Do I need a double buggy for travel or should I cope without?

[TheBlonde]

I am thinking of buying a maclaren double for travel as I don't really want to lug the P&T about

Kids are 3mths & 2yrs4mths. Toddler needs reins or will run off.

We have 2 UK trips and then probably 4 weekend trips in Europe.

Is it worth it?
Or should I just take a single and hope the toddler behaves?

Why can you not take the p&t?

id take the P&T as well

have you ever pushed a double maclaren type buggy? the P&T is infinitely easier to push and you will prob hate pushing it!

The P&T is large and unwieldy
For the UK trips it takes up a lot of boot space
I don't trust the airlines to not wreck it even if it is in a bag

i would take a sling and maybe a single umbrella fold buggy (from a car boot sale, probably) depending on how often the 2yo fell asleep in the buggy and how good they are at walking.

I see what you mean about the uk trips. Do you have the money to spend 100 odd on spare double? At airports buggy's go on last and should come off first so i reckon it'd be ok

I wouyld take a single and get 2yr old to walk with a wrist rein.

Don't expect the toddler to behave - you are on holiday and will appreciate the option of having both in the buggy. Look for a secondhand mclarens, as they do fold up quite well.

Single buggy + buggy board more awkward than lugging a double, so not an option IME.

would dep how much walking at the other end and which cities

a lot of european cities are MUCH worse than uk ones for buggy friendliness (and my god thats saying something).

agree your p+t prob won't be wrecked. when i've flown with a pushchair they have either let us push it to the steps of the plane, and then whisked it away, or even just let us take it as carry on (BUT this was a super-light volo). Regardless, they have been very kind and nice to our buggy (and generally to our kids) and anyway, we had insurance for such things. This is on a selection of airlines

(dp used to be able to choose between first class travel just for him and second class and taking his family-sadly with ds now being over 2 that junket has ended...). But I have traveled with at least one kid to most of the more boring conferance centres in europe...

With the age gap you mention I'd actually take an ergo backback and a sling, and reins. Then the baby could go in the sling, the toddler on reins or backback, and there need be no trepidation re stairs. Or sinlge buggy + sling.

I wouldn't rely on a 2.3 yo to do a significant amount of walking, really.

Theblonde, our lo's are the same age and at 2.4 he asks to get carried once he gets tired or lazy, he also still dozes off on occasion when out.
Personally I'd opt for the double.

will you be travelling alone? i've got a maclaren double for travel - DS's are 6mths and 2.5yrs - i've mostly got it for safety - once they are both strapped in i know my toddler can't go running off and i can grab bags off the carousel etc without worrying (have heard horror stories about having baby in a sling when attempting such manoeuvres). airplane travel also tends to send most (not all!) kids off to sleep so a wrist rein won't be much help if they are sleeping.

and for your weekend trips in europe - will you be going out to eat in the evening and taking the kids? if so, will you need somewhere for them both to sleep whilst you eat?

that said though, the maclaren is damn heavy and unwieldy compared to other buggies but it does fold up the smallest of the doubles i think.

happy travels.

I would buy the double buggy. Definitely. It will be too much for the little one to walk all the time. Not to mention in busy places it will be difficult for the toddler, and they will get tired, and you'll probably end up carrything them!

I've just got back from holiday in france, with us we had 22 month old, 27 month old, 3 year old and 4 year old (not all mine of course!) and all 4 of them needed their prams! For sleeping/naps, but also when the walking got too much and for when it was just too busy to risk anyone running off or being knocked over by unsuspecting adults!

Definitely get one!

i also think the thing is that most doubles are pretty hard work, esp when you are used to the p+t, and that would potentially ruin my holiday.

And NONE of them fold up small. We borrowed one at one point designed to fold up small. The footprint wasn't much less than the p+t, tbh.

Remember also that if you are going to have the toddler on the reins you will still need to be able to push the pushchair one handed sometimes, eg to cross roads. The cheapo singles are NOT good for this.

I will have DH with me.
We won't be doing much walking about with them at any of the locations

I am thinking about it mostly for containment at the airport
Plus we are always late and often have to run for the gate so it would be easier to push them

hi,

I have two children, 2 and 5 years old, I have been flying short and longhaul since the youngest was 3 monts old, mostly on my own.

I had my maclaren crushed on a flight once. Once out of 20 flights is probably not so bad.

Some airport wont let you take a big buggy in through security, you will have to send it with your luggage at check in. If you have 2 small umbrella folds, they might let you take it into the plane (overhead compartment), and even if they dont, you get to keep it all the way through and they will take them to the hull at boarding, make sure you check them in first but say you want to keep it to the gate. I have bought a maclaren Volo I use for flights, it is ultra lightweight. If you are with your dh, you might be better off with two small umbrella fold strollers, as you can take one child each. I would also bring a sling/babybjorn for the baby.

It is true that many european cities are not very buggy friendly. A double buggy is quite wide, isnt it? many shops also have steps and narrow doors, and in some places it is customary to leave buggies OUTSIDE shops, especially if baby is sleeping. Depends on where you are going, and the culture.

sorry since the OLDEST was 3 months old.

Thanks MCSSN - I think I will look for a double second hand

Hmm - I was just contemplating this very question - am due to go disney next year with a 2 year old and a 2 month old (gulp) - was thinking about a tandem - any thoughts or recomendations for those? something light and compact - ha ha!! (btw hate the p&t)

I loved mine. It was a mothercare double buggy, cheaper than a maclaren (really tough, it's still in excellent conditions). you can take it tp the steps of the plane. We went to Amsterdam for a few days when dd was 5 months and ds 2.3 yrs, we kept being stopped by Duthc mummies who wanted to know where I got the buggy from (they were probably taking the piss)

Hi,
I took my P&T to Dubai and Oz at Christmas. In Oz it was great, day long trips, the dd's could nap at any time (v. useful with jetlag).
However for hopping in and out of taxis in Dubai it was a nightmare - my dh has the scar to show for it!

The P&T is so robust it survived the airlines baggage handlers no problems (unlike my previous buggy)

Now I am having trouble convincing DH that we need another double

If you take 2 umbrella fold buggies how do you manage the luggage??

We've just got a double buggy off ebay for our holidays. DDs are 2 and 4 and the 4 yr old can work a mile or so but not in abroad heat and we tend to walk quite a bit. We did get another one off freecycle which is going to be too big for the hire car we're getting which you could have free of charge if you're in our area - Cumbria.

i have flown a lot with my mountain buggy urban single, never had any problems at all, we've always been allowed to take it to the gate. i'd stick with your p&t.

sorry, i'm sooo stupid, whats a P&T

phil & teds

Now knowing what one is, I would take it, the P&T, that is.