phil and teds owners/ex owners - can we have a quick chat about accessories?

[lunavix]

Dh and I are (soon) buying an e3, with the doubles kit. Also going to get cocoon (looks rather snug in there!) and the double raincover.

Trying to decide if we need anything else, we've decided against the travel system thingy as we'd rather get the most use out of the cocoon while bump is still small enough.

Is the UV cover worth it? I don't think we'll need this till next year - ds will be in the front and he's VERY stroppy with raincovers etc on - so much so we've lasted this whole winter completely without a raincover on his current buggy. As bump is due August, it won't be until next Mayish we'll start needing a UV doo dah.

Pannier bags - I'm guessing these are a good idea? We won't be able to hand our changebag off the handle as that will put it smack bang in the newborn bit - but the pannier bags make the buggy look an extra foot or two wider! Also has anyone got the hanging belt and bag for the handlebar? Looks fab but haven't seen it advertised anywhere.

TIA!

I'd get the panniers. With a newborn it will be difficult to get access to the parcel tray; once 2nd seat is on it will be used as a footrest !

I've got the panniers - but tend to only use one as they do make it a bit wider - The one I use, I put the raincover in if it's looking like it may rain - the raincover is enormous.
I use a duffel bag with a clip on it's harness so I loop the harness over the handlebar and clip it to itself to fasten it on.
Also, since the E3 is so light and easy to manouvre I found that I could carry a bag of shopping in one hand and push the E3 single handedly.
We didn't use the cocoon - we heard the babies grew out of it very soon and ours was used in the summer so we just put a normal pram mattress (£10) in the newborn bit and covered baby with a lightweight blanket.

Too late last night for a long post, but I'd add that I found the sleeping bag/cosytoes really useful. Very warm and will last until baby becomes a toddler. Bluebear's pram mattress idea is very good; I used a buggy fleece that I already had, to make the flat bed cosy.

We've got one pannier bag (bought two from Kiddicare and have just sold the other one on ebay). It still manages to fit through doors etc with it on.

We used the cocoon (DD born in September) and have lent it to another P&T owner.

cocoon will be too warm for an August baby

double raincover a necessity

UV cover means you don't need to worry about angling parasols, but you do get some looks as the buggy suddenly becomes v sinister (think Star Wars Imperial March...)

we use both panniers and still get through our v narrow inner hall door (which meant we could never have had a side by side). Typically in one pannier we have a full changing kit and in the other the raincover and UV cover. Although, and we have tested this, each one holds six bottles of wine or two loaves of bread plus a 4 pinter of milk

hth, Bear

BiBBH - good to know about the wine

Would the cocoon not be a good idea for Winter? Our baby is due late August so will only be 4 months by Christmas?

I've been thinking that about the UV net it's just soooo dark!

both of ours were out of the cocoon and into the second seat by 13 weeks....

Agree about the cocoon you probably won't get much use, DS certainly went into toddler mode long before recomended age - I would get the sleeping bag, I ended up getting it later anyway, it is very warm and DS still uses it now at 18 months.

Have just test driven one of these for a weekend. Found it: Great on as all terrain and fun for dd. But...... v. wide hard to get in and out of doors. V. bulky when folded up.

Can't see how it is worth its price tag.

Flum - true, but it's only as bulky as most other 3 wheelers. Our mothercare one (still in the shop) is the same size when folded, and you have to look at this as a double....

Can I interrupt about the cosytoes please? I may be being a bit thick, but I assumed the cosytoes was for the toddler on the "top deck", but when I got it it seems an alternative to the cocoon, which I also have. Does anyone use it for an older child, or is it just for the lie flat new born bit?

Also, be aware that the rain cover has no opening up bit at the front for the toddler, but I have found that my Jane Powertrack single rain cover is an option, albeit not perfect!

Spose so. Am used to my lovely maclaren and found this thing bulky and altogether a pain in the ar*e. think gonna . papoose new baby or make 2 year old walk and stick with a single buggy.

loulou - how do you mean about the cosytoes? I decided not to get one simply cos I could get a nice cosy toes anywhere - and my ds won't put up with one so I didn't see the point in getting one for the baby yet.

How do you mean open up?

That's what I was thinking, putting baby in a sling, but that quickly grew rather tiring with ds who was a largish baby. I can't really make him walk all the time, as I don't drive so it woudl literally be ALL THE TIME.

When I unpacked the cosytoes it doesn't seem big enough for a toddler, and would only seem to fit in the lie flat bit, as the belt holes don't seem to fit the 5 point harness. I hope i am wrong, as it was an expensive mistake otherwise! Re the rain cover, I am used to there being an opening for a child to poke their head out of..there isn't one on the double cover, and when it is fitted on it is very close to the toddler.

Oh I see. I always saw those flaps as pointless, it always meant water dripped over ds :)

Sleeping bag is plenty big enough for my 18 month old - I hope he will still use it next winter although I know they start to go off them as they get older.

Sleeping bag is plenty big enough for my 18 month old - I hope he will still use it next winter although I know they start to go off them as they get older.