Phil & Teds Sport for a newborn and (lazy) 2.5yr old

[Laquila]

I have a Versa GT, which I loved when DS was younger, and a second-hand BJCM, which is preferable to the Versa now - lighter and less bulky.

I'm due around 20 Feb and given that DS (2yrs 5 mths by then) is a slow, dithery walker. He still has at least one nap a day and loves napping in the buggy.

I have various slings but I know from experience that it's not always realistic to keep a newborn/younger baby in a sling all day when out and about (bad weather and my exhaustion/recovery after a section both being factors!) I'll definitely be using a sling but don't really want to have to rely on it as my only option. I sort of feel the same about buggy boards - I think he'd quite like it but the novelty would very quickly wear off when he got tired. Also I'm not sure how well a buggy board would work on the BJCM.

I've been looking at tandem doubles and there's a Phil and Teds Sport for sale near me - how well would this work with a 29 month age gap? It looks as though the lower seat can't recline when the toddler in it is past a certain height, but I don't think that's necessarily a problem for us. Can you get a hood for the lower seat though? And how heavy would it feel to push with two kids of that age gap? (DS is prob just above average height but on the slim side)

I've looked at the BJCS too, which has the added advantage of being able to take our car seat (a BeSafe IZi Go), but it looks bulkier and I prefer the lie-flat seat of the P&T to having to use a carrycot.

If they had a smaller age gap them I'd have got a BJCM double - I bloody love my single - but I think it'll feel lopsided when I've only got one kid in it.

Aagh! Any advice appreciated :)

Hopeful bump!

Anyone?! Or does anyone have any suggestions for what might be a better option?...

Mine were in the p&t until ds was a tall 4.5yo and dd was 2.5yo. I don't think you can get a hood for the lower seat but the front one does shield it somewhat. And your body acts as a bit of a wind break.

I also ignored the weight limits and put baby dd in the front seat and toddler ds in the back so he could hop out and walk every so often. It didn't break. It was fine to push even when they got older.

I had the same age gap and found it pretty good although a few annoying niggles. My baby outgrew the cocoon quickly, I put her in the seat earlier than the recommended age. The rain cover is a little short at the back. I also put the toddler in the back seat quite a bit with no problems. Mine was a cheap second hand one so I didn't mind the niggles. It's handy as a single too with lots of space for shopping/picnics with the extra seat in the back when your older one can walk more.

My childminder has a double nipper that she uses with different size children no problem.

Thanks very much meglet and fruit!

I'd only be paying around £100-130 so wouldn't be expecting perfection, and I know all double buggies are a bit of a compromise. I do like the idea of being able to use it as a single when my toddler suddenly feels a fit of independence coming on...quite encouraging that you had yours in it til 2.5 and 4.5, meglet!

I hear a lot of good things about the double Nipper and Mountain Buggy, but I just think a tandem would be more practical for us.

I'm not sure the toddler will fit ontop when baby is in cocoon mode? We tried our Ds in one at 15 months in store and he only just fit onto then ( seat ontop much smaller than main seat)

And then if toddler in seat below baby can't lay down on main seat which seemed an issue to me

Really Art? Were you trying out a Sport or one of the other models? Did you find something else that worked?

We had a different age gap to you, 17 months, so dd fitted into the toddler seat on top non problem, however it is a bit on the narrow side and looks to be more comfortable when used as a seat underneath, maybe because legs can rest in the basket underneath rather than just dangling.

The cocoon is quite small and only fitted baby ds for 3 months, after that we had to lie him flat on the seat with a cosy toe underneath for comfort.

Saying all that, it really came into it's own when both children could sit in the toddler seats, very sturdy, ds would still nap in it sometimes and it still fitted dd in both seats until we gave it away recently and she's just turned 4!

I've tried doubles each time but always returned to the sport. Youngest dd is now 3 months and she's in the bottom seat with a sheepskin and footmuff to pad it. There are niggles but I can walk miles with it and even put the older ones in, even as a single when older I'd load the bottom seat with scooters and park stuff.

