"stroller for infant and toddler"

[rrstern]

I am expecting a second baby in June 2002. My first baby will then be 23 months old. Can anyone recommend a very good double stroller? I know MacClaren makes a double stroller but am wary because it is side to side which makes it seem like it will be difficult to manuever and fit through doors. Are there any things I should keep in mind since I'll have a toddler and an infant rather than twins? Also, I live in LA, so I need something that I can lift in and out of the car without a forklift.
Thanks, Rebecca

[Megieblue]

I too am expecting a baby in June 2002 and will have a 23 month old when the new one comes along. And I too live in LA. And I too was thinking about the Maclaren. Someone mentioned the Mountain Buggy (www. mountainbuggy.com)for local trips. She pointed out that with two you don't jump in and out of the car so much and won't need a stroller for that purpose.

[hipmaman]

two kids 21.5 months apart. My dd is 30 months and my ds is 8 months.

I have the Dreamer Design Ditto jogging stroller for outdoor and a Maclaren double. I love them both.

I use the Ditto strictly for outdoor only. I don't normally fold it and only store it in the garage. Sometimes, I would take it to the fair, zoo, etc. in the Volvo sedan, but with all three wheels off. While it is great for outdoor use, it is not a stroller that you would take everywhere.

The Mountain Buggy has some fans and worth checking out. At the time I was looking for a jogger, I didn't know of it existence. But I am quite happy with the Ditto, as I don't take it anywhere but out in the open space, lol.

Now, for the Maclaren... I love how it fits in doors, how easy it is to push and steer (even with one hand), how small it folds (which is great for transporting in the car and travelling by plane),etc. It might be one of the lightest double strollers out there.

With these two strollers, I am set! Hope that helps.

[Melanie]

My toddler turned 2 a month before her baby sister was born. They are now almost 3 and 1. We bought a Graco DuoGlider Travel System and I LOVE IT!!!! I'm a big fan of travel systems, so that was one of the main factors is choosing this stroller. It maneuvers easily and my girls love it!
Mommy to Little Jonah born 11-6-2001

[Michelle]

My younger two are 26 months apart and I am using the Graco Duo Glider - the travel system. I think it's great! I was very hesitant about getting a double stroller, but it is easy to use and not too incredible to get in/out of vehicle. And I am only 5 ft. tall, and a bit of a wimp! Manueverability is very good as well. My ONLY complaints are that even without using the carseat in the back seat, the front seat does not recline and that because I am short, I sometimes have trouble gauging the "clearance" distance in front of me since I can't always see the front end of the stroller. And that if you have a BIG diaper bag, it can be a pain to get it into the under basket.

Hope this helps.
michelle

[bluedevil86]

Which Maclaren double do you have -- Opus Duo or the other one? My son will be 22-months-old when my daughter is born in early June 2002. I was thinking about the Opus Duo for its extra padding for the infant. I'm also looking into the Combi Twin Savvy. Anyone have the Combi who could give me some advice? Lightweight, maneuverability, easy to open and close, and storage are some key features for which I am looking.

Thanks!

[LeslieCan]

I too was looking for a double that would handle both my 3 yr old and my newborn .... check out the "On the Go" thread on the Baby Bargains board -- search on double stroller and you'll find all kinds of posts. If you want, e-mail me at [email protected] -- I downloaded most of the posts and can send them to you.

Finally, after a couple of months of reading and waffling, I decided on the double Mountain Buggy. I think someone above posted their site, but left off the "usa" part -- it's actually mountainbuggyusa.com. They have a great double that offers a lot of extras. The best thing is that, at less than 29 inches, it isn't very wide for a side by side, so it will go through most doors.

StrollerQueen has done a number of posts on the Mountain Buggy (and doubles in general), you might try a search under her name. I found her insights really helpful! Also, there's the stroller board on Parents Place or iVillage ... you'll probably find info there too.

Good luck -- I know it's a hard decision-making process! :)

~Leslie

[gobibaby]

I'm looking too. If weight is not an issue, then the Maclaren Twin Traveller seems to be the best. This year's model has the cushy handles and they got rid of the bar across the top you had to lift to fold. But it weighs 26 lbs w/hood and all.

