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Original poster

Sorry...another double pushchair question

66 replies

ShirleyL · 04/12/2008 17:10

Does a double buggy exist that is side by side, easy to push, fits through a standard doorway and compact when folded? Not looking much i know!!

I am currently 38 wks pregnant and DD is 18 months old. DH says that I won't need a double buggy but reading through other threads I think that I will. I'm trying to get sorted out in my head one that will be most useful for my needs, rather than when I have a newborn and will be sleep deprived and pick out the first one I see.

Or has anyone managed with this age gap without a double buggy, I currently have a pliko p3

Thanks

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 08/12/2008 21:31

i wouldn't use a buggy board with an 18month old personally. a friend of mine had her 2 and a bit yr old run off the buggy boartd and into the road a while back. she had to leave newborn on the pavement by himself while she ran to get toddler. not nice. put me right off them.

and think, when you're browsing shops and stuff your toddler will be off like a shot (well, mine would have been!)

i would def have a double with that age gap.

ther eis the buggypod too, which is a seat that clips onto a pushchair

Piffy · 08/12/2008 21:43

Hi there, my two have an age gap of 19 months and I got a mamas and papas side-by-side. It is not great round corners, but that was never on the cards with a double I reckon, however it does fit through nearly all shop doorways, the basket is huge and it folds flat-ish. It does not umbrella-fold though, so it has to stand up in the boot. I decided I would only use it for a year at most, so went to the local NCT sale at 8 months pregnant and picked it up including raincover and foot muffs for £40. If you're only going to use it until the older one can sensibly travel on a buggy board, or until they can walk round the shops, then it doesn't really seem worth spending a lot of cash.

For the first few weeks if I was out with DH or mum I took two buggies, and I used the baby sling when dropping off at nursery as I did not want to leave baby outside (no room inside for buggy).

Having said which, I am AMAZED that no-one has mentioned Phil and Teds which many people seem to think are the ultimate double buggy?

accessorizequeen · 08/12/2008 22:10

Shirley, the city mini is reasonable when folded but certainly not flat, it annoys me it doesn't have a clip to hold it 2gether as would be more compact then. It stands up in the boot of our galaxy at present I find it a doddle to fold though. Can you not go and look at some of them or are you too pg?!
I wouldn't recommend a buggy board for 18 mo either, they're a pita to push with all the time and you'd have to use it a lot with a toddler that old. Fine when they're closer to 2 I think.

SniffyHock · 08/12/2008 22:15

Was reading and wondering if you had considered a Phil & Teds - ebay maybe? I like it because when I dropped DS off at nursery I wasn't pushing home a half empty pram IYSWIM. Also, it's still usable when your eldest doen't need it any more.

changer22 · 08/12/2008 22:16

No to an 18 month old going on a buggy board.

I love the Mountain Buggy and would change my car for it if I had to (seriously). We took ours to the States with us for a month and it was fab.

I have an 18 month gap between 1 and 2 and they lived in the MB (Terrain is lighter than the Urban). Finally stopped using it when DS was 3, then used it again for 2.10 month age gap on the school run for children 2 and 3.

Will dust it down for 2.4 age gap between 3 and 4 next year.

Even if it won't fit in your car I would get a cheap one off ebay for walking locally.

bellabelly · 08/12/2008 22:25

I like my Maclaaren Twin Techno. It's the only buggy I have ever used so don't have much to compare it with! lthough I did try out a few others in the shop before we bought and I def found it the easiest to manoeuvre. I agree with the poster who said a lot of the time you will fit through spaces that don't look wide enough - only VERY occasionally have I been unable to fit through a shop doorway.

Original poster
ShirleyL · 09/12/2008 11:30

Ok thanks no to a buggy board then - was thinking that anyway as she is a runner!!
Haven't seen any good reviews on the buppypod but thanks for the suggestion.

Am quite huge at the minute but will go to my local pram shop to see what they have in stock.

Thanks

OP posts:
Original poster
ShirleyL · 09/12/2008 16:36

My local shop only had the cossatto duet lite and the bro and sis one. They said they usually have a maclaren in stock but will have to wait till new year to see it.

Have just noticed this one on ebay. Seems quite cheap so wondering what is wrong with it - seems quite narrow but if anyone has one....

OP posts:
Claireykitten · 09/12/2008 16:55

We are going to be in the same situationa as you next April with a 18mth old and a newborn and are also wanting something light and compact, at the moment we are considering the Baby Jogger City Mini or have you seen/consider the WE2 Combi. I dont know how to do links but Mothercare sell it and it seems quite nice top push doesnt seem to be affected by having the extra weight in one side and it folds in half and then in half again so it is a pretty compact fold.

