Double Buggy Advice Please

[StuntCroissant]

I have a 23 month old and a newborn and I live in a small town in the countryside (relevant info!!) At the moment I'm using our icandy Peach tandem. Pros: it's stackable so it's not wide which is good for our old market town pavements. Cons: it is so heavy I can't use it on fields and can't use the basket when they're both in it. Plus I can't barely fit all the bits in my car as you can't just fold it down.

If I'm nipping out to the supermarket or post office I use a Babyzen Yo-yo and sling the newborn, but he's a heavy boy and I don't think I'll get away with the sling for long.

So, I'm now looking for a side-by-side buggy. Not too wide (so I can fit through shop doors and through my teeny narrow Victorian hallway) but sturdy enough to withstand a walk around a NT place.

If you have such a pram, please tell me what the pros and cons of yours are! Am particularly interested in the Baby Jogger City Mini Double and Mountain Buggy Duet - anyone have either of those?

Nipper double is good. Having air tyres on a side by side with two different aged children is easier to push as well.

I have two friends both with twins, they swear by the Baby Jogger. It’s not too heavy and the wheels are pretty good in muddier places.

Nipper 360 is wonderful

Thanks @rebelrosie12 - why do you think so?

I had both single and double nipper 360, loved them both. No terrain it couldn't tackle, even fully loaded with 2 heavy 4 yr olds you can push it easily with one hand. Turns on a six pence, loads of storage, in the hood and underneath in the basket.
One of the narrower side by sides. Oh and if an older child decided their legs don't work anymore, they can perch a seat on the footplate for a ride. In fact we even managed 5 kids in it once (aged 1-6 yrs), 2 in each seat and 1 on the footplate, did need 2 hand to push it that time!

@xyzandabc thank you! Did its 3-wheel-ness ever cause any issues?

We've just got a Mountain buggy duet on the recommendation of our nanny who has used lots of double buggies working for various families. She says it's the best one she knows.

I can't think of any time 3 wheels was an issue. Only plus points over rough terrain. On wooded paths with big roots etc kind of pick up both sides of the handle bars low down and trundle it like a wheel barrow. On snow and sand tip it up and drag it backwards behind you just on its 2 back wheels.

Same reasons as above. No the 3 wheels never caused a prob due to its centre of gravity being far back between the rear wheels. Friends have had the mountain buggy and although it is narrower by a couple of cm it is FAR heavier to push (may not be literally heavier but feels it).

I have the mountain buggy duet after having the Uppababy vista. Couldn't cope with a tandem, far too heavy!

The duet is not perfect (no double is!), but I love the fact it is the slimmest side by side and I can get through any doorway (even my mums very narrow front door!). I also love that it folds down all in one.
The only thing is because it is SO slim the dcs don't have much spare room in the seats and can look quite cramped for my 18month in snowsuit and footmuff.
Love the raincover for it too! Has a zip that opens up the front rather than having to take it all off if it stops raining etc.

I agree with rebelrosie, I had the moutain buggy, which on paper and in looks, looks fairly comparable but I sold it to buy a nipper which was so much lighter and easier to push.

Out 'n' About Nipper 360. I live rurally and walk my dogs daily through, fields, tracks and woods, an we go to the beach often it never struggles. Babies have always napped well in it too and the toddlers are always comfy. It feels lightweight to manoeuvre and easy to push one handed and goes through single doors. It is brilliant and I love it. I have had it nearly 3 years now and still going strong. The only downside is that it does not fold very compact in the boot of a car.

I know you said not stackable but have you looked at Phil and Teds? Not heavy, good sized basket and excellent on all terrain. Folds too.

Nipper! Best pushchair ever.

Nipper 360 is the best! So good I bought the single version for my last child when I could no longer justify a double.

Mountain Buggy diet. I’ve got one for sale if you’re in the highlands?

I have the mountain buggy for my twins. Narrow enough to get through standard doorways and very light to push and to manoeuvre. The downside is it's quite heavy to lift in and out of the car and a big boot is needed for it to fit.

Ok looks like a bit of a tie between the Mountain Buggy Duet and the Nipper 360. Good to know that you can push these with one hand as I have blisters from pushing my Icandy with both babies in it's that heavy!!

If it makes a difference, my 23-month-old is very small - the size of a 12 months old and the newborn is actually 4 months so not so new!!

@Wooooooooaaaaaaaahhhhhhh I've heard good things about it but I've changed my mind about the tandem - I'd just prefer them side by side.

@wickywilk that's interesting - there will be a LOT of taking it in and out of my boot and I don't have a drive (on-road parking on a fairly busy road) so I need that bit to be easy. I have a small 4x4 so boot space is ok.

I had the city jogger, but swapped to the 360 when it got too heavy. Loved the city jogger while they were wee and it was great for clipping car seats into and bassinets etc, but really once they big enough to just need a buggy without the travel system stuff there was no reason to justify the extra weight of the jogger.

I've got the Babyjogger City Mini side by side double. We went for it over the Nipper double after trying both in the shop. We struggled on with the sling for a lot longer so DC1 was 2.5 and DC2 10 months. We found the Baby jogger better if you have tall children - DC1 looked tight in the Nipper at 2.5 but still fits easily in the City Mini a year and a half later at almost 4. It's also better if they prefer a more upright seating position. The Nipper was lighter to push, but I suspect the Babyjogger is easier to bump up and down curbs with 2 rather than 1 wheel at the front (we have a 3 wheeled single and curbs are more of a pain).

We also looked at the Duet, which on paper looked amazing with it being so narrow but in practice was just too small for our kids. You can get a GT version of the Babyjogger one if you want something a little more off roady, but we didn't look at one so don't know how different it really is to the basic version. The basic one copes fine with NT places and grassy bits but would struggle with proper off road on rutted fields etc.

The Babyjogger is incredibly quick to fold which does come in handy - I normally collapse it up in cafes etc to save space. No idea about the other 2 but if you are taking it in and out the boot loads I'd try folding up them up before getting anything.

Not a recommendation for a double but I can still carry my almost 2 year old, 12kg DS in our Ergo 360 carrier so I’d recommend that if you’re struggling with the sling.

And I walk our dogs with him in this:
www.karrimor.com/karrimor-papoose-796009

I have a mychild easy twin. I love it. It is only 65cm wide which is slimmer than a wheelchair. I had a carrycot that went on one side but thatvwas bought as an extra which you wouldnt need as it does lay flat.

The basket is huge and the handle is adjustable to the point it can fold towards the buggy completely meaning if parking it somewhere it is so much smaller.

Folds up easily and stands up on its own. Has very large hoods that comes over each child.

Still haven't quite mastered the raincover but keeps em dry regardless.

Main plus - only £350. Worth every penny.

Thanks @StarveInn - we have so many slings I could start a sling library! I have a stretchy wrap for naps, a baby bjorn and an Ergobaby plus a Deuter baby pack pack for hikes. It's fine if DH is with me but my back struggles with the baby now - he's much bigger than my toddler was at this age!