Double Strollers

By Mrs. Bee March 12, 2012 @ 3:34 pm

Up until now, it’s been pretty easy to wear Olive and have Charlie walk or ride in a stroller. But Olive is getting heavier, and when we’re out all day like we were at the zoo yesterday, we really need a double stroller so both kids can nap.

We currently have a Graco Stroller Frame, a City Mini, and a Maclaren Quest. Olive uses the Snap and Go with her infant car seat because she’s too small for a regular stroller. The City Mini has been great as Charlie’s everyday stroller on the bumpy streets of Brooklyn. And we use the lighter weight Maclaren Quest when we travel or need to take the subway. We’re going to sell the Graco Stroller Frame soon, and possibly the City Mini or Maclaren Quest, because when we get a double stroller, we’ll have four strollers!

Everyone’s criteria for a double stroller is going to be different based on their lifestyle and where they live. We live in a walking city without a car, we have stairs to our building, and we have limited storage space, so the size and weight of a stroller are two of the most important factors. These are the options I’ve considered:

1) Britax B Ready ($500) + second seat ($119.34) = $619.34, 27 pounds

The Britax B Ready was my top contender for a little while because of its many different configurations and relatively light weight.

Pros: 14 different configurations; can be used from birth with optional bassinet or car seat adapter; regular second seat can also be used from birth; adjustable handle; both seats fully recline; large storage basket
Cons: Wheels are plastic instead of air-filled

2) Baby Jogger City Select w/ Second Seat = $659.98, 34 pounds

We’ve been very happy with our City Mini from Baby Jogger. It’s affordable, handles the bumpiest Brooklyn streets with ease, has a huge sunshade, and the easiest fold of any stroller on the market. So when it came time to look for a double stroller, the City Select Double was the first one I considered.

Pros: 16 different configurations; can be used from birth with optional bassinet or car seat adapter; back seat reclines; both seats are the same size; easy fold; big storage basket
Cons: Very heavy at 34 pounds; very long at 53 inches long

3) Phil and Ted’s Explorer with Doubles Kit = $569.98, 30 pounds

The Phil and Teds is definitely the most popular double stroller in our neighborhood, perhaps because it has one of the narrowest profiles of the double strollers out there.

Pros: Many different versions including Classic, Explorer, Vibe, Verve and Promenade; sporty 3-wheeled design for easy maneuverability, narrow profile
Cons: Only one configuration; older child is squished in the back seat with no view (but most parents tell me that the kids fight for the back seat); limited storage; back seat does not recline

4) Uppababy Vista ($560) + Rumble Seat ($98) = $658, 34 pounds

Pros: includes bassinet; easy one step fold; remains standing while folded; main seat can face front or back; large storage basket
Cons: heavy and wide, second seat doesn’t fully recline

5) Baby Jogger City Mini Double – $399, 26.6 pounds

The City Mini Double has the easiest fold of any stroller around. My friend who lives in the city with two kids has one and loves it. At 26.6 pounds it’s also lighter than most of the other double strollers..

Pros: easiest one-handed fold; easy to push; full recline; large sunshade
Cons: wide and may not fit through some doors

6) Combi Twin Sport Side by Side Double Stroller – $239.99, 22 pounds

I wasn’t considering side by side strollers because they wouldn’t fit through our building’s narrow front door. But then our friends with two kids the same age as Charlie and Olive recently got this Combi side by side stroller, and I loved it because it was lightweight — a big plus when you have stairs to climb like we do. We probably wouldn’t use a double stroller too often, so we could fold it up before coming in the building.

Pros: affordable; lightweight; folds easily; full recline
Cons: small sunshade; not as sturdy as larger double strollers

7) Lascal Buggy Board – $87.99

A buggy board can be a great alternative to a double stroller. In the picture above, you can see a Lascal Buggy Board attached to a Maclaren Quest umbrella stroller. I’m sure Charlie would love riding on a buggy board. But we’d still need a double stroller so both kids can nap when we’re out all day.

Since space and weight are constraints, I’m leaning towards getting a light double umbrella stroller like the Combi, since the City Mini at 17 pounds was about as much as I could pull up our front steps (the downside of Brooklyn brownstone living is all the stairs!). I’d also get a buggy board for our Maclaren Quest to use day to day since it’d be perfect for our neighborhood outings. When I asked my New York mama friends with two kids about double strollers, some rarely used theirs and ended up selling it, while others used theirs every weekend. I’m not sure just how much we’ll use a double stroller yet since we do walk around without a stroller most of the time in our neighborhood, so something that is affordable and has a small footprint like the Combi seems like a good option for us.

How did you handle needing a stroller for two?

Strollers & Stroller Accessories part 3 of 7

1. Stroller Comparison Guide by Mrs. High Heels
2. Stroller Saga by Mrs. Bee
3. Double Strollers by Mrs. Bee
4. Best Stroller Accessories by Guides
5. Stroller Review: Jeep Liberty Stroller by Mrs. Pen
6. Infantino Stretch by Mrs. Bee
7. Maclaren Globetrotter by Mrs. Bee