Tandem pushchair for older twins

[ceeveebee]

My twins are just about 14 mo and I am looking for a new tandem pushchair.
We have an icandy peach blossom, and I find that getting access into the rear seat is so difficult now that I haven't used it for 3 months now except to clip their car seats on (have been using our cheapo side-by-side which we only bought for flying with).
The seat is difficult to get baby in and out without removing upper seat, and once in the view is too restricted.
I know there is a new version of the peach but I've decided its not worth spending another £200+ for the upgrade and the new convertor kit which won't even match the existing seat as all the colours have changed.
So I'm planning to ebay te icandy and am on the search for a tandem that:

• Gives a good view for both twins - ideally the front seat being lower than the back so they can both look forwards
• Easy to get into the back seat and decent legroom
• Easy to push - one handed if possible
• Not more than £400

I've seen a couple of cheaper end - gracco quattro and hauck duett look ok but I'm not sure about the quality compared to icandy. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thanks

The quality of the hauck duett is miles away from the icandy plus it's the same set up again, the rear seat is the lower one, not the other way round as you are looking for. Dunno about the quattro in quality terms but it's enormous and by the looks of the lady I saw jump in the air to bump hers up a kerb I suspect it doesn't qualify as easy to push.

Hmmm, not sure what is though. A Mountain Buggy +one is kind of what you want but the rear twin might be a bit small yet to see out and would not have any recline at all. Still thinking...

Thanks
Just seen the Britax b dual too which although back seat is lower, looks very well spaced out - what do you think of this one?

To be honest, unless you went for something like a Mima Kobi, then there is very little that will match the Peach for quality.

Honestly, I WOULD be selling your current Blossom kit - the bars alone can fetch around £100, and spend the money getting the basket extension if you need it and the new Blossom 2 kit. You can always play swapsies somehow with the hoods and liners to try and get a Black Magic Blossom kit to tone in. iCandy sell spare hoods and liners online or from a retailer.

I have had the Peach Blossom 1 and 2, and there's really no comparison. The Peach Blossom 2 gives more space between the seats, better access, bigger seats, the ability for the rear child to put their feet in the basket or on the basket frame and all round is great.

I honestly wouldn't spend the money on anything else - just upgrade what you have!

I am not even going to comment on how awful the Graco is, and although the Hauck isn't too bad, the quality isn't that good either.

Thank you -Thats food for thought!
Never thought of selling the bits seperately - was thinking I'd have to sell the whole thing. So I could sell the bars, the lower seat and 2xcarrycots, and the car seat adapters, which should raise much more than the £200 it costs to upgrade?
Would I be able to use the blackjack footmuff/apron on the new lower seat? Or do you mean to buy a black magic hood, liner etc on the existing upper seat?
Thanks

Have you considered a phil and ted's?

Not really - it always looks like the child in the lower seat can't see anything at all, kind of hidden in a cocoon - but perhaps there are other models that I've not seen?

I would upgrade to. The Phil and teds is the worse buggy I have pushed ( heavier to push than a bugaboo cameleon with buggy board and two children on/ in) and impossible to stear on handed

a friend just sold x2 carrycots for £200 on eBay, so them alone without everything else should match the upgrade price.

The above is an excellent point, if you haven't already sold the carrycots do so the peach 2 will give you just as good spacing as the b dual and your overall pushchair would be vastly superior to it once upgraded.

Honestly when it comes to a choice between colour match and easy everyday use there is no comparison. You have one of the best tandems there is, just not the best seats. I agree though, the peach one could put you off the whole thing once you kids get older but don't let it, the upgrade would be worth it!

I have an obaby zoom for my 14 mo DTs. I know a lot of people don't like it because it's as long as a bus but it's honestly the best pushchair I've had out of 8
I have my two facing each other so they can babble and wave - it's quite funny to watch them

I had the Jane powertwin, which would be better quality and it's ok to push.

I never got on with tandems though after the dts were too old for car seats. They wanted to both look out. After trying about 4 or 5 different ones, I got an emmaljunga twin, and it was brilliant. Dream to push, and the twins loved it.

tandams get very difficult once you have a heavy twin in the front seat.

I have a britax b dual, and while I love it for what I use it for (quick dash into doctors/shops that won't fit my huge side-by-side), it doesn't match your discription of what you want. In particular, there isn't much of a view from the back/lower seat though it's infinitely better than a P&Ts for the rear child, and the rear child can recline.

I can't be of help other than that though, as I love my side-by-side (FirstWheels City Twin).

Thank you everyone for your comments. I've decided to go for an upgrade- have just ordered a black magic converter kit and blackjack footmuff and have emailed icandy to arrange the chassis alteration- eek after weeks of procrastinating have finally taken the plunge!

Now need to get the carrycots, old lower seat and converter bars sold!

Well done you!

I doubt you'll regret it, good luck selling your other bits :-)

Thanks:)