The Combi Twin Savvy weighs only 15 pounds, and is very easy to fold and carry, but the center bar is susceptible to breaking. People say they really love it ---until it's busted...Two of the big baby stores in NY said they stopped carrying it because of all the broken strollers they had to deal with. The Combi has a miserly 3-month warranty, and you have to send your stroller back to the manufacturer, leaving you with two kids and no wheels while they fix it. The portability is tempting, but the potential hassle is not.

I have heard that the Peg Perego Aria Twin is a good alternative. It's only 14 pounds. Does anyone have an Aria?

[nminar]

I saw this just the other day, and cut it out for my husband to read. Maybe you should try and contact Trish for more details. From other posts, it seems to me that the Mountain Buggies can do double/triple duty: good for short trips to the mall, good for going to the park, good for jogging . . . Why buy more than one when one can do everything that you will need? Plus it is (Trish says) easy to fold/open, light enough to carry with one hand, fits through doors and shopping aisles, etc. Sounds like what you are looking for. Not due until late October, so we have time to go and take a look at one in person, but they look nice; I like the purple/grape color. (there are two web sites: www.mountainbuggy.com and www.mountainbuggyusa.com. I think the "usa".com is the local distributor.)

Natalie

= = = = from Trish = = = =

Mountain Buggy Review:
Well, after weeks of waiting, I finally got to test out a Mountain Buggy Double Terrain and Urban Single here at my home today. I actually met with John, one of the engineer/designers of the Mountain Buggy. It was definitely worth the wait. My DH who is also an engineer even got involved and basically told me to order the Urban Double!
Forget all other strollers!

Where do I begin? It's narrow enough that it went easily through my front door, which is a standard size, with much room to spare. Super easy to put it together. John actually brought it how I would receive it which is basically without the wheels attached. That's it. Folds incredibly flat and easy. It could fit in the trunk of almost any size car, maybe not a small sports car but it could also fit in the back seat if you don't have 4 doors.

The design and durability are so obvious well constructed and made. Like my DH said this stroller could be passed down to our daughter someday when she wanted to have kids! Air filled tires, all aluminum (no plastic), steel gauge on the urban double above the swivel wheels, independent reclining seats, hood and peekaboo cover, very good size storage, easily accessible even if baby is in flat lay down position. It stands on it's own. I could pick up the double with one hand. Weight is not an issue at all. Steering it is like a dream! In fact, you could steer it with just 2 fingers if you wanted!

Fabric is washable and removable. They have a great stroller travel bag and a bug, sun hood too. We put my neighbor's kid who is 7 and 95 pounds in it and had no problem and it still was easy to steer. Then John himself sat in it and he's 165 pounds, about 5'8 and I pushed him too. This stroller is amazing! On the urban double and single you can have your front swivel wheels be fixed too if you wanted.

Forget all others, Mountain Buggy is the only stroller you'll ever need. I've decided to sell everything else and just have this stroller.

Sorry for length, but am so excited and thrilled with it, just had to share all!

Trish

[alicia]

Trish,

Hi there. I am just begining my journey to find the perfect double stroller. I am not due until January but figured I would start researching anyway. I am very interested in the mountain buggy. I have two questions. First, is it very difficult to lift in and out of car? 32 lbs seem like a lot. Also, what is the major difference between the Urban and the Terrain? thankyou! your information has been great. alicia

[Tondi G]

not trish but the main difference between the terrain and the Urban is the front swivel wheel! The Terrain has a stationary front wheel like a regular Jogging stroller..... the Urban has a front wheel that swivels, which makes manuvering in tight places a must,that can be locked into place if you wanted to use it like a jogger! Good Luck!

~Tondi and Mason 7/8/01!

[LeslieCan1]

Also not Trish :) but wanted to say that if you check out the Mountian Buggy site (www.mountainbuggyusa.com) or e-mail them, you can find out all about any other differences between the Urban and the Terrain.

We bought the Terrain, and I understand that they are soon coming out with an adapter that will allow the Terrain's front wheel to swivel. I can't say that it's been a big problem -- the wheel may not exactly swivel, but we manage to turn it just fine anyway.

