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Original poster

Will I regret NOT getting a Phil and Teds?

61 replies

noimnotstressed · 09/03/2009 13:23

I am expecting a baby in July and DD will be 22 months. I've been looking at double buggies and keep coming back to the P&T. But it's so £££!

I like the fact that it's like pushing a single. Not sure what it'll be like with 2, but it felt very light with my DD in the toddler seat.

I'm not sure I like the baby so low down and sort of 'hanging' off the back. It looks pretty squashed in there, but I guess the uterus is a bit squashy!

I looked at a few others and didn't like that they didn't lie completely flat although they said suitable from birth. Tandems felt heavy and side by sides felt wide. The only other contender is maybe the Maclaren twin techno.

I don't want to look back and say I wish I'd just spent the money and got the P&T.

Sorry for the essay, but if you have (had) one do you think they're all they're cracked up to be?

OP posts:
silverfrog · 09/03/2009 13:31

mine has absolutely been worth the money.

I made do with a single while dd2 was small (either dd1 in buggy, and dd2 in sling, or dd2 in buggy and dd1 walking. dd1 was 2.6 when dd2 was born)

but that was not sustainable. dd1 is autistic, and whilst a very good walker, has a few behavioural issues in shops, mostly to do with waiting, etc.

so we bought a P&T when dd2 was 5 months old (dd1 was nearly 3).

I still use it nearly everyday now (dd2 is 2 now).

dd1 still fits in the main seat, at 4.7, and still needs to , as still cannot wait or queue. dd2 thankfully stil fits in the rear seat (she is tiny )

if it is just me with both girls, i have to take the buggy, as cannot control both of them around shops etc. if dh is there, then usually one or both will walk.

so for us it has totally been worth the money, and has been invaluable.

it is a good, roomy buggy, and hugely practical

Hangingbellyofbabylon · 09/03/2009 13:35

I have looked at the P&T and is was not exactly tiny, it's like a large 3-wheeler single but you can get some tandems that are certainly no longer. I've decided against it mainly because of the price but also because I'm going to have to use a double for quite some time and really don't reckon that once the baby is past newborn they will tolerate sitting underneath. I am utterly confused at the moment! I have a nearly 3 year old dd who is disabled and another one due in September. In the past I've had a Maclaren Twin Techno and it served its purpose but was really heavy to push - however the children adored being side by side and never complained. I also had a Jane Powertwin tandem but it was huge to fold up and lift and also wasn't very supportive for the older child. What else have you looked at that is ok for a newborn and toddler? I'm thinking of looking at the mamas and papas side by side as it seems quite lightweight but no idea till I see it!

Trinityrhino · 09/03/2009 13:36

I was in exactly your position and I deeply regret not buying it

I didn't buy a tandem at all and made my 22 month old dd2 walk
she was miserable, I felt guilty

If you can afford it buy it

silverfrog · 09/03/2009 13:39

HBB, my dd2 sits happily in the rear seat (well, she would rather walk, actually, but if in the buggy, she is happy to be in the lower seat)

it is all she has known, really, and she gets to see everything she wants to (nosey little madam )

it has made my life so much easier, honestly, and dd2 is 2 now

traceybath · 09/03/2009 13:39

i'm in similar position. DC3 due in the summer and ds2 will only be 18 months.

Was planning on doing sling and pushchair but really think i'm going to have to get a double.

Phil & Teds look the best but like you am not keen on the whole baby underneath thing.

Sooo hard and Dh keeps muttering about the money but he's not the one whose going to need to use it everyday.

am planning on putting my £190 grant thing from the govt towards the cost of it.

Original poster
noimnotstressed · 09/03/2009 13:40

Thanks silverfrog I had also been looking at the sling/single possibility but not sure how long I'd be able to sustain it.

Hi hangingbelly. I have looked at the Mothercare Hoxton which looks lovely for the baby in the back. The front seat doesn't recline however and I found it heavy to steer although DD is pretty light for her age.

I also liked the look of the M&P twin aria but it didn't lie flat enough for my liking and felt a bit flimsy.

