Double buggy: Jane Powertwin or Phil and Teds?

[PiperG]

Does anyone have any advice on which of these double buggies to get (if either)? I have a nineteen-month-old and another baby due next week. My daughter often sleeps in her buggy so I'm worried that the Phil and Teds front seat will not recline enough for her. Plus I'm worried about what I've heard about the newborn seat on the Phil and Teds - how it's lie flat only but obviously they'll grow out of this quite quickly but can't use the doubles kit till 6 months old. The Jane looks good (though colours revolting!) but I can't find that many testemonials about it. We have to get a tandem as a twin won't fit through our doorway. None of the others on the market look any good. Any advice very very welcome!!

Phil & Teds, definitely!

I had a Phil & Teds Sport - haven't owned the Powertwin but used my friend's a couple of times.

Reasons:

• the Powertwin is very hard to push with the heavier child in the front
• the front seat of the Powertwin barely reclines and isn't all that big (friend had 22mth age gap and eldest daughter was a bit too big - her feet could dangle on the front wheel)
• back seat of Powertwin quite small
• my son (10lbs 9oz at birth, a whopper!) fit fine in the newborn position til almost 5mths then was fine in the back seat of the P&T with a headhugger - back seat of the Sport version reclines so he didn't slump at all) If he was happy ANY baby will be happy cos he was a grumpy little thing for the 1st 4mths!
• you can still recline the main seat a little if oldest child falls asleep, DD was fine!
• P&T much easier to steer, weight is much better distributed
• you can obviously use the P&T as a single. If I hadn't already had a Mountain Buggy single I'd definitely have kept the P&T to use as a single.

I really didn't think the Powertwin was that userfriendly but loved the P&T. I'd get the cocoon too, which makes transferring the baby much easier and is v cosy for this time of year (good resale value too)

HTH

Just moved an 8 month old baby into the P & T doubles kit from a newborn position! He was pretty happy (although a little bent-kneed!) but I thought he should see more of the outside world.

I love my P&T ...

Yeh the new Jane colours are grotesque. I'd say go for a 2005 or 06 one, they are usually well cared for and not used for long, as so many people think they will need a double then the eldest starts walking everywhere. I'd say with your age gap (ie small) the Powertwin would work v well, it has for me with my 17 month gap. If you get the Rebel car seat you can have newby facing you too which is lovely, and if your eldest fancies a nap, you can put the car seat on the front and have the back seat reclined for the eldest, so they are facing each other! I cannot fault mine, it handles so well, and fits in all shops. It actually has a really small wheelbase front to back as the swivel wheel just ducks underneath out of the way.
I do like the P&T's too though (never owned one) but am put off by the lack of shopping basket!

jane. where do you put your shopping on a phil & teds?

I have a P&T. I 'test drove' the powertwin in Mothercare and it didn't feel as solid as the P&T. WRT older one sleeping in the front the seat, the big seat is quite recessed behind the side bars so as their head drops to the side it is supported. If the older one is sleeping in the toddler seat up top then pulling the sunshade forward helps support their head. As to the lie flat being only suitable for newborn - well DD is 13 months (I would guess around 24lbs now so not dainty by any stretch of the imagination) she still has her Wed am nap in it every week on the way to toddler group with her big brother in the top seat (and once there continues to sleep quite happily in a room full of shouting toddlers, I just pop my coat over the handlebars to shroud her a little bit).

A powertwin every time... I have one and love it. Plus if you buy a jane car seat as well then Your eldest doesn't necessarily have to sit in the front seat.

You can get panniers to go on the P&T. One is sufficient - easy to get hold of second hand (bought & sold mine on Mumsnet )

phil and teds

such a good buggy
put DS in doubles kit from about 4m
panniers for shopping

No experience of Jane but have a P&T Sport. I moved my DS from newborn position to second seat at five months and he loves it. He is still quite reclined as the seat unzips slightly, and he sleeps quite happily whereas he was getting sa bit squashed in the newborn flat position

Phil and teds for me too
12mth age gap and it was fab!!! Newborn position is great as baby is protected. Both dds sleep in their seats fine, although dd2s head lolls a little in the doubles seat but this doesnt happen on the newer models. Dds are now 23m and 10m and it is fantastic, used loads and extremely practical and at least once a day I get comments about it..lol

P&T here too. And a 12 month age gap! It was expensive but so worth the money. We still occasionally use ours now if we are going for a long walk of more than an hour or so (dses are 3 and 2 now and I am a bit of a stickler for them walking everywhere when possible rather than sitting in the buggy). Even at 3 and 2 there seems to be plenty of room for them.

I'm thinking of a P&T when no3 arrives (fingers crossed) DD2 will be 2 1/2 which I know she could be starting to walk but I think it will be a bit much with 4 yo DD1 to contend with. I like the idea that she can have the second seat as a spare once the baby is old enough to sit up in the front IYSWIM. I am trying to justify the cost though.

I had 18 months between the DDs and I so wish I had got a P&T now DP talked me out of it (didn't like the second seat) we got a M&P Twin Aria (rubbish) and a Graco tandem (almost as bad), my friend had a Powertwin and has now got a side by side for some reason.

I'd get an Out n About Nipper personally, very narrow twin, only as wide as a wheelchair so never had any problems with width. Had a P&T and the lack of recline was a massive downside.

P&T
Tried the Jane in a shop and it was too long and bus-like for me

Most people use the dbl seat from 4mths
The new Sport model does recline
If your older one starts walking you don't feel silly pushing about an empty buggy

I vote phil and teds

(have used laods of buggies)

assuming 'buggy market' is the same asnow when i have m,y own chidlren i will have a Phil and Teds for the FIRST baby...

(unless (god forbid) its twins and only then would i go for the jane powertrack twin)

Great to hear that the doubles kit can realistially be used earlier than 6 months. That was one of my main worries. Perhaps I'll have a very sleepy content baby anyway (I hope) who will be happy in that lying down position for a while ... think it's got to be a Phil and Teds! I did think that the Jane felt a bit absurdly long when pushing it, too. I would love a Nipper but even that one won't fit through our door, I have measured. Boo.