Good luck!

~Leslie

[motherwarrick]

I have the MB double terrain and absolutely love it!! The canopy is actually large enough to keep the sun off the kiddos. I also have the additional sun cover and the rain cover. I live in the Pacific NW and have found the rain cover to be so effective that I take the buggy out in the pouring rain.

I have the carry cot that is additional for the double because I have a newborn and an almost 3 year old. You should see the gawks and comments I get from people. I feel like a salesperson for it = I get so many questions about it. Right from the very first glance at the carry cot on the double, people can tell this is one very well constructed stroller = I think I'll actually miss how cool the carrycot looks. I tried to use the buggy with both seats (cot off) for my now 4 month old, but found the cot to be better for me so I don't have to mess with the harness system until she is sitting up more. The seats recline fully on the recline seats (not quite as much with the hammock style of seats that are also avail.) = you can use the buggy very safely for a newborn without a carrycot. The additional sheepskin seat covers are extremely nice and comfy.

I have not found it to be any trouble at all to turn the double terrain. I just had Alan and Fiona visit me here in the NW (the USA distrubuters) and Alan said some people find the approx. 4 pound weight difference between the Urban and Terrain to be noticeable (the Terrain is lighter). I like the metal basket on my Terrain = the Urban doesn't have that. You would be amazed at how much bag weight you can hang off the handlebar before it even starts to feel a bit tippy. It's all a matter of choice. If you actually plan to run with the buggy, than the hammock style of seats are preferable, but I certainly can't imagine running with two!!! I just got back from a run and I think it's best to take off on your own and have some private time without the kiddos in tow.....

By the way, there's a new color coming out = it's a really neat smoky blue (so different from the standard navy). The canopies will also be revised so they will alott for more head room. You should contact Alan and Fiona at Mountainbuggyusa.com for more details, etc... The customer service is excellent.

A comment about lifting the Mountain buggy, it folds completely flat and is more like lifting an almost square flat item. I can get great leverage on it for lifting because it isn't terribly wide when flat. I am 5'2 and had a very difficult time lifting any of the tandem strollers (front to back) because they were so long. The fulcrum points when lifting the buggy make it so much easier for me to manauver.
Hope this helps.....

[Lilmiracles]

Hello All,

I thought I would let you know that Combi has redesigned the notorious handle. I purchased one and LOVED it untill it broke.
Just remember to ONLY purchase catalog # 7030, NOT the 7020. The "3"
indicates the new design handlebar.

I LOVE my new one!!

[ct]

This sounds like a dream!! I was really interested in the MB, except I didn't think there were carrycots for the doubles. I am due with #2 11/8 when DD will be 25mo, so am looking for a double that will fit my lifestyle. I really want a stroller that will allow my infant to be comfortable and thought I'd be stuck with a tandem. How does the carrycot work - does one of the seats come off and the carrycot attach onto the frame so that you have one seat and the carrycot? How do you use your MB double terrain? Do you use it outside only, or do you take it in the car and use it at the mall and other stores? I need something that I can fold and put in the car (actually van - Honda Odyssey) easily as I use my stroller as much indoors as outdoors (just walks, no jogging). Does it steer easily in stores, etc. - not too wide for isles and doors? Also, how do you find the baskets? Do they seem too small or are they good sized? Is there any sort of snack tray for the kids or parents (I don't think so, but thought I'd ask)? My DD really loves having a snack while shopping and the snack tray on my Graco has been a god-send, but we may have to learn to deal without. Sorry for all the questions, but I haven't heard of anyone with the carrycot option before. Glad to hear you love yours :)! Unfortunately I live in Michigan and the nearest place I can go to see one is Chicago (which is NOT going to happen) so I'll have to get all the info I can online. Thanks for your help!!

ct

[motherwarrick]

