double buggy or tandem

[susanita]

Hi
I'm expecting nr2 in May when my son will be just over 2 years old. I doubt he'll be able to walk for long periods of time so I'm considering buying a cheapish double buggy or tandem.
I've heard that tandems can be a problem because the heavy child sits in the front and this can make it difficult to go up & down kerbs etc. I'm concerned about a double buggy 'cos of the width and being able to get through doors (and whether my 2 year old will fit nicely in the seat).
Does anyone have experience of one/either/both or could anyone recommend either double buggy or tandem. I know that there are reviews on the site but it's just confused me more.
Thanks

I brought a tandem and hated it. I used it for about 6 weeks and then sold it. I then got a double buggy which was fine. I got one that was slightly smaller than normal, I think Maclaren do one and its went though all the doors and shops fine. Unforturly my DS,5, and DD1,2, are both disabled so I had to buy something bigger as my DS grew and now am on a three-wheeled double buggy from mothercare. I find this easy to push but some smaller shops have small doorways and I have problems getting them in.

Don't you wish you could test-drive a buggy for a week, and see how you get on.

I was just about to ask the same question when I saw this posted. I'm shortly having number 2 and there will be 20 months between them and would like advice on whether tandem or double buggy is bought.

I couldnt face a double buggy because of the width so got an emmalunga (sp?) which is like a buggy/pram with a detachable toddler seat on the front. My 2yr old loved it-we called it his king seat. Drawback is that as baby gets bigger, hard for it to see out. yes bit heavy getting up kerbs but shorter than tandem. Progressed to a Waki-rider- buggy with platform for toddler to stand on- great but you do have the problem that toddler can escape so more dodgy in shops etc!

Some tandems the heavier child sits in back; you can look around. Also, I started putting my younger tot in front at 8 months, anyway. The baby preferred to see well, and the toddler preferred the rear, comfy seat. I have a tandem because we do a lot of walking and I don't want to have to ditch into the road at every stretch of narrow pavement, or struggle to get into little shops. Graco tandems (Argos does them) are all pretty good quality. I tried buggy board, but not workable if you walk miles like I do.

A friend bought the MacLaran side-by-side; I think it's a lovely stroller (I think all the MacLaran's are great), but impractical for how I live. When her 2nd was 3 months old, friend also bought the same tandem as me (Graco Duo Deluxe Travel system), when she saw it, because she got so stressed at screaming from her infant, who couldn't see mummy. I know she appreciated the Graco very much, but I think she went back to Maclaran within 6 months because it is lightweight and easily folds to fit in car, etc.

We go to street market and put 25kg potato bags on the tandem, with 3yo sitting on top. Buggy creaks, but gets spuds & kids home. You can't do that with a side-by-side!

Hope that hasn't confused you more...

I bought a side by side when dd2 was born 20mns ago - dd1 was then 16 mns so too young for a buggy board.

It was great - most shops seem to have double doors nowadays - so I don't think access was a problem.

They are quite wide so check you can get them in the boot if you have a car.

Haven't used it now for a few months - since dd1 was about 2 3/4 years.

Downside is the lopsided weight distribution - one side - with older child in - is heavy to push.

Another downside is my dds would fight sitting next to each other !

I had a BeBecar tandem, as at the time it was the only tandam that would take two newborns.
It was great, if a bit heavey later on when they got bigger. It was so sturdy, I could hange all my shopping bags off it, and it would go over almost any suface.It was quite difficult to get into the car though, but then, I don't have use of the car during the day, DH takes it to work.
We later bought a side-by-side stroller(mostly for holidays),but it was hopeless, it was suposed to fit through most door ways, but didn't !!!It was no way near as strong either, and started falling apart !!
I think your decision should depend on, how much walking you do,whether you carry alot of shopping as well, whether the shopping near you is modern(big door ways)or traditional high street(narrow door ways), how strong you are, and how often you will be putting it into the car.

Oh !!And another thing, how wide is your hall way and front door ??? We live in a Victorian Terrace, with narrow hall way and front door.
The s by s would not fit, so I had to open it outside, before putting the boys in, my naibour has a Greco s by s and I notice she has to do the same.

We bought the mothercare s by s as all the other s by s were a bit small for my big 2 yo. When she had a coat on she was squashed. It folds up well, umbrella style, but basic comfort offered. Have to put children in it outside front door and doesn't go into all shop doorways - infact the mother and baby bf area at my shopping centre has a doorway too narrow for s by s buggys which is disgusting imo. Whatever you do try your children in the buggys with full winter clothing before committing to buy.