It is though heavy, I'd only say no if it's to be folded into the boot every day. I have a v cheap side by side stroller in my boot

I've used it with a newborn in the cocoon and toddler on top, which worked well. I had a long baby though who outgrew the cocoon quickly but I wasn't comfortable raising him to a seat so used a sling from 2 months onwards. He's just beginning to sit independently so I need to try them both in it again. It's a great 2 child buggy and can be used on the bus easily too, but I wish I knew the solution for the tricky in between stage of 2-6 months.

I'd also agree that it's brilliant as a single too!

Yes was definitely the sport. If you look on google images you can see what I mean how the top seat is small when baby in cocoon, and how baby head would be in eldest face when you swap over.

Tbh no we didn't. We decided against a double in the end even though elder was only 15 months. Just bought a buggy board for our bugaboo chameleon. Eldest walked or buggy board 95% of the time. If needed he went in pram and I carried baby, or I just carried toddler ( boba 4g sling great for both). That was mainly first 6 months though as he walked virtually everywhere by 2 years.

If I bought again I recommend the bugaboo bee. As it parent faces it works great with buggy board as baby can be fully reclined whilst elders on board. The new board has a seat also. The bee is just lay flat and not carrycot so easier to swap baby out into sling and eldest into pram when needed

We just tried to be home for eldest afternoon nap most the time for convenience.

Tbh that's the fault with most tandems though as to make them not too long they have to compromise

The main two prams friend a have had with age gaps are the bugaboo donkey or the mountain buggy duet. Both side by side. But both also convert Into single with basket when not needed so they use it like that so the basket is used for shopping/ picnic/ kids crap!

This is the bugaboo board now

m.johnlewis.com/mt/www.johnlewis.com/bugaboo-wheeled-pram-board/p1559078?sku=233749218&kpid=233749218&s_kenid=048f3b28-4d6c-4464-b81a-2186c7582173&s_kwcid=403x971085&tmad=c&tmcampid=73#page_loaded

A way around using the sport with newborn and 2.5 year old could be to buy a lie flat car seat that fits ontop.
That way eldest would be able to go underneath straight away ( avoiding small top toddler seat), and baby can be laid flat on top as will be higher up and facing you so not in way of toddler)

You would have to see what ones are compatible though. I think cybex cloud q, and the Jane (transporter?) brand both lie flat but you would need to see if they fit

This is all really helpful, thanks everyone. Art that's a good idea - we nearly bought a Jane Rider system last time with the lie-flat carrycot, but went for the Versa GT and a BeSafe car seat in the end. Which of course isn't compatible with any doubles except the bloody City Select, which is pretty much the only one I've ruled out. I don't know why it didn't occur to me when we were kitting out for the first baby that we might one day end up with more than one!

Having done some more research, I'm leaning towards the BJCM Double now, over the P&T Sport, but I know there's now actual right answer - you just find the best combo of cheap and effective and hope for the best :)

I've got an old Sport and Art is right, the little captains chair isn't very big. DD perches precariously on it, she's 27mo.

If the oldest dc is still napping I love my Babyjogger side by side, it really isn't that wide and they can both snuggle down in it. I leave dd1's seat fully reclined so she has lots of space to sit in.

Well I tried DS in a Navigator today and he wasn't that impressed, so unless the Sport has bigger seats (seems unlikely...) then I think we're going to have the same problem that you lot have had!

He wasn't too bad in the top seat but I couldn't really see him napping in the lower one, and it felt quite exposed.

I also tried him in the BJCM Double, which wasn't as massive as I'd thought. Seats are a bit narrower than my BJCM single, though, and it still doesn't for our bloody car seat, or the carrycot from the Versa 😒

So basically, we're not really any further along but I do appreciate everyone's help!!

