Need to order double buggy this week but still can't decide, please help or shoot me!!!

[sweetkitty]

Right after months of debates and reading everything on here about double buggies I still cannot decide what one to get, heres what I need:

Buggy will be lugged in and out of a Clio boot most days so will have to be quite lightweight and be able to fit in the boot.

Would like one where DD2 can lie flat as a newborn and be really cosy, (Scotland and January babe).

Want something not that bulky as will be pushing it around the shops etc

Oh forgot to add DD1 will be almost 18 months so not able to use a buggy board for at least a year.

Have looked at Twin Aria and e3, twin aria is £150 plus £90 for 2 cosytoes (I know a rip off but I will need them) also looks a bit cramped especially if DD were to have big winter jacket on etc

e3 would be £340 but would need sleeping bag thing for DD1 (already have a cocoon don't ask) DP has said I can have an e3 but if I get it and moan about it afterwards he will go spare!!! Still not sure about DD2 sitting underneath DD1 as a toddler though.

I know I'm a total nightmare only have 6 weeks to go till DD2's arrival and still can't decide......... help!!!!!

I have this one

side by side, but very light, suitable from birth (with lie down position) and it fits through most shop doors.

Oh, just get the E3, you will like it. I love mine .

Also, you can use it as a single again later and the cosytoes thing is really warm. DS2 is 21 weeks today and was very snug in it this morning on the school run!

Was going to suggest the Mclaren one. Is it the Twin Traveller?

SK someone linkedthe other day to say E3 is now being sold in mothercare so go along and have a nose. MEans u can push it around the store and decide from there.

Thanks for the replies, have seen both the e3 and twin aria in real life so to speak but still can't decide, going to blame pregnancy brain I think.

I think I am trying to justify the expense of the e3, think it would be great when DD2 is newborn but not sure once she is past 6 months but DD1 will be 2 by then??!!!

Have you decided yet? I have ds and dd, 15m apart. I have a phil and teds after much deliberation. I love it. dd was a january baby and now loves being in the toddler seat. To be honest, ds likes it there too, so I do swap them around occasionally. Expensive initially, but really well worth the money. Ours goes everywhere(even on the beach), so easy to fold and lighweight to push. Trust me, you will never moan!! Btw, have also tried the aria, maclaren, mothercare urbandetour double, and graco tandem. Nothing comes close to the phil and teds

Apart from the powertwin, maybe. Same cost though can't be used as a single after. Good resale on ebay though. and takes a car seat - useful

E3 is ugly tho . Personally out of the two I'd got for the aria. Good resell value and then you can always buy a decnet single later when you need to.
I've got a powertwin, a maclaren and an we2. The we2 isn't very strong, it is in the shed with a broken bumper bar. The powertwin is the best, but is rather big. It fits in the boot of a fiesta tho. Maclaren is nice, but a bit heavy to push. I've also had a graco duosport and they are great - so easy to push.

Am not at all keen on the e3 - I feel so sorry for the baby tucked away near the floor with nothing to look at but the back of sibling's seat. I much prefered my side by side (kingswood) buggy. Ds (the older one) loved sitting next to his new sister.

We went for the Maclaren Twin Traveller. DD is 2.5, but she's SO tall, she didn't fit into a lot of the others we tried.

E3, I just can't justify spending that much for a buggy, especially one that's ugly.

my friend got the E3 and whilst at first I was green with envy, now the baby is bigger and wants to see out - and can't as it is stuck underneath! - there is no end of screeching and tantrums.

I have a hefty number from Mothercare (tandem) one and it is fab but heavy not my girls are 15 months and 3, all the side by sides seem v cumbersome next to it.

I think I have decided on an e3 plan is once baby is big enough to be moaning about being in the second seat DD1 will be wanting to walk everywhere anyway and can have a buggyboard on her Techno XT and I can sell the e3

Go for the E3 - I wanted to buy one when girls were 2 and 3.5, but also thought that I couldn't justify the cost as 'I wouldn't be using it that long'. Here I am at over a year later, still struggling on with pram and buggy board - all the time wishing I had done the E3 to begin with! Also, they do have good resale value so aren't actually that much if you view it in that way.

