E3 buggy owners - update please

[Gem13]

Due to a change in circumstances (moved to the country, need to drive everywhere then walk, DS has decided walking is more fun, looming c-section, etc.) I am very tempted to change my double buggy plans from a double Mountain Buggy to an E3.

So, I'm interested to learn how all those new E3 owners are getting on with their E3s now that several months have passed since the original debate and siblings have arrived.

Any niggles? Any must-have extras? All information gratefully received.

My parcel tray took 3 bags of shopping from Waitrose no problems!!

Sorry Millie - yes the panniers would hold that lot - the bread might get a little squashed though, but only a little. Depends on the bread though - a wee wheaten loaf or a couple of soda farls would go in a treat. We've got the double rain cover in one and nappy changing kit for dd & ds in the other and I use my nifty hardware store hook for carrying my shopping bags - it hangs to the side and doesn't interfere with ds at all. I reckon that even with ds's feet in the parcel tray, I could still get a couple of bottles of wine in there.

Heck ... what's wrong with my parcel tray?! Last week I had the raincover in it along with a tiny Bob backpack containing nappies and it was banging on the ground!!!!! There just doesn't seem to be any support to it and it's also hard to get stuff in when in baby/toddler mode.

Thanks Bear ... must look into the panniers tho' DH will kill me! Tabloid or broadsheet? Depends on my mood and the headlines!!

Millie

kaz33 -thanks for asking-things are going pretty well here. various reasons why its not nearly as bad as I feared - ds2 is a bit of a dream baby (so far); I have arranged it so I only have them both on my own one day/wk; and dh is v hands on with ds1 so its a doddle when he's around. early days yet tho - ds2 may yet turn out to be a nightmare eater or some other such challenge!

Do they tip over if you take your toddler out and leave newborn in?

Just been for a look at this buggy, it's fabulous, now all I need to do is convince DH to have another couple of babies to justify it. Does anyone in the UK sell them, the only price I seem to be able to find is $?

Well quite a few people sell them hear now - stratfordstrollers.com, daisy & tom

Having read whole thread I feel a little more encouraged to actually use my pram but would still like to hear from anyone who lets their toddler out whilst newborn stays in (feeding ducks, at toddler groups etc ) and buggy hasn't tipped over.Please respond, I really need to get out of the house!!

Buy from the US, its insane to pay £300.00 here plus accessories
I got mine from US with raincover and backpac for £260 delivered even if I had been stung for import duty it would still have been cheaper!
Go to a shop and test it or ask someone on here who lives round you to demo!

Thanks kaz33, I checked out that website. It's a pretty good price when you take into account everything it does. Unfortunately as far as DH is concerned our baby days are over and I have more than likely bought my last buggy, never say never that's all I say ....

Demented - my DH was the same but... I have one sitting next to me here and also an unwritten promise to sell the old buggies on within the next month. He's really impressed with it BTW and keeps showing it off to people.

Another vote for Kiwidad. My basic package (buggy, doubles kit, coccoon, panniers) bought 2 weeks ago was £342 including delivery. Not as good as kiwisbird though - (preferential treatment for Kiwis?)

Arwen - sorry, can't help... yet. Newborn due in a few hours (c-section)!

Gem13, hope the CS goes (has gone?) well!!!

Nope DS2 ( now 9 months ) does not tip over when DS1 gets out. You do have to keep an eye on the thing and if I am leaving him to sleep then I always put something in the front seat.

Hope the c-section went well and someone has just been born on my mums 60th birthday. Aquarians though, you never where you stand with them !!!

I honestly can't Kaz33 as much as I would love to. My DS2 is 20 months and I have just bought another Urban Detour, which I really like but if I was starting again (you never know) I would definately consider the E3. It's fab and such a relief from the big converting prams and travel systems.

Gem13 ... how much are the panniers through KiwiDad?

Thanks!

DS didn't topple at the park today when DD got out to go on the swings. Rodney's panniers were $40 plus $20 shipping & inurance.

I've been following this thread with interest for the past week or so. Just wondered roughly how much on top of the basic price would I expect to pay for the shipping etc? Also I see that most of you are using this buggy with two children, has anyone used it with just a toddler and how is it? Lastly, Bear, I had a look at the pics of your buggy with panniers etc, do the panniers hold much weight? (I'm thinking bottle or two of wine and a couple of supermarket meals for when I don't have the energy to drive to Tesco's). Thanks

Bagpuss we used it with just a toddler for a few months before DS arrived - worked a treat. Compact and ultra-manouvreable.

The panniers would hold two bottles of wine and two ready meals, in fact they have done - sounds just like my shopping list.

Ours shipped from NZ, not the States, so the shipping might be different as you'd probably get a better deal buying from Rodney in the US at the mo. We did get stung on the customs charge and Parcelforce's handling charge, but I can't tell you exactly how much in total it all was as then I'd know and would fell duty bound to come clean to DW, who still only knows the purchase price. If she knew different, we might not have one now. So someone else is going to have to help you with that. e-mail Rodney, he's a diamond.

If it was me, tho, I'd buy from the UK suppliers - should be less hassle - no one stocked it here last year when we ordered ours.

I've got just a toddler in it, love it beats anything else I've had and trust me I've had a few as you do!

Bear ... thanks for the pannier price.

Ta!

Thanks for that Bear and Kiwisbird. Oh, I really want one now, just need to convince dh that it is worth the money. Just a couple more things though, have any of you used it off road (like in woodlands and muddy paths etc) and how did it perform? Also dd is 18 months and quite narrow but tall for her age. How long is the seat unit? The reason I ask is that I was quite taken with the InStep Nipper until I saw someone with a baby in it and thought that it looked a bit dinky for a toddler.

Bear, I am still thinking of ordering from Rodney, will e-mail for a quote I think although I have noticed that the panniers may work out cheaper from a UK supplier. Thanks again all.

Bagpuss ... which supplier in the UK is doing the panniers? I bought my E3 from Practical Pushchairs who are great but don't see panniers on their website.

Millie1 - Panniers definitely on their website, just scroll down a bit on E3 page, £25

bagpuss, we took ds1 and ds2 on a 6km off road walk near Ullswater and they both slept through the entire walk....pushchair performed fine, though I did feel a little odd pushing a buggy up a hill in the middle of nowhere!
We also used it as a single for several months before ds2 arrived and it was excellent.

Bagpuss, E3 is ideal for long skinny kids - DD is tall for her age (27m) and fits well (although you wouldn't say she's svelte). There was a thread elsewhere or maybe it was even earlier in this one about how wide the seat is, but I don't think anyone's had problems with the length.