on any of these and how they suit my criteria, or any other suggestions? Would be so grateful for someone to just sort me out and tell me what to buy

[CrispyCrochet]

I don't have first hand experience with double buggies but I have a single baby jogger city mini & therefore notice loads of the city mini doubles.

If it is anything like the single it folds very easily, you can lie it flat (so actualky suitable from birth) & with adaptors you can clip on a maxi cosi car seat which would be parent facing.

Worth a look I think.

[JabberJabberJay]

Get a Nipper

Well made, easy to push and lasts for years.

Loved mine.

[tshirtsuntan]

If it'll need to be in the boot I don't think you can beat a twin McLaren.

[blushingmare]

JabberJabber - what's the fold like on the Nipper? I've heard it's quite big unless your take a wheel off and I know that would drive me crazy having to do that every time in and out of the car.

[Ihateparties]

Okay, that's a lot requirements :-D

I've written a long waffly detailed reply and deleted it...

Go look at and feel the things you're interested in, otherwise it's just too academic and you may find you love or hate something totally unexpectedly.

If you're most bothered about in and out of car ease get a nipper or bjcm and accept the big pram scenario. If you're most bothered about child seating positions and parent facing get a bjcs and accept the heavy push and rebuilding pushchair from bits in the car boot each time. If you think elder dc will walk quite a bit get an oyster max and accept the lower seat as it is, a temporary toddler holding zone, a sleeping opportunity in between walking with a nice unimpeded view .

I think you may struggle to get a select, twofold or oyster max for 300. Should be fine on a used bjcm, even new if good offer and nipper.

That help?

[blushingmare]

tshirt really? You see, I have a McLaren single and really don't like it - find it hard to fold, hard to steer one-handed and I seem to be a right clumsy oaf with the harness and can never get the buckle in right! Makes me swear a lot!

[Ihateparties]

Okay you've answered one of your own questions now, you really don't want to build and dismantle out of the boot... We had a focus but I never tried a nipper in it.. The bjcm def would fit as it fitted in my 07 yaris.

[DreamingOfAFullNightsSleep]

Nipper is ace but folds big. Bjcm city mini double is my favourite. Fast fold, so easy for in/out car, awesome hoods for naps. Mine did piss me off for napping in tge house, but if children asleep in it, I learnt to love it.

For your requirements I think I'd say bjcm double. Mine, secondhand (but excellent condition, only 7 months old) was 150. Used from birth with my dts, have a dd 18 months older. Still doing the job now- dts 22 months, dd 3.5. Doubt you'll regret it. I know Nipper fans. I know ex mountain buggy duet fans who sold with dts only just 1 as seats outgrown/ too heavy for in/out car.

[InPursuitOfOblivion]

I have an iCandy peach twin. I love it.
You do have to fanny about a bit though to get in the boot and it does take up all of the boot.
It's very solidly built, but light. You can fully recline the toddler seat or tilt the carry cot head up if LO is refluxy. Or you can just get two seats, I believe they are suitable from Birth.
You can also buy adapters so that it works as a travel system with Britax car seats.

[NomDeClavier]

I would say select but if you don't want to build and dismantle BJCM.

[blushingmare]

Thanks Ihateparties that does actually help a lot! Definitely don't want something hard to push or that needs a lot of assembly. I haven't looked at the Oyster Max much so will look at that in more detail - does the toddler have a reasonable view from the lower seat on that then?

You're right, I need to get out and see some of them, but at the moment there aren't enough hours in the day!

[Ihateparties]

You kinda have to build the max too, as much as the select so maybe that's a bit of a red herring. I had a twone, that folded with the top seat on, fitted in the focus easily. None of my dcs were close enough in age for a side by side to be a real option for me (nor my front doors and local shops wide enough) so I'm biased towards tandems. I had a city mini double and really liked it but ds got kicked out onto a buggyboard as it was just too wide. Another double in this price range I'd look at is the red kite twini, I have the single and it's light and folds really easily and small. The twin one is not unlike the bjcm but cheaper and obvs different quality in line with that but still good.

[tshirtsuntan]

Ihateparties I have always loved using all mclaren, was a nanny for many years and have my own kids now, found the fold really easy (could not fold a Phil&Ted at all and had to be rescued by a friend with a land rover! ) I guess it's just about trying loads out to see what suits you.

[blushingmare]

Brilliant - thanks all - I love you! I knew you'd be able to sort me out and kick me into a decision!

[MrsRV]

I'm knackered after spending all evening playing with our stroll air my duo. think it ticks all your boxes... fits in boot of corsa without taking wheels off. side by side. can have 2 stroller seats, car seat and/or carrycot and any combination. masdive shopping basket. lovely to push. hopefully will be ideal for 2.2 year old & newborn. like you, we're either, out for a walk or in and out of shops & car & pushchair lives in car.

only bad thing... u have to tske car seat adaptor off to fold... and if using 2 stroller seats they both have to be forward facing to fold. however, EASY PEASY. paid £636.99 from new but thst included everything and car seat adaptor. only 1 uk distributor though as US buggy. apologies for bad grammar/spelling but typing quickly as off to bed

[JennieisalwaysWright]

Have you tried the bugaboo donkey? or baby jogger? They are chatting about it on this cool new site i found: www.cahootsy.com/category/prams-travel/bugaboo-bugaboo-donkey