Double buggy for a newborn and a 20 month old

[Thepurplegiraffe]

I am hoping to get some advice about double buggies for a newborn and a 20 month old. We went to have a last look at the 2015 uppababy vista today, pretty set on buying it, and the shop assistant did her level best to talk us out of it. It didn't help that dd was nearly too tall at 18 months! However it is supposed to be one of the biggest out there so not sure what would be better.
The lady tried to sell us an out and about but we weren't keen but now we are stuck between a city mini jogger/ or GT double (side by side) and the original vista. I think we might already have left this a bit late as I am due in 9 weeks but does anybody know much about either of them? We haven't had a chance to put dd in the city jogger or check if it fits our relatively small boot.

[DeathMetalMum]

We have a single city mini and it's fab easy to push and folds up really easily and small. I use it for my large 2.4 year old all the time. If we're out and about and youngest is walking 4 1/2 year old always asks to sit in it and still looks very comfy so I wouldn't worry about space with either of the baby joggers.

[YouMakeMyHeartSmile]

I'm due in 9 weeks and DD will be 20 months when DC2 is born too!
We already have the old vista but want a new double as you can't use the carry cot with the rumble seat, and can't recline the top seat fully with the rumble seat so IMO not suitable for a newborn and a toddler (you can use the car seat but obviously that's not recommended for long journeys). We considered the 2015 vista but I then decided I wanted a side by side as I don't think DD would be happy on the bottom and seems a bit unfair to put a baby on the bottom with no view.
Next option was the mountain buggy duet but the seat and the carrycot are really really narrow and worried they won't last long.
Been to look at the bugaboo donkey today and think we've decided to go for that. DD was happy sitting in it, a bit bulky but easy to manoeuvre, lovely to push... Biggest downside is the expense but we're going to sell our vista to go towards it, and they have great resale value (about £850 second hand!)

[YouMakeMyHeartSmile]

What were the sales persons reasons for talking you out of the vista?

[DearGirl]

We are looking at a mountain buggy
A friend has this for her 2 year old twins (1 slightly chunky) and they seem happy/cosy / not too cramped in it.

[Artandco]

Do you need a double? 16 month gap here and didn't find we needed a double. Could you wait until after baby is born to see? Use a sling for newborn if eldest needs to go in pram.

[Freyathecatt]

I have the GT double for my ginormous 2 year old and 7 month old. Love it. It's easy to push, spacious and has the biggest individual weight limits on the market. Highly recommend.

[AnythingNotEverything]

Youmakemyheartsmile - I'm in a very similar position, but found that a Silver Cross Babynest (developed for their Surg I think but available separately direct from Silver Cross) can go in your toddler seat to make it suitable from birth. Then you can put your toddler in a rumble seat.

OP I'll have a 20 month age gap soon and we have a 2012 Vista and a tallish toddler. What's the height issue the sales assistant mentioned? Was she perhaps on commission?! The Vista is a great pram, and one of the few (I believe) that makes both a great single and a great double.

[mrsmeerkat]

14 month gap here and we love the Phil and Ted sport. Do you need a brand new one op. Might save you to get a second hand. We got a virtually new open for very little

[Alanna1]

Will you def need it? Lots of people don't? Is your eldest happy on a buggy board? How often will you have both together / are you hoping both will nap together at lunchtime?

[YouMakeMyHeartSmile]

Good to know Anything, I'll check it out!
I'm normally really good at baby equipment decisions (decide I want something and buy it ??) but this double buggy one is causing me angst!

[Chocchip88]

21 month age gap here. We had the Baby jogger GT double. Loved it, used it a lot. Eldest is massive (over the top percentile line) and never a problem with fitting him. Also it has separate hoods which is in a liable when one is sleeping and one is chatty.

[Chocchip88]

*invaluable

[Runnaway]

18 month age gap for my two.
Started with out n about, but felt like they could never sit up straight and properly see out. Also pneumatic tyres meant lots of flats. Ended up going for the Mamas and Papas twin aria. Used it until the eldest was four (for longer walks).

[Thepurplegiraffe]

Thanks for the replies everyone! We have thought about whether we need one but I will be doing a lot of walking on ml and dd currently takes a very long time to walk anywhere as she gets so distracted. I don't think we will cope round here without one.
youmakemyheartsmile interesting to hear you are having the same quandary. I did worry about one child being below but we decided baby won't notice much and I have spoken to a few parents who have already been through this who said their lo actually quite liked the bottom. I know dd regularly goes there with the childminder at the moment.
I also liked the idea of the vista as it converts back to a good single when dd is ready and we can therefore sell our current single now. We also like that the carrycot is ok for some overnight sleeping. Having said that though dd will have to be rear facing for a few months with the carrycot and I know she won't like that.
I'm not sure why the shop assistant was so desperate to sell us the out and about when the vista is much more expensive and we would have been an easy sell. We were confused about her motives, I mentioned a number of other options and she poo pooed every single one even if they had them in stock.

[Thepurplegiraffe]

As an irrelevant aside, if we do go for the vista we are torn between red and sky blue. We don't know what dc 2 will be but the same assistant was adamant that the blue is for boys. We might have a boy, but we might have 2 girls. Would that stop you buying a bright blue buggy?

[Runnaway]

No. Blue is lovely. A colour is not owned by either sex! Get the colour you like best. That shop assistant sounds like she was having a hard day!!

[YouMakeMyHeartSmile]

No, I want the ice blue Donkey and am expecting second DD!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

26 month age gap between my two here and never even considered a double buggy. Your original single pram plus a sling for the newborn is honestly so much easier and so much cheaper. I look on in horror at the behemoths I see being pushed around. Even now that DS2 is a very chunky 9mo, he goes on my back in the sling, DS1 goes in the pram and we can carry on for miles when DS1 isn't of a mind to walk.

[YouMakeMyHeartSmile]

Elephaba I can't use a sling due to back issues and we walk a couple of miles a day to get to baby groups so unfortunately it think a double buggy will be needed.

[Shenanagins]

Loved my city mini jogger, very easy to manoeuvre and put up and down. Can't recommend it enough.

[saltyseacow]

Have you investigated the micralite twofold? This converts from a tandem to a single very easily.

[slithytove]

Bugaboo donkey with an 18 month gap and love it. Kids now 26 and 8 mo.