Are icandy pears worth the money?

[mersmam]

After agonizing over double buggies I've more or less decided on an icandy pear but am still at the cost.
This is my 4th (and prob last) baby and I love the idea of having both children facing me, and converting it to a single where the toddler can face me... so I'm thinking it is worth it.
Can anyone share some honest opinions (reassuring or otherwise) before I make the plunge and splurge the cash??

Someone I chatted to with an icandy pear said that the problem was that her elder child of about 2.5 wanted to face forwards nowadays to see where she's going. Her little one was still in a carrycot, but I think she said that when LO is bigger it may be difficult as you can't have one seat forward and one rear facing. At least the ABC does allow that - although obviously not both facing you, but I figured they'd take it in turns, and that by the time my eldest is much bigger and heavier she'd be happier facing forward.

Doesn't solve the problem of the fact that it faces away from you purely as a single though....this is the reason my current parent-facing single may end up stored in the loft rather than flogged, so that I can return to that if I want later.

It's a complex world this pushchair business! I've only ever had forwrd facing buggies for my toddlers previously, but have turned really against them lately. After all, they can still see the world if they are rear facing - they just see it backwards

Have just learned that icandy are bringing out another tandem buggy in June - the icandy peach, not much is known about it yet except that the seats will be bigger.

This is a bit annoying cos I can't wait til June, and I'm guessing the price of the pear will come down when the peach comes out...

ooh no they are very cumbersome

Have a look at first wheels city twin - they can have both facing or away and is a nice well made pushchair.

If you walk everywhere have a look on ebay for a Bertini or Emmaljunga with toddler seat, they are fantastic and as cheap as chips these days.

The first wheels city twin is lovely, but I need something narrower to get through dd2's NIGHTMARE nursery school doors (and the corridor to dd1's playground at school) - I need a tandem rather than a side by side (although I would much prefer the latter!)
As far I can see the Bertini's are not rear facing - I really want rear facing! (there does look some good bargains though and I will investigate further!) The Emmaljunga's may be a possibility though... I'm off to have another look on ebay.
Thank you so much for your help!

The bertini's and emmaljunga can be rear facing hun.

cgi.ebay.co.uk/Bertini-Pram-Pushchair-dark-blue_W0QQitemZ330301394925QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Ba byBabyTravelPushchairsGL?hash=item330301394925&trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1301%7C66%3A2% 7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

This is the one rather than the shuttle.

bertini is fab- i have one at mil's BUT wouldn't fit through a narrow door.

ooops- sorry- should've looked at link- i was talking about the twin version

The bertini shuttle was always a pretty good buggy though- no idea about the other singles.

No they are terrible. I got one when dd2 was born and it made the first three months hell - heavy, unweildy, seats too small, carrycot too small + you need to put the baby in at an odd angle because of the bar. Difficult to fold + you end up having to put all the bits on the road to then stack it in the car to make it compact in any way. There are loads on ebay for this reason - people buy them and then regret it so have to sell at a real loss. Please, please don't make the mistake I made of falling in love wiht the look and being swayed by the very slick marketing. Btw dd1 was 20 mths when dd2 was born and she was really too tight in the seat and once we had to get a coat on her she was really, really uncomfortable (she is average size). Also it is just hideous to push when you only have one child in it - you end up feeling like you are pushing a bus. I HATED my pear with a passion and I am still very cross it was marketed as suitable for children of different ages - it is not. It may be ok for twins until they are about 18 mths.

Could you maybe buy a cheap tandem for school run and get a nice side by side for general use? By the sound of things you are not too happy about the tandem type prams.

It's not the same I know but my mum has twins and she has had tandem/side by side. The tandem lasted a week befoe she decided to get rid of it as it was like a bus to push horrible for corners and kept getting jammed on things. Side by sides are fab so lightweight and alot easier generally she has a nipper 360 which ahs only been used once or twice as was bought for holidays but its really, really lightweight and fits through all shop doors here anyway.

HTH a bit

The emmaljunga might actually suit me!!!! One thing I'm worried about though is that I've read the toddler can cause it to overbalance by rocking in the toddler seat - ds would definitely do that at the first opportunity so wouldn't be able to leave it unattended... will need to think about it!!

The main reason I use it is for school/ nursery runs (3 times a day) so really need a good tandem
Am off to have a look for a bertini shuttle!

Is rear facing the main concern?

Has anyone tried the 'Out'n'about' twin buggy?

Is it the nipper 360?

Sorry that was for gemini! LOL

If you mean the OutNAbout Nipper 360 my mum has one for her 3YO twins and it's fab! It's been used twice but it is lovely to push.

Very very light and quite narrow but plenty of room for big kids and seat look comfy too and they lie back enough for newborns.

Yes, I def want rear facing. This is my fourth and probably last baby, and I feel like I've missed out on so much chatting time with the others while we've been out and about - want to take this final opportunity to see my baby/toddler while we are walking the streets (which is a lot of the time!)
All the bertinis on ebay at the moment seem to be forward facing (although have emailed some sellers to check).
There are a few nice emmaljungas which I'm interested in, but I'm just worried about the safety aspect as apparently you are never supposed to leave them with the toddler unattended in the toddler seat. I wouldn't be leaving it like that for long periods, but might just have to nip away for a minute for one reason or another - and it would be a bit of a disaster if ds used that minute to capsize the pram!
Does anyone have any experience of using an emmaljunga with the toddler seat?

Yes, I've seen it and like the three wheeler aspect to it 'cos it seems to very easily manoeuvreable. I'm not in the market yet for a double ...just in the planning stages but am watching this thread with great interest!

geminigirl if you can get away with a side by side DEFINITELY go for it - they're much better... but think carefully about whether you'll need to take it into shops, schools etc...I wish I didn't have to!!!

No you couldn't leave the Emmaljunga or Bertini pram unattended at all, I used to put shopping in the basket to weigh it down but there's no way I'd ever leave the toddler in the seat, I took DD out first then the baby was ok in the pram.

Sorry should say I have an Emmaljunga and the Bertini is easier to steer and manouver around due to the wheels not being fixed, did you see the link I posted to one on ebay ?
That's what you are after, not the shuttles the 905 range.

I can't get the link to work sorrento - but will keep trying!
Is it easy to get the toddler in and out of the toddler seat? (no major unstrapping) If so then it still might be a possibility... although it will probably be difficult to get him back in as no doubt he'll put up a fight every time... he likes to walk but never in the direction I want to go which makes life difficult when we're dashing to school...

Have managed to get the link sorrento (and had already put it on my watched list!) Looks lovely... am going to talk to dh about it... BUT I wonder how easy it will be to get hold of a toddler seat?