which doulbe stroller

Hello I need some help form anyone that has experience with double stroller. My second baby is due in 3 months and two weeks. I have been doing research on double stroller and still can't decide. First it has to be under $200. I like the graco duoglider, looking at the evenflo (top of the line) I believe it is called the CitiTour, and I am also looking at the baby trend caravan tandem stroller. I would be sold on the baby Trend one except it is lacking parent console and snack trays for the kids. The evenflo looks more comfy for the kids then the graco but people have complained about the sun shade being to small and too short in the front-and I would still like to have a canopy for my two year old-for at the zoo and such. I like that the baby trend has adjustable footrest and large canopies, large seats, and can adjust to hold almost any type of infant carrier. Can anyone please help me.

[KaysKidz]

I personally wouldn't buy any of those. If I were going to buy another front/back double...I'd have to stick with Peg Perego. You can buy them 2nd hand on ebay for around $200 depending on which style you go with. It will also accomadate virtually any infant seat in the back seat (they don't 'click' into the seat, but it is in there securely!).

Here is one worth looking into.
Peg Double

actualy I just sold one on ebay that I had bought on ebay. I guess I had bad luck because I didn't like the one that I got at all. It seemed wobbley. Again it had no snack trays or parent trays and the storage basket was a joke. The conopy in the front hit the top of my two year olds head so it couldn't be used. I am sure they are of good quality but I need fuctionality as well.

[KaysKidz]

No, they don't have snack trays...but then that's not an issue for me. When we are out...the kids are not eating in the stroller. As for the basket...I clip my diaper bag onto the handle (it has clips for this purpose) and just put small items into the basket (which yes, is rather small! lol). But, they have the biggest seats and can hold a good sized child. I'm suprised to hear that your 2yr old had problems with the canopy.

It's still my stroller of choice, but it's obviously not for everybody. Good luck finding one you like!

I have had NUMEROUS double strollers for my 4 kids over the years including a Graco Duoglider (front and back), a Graco Duorider (side by side), and a Sit- n-Stand.

I prefer the side-by-side model hands down!!!

It did not have snack trays, but both kids were able to fully recline and it had two nice big baskets that were MUCH easier to access than the front and back model. It also was much lighter and it folded smaller and flatter than the fron/back Graco. (That one was a big heavy BEAST! - It took up the entire back of our minivan, and I still had to take off the trays to fold it and fit it in!)

You can find the Graco side by side at Burlington Baby Depot for a pretty decent price. I think Walmart online has it, too!
Good luck !

[rachel3612]

I had the Maclaren Twin Traveller, it was wonderful. I hate the tandem style, hard to push and so big when folded. I like haveing parent trays and trays for the kids but I will give that up for quality in a second.

Out of the choices you like, I have no clue. I would go to the store and try them all, put something heavy in the back seat to have the weight of the baby.

Good luck picking one!

Rachel

I went and looked at all the double strollers I could find today. Side-by-sides are just too wide for me, the new combi counterpart very difficult to steer even with that revolutionary middle set of wheels. The evenflo looked cheap even the CitiTour top of the line one and the front headrest realy is a joke. So far I have no complaints about the graco duo-glider. It steered easy with my toddler in the front. But I am still interested in the baby trend caravan tandem stroller. Reviews online have all be great for it. I just with I could find one to try out.

[KaysKidz]

A friend of mine has the Graco Duo Glider, and I'll tell you why I don't like it. First, she has a Ford Explorer which has a good size cargo area and the beast takes up the ENTIRE space. The front seat of the stroller is rather small...and will not, IMO, comfortably hold an older toddler or preschooler. Her good sized 17mo old is pushing it as far as fit goes. And there is NO way he could sleep in the front.

[skaterbabscpst]

I have to agree about the side-by-side vs a tandem (front-to-back). In my experience, the difference was like steering a surburban (SBS) vs a school bus (tandem). I don't like tandems at all. We had the Graco SBS when my boys wereyoung and it was an awesome, easy to use stroller. When we bought ours in 1998 it was $130 at BRU. It also fit in the trunck of my 2 door Hyundai Excel hatchback with room to spare.

If you get a higher-end SBS (like a Combi or Maclaren) you'll find they're even easier to push.

[papooses]

& for that reason, I really do wish the SBS double strollers had steps on the back for bigger kids ... a SBS jogging stroller (I just love mine, LOL) with steps on the back would be perfect for my daycare *SIGH*

[skaterbabscpst]

I think some of the aftermarket steps can be added to most strollers, double or not.

[Longhorn Lady]

I have known two people with the Avalon double stroller and had great success. It sells at Burlington for $70, so its dirt cheap, and both people I know have raved about it.

Say that its great for the money, easy to maneuver, and just totally worth it. I have no experience with it myself but wanted to pass this on.

http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com...9553&pn=1&pl=9

[skaterbabscpst]

I had the Avalon model as well. lol We bought it from Burlington for about $50when our Graco was about a year old because it was lighter but folded in much the same way.
It's cheaper. Quality as well as price. Compared to the Graco, with the same kids in it, the Avalon was more difficult to steer and push. We didn't use it long, and I think I gave mine away.