That's another worry about the P&T. As you mentioned it doesn't look too inspiring for the child in the back staring at the back of the seat!

OP posts:
midnightexpress · 09/03/2009 13:42

Ours has been great - definitely worth the money. We got it when ds2 came along (ds1 was only 14 months old at the time) and we're still using it 2 years later. It's really easy to manoeuvre and it's not too wide. My only reservations (apart from price):

1 DS2 hated it between about 3 months and 5 months (ie until he could go in the seat) - I think once they are a bit more aware of the world around them they often are not too keen on going in the back pocket. Fortunately though, it's so easy to move that it was possible to carry him and still push ds1 in the buggy at the same time.

2 It's quite heavy. Ours is an E3 and the more up-to-date models may be a bit better but not sure. If you do a lot of getting on and off buses, it might not be the best choice.

  1. the basket is tiny (you can get panniers though we never did), esp once your back seat passenger gets a bit bigger - in fact our basket is torn now and can't be replaced easily because it's all part of the main seat cover.
Jojay · 09/03/2009 13:42

I've got one for my two - 23 month age gap and they're now 2.3 and 4 months.

I haven't regretted it for a moment.

Their resale value on Ebay is very good too, if that helps justify the cost - it did to me.

I think Obaby have brought out a cheaper imitation too - dont' know much about it, but google it. I think Kiddicare have it, but I could be imagining that

silverfrog · 09/03/2009 13:43

it is actually quite nice for a baby in the rear seat, as once they are sitting, they just have to look up and they can see you (helps if you have the sport seat, as then you unzip/recline it), and the interaction between you & baby is really easy

also, it has to be the most accomodating buggy in terms of size of child. dd1 is not a small girl, and she still fits ok, and we will get another year if we are lucky.

AnnasBananas · 09/03/2009 13:43

You won't regret it.

I started off with the Jane Powertwin when dd1 was 2 and a new baby. It was OK to start with but dd1 worked out she could 'throw' her body-weight from side to side in the front and the pushchair felt like it was going to tip. Also because it's longer than a single it's impossible to reach forward to pull open a door. I battled with it for six months or so. I told DH it had to go and he was not best pleased.

The following month I got a new P&T Sport. I never used it during the newborn/toddler stage as dd2 went straight into the back seat but I have two sets of friends who have used it with newborns and toddler and it works very well. Baby is not squashed! Just lying 'underneath' the todder, you can see them from the back.

I used mine everyday for 15 months and have just sold it on ebay last week. I walk everwhere (with the dog) and I never had one problem with it, it's a real workhorse. You can pick up a second hand Sport for about £250 and the earlier E3 will cheaper. I even jogged with it, too.

No double is perfect but IME the P&T comes the closest!

Jojay · 09/03/2009 13:43

And no child I've ever bunged in the back has complained.

midnightexpress · 09/03/2009 13:44

Oh, and for a long time, we put ds2 in the front seat and ds1 was very happy to be able to jump in and out of the back seat, so the baby in the back thing wasn't really a problem. I don't think you're supposed to do it that way round, but as ours were quite close in age it was fine. ds1 now mostly walks, or rides his bike so we rarely use the back seat (they're 3 and 2).

Original poster
noimnotstressed · 09/03/2009 13:46

I suppose it's our perceptions of it really, coming from a traditional 'pram' perspective.

Where I live, old ladies come up to you in the street and coo over your baby. (They also put coins in the pram!). I can imagine getting a few "that's a weird looking contraption you have there" comments!

OP posts:
Bakersman · 09/03/2009 13:46

I have a bigger age gap - approx 2y9mo and am so pleased with my P&T. Used the Cocoon when dd was newborn and then when the seat was in the lower bit put ds in it instead of baby. He was quite happy as it was a bit of a novelty. Ds is older now so not in a buggy but I still use my P&T more than my stroller as its easier to push!
The only thing I didn't like when dd was little was nobody could see her to coo over my little princess - one of my neighbours even asked me if I'd had the baby when we had seen her every morning walking to pre school!

sweetkitty · 09/03/2009 13:48

Definitely worth the money, I had 18 months between DD1 and 2 and had a M&P Twin Aria which was rubbish then a Graco Tandem also rubbish, I had 2 1/2 years between DD2 and 3 and bought a P&T it has been fab and I'm now about to sell it to another MNer, have you thought about getting a second hand one to save money?

