Phil and Teds...

[drcarpiodds]

Explorer versus Dash...

Which would you choose?

Off the top of my head...

Pros of explorer:
newer seat design, easier fold (one hand versus two), dual sunshades

Pros of dash
nice hand brake (out of reach of child in bottom seat, plus appears to be more stable than foot break on explorer - cheap plastic thing, I'm afraid it'll break if DH steps on it too hard), bottom seat reclines (good for when both seats need a bit of recline for naps)...

The new explorer seems to have taken the good things about the dash (removable seat cushions, plastic footwell), EXCEPT for the recline of the second seat. The PT customer service guy said that I can buy a sunshade for my back seat if I want to keep my dash, but I'm wondering if I should just sell the dash (as it's getting dated, and may soon be replaced with a newer dash model, thus bringing down the resale value) and keep the explorer, but the second seat seems way too close to the bottom of the main seat. Plus, I'm planning on using this stroller with DC3, so with the carseat adapter in the main seat position, the main seat will have to be reclined a bit (to make room for the car seat), so it seems that the space would be tight for the back seat rider...

Not sure what to do... HELP if you can :confused:

[sweetsoul99]

I haven't tried a car seat with my explorer, but I know that they say you can use it with the 2nd seat. With the sport this wasn't an option b/c the seat had to be reclined the entire way...I imagine it would be the same for the Dash as well. I do remember trying to recline the main seat sometimes when My girls were taking naps in the stroller, and reclining it just a couple inches made it kinda close to DD2's head, which wasn't too big a deal since she was asleep too. I just figure that's the kind of thing we have to sacrifice for having the compact inline double. I do swear that the explorer is narrower than the previous models...I need to compare mine to my friends dash so I can confirm my suspicion. What about the new vibe? I know they're expensive...but so awesome!! Or what's that new one that's supposed to come out...the verve? Looks just like the vibe, but shaped a little differently...will be interesting to see what they say the exact difference is.

[drcarpiodds]

I already have the graco carseat adapter which works for both strollers. YES, GOOD point! much better on the explorer because you can still use the second seat with the car seat since they changed the weight distribution on the explorer to help avoid tipping. But yes, poor second seat child can feel claustrophobic. I edited my original post with pictures in regards to the narrower thing... I think you are right! However, it probably isn't by so much because although the manufacturers don't say it works, the second seats are interchangeable (I got my doubles kit for the explorer before the actual stroller, so I tried it on my dash). For anyone that's wondering too, you can buy the sunshade for your doubles kit (29.99 plus shipping on PT website). I took a look at the verve... not really digging the four tires... also not digging the price tag =/ But yes, cool ride nonetheless.

So which one should I keep?!?

[scriptkitten]

I have a Vibe and recently had DD sit in the Explorer at a local shop and her first comment was "too small too small" so I do think the seat is narrower. Looks narrower too as I eyeballed it

[drcarpiodds]

Not sure if the seat is narrower... Will have to double check specs on the phil and teds website. my cushy seats fit the same as on my dash though. Didnt think about the seat being narrower when I read pp's post, just thought about the width of the stroller... Good detail to catch. Thx.