Laquila - are you me? I have a versa, a 2.5 yr DS and due 2nd in Feb and am trying to figure out options as I do lots of dog walking and like the idea of kids being contained over roads and on way to park etc. We also have Besafe Izi Go which fits into anything which takes a maxi cosi which is most. Options im considering are a 2nd hand P&T, the Vista rumble seat (tho with lots of drawbacks), a buggy board (but nervous of bolting). I keep coming back to 2nd hand P&T explorer or Navigator if I can get one but am worried DS won't fit into it.

I had a p&t Sport with a 36 month age gap. Dc1 went underneath with the baby in cocoon mode, as it's only the main seat that lies flat-ish. Or it was then, the baby is now 4 and the p&t was a couple of years old when I bought it.

I liked it as a tandem, and used it a fair bit that first winter to get DS to nursery. He was way too tall for it by the time he was 4 though (but is 91st centile for height).

I have a single bjcm gt and bought a 2nd hand older version of sport for about 100 quid - for that price it was worth every penny!

Its not just the walking, it's napping and also having them contained sometimes! It is heavy (not a problem if flat where you are!), and there are certainly compromises but for that awkward stage when they are just not big enough for an buggy board trip it's invaluable.

My eldest is petite but was still only just able to fit in the 2nd seat when on top, only caused a problem when I had to put the rain cover on and it wasn't too bad, just had to tilt her head for a bit! Cacoon is small but is great (we basically used it as a moses basket for first 4 months) and toddler went on top, when outgrown I bought a really snuggly footmuff/seat cover and always had the plastic detachable wind shield on - the baby was still flat just not quite and cuddly just not quite as enclosed! At about 6 months baby went in bottom seat and toddler in main seat - meant she could hop in and out easily, had the best view and baby cold see me right above him.

Occasionally I had to swap them round if I knew the baby was going to do a big nap and I didn't want him in the slightly reclining bottom seat - could still just fit toddler in bottom if desperate. Rain cover is a bit of an arse but that might be me as I'm not used to needing one, bjcm is pretty much waterproof all over. Poppers can be a little difficult to operate but basket is big. Wheels did pop but apparently you cN buy slime to make them indestructible. Even with an inline double I struggle to get in some places, I would consider a tandem.

I love the bjcm and was glad when I went back to a single, mainly due to weight and maneuverability. I wouldn't buy a p&t full price (unless all the niggles have been ironed out since my old model was made!) But 2nd hand they are great!

Thanks for further replies everyone!

Bunny it's comforting to find someone in the same situation 😃 although actually it's a bit spookily identical, you're right! So do you think we could put the BeSafe on the P&T, theoretically?

Bike that's impressive going, with that age gap! Do you mean you had the toddler in the second seat at the bottom whilst the newborn was in a cocoon in the main (flat) seat?

Gilly I couldn't bring myself to spend any more than £100ish so that's good to know! I don't know - I just keep dithering between this and a BUCM double - have you tried the latter?

Yes OP, that's exactly what I meant. You've said it much better. I probably could have got away without a double, but DS is rather lazy, dd was born in the autumn and I like to walk!

No never actually tried the bjcm double, it looks far easier to use than the p and t tho!

P&T; I like it's flexibility for 2 - if not going far I remove thd 2nd seat and make toddler walk. If out all day and I know they will both need a nap/rest that's also easy to sort. It's big. The compromise I came to was that it would work great after the initially tiny baby stage, before that just a little awkward - the baby stage is so short that I don't think it's worth making the main focus of your purchase.

Yes the Babysafe car seat will fit on the P&T with the maxi cosi adaptors.

Bunny that is excellent news as I've just bought a second-hand P&T Explorer today! It was v cheap so I thought I'd give it a go and wash covers and sell it on if it's no good to us. The bottom seat doesn't recline but I don't think it'll be a major problem. I was leaning towards the BJCM Double but the P&T definitely fits better in the boot and will be more versatile, I think.