Sorry for the late reply, I hope this finds you in time. I had to sign a liability release because someone actually installed the cot on incorrectly in the US. Well, I spoke with Alan (the US distrubuter) when he stopped by my house and said that you would have to be drunk to put it on incorrectly; he agreed. I signed the form anyway. The seat comes off quite easily and then the cot comes with an additional part that supplements the existing frame. The cot has a series of snaps and straps that attaches it to the frame very securely. I figured out how to do this all by myself when I was 9 months pregnant! We have a Mazda MPV minivan (very similar to the Honda, but you may actually still have room in the back), and depending upon where you put the kiddos (our son is in the middle, and my daughter is in the very back row), it's difficult to fold the Mtn. buggy down flat enough with the cot on to fit it in the back. Thus, I take it off each time and then fold the buggy completely flat and place the cot on top. I have gotten so good at taking the cot on and off that it's second nature. It is one more step. I think it's worth EVERY extra second. I tried to put Kalena in the seat without the cot (thought she would like to sit up too), but it was such a pain to deal with the straps when she fell asleep outside the stroller. I love being able to place her in the cot asleep without having to monkey around with straps. I use the cot at people's houses to sleep her in. My son is just 3 and likes to be in and out of the buggy anyway = most of the time I can place her in his seat when she is awake. The basket is metal and is DURABLE and can hold tons of stuff. I also hang a bag from the handle bar - the strap on my Eagle Creek bag can be adjusted to be quite long = very difficult to tip over. The buggy turns extremely well = much easier than my Peg Perego single carraige! I have no difficulties getting in and out of doors or around aisles. If there is a place that is difficult to manuever around, I pretty much assume it would be difficult with just about any other double since it is narrower than many side-by-sides and shorter from front to back than most single joggers. I use this buggy everywhere = it is my only double. Sometimes I think it would be easier to have a Maclaran double for mall outings (only with the cot situation), but then I think about just how much crap I can pack in the basket and on the handle........ No parent tray or snack tray, I did install a drink holder for it on the handle. I recommend getting the rain cover for the buggy. I also have the sheepskin seat covers = they are soooooo nice, even for the summer. I am even thinking about the sleeping bag type of thing for the winter for my baby. Email Alan and Fiona at MountainBuggyUSA for more details, they are so helpful and the customer service is excellent.
Happy Buggy shopping and best wishes to you and your new one!

[ct]

That is kind of funny about the cot liability release! Thanks so much for your reply. I have been emailing Alan with many questions and he has recommended the Urban double for my situation. Just curious - any reason why you chose the Terrain over the Urban? Also, does your cot color match your stroller? Alan told me the cot was only going to be navy, but that it could be special ordered in other colors. Just curious. Thanks again for your response - I am almost certain I will be getting a MB. Just waiting for the catalog to help determine which model, color, and make the final decision on whether to get the cot or not (and any other accessories). Best wishes to you!!

ct

[motherwarrick]

Hi, I'm glad you got in contact with Alan. My cot matches the buggy because it's navy blue as well; I would definitely like the two to match. Make sure you decide earlier on what side you want the cot to be on (it only takes a left or right sided cot) and get your older kiddo acclimated to the side opposite to the cot. My son adjusted very well and was very excited about establishing "his" side. I basically chose the Terrain because they hadn't come up with the Urban double yet. But now, I am very happy with my purchase. I am probably one of the worst pack-rats and the metal basket suits my needs better = tons of stuff is packed down there! I like the durability of the basket too. I'm only 5'2 and I think the extra pounds of the Urban would make a difference to me. If you're not a pack rat and taller, these concerns are probably irrelevant. You may absolutely love the swivel wheels. I haven't found the fixed wheels to be a problem, but... I could see how the swivel wheels would come in handy if you are indoors a lot. I mainly like less moving parts to deal with. My KoolStride single jogger had fixed wheels and so does my Peg Perego Carraige = I'm just used to that. I don't think the swivel wheels on the Urban should be any problem because they seem large enough to not over rotate or catch on pavement all of the time. Since you're not planning to run with the buggy (who in the right mind would want to run with two?!?!?), I would recommend the reclinable seats, rather than the hammock style - perhaps that is not an option with the Urban. It's all a matter of personal choice. Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any more questions.

[ct]

Thanks again for all the info!!!

ct

[mbutler]

How long were you able to use the carrycot before your child outgrew it? Also, do you think it could be used next to the bed as a bassinet for the first few weeks after we bring our baby home? I would hate to buy the carrycot AND a bassinet.