Double buggies... oh god there's no such thing as the perfect one. I have two (I'm about to sell my tandem - details below if you're interested) and to be honest neither are perfect but both have their uspides. Firstly, think of buying one secondhand. This way, if you make a mistake, it won't be a costly one. Secondly think about what you really need it for... I bought my tandem foregetting that what I really needed it for were the weekdays on my own for walks along the river and through Richmond park. I never shop with the toddler in tow (just too damn stressful) whereas the baby loves it so I use my single buggy then. The tandem was great for shopping as it fits through all doorways, but pretty crap for rough ground and heath-like parks. Also the tandem was fab for a teeny baby as she could lie flat and on her front which she preferred. It also folded up really well and fits into a weeny boot. BUT it's a bugger to push and to go up and down kerbs. I then bought an instep nipper side by side three wheeler which is fantastic to push and goes over any ground... but I could never go shopping with it - except to very large shops in malls! Also with a side by side the toddler has extremely easy access to the baby: meaning she get's harassed quite a lot. I'm sticking withh my Instep as its so great to push and is quite comfy for the children. But my favourite combination is me pushing one buggy and my man pushing the other! (P.s you can now buy an attachment like a bike for the toddler... he's getting one for christmas because I think he'll love it).

P.s make your own cosytoes with patterned fleece bought on ebya! cost me a tenner for two and they look fab. And I'm no seamstress.

Sweetkitty - I'm in a similar position to you - I'm due end of Jan/beg of Feb when dd1 will be nearly 16 months - and therefore too young for a buggyboard - bugger - bad planning.

I've ordered an E3 as can be used as a single or double - and have had good personal reviews - have ordered the panniers as storage will be non-existent in double toddler mode.

I didn't want a side by side double as I think they are a nightmare for lifts/shop doorways etc.

I had an e3 and once my baby was big enough there used to be fights between her and ds as to who got to sit in the back seat - so they can't miss the view all that much!
I loved my e3 - so easy to push and to manouvre.

I understand the dilema only too well - DS1 was 19 months when DS2 was born -Coped with DS2 in a BabyCarrier for 3 months while I made my decision
decide on an extremely light \link {http://www.cubzworld.co.uk/Combi_WE2_twin_stroller.htm\combi twin pushchair} DS1 is now 2 and half and ds2 10.5 months and I am still pleased with it - still easy and light to push & both boys seem happy in it. Shopping baskets are not great but I still managed to cram changing bag in one side and shopping in other. And no problems getting through doorways me and DH have a competition on whether I will get through the doorway - I always say yes he says no and I always win!!!!

I wouldn't be without my e3.
I also went through the dilema of which to buy as there was 19mths between my two but I know it was the right decision for me.

Yes it's alot of money (although luckily my mum helped).
But it's so light to push over any terrain that I've tried (woods/beach/common etc), easy to manouver through shops and doorways and a doddle on public transport. Everyone who has a go of pushing my one loves it, esp my mum as she has back probs.

Also it's great that you can convert it when one wants to walk or use the extra seat to hold a bit of shopping!

I just wish I could go back in time and save money on the singles I bought before I discovered the e3 existed.

Oh and I haven't managed to kick dd in her back yet.

So glad to see all the positive feedback from E3 owners as I have mine on order! There will be 23 mths between mine and I wish I'd have thought of one for DS then it wouldn't have been so expensive. We've justified it as we go for a lot of "country" walks and didn't want to get one that was too flimsy, also it is a nice heaight for us taller folk, so no dreaded backache!
I think it looks good...not ugly at all!

Love the positive feedback on the e3

Wish I had thought of it when DD was born as I have a Graco travel system and a Techno XT as it is.