[melaniev]

the front and back ones are SO hard to push if you have a kid in front (assuming you would since you need a double!).
I believe I've found the BEST stroller in the world but it's definitely not for everyone - TREK bike trailer with stroller conversion. it pushes like a dream, I've had it for a year and still can't believe it. I can do almost 3 mi with my almost-4yo and almost10-yo (special needs) in it, with NO problem.
The only problem with it is that it's big so you can't really take it in the car without some disassembly, so if you need portability more than walk-effiency this one won't work.

I am realy considering a graco duo glider. I know people say bad things about them but I've herd just as many bad things about the side-by-sides. I just can't picture myself not fitting through door ways or plowing people over with such a wide stroller. People have a lot of complaints about double strollers period no matter which kind they are.

[aimeeloren]

I have a duoglider for my twin girls. The reason I picked it is because both seats can fit a infant carseat in them. It's easy enuf to steer and is pretty sturdy. I have a toyota solara (same size as a camery) and it fits in the trunk but I do have to take off the front snack tray and sun shade. When folded it isn't much bigger than the single graco stroller my sis in law has. Because my trunk gets narrower as it goes back, there is a lot of space behind the stroller that isn't easily accessible. We are planning a trip this summer and I will probably get 2 umbrella strollers to take with us because we couldn't fit everything in the trunk with the duoglider in there! I don't think the front seat seems too small, my 2 yr old nephew fit in there ok, but it doesn't recline all the way and my girls are still small so I don't notice that as much.

The one big issue most people have is the basket is very hard to get at when you have the back seat reclined (which is how you would have it for a infant seat) I got around this by always putting my bag in first and keeping the zipper part near the top so I could reach in and grab stuff out if needed.

You'd think with the rise in multiple births someone would make a better double stroller thats affordable!

[skaterbabscpst]

IMO, most people who complain about side by sides don't actually have one - I have yet to see one much wider than 29", standard doors are 32". I never had any real trouble with mine - but the tandems were horrid to try to fit through the door. I *had* to go backwards because the stroller was longer than my arm so I couldn't hold the door open AND go through it at the same time.

[melaniev]

I wanted to say, if you do decide you can do a side-by-side, Schwinn makes a cool jogging style with swivel front wheel which folds nicely for transport. It believe it's called "safari". I had the single version and loved it.

http://strollers.baby-gaga.com/baby-...ity-double.php

this is a link i have saved b/c its the double i think i will wind up with--but check out the others...

i have heard overwhelmingly(with a few exceptions) that the graco duoglider would be my worst nightmare--esp b/c my son is 3--new baby will be here in august--and with such a big difference in wt. b/t the 2 kids--the tandem is even MORE difficult to maneuver.

The Peg, McLaren, Baby Jogger and Mountain Buggy are the most narrow side by sides--all are about 29" which means they fit through pretty much all doorways.

Ive heard SO many stories of people winding up buying 2 to 3 doubles before finding one that they can actually push--and so I upped my budget just to get it right the first time....

Good luck!

[rescuedcat]

Originally Posted by rachel3612

I had the Maclaren Twin Traveller, it was wonderful. I hate the tandem style, hard to push and so big when folded.

I have to agree with Rachel! I love my Twin Traveller! It is a fantastic stroller. Side by sides get a bad rap, but they really are so much easier to push than tandems.

[skaterbabscpst]

I think people just assume that a SBS will be more difficult to steer because the tandems are so narrow. I liken it to driving a Suburban vs driving a school bus. The Suburban is a bit tricky at first, but the school bus is a nightmare.

[QuassEE]

As long as you stay under the 29" mark with a SBS, they're so much easier to steer AND you can get through doorways. Unfortunately this eliminates using a Chariot double except outdoors (so I have a Chariot AND an MBUD)... but there are some good other options too--Phil & Ted's, Valco w/ toddler seat (I just added this to my collection--works great if the smaller child is in the jump seat!), or (if you're short or have a short stride) attaching a board. Nothing beats my MBUD though--and I thought I'd hate SBS but ...when I read that Maclaren didn't make a front/back tandem because they're impossible to steer I really had to trust them--they're pretty on the ball.. The MBUD steers like I have 10lbs of kid in it at most. It's amazing. Having two kids is enough work--you shouldn't have to fight with your stroller.

-N.

[skaterbabscpst]

Exactly. And even my Graco SBS was narrow enough at 29" to fit through standard doors. My double bike trailer/stroller combo is not, however. lol

[melaniev]

Originally Posted by skaterbabscpst

My double bike trailer/stroller combo is not, however. lol

What brand do you have? again, as someone who walks for most of my errands, I cannot sing enough praise of the Trek, and while it can be tight at 1 store in particular (I have to be sure Im headed perfectly straight), I have not found a single door I cannot get it through. bank, dept store, convenience store / gas station, supermarket, all fine.

[skaterbabscpst]

um....I'd have to go check. lol We bought it at Toys R Us when my 8 yo was a toddler. Not worth replacing it at this point, it's served us well though.