Double strollers

otto

New member
I'm thinking about getting a used double stroller for the infrequent days I watch my 1yr old and a friend's 2yr old. Would mostly be for local walks or the zoo or possibly the mall.

I have zero experience with doubles. Any recommendations on what type to get? Specifically side by side versus the one in front of the other types. And for the ones where the kids sit one in front of the other, how useful is it having one where the seats can be turned so they can face each other?

I'm not looking to spend a ton, but there are usually a few decent choices beyond the standard Gracos on our local CL.
 
ADS

strollerfreak

Senior Community Member
Out of those choices I'd go with the Maclaren...

The Aria won't do well at the zoo...and it gets pretty hard to push once you get older kids in it.

The Contours might be ok for at the zoo and outdoors situations...I wouldn't want to use it indoors though...it is super wide for a single, and that makes it harder to manuever indoors...everytime I've seen someone using it at the mall they are getting hung up on clothing racks or just sitting parked in the middle of the aisle because they can't fit where they want to go...period.
 

romanoma

New member
I would go with either the BOB or the maclaren (very different strollers though!) for just a little more. You might be able to offer less than 150 on that maclaren, but it's a great price for the BOB.

HTH!
 

exegesis48

New member
If you are looking to spend $150 on a used stroller, you might want to consider your options with the Babies R Us trade in event that is currently going on. You can get a Quattro Tour Duo for around $190, which is an amazing stroller. I personally prefer the in-line strollers to the side by sides.
 

Athena

Well-known member
Will you need to fit it in a car/trunk and how big is it? Since we don't have a minivan, that was a big factor for us. Many of them are huge.

We were looking in 2008 for around $200 new that fit in our car, fit our kids, didn't trip us. Maybe this will be helpful to you.

I initially liked the look of the contours at BRU, but I remember it being surprisingly large when folded and quickly ruled it out. Tried one of those big Graco strollers, but it drove like a bus and did not actually fit our Forester's cargo space (above top of back seat so not really safe and could not close cargo cover, plus barely any space left for diaper bag, etc.). Although initially I assumed we would get a front back, I didn't like what I'd seen and decided to concentrate on the side by sides.

At first I was leaning towards a combi side by side like a friend had and loved, but I quickly discovered that they are only for short families. DD1 was tall for it at only 21 months and I tripped over it and the storage baskets are awful. Yet, it folds really small and you may be able to find a great deal on a new one so you may want to consider it depending on your height and needs. I also liked the look of the Zooper tango, but it was pricey and I could not close the back door of our forester so that was out.

In the end, I was deciding between a peg aria 60/40 and mac twin triumph. I liked the peg's light weight, large storage basket, that it had kid trays, and took an infant car seat. However, I felt the trays were unimpressive and the universal car seat strap did not hold our seat well. Plus, it only folds flat and that took up our whole cargo area, but may fit well standing upright in a minivan, and felt flimsier and did not steer as well as the mac so I chose the mac. Our mac folds about as small as you can get for a double and steers well. It does have small wheels so it isn't great for rough paths and when the kids weigh 50 pounds combined, you feel it. But I try to look at it as an upper body workout, especially if I am out walking for exercise anyway. :) At ages 1 and 2, I would think this would be a good choice.

Another one that looked nice was the BJ city mini double side by side, but it is expensive, espec. with accessories.

One thing I love about the side by side is that my kids can interact. I remember overhearing someone at BRU say they could not get a side by side because their kids would hit each other even more. I thought that was sad and clearly they have bigger problems than picking a stroller, but if they kids enjoy each other, the ability to interact can be a big pro.

HTH

P.S. Just noticed the P&T on your list. I have never used one but I have always thought the design for the 2nd kid is terrible. That poor kid down there.
 

