Buying without seeing - help me decide between 2 tandems! Long, sorry...

[sleepcrisis]

We're having to buy online without being able to test drive. There is no way we can get to see them first.

It's between the Micralite Twofold and the Phil and Teds Navigator, but its seems neither is perfect for our requirements.

Age gap will be 2.10mo so majority of the time will be used as a single. Second seat will be used on 1hr long walk to nursery, 2x per week, the occasional long weekend walk, and day trips/holidays. He's pretty good at walking but can only manage 20-30 mins so far and thats at snails pace. I imagine we'd use a buggy board quite a bit.

I love the built in buggy board on the Micralite, and am worried about the lack of one on PnT (is there really no way of having a buggy board? Really don't like their scooter thing. We have a mini micro anyway, and he will not ride it!).

I think the reviews of the handling on the PnT is great, and goes up and down kerbs well. We have very few dropped kerbs where we live and most shops have a step up doorway. I worry the Micralite won't handle this very well.

I love the extra brake on the PnT.

We need a beach friendly buggy and I think they would both be ok on the sand and off road generally?

Can't find a width measurement for the Micralite - is it as narrow as the PnT? This is also v appealing.

PnT seems quite heavy - micralite has the edge here.

Love that with the new Navigator I can have parent facing baby with the new doubles kit.

Also prefer PnT cocoon to a carry cot.

Basically I want the PnT but with a buggy board and a bit lighter.

Help! Decide for me! Buggy board on Micralite might swing it - but I need you to sell it to me! I've never seen a micralite of any kind in the flesh so am a bit wary.

Thanks so much in advance.

PS we have Maxicosi pebble car seat - is this compatible with both? ALso we'll keep the Bugaboo Bee so I guess we could use that on the days that we only need a buggboard? Really don't want to be swapping and changing buggies though.

honestly at 2.10 I wouldn't get the second seat at all. I would get a buggy board for the p&t and use that.
It will be an utter pita to push with buggy board but they all are. You can get them with seats if you think he will need to sit down.

I have had a p&t and it was a dream to push. It was 12kg but felt feather light to push even on uneven ground.

Iirc they are both 60cm wide. I probably wouldn't get a double either except for your couple of long walks. We had an easy x rider board which was great but I suspect would drive you insane with an hour long walk. I don't know if the kidsit is any better, the wheels are small and hard on the x rider, it's noisy and wouldn't work well off pavement at all.

The p and t will take a lascal or bump rider.. Probably most universal boards so no worries there, you're not stuck with the free rider at all. Weight.. I don't know, I used a sport recently and didn't find it heavy to lift at all. Can't really comment on handling though because the one I was using was v old and needed a bit of attention really.

Mountain buggy +one? Tfk joggster twist with buddy seat? Although I think the tfk is probably heavy in term of lifting.

Thanks, I'd never heard of an x rider before but it looks pretty good. Again no way of trying out before I buy unfortunately.

TBH I don't want to have to buy a double, but we need a new buggy anyway (Bugaboo bee can't handle the beach or off road - we no longer live in flat london) and we're hoping for a third DC so worth getting a double compatible now rather than in a few years time.

There is no way I could get DS1 all the way to nursery standing still on a buggy board or walking. And what do you do on a full day out eg shopping in London then a museum? Surely most 2.10 year olds would need to sit down a while? Especially to contain them in a big shop, for example. I do use a sling a lot for baby but not for long walks like 1hr, my back couldn't take it. I know 4yr olds who come home from school in a buggy (if its a long walk)

If I go for the Phil and teds I'll probably not buy a doubles kit until I know if I need it or not, but could always buy one 2nd hand or borrow one I guess.

The reason I queried the buggy board is that the lascal website doesn't list navigator as suitable (despite listing all other models)

Are there any twofold owners out there that really recommend it based on my criteria?

Blimey, the kidsit is as expensive as a doubles kit!