More questions for E3 owners

[RaeC]

Hi

I have a couple of questions re the E3 that I haven't found answers for by looking through these arcives.

(1) Double sun cover. I can't find a picture of how the double sun cover looks - the one on the philandteds website is of the kiwi explorer not the E3 and it is not fitted at all. If anyone knows of a picture or can post a picture that would be absolutely fantastic

(2) What are the double storm and sun covers like to use when the pram is in single mode?

(3) The straps are so incredibly huge - has anyone worked out a way of altering the crotch strap so it doesn't come up so high on the child?

(4) how durable is the netting parts of the pram (ie on the sides of where the child sits?)

Thanks so much for your help

Rae

1. Dunno still waiting for mine to be delivered.

2. Storm is fiento use i nsingle mode, however you do get a bit extra hanging down the back, but it doesn't bother me and doesn't effect how it looks from the front.

3. Don't think it can be adjusted to be honest, and yes dd is tiny and the strap comes up almost to her chin, but she seems fine with that.

4. I havent had mine for that long, but there isn't a huge amount of netting just little bits on the sides which appear sturdy enough.

Perhaps a more seasoned e3 owner will be of more help

Hi Rae

I just got my E3 last week (delivered by Kiwi Kid - have not received Customs bill - yet!) but my baby isn't due till mid Sept so haven't been able to experiment on baby.

Put DS (aged 3) in it and he seemed fine. The fabric of the pram is actually quite tough compared to the other prams I've had. It's very much been made for the outdoor lifestyle.

I had emailed one of the distributors to find out if there was excess material if you were using a double storm cover while the pram was in singles mode and he said there wasn't very much difference in the amount of material betwee the singles and doubles storm cover.

re: the crotch strap - that's not adjustable but the other straps are

My only complaint so far is that the instructions are quite badly written.

cheers

Thank you so much for your replies

Any ideas what the navy pram looks like with the charcoal pannier bags?

Thanks

Rae

Hey Rae

(1) I've added a couple of suncover pics to my (very sad) e3 panniers album on photobox here - note the cover is on with the panniers still attached so it looks a bit bulky at the sides.
(2) fine - not a problem
(3) the only movement on the crotch strap is if you pull it out from the elastic strap across the bottom of it to make it bigger still - useful when DD was in bulky snowsuit, but otherwise not really
(4) apparently very - it's rubberised so doesn't look like it would split easily
(5) personally I didn't like the charcoal panniers with the navy, but that's just me - I sent them back then hunted down the last pair of original Explorer blue ones in the world - sorry if that doesn't help much.

I've got the charcoal panniers, and I think they look fine, they match the charcoal trimming on the blue/charcoal coloured e3 explorer. Mind you, my explorer doesn't look as blue as BearintheBigBlueHouse's it's more a khaki blue.

Dear all e3 owners,
I'd be very grateful for some advice here. I've just taken delivery of a new Phil and Ted's e3 with the doubles kit. Initially I was really pleased and excited. However, on reading the small print in the instructions I've discovered that you can't use the buggy when you've only got a kid in the toddler seat at the rear. You have to have a heavier kid in the front too otherwise stability is a problem. I can see this being a real hassle when we go to the park, or whatever, and my elder son wants to get out and walk/play. Is anyone out there currently using their e3 for 2 toddlers? If so, can you tell me your experience of using the buggy. Is it a hassle? Do you ignore the advice? Is this the case with all tandems? I'd like to know so I can decide whether to send the thing back or not.
Many thanks. All answers/opinions greatly appreciated!
Fosse.

DD (front seat rider) sometimes insists on getting out and letting dolly ride, also DS sometimes stays in the back while DD goes on the swings - never had a problem with over-balancing. HTH

Thank you so much for the additional messages and Bear, thank you, thank you, thank you for the photos.

The only photo i could find of the double suncover was on the philandted site (at the shop section) and it was the kiwi explorer double mesh which is completely different. Thank you so much

The comments about the panniers were helpful too.

Decision made, now I just have to sell my MB Urban on Ebay!

Thank you so much

Rae

PS

I'm thinking of adjusting the crotch stra with a big safety pin to make it a bit shorter but I'll see how I go.

