Double jogging stroller: Baby Jogger Twinner II or Baby Trend Explorer??

[twinmom]

We've been considering the purchase of a double jogging stroller for our twins. Unfortunately, none of the stores around here sell them, so we'll have to order one on the Internet. Do any of you have a Twinner II or a Baby Trend Explorer? If so, what do you like and dislike about it? Would you buy it again?

[Babu]

Here is my take on this. When buying a jogging stroller you need to consider what you want to actually do with it - walk, run, take on to the beach, use as your primary stroller too etc.

there are seven things to consider plus a few others that are individual to you no doubt.

Tires, air filled are the easiest to push and give babes the smoothest ride. If you want a jogger that is adaptable to lots of surfaces you need to look at the all terrain types.

Folding - do you really want to have to remove wheels etc to store it in your car. Some joggers make you do this. It should be an easy one step process for you.

If your children are under 1 yr it needs to recline fully - not too many do that.

Storage baskets need to be accessible and large enough for your needs.

Your hammocks need to be removeable and washable to get rid of spilled milk etc.

The Sun canopy - REALLY important for young kids. Lots of them out there (e.g. BOB) have minimal coverage for kids and allow lots of light and sun in directly when the children are sleeping and also do not offer enough protection when awake.

Height and stride space are important if you are active. Rear brakes are a must, as is a wrist strap. Weight is also a consideration if you are geting it in and out of the car. Foot protection for the kids is also a big consideration - some offer minimal protection and risk kids feet in bicycle spokes as a result. There have been a few recalls on joggers too, so check out the CPSC web site www.cpsc.gov/

The two you mention i have looked at. The expedition seemed to me to be cheaply put together. It was not easy to fold, nor did it offer the sun protection I felt necessary for our child. The baby jogger only offered a 30 day warranty on the site I found and its weight restriction was lower in comparison say to Mountainbuggy Terrain or BOB. It also did not have a rear foot brake, which is pretty essential. We decided on the Mountainbuggy because it is a SBS hybrid stroller that can be used for both everyday use and all terrain and the double has two front wheels for more stability. It fits through standard doorways too and has lots of accessories which included height adjustability for us which was a big issue. Basically you need to do your research and decide what fits for you and the children

Anyway, just my two cents worth.

Babu

[Babu]

oops I meant the explorer, the expedition I think is the single version.

[strollerqueen]

I too, was considering both those models. The Baby Jogger was obviously much better made, has been around a long time and has a good track record. But, it cost three times as much, didn't have much style, was difficult to fold, didn't recline, and didn't have rear brakes--in my mind a safety-must have.

The Baby Trend had all those features, but--it did seem very cheaply made. I checked out reviews on epinions and babygearreview and a lot of people complained about latches and stuff breaking. They also complained of kids crying due to inadequate sun protection. And I spoke to customer service at Baby Trend and they don't recommend taking it on the beach (which I wanted to do) because the bearings aren't sealed, and the sand would ruin the wheels. Also, they are not aluminum and so would rust in the salt air.

SO, I went with something totally different--the one BABU mentioned--the mountainbuggy. It has all the features I liked on the BabyTrend but is much better made. They also promote it as being all-terrain, good for the beach. And I have found the sun protection to be pretty good, but they also have additional sun covers they sell separately. They now have local distributors at www.mountainbuggyusa.com, so the price is better.