HTH

Claire

weddingcake · 09/12/2008 19:39

I have the easy walker duo and whilst I love it it's definitely not a compact fold!

dizzyjingles · 09/12/2008 20:07

I also have the easywalker duo and its fantastic

I have to admit I don't know about the fold though as I have it for walking the dog and have the carrycot option on it at the moment

I doubt it folds very small though

Original poster
ShirleyL · 10/12/2008 14:58

Thanks for all your suggestions. I finally convinved DH that the baby jogger was the way to go but I tried the m&p twin aria in the boot which I think is the same size folded and it doesn't fit unless I put the parcel shelf up .

Will have to go for an umbrella fold buggy.

Thanks everyone x

OP posts:
Original poster
ShirleyL · 10/12/2008 20:35

accessorizequeen, sorry can I be a real pain and ask you is the baby jogger folded 75 x 75 x 28? as it gives in the sites or is it a little bit smaller in RL. None of the shops around here stock it

OP posts:
accessorizequeen · 10/12/2008 22:59

I'll try to have a measure tomorrow but it stays in our boot all the time (we have a mountain buggy for the dt's in the house). It was wider than stated in the sites though as didn't fit through our front door when it ought to have done!

Original poster
ShirleyL · 12/12/2008 09:54

Thanks accessorizequeen, having looked at all the measurements on different websites I don't think it would fit. Pity as I really liked it.

Have now narrowed it down to umbrella like folding buggies
Cosatto you2
M&P jet pulse
Silver cross pop duo
and the Combi we2.

If anyone has any of these what are they like to push for a newborn and toddler? and what are they like quality wise - any niggles about any of them.

Thanks

OP posts:
accessorizequeen · 12/12/2008 20:47

Sorry, shirley, had no time (or no time with tape measure in tow!) to do it. They had the WE2 in mothercare, have you tried there? I thought it seemed alright actually, reviewed quite well elsewhere on here.

pgwithnumber3 · 12/12/2008 20:51

ShirleyL, Argos do the M&P Pulse but for nearly £100 less than M&P themselves. They have 20% off if you order online before Tuesday. here Scroll down the page and you will see that if you add a discount code before paying, it takes the total down to around £135. You don't get the footmuffs with it but they won't cost you £100.

Original poster
ShirleyL · 13/12/2008 11:00

accessorizequeen my nearest mothercare is about 40 miles away and its a really small one, I doubt they would have it in but thanks anyway.

pgwithnumber3 wow that looks really good but they have called it beat is that the same as the pulse? not too bothered about footmuffs anyway as I usually prefer to use fleecy blankets

OP posts:
pgwithnumber3 · 13/12/2008 13:17

Yes, it is the same pushchair, for some reason Argos has called it Beat. Someone with more knowledge will know why. You could always send it back if you weren't happy.

I ordered the Aria Twin from M&P for £150 (reduced from £270) the other day as I really need a travel system and there was no way I was spending £500 on a pram that will sit in the car and only really get used for the school run. I don't do tonnes of walking and my life is based around my 6 year old's so it is a case of needing something light and easy to cart around and pop the car seat into. I already have the single Aria and actually quite like it.

pgwithnumber3 · 13/12/2008 13:22

Also ShirleyL, I have a Megane Scenic and I never use the parcel shelf, it does give you loads more options and a lot more space to pile crap in the boot! Would you not remove your parcel shelf on your car?

SleighGirl · 13/12/2008 13:22

seriously I would just take the parcel shelf out of your car, you may find that umbrella fold is too long to go in your boot.

pgwithnumber3 · 13/12/2008 13:23

SleighGirl - SNAP!

Original poster
ShirleyL · 13/12/2008 13:48

Have tried both the twin aria and pulse in back of car. When I put the aria in I couldn't see out of the back window but the pulse does fit in, we have the length but not the height IYKWIM. The aria would've been perfect as I really liked the idea of the travel system as well

OP posts:
pgwithnumber3 · 13/12/2008 13:56

What car do you have Shirley?

I intend to use the Aria for the next year and then probably buy a Mountain Buggy second hand when I no longer need to use the aria as a travel system. DD2 is only 20lb so when DD3 comes along, the Aria shouldn't be too hard to push until she is a lot heavier. I would love to be able to afford the MB or Easywalker Duo but at the price they are atm, there is no chance.

SleighGirl · 13/12/2008 14:03

if you can't see out the back window you just learn to park using your wing mirrors.

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