Fosse - I often have my 3 year old (15 kilos) clamber into the rear seat of my E3 with nothing in the front seat and it's still completely stable - it really isn't a problem.

Just to add to the previous comments. I quite often swap my 5 month old and 2 year old in the seats and have never had a stability problem. In fact my 2 year old seems to prefer the bottom seat as she can climb in and out easier, which isnt always a good thing.....

I have used the storm cover in singles mode, there is excess material but it hasnt caused a problem.

Dear e3 owners,
thanks so much for all your messages. I am reassured
When I contacted Phil & Ted's and Practical Pushchairs (where I bought the e3) the replies I received made me feel like a bit of a fool. Apparently it's "common sense" to know that you can't have a kid in the back solo. It did occur to me to attach some of those buggy weights to the frame (the ones used to counterbalance heavy shopping bags on the handles)to aid stability when DS1 wants to get out.
Anyhow, it's great to get first hand experience and advice from the real experts. Other mums!
Thanks again.

Just really quick. This place pramworld does the e3 cheapest in comparison to anyone else. But kiddicare does all the accessories cheaper, if you ask them for a price match you will save loads. God I'm sad...

Bear, just a quick q re: accessories (and, I know you are the one to ask ). How old was your dd when she was using the buggy bag and do you think it would fit a child until about 2.8 years? Also, does the double rain cover fit the buggy in singles mode really neatly i.e not loads of fabric round the back etc. I am having a real difficulty with raincovers at the moment and considering using my E3 all the time and ditching the Maclaren in my car boot as the raincover doesn't cover dd's feet properly. The only prob is that dd pulls the single cover off the E3 as it attaches with velcro on the hood, and I noticed that the double one goes over the whole hood which I think would be better. Also don't suppose you know is the ordinary cosytoes is showerproof, do you? Thanks

The P&T cosy toes bag (NOT the sleeping bag) we got is huge. DD is tall and it was way big on her last winter and will fit her this year (she's 2.9 now). It's canvas so I shouldn't think it's too waterproof, but it all stays under the raincover. The double raincover is fine to use in single mode - you don't really notice the excess. HTH

Thanks Bear . I'm really embarrassed now. Just decided to pump the tyres up on mine as it nearly stopped when we went out this morning and I thought the steering was a little heavy. Used dh's new automatic tyre filler/pressure machine which kindly informed me that my tyres had been running at between 2.5 and 5 psi . It only just occurred to me that I had never pumped them up and dh has just said that they probably weren't inflated originally for transit to UK etc....oops .

BTW, Bear, what is the difference between the two bags (didn't you get yours specially made or something?) and what was your reason behind choosing that over the sleeping bag. Sorry for all the q's!

Sleeping bag is much shorter (we had one sent to us by mistake and sent it back - DD wouldn't have lasted last winter in it, never mind this. Rodney at Kiwidad/kid? sorted the buggy bag for us.

Hi Bear

I'm confused now after reading your post about sleeping bags and cosy toes. Checked Kiwi Kid's website and can see the Toddler sleeping bag (which is waterproof) and the only other thing which might be a cosy toe is the buggy bunny - is that the cosy toe? Asking because I got 2 sleeping bags and may return one to get the (longer?) buggy bunny.

Also, has anyone tried adjusting the handle bar on the E3 V2 - not sure if I've put the handlebar in it doesn't adjust to the 2 position it says it should on the instructions (who wrote those awful instructions?????)

Many thanks.

Pam, you need to take the handlebar out and flip it over and replace, it either points up or down.

Buggy bunny is a liner with an inbuilt head cushion thingy I think.

Thanks Bear once again, will e-mail P&T's I think.

Thanks for that Bagpuss - will have another look at the handle!

Just re-read your other post and realised that since I took my E3 out of the box and put it together, I haven't inflated the wheels either (and it came from Kiwi Kid in the US) - have taken DS out once in it but didn't think anything odd - must go and look at wheels again.... DUH

I think the cosy toes /buggy bag was an original Kiwi Explorer accessory (ie not an E3 or E3v2 accessory) and Rodney got P&T's to alter it for us to fit the E3. Wasn't on the website anyway. It certainly doesn't show up on the latest accessory lists. Sorry if that's not exactly helpful.