Argh! The perfect double pushchair doesn't exist!

[CruCru]

Hi all

I am due to have DC2 in September and the lack of perfect double is doing my head in. If I like them to push round then they're a bugger to fold / massive folded, or the newborn doesn't have a carrycot or the seats look tiny. I have bored on discussed a bunch of pushchairs on here and still don't have a solution.

I have been told that the P+T is brilliant, that one kid sits below another isn't a problem but I plain hate pushing them, I find them really heavy.

I don't mind what they cost (within reason) but think I have to pick the perfect one first time as DH will be cross if I fill our entire house with pushchairs.

Sorry, just wanted a rant.

theres a year between my youngest two so not even as much size difference as with most but I borrowed a friends side by side double once and it was a real struggle to steer it effectively as it felt so off balance.

I had/have a TFK twinner twist, used when DD1 was a toddler and DD2 a baby and when DD2 was a toddler and DS was a baby

Side by side - yes
Easy to push - yes
Not too heavy - a relative question but I didn't have any problems with it
Not too wide - 78cm, fits through standard doors and I had it on buses in Norway (constantly) and the UK (where I was probably judged! but it fitted)
Enough room for DS (age 2) to be comfortable - yes
Not too massive when folded - again relative but it was smaller than a lot I looked at as it has a double fold (although I wanted off road capabilities too so they are maybe bigger generally)
Option to have the baby facing me in a carrycot - yes
Seats independently reclining - yes

mine has been well used for years, chucked in airplane holds, dragged on busses, off roading constantly, through snow and sand and its still going strong so definatly a thumbs up for solidity

Cru Cru I think your title is an essential realisation for anyone looking for a double pushchair. There is NO perfect double pushchair - every single one has a compromise somewhere. What and how much you compromise on are up for debate.
For me, No 1 of my list, having had a huge number of double pushchairs, is that you can push it fully loaded for a good period of time ie longer than 30 mins. If you can't push it easily, without it hurting, when your children are older - lets say aged 1 and 2 for arguments sake, then it wont do the job. Go and throw at least 30kgs plus a big changing bag into the seats and basket and push a double around a shop! Anyone who says their new shiny tandem with newborn and young toddler in is great needs to wait a year to give an honest review IMHO!

Looking at what you list, the one critical thing you dont list is that you want DS parent facing. Thus, there are lots of side by sides which take a parent facing carrycot, and the seats recline independently and have big seats. Most side by sides have big seats.

Based on your other requirements eg width, I would send you off to look at the TFK Twinner Twist Duo - neat folded as its a trifold; an Easywalker Duo; the Baby Jogger City Mini or GT; a new Nipper V3 with the carrycots; or a Bumbleride Indie Twin (a bit bigger folded). I would add an Air Buggy Mimi in for the fab push, but there's no carrycot - but there is a car seat option.

These are definitely the lightest to push with the smallest folds of a side by side.

I cracked and bought a carrier. I have oldest DD in pram and baby in the carrier. Works for me. Just thought id throw that out there!

I have a P&T Navigator, and an older P&T Sport. The Navigator is much, much easier to push than the Sport. It also has an optional parent facing carrycot, plus an optional parent facing baby seat. I've just been using it with the (very) lightweight baby seat and a toddler underneath (don't think this is safety approved but worked absolutely fine) and it was as easy to push as my Maclaren single buggy.

Childcare is my job so I've been through a lot of prams, but the Navigator is (so far) easily my favourite. Also, the fact you can easily get the fabrics off to wash is a HUGE bonus! They just zip off.

My friend has the peach2 which she converted into a blossom with the converter kit and that is pretty awesome, you can easily go into shops with it and don't have to worry about the doors being wide enough to go through because its not a wide double buggy. i have the peach jogger but if we have another little one in the next year or so then we'll go for the peach blossom 2. also saw that this has got a which best buy award so its definitely got good reviews. let us know what you decide to go with :) xx

Miaow - do you mean, where one kid is sitting on top of the other? Thanks for all your comments, I think I need to go into John Lewis first thing in the morning when it isn't so busy.

There is no perfect one! I've tried and failed to find it!
My criteria are pretty similar to your's and I have a BJCM double. I wish I had got the GT version.
I really wanted a Donkey at first and I think it would have been great in the early days but actually I don't think my toddler would be very comfortable in it now. I have used my SIL's for a week and he looked much more squished than he does in the BJCM.

I have a 2.5yo and a 13 month old and I don't find it pulls to one side, the only time that is an issue is when it's just the 2yo and we are on a sloping pavement, which is rare.
The only other issue can be fitting in gaps in shops etc but when I had a tandem in the early days I found the length just as much a problem, so it's literally as broad as it's long!

In an ideal world I would have had a Donkey for the first 6 months, then BJCM GT and probably a Peach blossom 2 for the last toddler-mostly-walking-but-might-need-to-hop-in-for-a-ride phase!

Cru, i have all your criteria (expecting twins) PLUS:

• buggy board potential for DD who will be 2.11
• ability for both twins to face me until their toddlers (we have this with DD and i and she love love love facing each other and chatting
• tall as i am 5'11" and DH is 6'

Our only answer is bugaboo donkey or strollair duo. Will prob go for donkey just because it will be so much easier if bits go wrong (we have a John Lewis and a Mothercare - both stock it)...

Its a bugger! SURELY someone can do better of all the pushchair manufacturers?!

When you join the "Mummy and baby" club in Mothercare, straight away they give you vouchers, and one of them is for £20 off prams over £200ish I think

That's helpful... But the pram costs £1,299 i think!!!

Try the adventure buggy company. It is heavy but we just got one in triple mode and it is brilliant. It is also from New Zealand and ours was a month from order to delivery, but he'll it was worth the wait

Or you can look on eBay for a donkey ( like mine lol)

The Donkey board is a nightmare - there's nowhere for the child to hold onto because the arms are too far apart, the seats / carrycots are too low or too far forwards. They can only lean back on the handle. The board is very very slippy when wet. I recommend the sit on seat for the Bugaboo board as it would resolve these issues on the Donkey.

Ooh - great info Tiggy, thanks. Can you give me a link to the sit on buggy board. Was also considering the Lascal one as its a more intuitive design (why did bugaboo go for three wheels?!) and fits according to the Lascal website....

I have the BJCM double I love it.

I've just found out that the Micralite twofold is coming out (currently available on preorder). Made the mistake of telling DP how much it costs (around £560 for pram and extra seat) and he's flat refused to consider it. But it looks sooooo clever and perfect for my little ones. So back to looking for 2nd hand P+Ts...

Oh dear. Well I had a look around John Lewis and tried out a few doubles. I love the Donkey, it is easy to push, flexible etc - but no way is that going to easily fit through our hallway. The Out N About is less bulky but the seats still look quite reclined.

So far the one I like best is the P+T Navigator. Quite embarrassing as I said no way did I want one. Who would have thought it?

I have an Icandy pear, its AMAZING. I got it second hand off Ebay and its made my life so much easier. It loads lighter than my maclaren double and being a tandem it fits in shops. Its easy to put together and looks lovely.

My DD was 19mo when DS was born and she loves sitting in the front. I also got the car seat adaptors and now DS can be transferred straight from car to the buggy in my (borrowed) maxi-cosi car seat.