The thing is the baby does not go underneath in the newborn position, the main seat lies flat and the baby goes in there in the cocoon, the baby is in the same place it would be if in any other pushchair, the toddler sits on top in the doubles seat. Once the baby is about 4-5 months then they go in the second seat which is behind and lower than the first one. DD3 kind of turns to the side and looks out of there, it's also been fab as you can have it as a single sometimes when one walks to walk.

It's a dream to push too

lou031205 · 09/03/2009 13:50

I have used it for the last 3.3 years, and ours is still going strong. We are about to order an ABC Adventure triple buggy, from New Zealand, as DD1 is 3.3 and has SN, DD2 is 18 mo and DC3 is due in 6 weeks time. It is made by the original owners of the P&T company.

IMO you will regret NOT getting it.

Original poster
noimnotstressed · 09/03/2009 13:53

Wow, does anyone not like it?!

OP posts:
jennifersofia · 09/03/2009 13:57

I had 19 mths between my two and wished that I had got it. I did buggy board for ages, which was a drag.

silverfrog · 09/03/2009 13:59

oh, there are things not to like, but imo they are far outweighed by the marvel that is finding a buggy that will take your large 4 yr old, and your 2 yr old, plus a fair amount of shopping (can't manage a whole week's worth now that dd2 is a bit bigger, but can still get a fair amount in).

if there is only one child in, I can push it with one hand, but with both of them it is not possible now (but then, dd1 is about 20kg!)

imo, the straps are very fiddly - that is one of my biggest gripes with it.

Original poster
noimnotstressed · 09/03/2009 14:01

Fiddly straps. Do you mean the harnesses with the four clips? I though they looked a bit af a faff.

Can you really get lots of shopping in? I thought the basket looked difficult to access with the newborn in and with the back seat in someone would have their feet in it?

OP posts:
silverfrog · 09/03/2009 14:06

yes, the harnesses are a PITA, imo.

try getting all 4 done up when your toddler is being srtoppy/sitting on 3 of them/carrying a large teddy that she cannot be parted from... and the straps are so long that when adjusted there is a great long bit left, hanging around temptingly, waiting for said toddler to chew on...

I have found the basket good. I didn't really use my P&T in newborn mode (used it a couple of times for dd2 to rest in) - I went straight into 2 toddler mode (dd2 was 5 months).

dd2 is most oblinging over the shopping, but then I suppose it's always been there from her POV. she does occasionally stamp on something, or will pick things up now, but on the whole it is ok. you do need to crouch down to get stuff in, but I can get 2 full bags for life size bags into the basket with dd2 in the back seat.

the basket odes unclip for items to be put in (does on my model) if the child in the rear seat is not playing ball.

HeinzSight · 09/03/2009 14:11

What a great thread, it's made v good reading. I'm thinking about getting the P&T vibe for when our baby arrives in Aug. The top seat looks a bit wider on the Vibe than the Sport. Does anyone know if this is the case?

silverfrog · 09/03/2009 14:14

I've not looked at a Vibe close up, just in passing out and about.

there is no way my dd1 would fit in the main seat on a Vibe - the seat looks smaller to me (shorter maybe?), and also the footplate is much smaller - she struggles with getting her massive size 10s in place now - don't think even her toes would fit on the footplate of a Vibe

BUT, I haven't tried one out properly, so it could be an illusion

Original poster
noimnotstressed · 09/03/2009 14:15

Heinz, my DH would combust if I bought the Vibe! I did briefly consider it. Never seen one in the flesh though.

OP posts:
HeinzSight · 09/03/2009 14:15

that's interesting silverfrog. I really must find a shop that stocks both so I can see them side by side!