Ducky5306

New member
I just got an (older) Maclaren twin traveler on CL for $20 (It's in perfect working order! came with two foot muffs and two infant head supports that look brand new!) I'd just keep checking CL often and personally i LOVE my maclaren double.. I push a (28lbs) 18mo old and my (37lbs) almost 4 year old with no problem! I had a Joovy sit and stand and HATED that thing!!!
 

otto

New member
I was leaning towards the Mac, and will see if they are willing to deal on price. I have an older single BOB sport utility that I picked up on CL for $20, and while I like it, I think a double is more than I want to handle, at least while the kids are still this small. Plus it has to fit in the back of my Kia Soul, which is not large.

I currently have a Peg Perego Si that lives in the back of my car, so I am more used to the smaller umbrella fold types than the bigger strollers. Wish a BJC something would magically appear, but that may need to wait a couple of years.

Think I'll hold out for a lightweight side-by-side for the moment, see what shows up over the next few months 'till the weather gets a bit better.
 

Kyras_Mama

New member
We have the contours and love it. We only use the double for all day outings (the mall, the zoo, etc.) and not for quick in and outs though, for that I have a small single and wear one. Our girls are only 14 months apart and similar in size though and I think it probably wouldn't be quite as nice to push if one kid was significantly bigger than the other. I love being able to flip them around to face me, forward, each other, etc. It makes my life a lot easier. That and before we got our van it was very easy to get in the trunk of our sedan since it comes apart to two seats and the frame so it can be rearranged. My husband even got it in with two folding bag chairs, his softball gear and our quickshade canopy for his tournament last year. I hate the width on the side by sides though so it depends on preference. Could you go to babies-r-us and push some around to see what you prefer and then look for that?
 

Athena

Well-known member
We have the contours and love it. We only use the double for all day outings (the mall, the zoo, etc.) and not for quick in and outs though, for that I have a small single and wear one. Our girls are only 14 months apart and similar in size though and I think it probably wouldn't be quite as nice to push if one kid was significantly bigger than the other. I love being able to flip them around to face me, forward, each other, etc. It makes my life a lot easier. That and before we got our van it was very easy to get in the trunk of our sedan since it comes apart to two seats and the frame so it can be rearranged. My husband even got it in with two folding bag chairs, his softball gear and our quickshade canopy for his tournament last year. I hate the width on the side by sides though so it depends on preference. Could you go to babies-r-us and push some around to see what you prefer and then look for that?

I wonder if they don't know how to fold it at BRU because it looked so huge when I was shopping for a double that I barely looked at it and didn't seriously consider it. Having them face each other would be similar to why I like them being side by side, so they can interact. :) But you think it would be hard to push if the kids were very different in size anyway, right? Mine are closer to two years apart and about the same percentiles for their ages so very different in size.
 

Ducky5306

New member
WOW! :jaw: That's amazing! Where we live macs are rarely on our CL and almost never the doubles. You are so lucky! :)

It was a good week on CL! I got a (almost new/like new) Mac Vovo for $20 also! :thumbsup: Both ads were over a month old and both people still had them! I know I lucked out!
 

Kyras_Mama

New member
I wonder if they don't know how to fold it at BRU because it looked so huge when I was shopping for a double that I barely looked at it and didn't seriously consider it. Having them face each other would be similar to why I like them being side by side, so they can interact. :) But you think it would be hard to push if the kids were very different in size anyway, right? Mine are closer to two years apart and about the same percentiles for their ages so very different in size.

It is huge if you fold it with one or both seats on and takes up a lot of space folded. It's the ability to remove the seats and put them in separate from the frame that makes it so easy to fit in where another full-size double might not fit. And the storage basket is enormous. I've had our petite dd and our 4 year old godson in it and done alright pushing it. I think he was about 35 lbs at the time and she was around 20 but he was in the back so if you're dead set on big kid in the front it may not work as well. It is sort of long, especially with the front kid facing in but I love that because the back kid can see out very well and has lots of room and that keeps my little one happy. I've pushed a lot of doubles between baby-sitting and friends/families strollers and never have I seen another one at that pricepoint that I like anywhere near so much.
 

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