Ive got a gracco one sits in front of the other ( so what's that then?) - about £100 and I love it.
My friend has a very expensive three wheeler side by side and can't take it anywhere that involves doors as it won't fit through them.

I had a very expensive side-by-side that converted into a single pushchair & I hated it! It was very heavy & unwieldy & even when I could get into shops I couldn't manoeuver round them because the pushchair was so wide.

Our 2 best buys were a second hand silver cross pram with a "pony seat" (don't ask!) for my then 18 mth old; and an older maclaren stripey deckchair double buggy (also 2nd hand) that I used as soon as the baby was 6 mths.

I was looking after a friends baby (6 months +) and my ds, who was 2, last year and used an ancient maclaren double buggy, which was fine.It cd get through most doors, even our Victorian terrace door/hall (tight fit tho) and was comfy for both. They are lighter now too, so that wd be my prefernce if I was doing it again. No good for undre 4 or 5 months tho, and I did always like having my babies facing me when they were little. But dont know if thats possible with a double. If the baby is not too heavy maybe you cd have him/ her in a sling and the toddler in buggy for the first while, but it depends how much walking you do, shopping you carry etc.

I mean the Maclarens are lighter now, not the children...

Message withdrawn

Susanita, hope you find what you are looking for, the general advice here seems to be that tandems are on the whole probably slightly better. Hope you won't mind me also asking for advice on your thread. I'm going to have a 21 month gap between my two (No 2 due in mid April) and I have deliberating, changing my mind and generally getting on my own nerves (!) because I can't decide what to do with regards to prams. Although dd is a reasonably good little walker (18 mo now) I took her out the other day to our local high street. She walks well on her reigns PROVIDED that I keep going! Going into shops was a nightmare and I seriously wondered how I was going to control her plus push a newborn in a pram and purchase shopping etc. My auntie says that by the time April comes along she will be that much better again, but I'm not convinced. I don't really want to fork out big bucks but think a tandem pushchair might be the answer. I'm going to look for a second hand one, so even if dd ends up walking some of the time, at least I've got the option of popping her in the front of the tandem if she decides to do a runner in WHSmith!!
Good luck with whatever you decide to get

Message withdrawn

Pamina: my Graco tandem folds very easily & quickly down to about... 28"x18"x18". Mine is an extra long Graco, so I imagine the other Gracos are a little bit shorter than that 28" long when folded.

NEah, that's wrong -- can't be 18" tall! Probably more like 28"x10"x18" when folded.

Thanks everyone
You've all given me loads to think about and I think we'll go for a tandem. I've been having a very good look at the pavements and shops in our area. Many local shops only have a single door and those in the main high street that do have automatic double doors (Boots, M&S) seem to have them broken down most of the time as well. On the way to the high street, we quite often find that there are cars parked on the pavement and it can be difficult sometimes getting a single buggy through.
I'll take ds out to try out a few buggies but I guess we'll probably go for the Graco as that seems to have the favour of quite a few people. I also stopped a woman in the high street and asked about hers and she was very happy.
I did go into the local Mothercare to have a look at their tandem but after watching the assistant trying to fold it down for about 10 mins and not having a clue, I gave up - not a good impression when they can't work out how their own brand buggies work! At least with single buggies, Maclaren and Graco nearly always get good reviews.
I guess however, it'll be difficult pushing 2 around in whatever it is. I'll just have to build up those arm muscles.

Melly
Yes, I know what you mean. My son is quite a good walker but I have to be careful around the shops.
The other day I saw a woman having to run out of a shop to chase her toddler son who looked older than mine (mine is 23 mths old) and it made me think that it really is best to have the option of putting him in the buggy. Also the walk to nursery is almost 20 mins and it seems a bit much to expect of him.

My 2nd is due when the first will be 23 months so am in the same position - this thread is excellent! I have a large dog which I walk every day at least once, so was wondering how the tandems stood up to hills (with paths) and long distances?
I did see someone in the park a while ago with the strangest contraption; a fantastic 3 wheeler for 2 kids from New Zealand. It was neither a tandem or a side by side - it had the 'baby' slung underneath the toddler seat (almost like a double decker) so that the parent could see the baby's face (it is lying nearest the pushing handlebar thingys) with the toddler facing forward and out at the front. It didn't look much bigger than a normal 3 wheeler. Anyone have any idea what this is?? I want one!