Phil and Ted's: a good idea?

[TuttiFrutti]

I have to buy a double buggy as I'm due in February with my second and ds1 will be 22 months then. A tandem would suit us better than a side by side, as we have some very narrow pavements to negotiate.

I really like the look of the Phil & Ted's. Does anyone have any experiences of them, good or bad?

I have used one in a job and loved it, the toddler often walked a bit then caught a ride.

They seem to be either loved or dispised.

DS was 22 months when DD was born. We have a P&T and love it.

DD is a year old now and P&T is still very good -smile].

I am also looking at the P&T

Can anyone tell me how many of the accessories are worth getting?
Is the cocoon a must?
What about the panniers?

(no2 is due March)

Hello
Im a nanny and use the phil and teds for my 18 kg 3 year old and 12.5kg 13 month old charge

all i can say is the buggy is GREAT... i cant sing its praises enough.... even with over 30kg of child i can push it SO EASILY with one hand ... (much easier than with just the 1 year old in his mamas and papas 'nice' buggy, or the maclaren techno xt!)

its also brilliant cause it can be a single (GREAT for our nursray run, so i dont look silly pushing a double with only 1 child in it!) and in a few months when eldest doesnt use a buggy at all its still a really functional go anywhere all terraince single buggy!... as good as any other 3 wheeler ive ever used including the top of the range mountain buggy!)

with a new born in feb you will (IMO) definitely need the cocoon, as it will be cold and you will know that the baby is all snuggly. (while it may not be 'as essential' in the sumemr when its boiling hot its mich easier to get them in and out regardless...

also my car has a small boot but its not a problem cause the wheels click on and off SO easily!

IMO you 'need' a phil and teds and will have no regrets if you purchase one

as for panniers, we dont have them but i REALLY wish we did... cause now they are both a bit bigger their feet effectively go in the 'basket' so you cant really use it when the big one is in there cause his feet fill it, or when little one is in there cause he manages to touch everything

i LOVE this buggy and as and when i have my own kids plan to get it straight away for the 1st one... (along with a Maclaren Volo)... IMO those 2 buggies see you through anything and everything!

Thanks Nannyl, that's really useful to know. I am definitely getting one now!

I use one for my work and I absolutely hate it. It was fine when younger sibling was a baby and her seat was alwasy lying down and the toddler seat was on the front. I actually really liked that idea.
But but once about a 18months old she could loosen the straps and wriggle out. At 2 years old she can unclip the straps!!!! Also her sibling sitting in the back seat, at the bottom would try to grab the wheels as we went along.

Also basket is used for feet and therefore not a lot of room for bags.Not even changing bag etc

Hope you understand what I mean.

I have a 24mo gap and then a 22mo gap and have never owned a double buggy. Consider them spawn of the devil.

Tuttifrutti you don't have to buy one. It's not as tho you will have twins. Your 22mo will be walking well I imagine; get a sling for the newborn and then once they are 6mo put them in the buggy and DS1 on a buggyboard.
Lot cheaper than Phil and Teds. And comes personally recommended. Easy on and off buses/into shops too.

Mind you I woul dnever put a 3yo in a buggy, so what do I know?

Ah, but Clary, my 18 month old ds is still not walking now, so even if he's started by 22 months (god I hope so), he won't be able to do long stints without going in the pushchair.

Also, I am having a c-section, so in the early weeks when I am recovering I don't want to carry a heavy weight like a baby in a sling.

If ds was a good walker though, and if I wasn't having a cs, I can see the merits in just having a sling/buggyboard. It would save a lot of money and space in our car boot!

I looked into the P&T but was unsure about the sulky seats for Toddlers...don't like that they are so low (carfumes would be right at that level), wondered if I would hit my shins on it whilest walking, also there were incidents of dog attacks whilest a child was in the low seat, and I always wondered would the Toddler sitting in it not be able to touch the wheels and hurt themselfs that way...!
I then found the Adventure Buggy Venturer which is now the Adventure Buggy Everest (new model) and found out that indeed the makers are the same as the P&T ones, just under a different company name, so, thought they would be the best to ask...and their verdict was that they found the Everest much better in design and safety etc...that made my mind up And I never regretted it
this is the website I got my model from, they only do the old one and he hasn't got many left I believe, as he isn't really selling them anymore, but I got mine with everything for £200 including p&p www.abcbuggy.co.nz/index.html\the Newzealnd website , there is a link to the UK distributer somewhere}
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the Newzealnd website , there is a link to the UK distributer somewhere
hope this time it works to link this!

hi again, the low seat at the back is very low and ok for children who dont mind not seeing where they are going! it is very low and a bit hard on LO when going over bumps. (also with raincover on it just trickles down LO's back. or over my feet.
The best double buggy I had was a side by side one made by little tykes(very similar to graco i think) it was easy to push, comfy for children, each child could lie back seperately, and loads and load of basket space for footballs, picnics, bags and lunch boxes etc. Bit tricky in some smaller shops but it was such a godsend (esp. the big baskets) I didnt mind as it wasnt all shops, some shops were fine to get in and out of.

HTH

i have to say, my 3 yo ds is a fantastic walker, but we still use the p+ ts quite often, just because we walk everywhere.

its been a complete lifesaver, that and my sling collection.

and has good resale value.

I think, if you have a baby who will go in a pushchair (mine didn't-sling) they are lifesavers for the first 4 months and jolly useful afterwards.

Ah tuttifrutti I take yr point, esp re C-section (sorry hadn't thought of that ).

My DS1 only started walking at 17mo and was using a buggyboard but my first gap is 24mo - maybe those extra few months make all the difference

Here's hoping ds will be on his feet by the birth anyway, if only to help you by walking up the drive from the car!

this past few weeks ive been out with my phil and teds in really heavy rain and i have to say i found the rain cover great.... the children did stay completely dry and my feet wernt getting all wet!

i also have NEVER bumped my knees or legs on the secomd seat cause its just in the right place (i DO bump me legs and ankles all the time with the buggy board so now i WONT use it at all.... would rather push them both easily or make older one walk than use a buggy board!)

That is another thing I like about my Venturer, now ms walks mostly,so, I don't really use the Toddlerseat anymore now, but sometimes just gets a bit to tired and he can just jump on the back, the frame is so sturdy and as long as there is a child in the seat it's fine, and no need for a awkward Buggyboard,and knocking my ankles or whatever!