double buggy - for big 15kg 2yo and 4.3kg baby side by side only

[johnnybuoy]

We've already got a 2 year old boy who is almost 15kg and we've got our second child(girl) due on the 2nd April (Cesarean) and the growth scans show she will be about 9.5 lbs.
We want a side by side buggy (suitable from birth) as we don't like the idea of one staring at the others back. Quite a few double buggies (Maclaren twin techno, M&P Aria, Combi WE2) are ruled out as they have a 15kg limit.
The only suitable one I have seen is the 'Out n About Nipper double 360' which can cope with children up to 20kg. However these are rather pricy at £300 (£200ish secondhand).
Can anybody offer any comments on the 'Out n About' or offer any other suggestion on buggies which would be suitable (as we are starting to run out of time!).
Many Thanks, John

nipper def ace. My 5 yo ds1 sits in it sometimes. Its the best by far to push if you are going to have heavy children in it. twin techno is like pushing a tank. Combi is made of mostly plastic and isn't very strong.

I have the one with the fixed wheel, which are a lot cheaper. I really don't think you need the 360, but then I'm used to a fixed wheel.

Do you do a lot of walking? In the early days could you use a single/buggyboard/sling combination?

Some 2 yo's are good walkers, other aren't. You might get away with not having a double at all.

I've got the Combi, it is light and my older children still go in it when necessary. Infact my 6 yo will be in it today as he is ill and we have to do the school run.

x-post. Yes, the combi is very plasticky.

Don't forget to make sure which ever one you get fits in the boot of the car. Our first one didn't [durrr emoticon]

Nipper 360 is fab. Used it for my big 2.9yo and baby, and used it for a year. Only stopped because DS1 now walks everywhere. Will be utilising it again when DC3 arrives/

No we don't do a lot of walking. It's really for my wife during the week to take our son to/from nursery (800 yards) or to the local shops (500 yards) when I am at work. We've got a Pliko pramette and single Maclaren which we can use at weekends for walks in the park etc. The buggyboard isn't an option as my wife wouldn't trust our son not to run off into the traffic and carrying a 9/10 lb baby in a sling doesn't sound appealing to my wife!

lol could you not put him on a buggy board and use a wrist strap with him to make sure he doesnt run off? a friend of mine does this,
sounds like an awful lot of money to spend just for a short trip especially when hes dropped off as then the seat will be empty?

The nipper is fab - really light to push. I actually prefer the older fixed wheel model.

They also sell second hand a good prices so you'll get some money back when you're done if it's in reasonable condition.

I have an instep double TT safari. It's from america and very similar to the outandabout 360. I think the main difference is that it has much bigger back wheels making it even better for allterrain and running.
I was absolutely against getting a double but after 6 months of not being able to go for a walk of any decent distance or speed I caved and bought it.
The Nippers are pricey but if you sell it on ebay when you're done you'll see you can recoup quite a bit of that investment again.
My sister has the fixed wheel version and it's great as she goes for long walks too. I like the swivel wheel for getting around the shops easily.
Downsides? if you have a c-section you'll find it heavy and cumbersome to get it in and out of the car, up steps etc.

good luck with the c-section John!

Hi Sazm, I agree that the last thing I want to do is spend a lot of money on something and find that it won't get used much. We've already done that with the Pliko Pramette which got replaced quickly by the Maclaren. However My son will only be going to nursery 50% of the time and there will be lots of trips to the parks etc. I'm sceptical that he'd stand on a buggy board for any length of time and if he throws a tantrum and refuses to get on my wife is in a dilemna.

I've got the Nipper 360 for my 2 - DD2 is now 4 and nearly 16kg, DD3 now 18 mths and about 10kg I think. It's a dream to push even with both on board, and for ease of use I would go for the swivel wheel (which you can always fix for off-road).

I love mine, and looked at the expense as an investment (can be used for a long time, and then the resale value is good).

Thanks dragonbutter, it's my wifes second so at least it's planned and we know what to expect.

ah so you will be using it a lot then? from the first post i thought it would only be used for short trips,
i would def get one with a swivel wheel esp if both kids are going to be quite heavy,will be well worth the extra £100,how about a second hand one on ebay??

yes, I have looked on Ebay and they are about £200 ish. So the resale value is good at the moment but in a year or 18months time it may have been superceded by something more trendy!

Does anybody know of anywhere that sells the Nipper so we could take it for a test spin? I've been to John Lewis and Mothercare and not seen it?

Have you tried looking up an independant nursery store in your area? I don't know if any of the chains stock it.

Have you seen my post "here" - same dilema. Nipper no good for me because the seat doesn't go upright enough - your 2 yr old will be in a state of permament recline. Might not be an issue for you, but mine is used to sitting bolt upright in his single buggy and hated being in the Nipper.

Understand your concerns about tandems but I love my Jane Power Twin.

Friend has the side by side Phil and Teds, which we looked at and also loved but could not get in the car. I know she loves it and it def has a higher weight limit. Pricey though - but have to say you def get what you pay for in buggies.

if dhe is having a c-section i would deffo go for 3 WHEELER as they are so light and easy to push,
how about this:
www.kiddicare.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/productdisplayA_75_10751_-1_14051_50053_10 001_14051

or mothercare do an urban detour one?

Buy a secondhand Mountain buggy from ebay and then sell it on. Secondhand they go for about £200-£350.

Extremely unlikely the value would go down- they are very popular.

there are actually quite a few different ones on ebay,maybe thats the best place to look to get an idea of everything thats available out there.

this is a good budget option:
cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-HAUCK-ROADSTER-DUO-SL-TWIN-3-WHEELER-DOUBLE-BUGGY_W0QQitemZ200204 080282QQihZ010QQcategoryZ66700QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thanks Scotgirl, I didn't know that about the seat being in a recline position. Do you or anybody know what angle the seat is at on the nipper when it is at it's most vertical as our son doesn't seem to mind when our maclaren is slightly reclined?

Agree with pootlepod - Mountain Buggy urban double. Very easy to push, huge upper weight limit, excellent resale value. Best buggy on the market (well, the single is, imho!)

Mountain Buggy urban double - £500 to £600, about £400 above my budget, I'm afraid!
I'm slow to spend a lot of money because I suspect it'll only get used for a year or so before the 2 yr old starts walking.
Can anybody suggest other 'cheaper' buggies which can cope with babies over 15kg?

mb double's go for £200-£250 on ebay though although you'd need one with a carrycot which can sometimes be difficult. Still the same issues as with the nipper, slight recline. Neither of my kids has minded it though, they're 4 and 1 as I think the design makes it v.comfy for them.
Carrying a 10lb baby in a sling needn't be that much of a chore, though & it would save you a lot of money!! Lots of choice these days. Does make life easier when doing nursery drop-offs etc...But appreciate with section she may not feel up to it!