In search of the perfect Single-Double.... any news?

[elk4baby]

Hi,

I'm currently in search of the 'perfect' (they never are, of course) Single-Double buggy for my two DSs - 2.5yrs & 8mths. The elder is at nursery two days a week, so I'd really like something either convertable (double-single-double) or not too bulky as a double (DS1 is not that keen of a walker).

I currently have the BJCS and absolutely loved it - it was perfect in the city, on the tube, fit everywhere and was great to push... until we moved to a very hilly suburban area - I now find it very difficult (if not downright painful - had an operation recently on the wrist) to push it up and down steep hills.

So... I find myself researching buggies again, but with a different list of criteria. I don't really need it to fit through narrow tube lift doors, on escalators or buses. What I need is something that would not kill me pushing up and down steep hills, would do well with occasional off-road walks (nothing too harsh), and would have reversible seats. I'm not asking for too much, am I? :)

I'd appreciate your suggestions and advice!

Lol probably! The only pushchair I know that really fits your criteria well is the Donkey but with a 2.5 year old I doubt you would get more than six months use from it unless DS was small. The First Wheels City Twin has reversible seats but is bulky folded and very wide. The Baby Elegance Beep Beep Twin could be an option but I haven't yet seen a photo without the Footmuffs on it to see if it has an adjustable footrest. I think...that's about it for side by sides with reversible seats unless you buy one of the pushchairs with one seat unit and both children move together IYKWIM
You got to almost exactly the same ages as I did before admitting defeat with the BJCS. My two are now almost 3 and 14 months. The best pushchairs I have found for us (and believe me it's been a hunt) are the Nipper 360 (very light but relatively large folded), the Baby Jogger Elite (relatively large folded unless you pop the wheels off), the TFK Twinner Twist Duo, the ABC Adventure Buggy with toddler seat (we love this but it is too long to fit in our car), the Easywalker Sky Duo, the Joovy Ultralight (a bit trolley like to push but fun), and we have the new iCandy Peach Blossom kit which is fabulous. We also liked the Hauck Duett but it's a hard ride.
I think....given the hills and off road, I would send you off to look at the Twinner Twist Duo and the Nipper to be honest because they are light and easy to push. But do look at the ABC as well.

Oh and there's bags of photos and reviews documenting our search here. it is probably useful to see seat sizes etc.

the phil and teds sport or verve, i love the verve the best, are also worth a look, but they don't parent face, but are easy to push with 2 dc's in them, i have a 5 year old and a almost 3 year old in mine.

Just to add, the new Mountain Buggy +one could work for you. But you need to consider that there is a minimal recline on the front seat only so it depends on how good your 9 month old would be at sleeping fairly upright. I am hoping to get one but have bought a head support for my 14 month old and am a bit put off by reports of frog legged toddlers because the footrest at the front is apparently high. I had planned to put my baby in the back but I don't think I will be able to.

I should have checked here before replying to your pm Elk! I completely forgot about the ABC with reclining top seat. If you don't need to put it in a car, or you've got a wide boot, that would be a really good option. They're expensive to import from NZ but there are often ones on eBay.

Do you actually need to convert it between being a single and double? If you don't, the side by sides with big air tyres that Tiggy has mentioned would be the answer.

I do not necessarily need to convert it, but am a bit worried about pushing one child in a double - i.e. will it veer like my BJCS because of the imbalance?

i have pushed a double mountain buggy with only one in it, and could not tell the difference, they are super easy to push, but again only forward facing

The pushchairs mentioned above in my experience don't veer. The BJCS did veer like you say. A good side by side shouldn't veer. The Mountain Buggy Duet veered badly to the side my eldest was sat on. But I haven't found any other side by side veering.

If you got a side by side do you not think you'd get fed up with it? I would have thought if you're spending a lot of time with one child in it, and if your older ds starts to walk more then you'd be annoyed that you'd compromised by having a non-convertible pushchair. If it was me I'd go for one with a removeable second seat.

My sister (aswellasyou) and I have a b dual and our girls are 12 months. The seats are a decent size and the bottom seat has plenty of room for growth. The only slightly annoying thing about the bottom seat is that when they're much taller they're legs will be in the shopping basket taking up room and getting dirt on things. Apart from that I think it's great and it's really easy to remove the second seat when we just want it as a single.

The one double we've had that was super dooper easy to push was a Jane Powertwin. It's got it's drawbacks, mainly for us it was the very slight recline on the front seat, but that wouldn't be so much of an issue for you. But seriously, you can push it with one finger at times! But then it doesn't have a removeable seT.

My issue with the Powertwin is the front footrest is only inches from the front child's knees! It's way way too close for a toddler (as baby really needs to go in the back). My DD could dangle her feet and stop the front wheel.

Thanks, Saoirse. That's precisely why I've looked at the Donkey, as it seems to be an alright single as well as a double (as well as offering the rear-facing option).
Are there any rear-facing doubles other than the Frist Wheels City Elite and the Donkey?! DH says its fine to insist on the RF option, but then it doesn't necessarily need to be convertible. His argument is that for the price of the Donkey, we can afford two pushchairs :) - one double and one good single, once DS1 grows out of the pushchair age. But in this case, it need to handle well with just one child in it (for the nursery run :)). Idea?!

I would buy your perfect single and get a 2nd phil & teds or similar!

or look at the uppababy vista with rumble seat? I have the vista nad it is fab in every way, not looked at how the rumbles seat works though yet!

Yes there is the Baby Elegance Beep Beep Twin but I know nothing about it. Also in the US there is a Stroll Air Twin which I have thought about importing because it looks very good. However the seats on the latter aren't supposed to be wide. Apart from buying a one seat unit double ie two seats in one unit, which I wouldn't recommend for siblings, I cant think of any other rear facing side by sides.
Have you looked at the Joovy Ultralight or similar sit and stand pushchairs?

The only downside to the Rumble seat is the weight limit. But long term the youngest could go into the Rumble seat for the nursery run and then moved back into the main seat for the rest of the outing. I know the BJCS seat wedges in the basket when not in use and I wonder if the Rumble seat would do the same. And then there's the small matter of getting one.....it's taken me about 2-3 months and mine should finally be here soon!

I've looked at the Joovy Ultralight, but it just feels like a shopping cart, to be honest :(, really didn't like it in the flesh. Plus, given the small wheels and the fact that it's still quite long, it wouldn't solve my problem of going up and down hills...

Snunkie keeps making my laptop freeze up

Ooops wrong post caused by Snumkie again!!!

Ok, in order of lightest to push IMHO the Nipper comes top, then probably the Mima Kobi, the Twinner Twist Duo, followed by the iCandy Peach Blossom, ABC Adventure Buggy, B-Dual, the Elite, Easywalker Duo. The Verve comes after this in the middle of the all the double pushchairs I have properly tried with heavy children in. I would seriously consider the Nipper...it was so light that I am debating getting one just for the lightness.