Joovy Ergo Caboose??

[cojomo]

Anyone have experience with this stroller? There seems to be very little reviews out there. Wondering if I should shell out extra $ (going for $400) for this rather than getting the Ultralight.

The ergo seems better suited for the age range right?? DS1 just turned 2, DS2 is a newborn. The fact that I can have the car seat closer to me is pretty nice. But not sure it's worth the extra $ in the long run.

[frugal mom]

I have the Joovy Ergo Caboose, and I'm so-so on it. Like you, I got it for my then-newborn and two-year-old. For that time, it was great. Specifically, it works well for neighborhood walks and a few trips to the zoo or to our downtown area. I really liked having the newborn close to me, toddler loves the front seat, it pushes and steers very nicely, and it has a huge storage basket underneath. It is a bit heavy and long when folded-- it's not going to be a stroller you're going to be throwing in the car all the time, and I'd never take it on an airplane. FWIW, I didn't pay $400 for it-- I think it was just under $300 about 1 1/2 years ago when I bought it.
HOWEVER... after the baby outgrew her infant seat and moved up to the front seat, I realized this type-of stroller requires a toddler that will cooperate with the sit-and-stand option. The baby (now one) loves the front seat, but my now-three-year-old sits facing me in the rear area, dragging her feet on the ground half the time, and the other half of the time she's trying to turn around to face forward. Also, with the toddler in the rear seat, it's very difficult to access the storage basket (I discovered this trying to grocery shop the other day). A few other minor gripes: although the front canopy is very large, the very front section is soft cloth, and flaps in the wind; also, our front seat won't stay in the upright position-- not a big deal since the recline is not too far back and it seems the kids are more comfortable with it that way. One more thing: the rear tires are air-filled, but very difficult to fill with air due to the design of the wheel-- by the time you get the pump detached, 1/2 of the air is out.
Bottom line: this stroller works best for the 6 or so months your infant will be in the infant seat. In retrospect, that time relatively is so short, I wish I had just carried the infant in an Ergo or something and used our single stroller for the toddler, then gotten a lightweight side-by-side jogger once the baby could sit in it. (Or, there are infant seat attachments for some of the side-by-sides... they just seem to keep the baby far away from you).
I hope this helps! (I hope you even see this; I see you posted several days ago) I know there are not many reviews of this stroller.

[goldenpig]

I have the Joovy Ergo Caboose, and I'm so-so on it. Like you, I got it for my then-newborn and two-year-old. For that time, it was great. Specifically, it works well for neighborhood walks and a few trips to the zoo or to our downtown area. I really liked having the newborn close to me, toddler loves the front seat, it pushes and steers very nicely, and it has a huge storage basket underneath. It is a bit heavy and long when folded-- it's not going to be a stroller you're going to be throwing in the car all the time, and I'd never take it on an airplane. FWIW, I didn't pay $400 for it-- I think it was just under $300 about 1 1/2 years ago when I bought it.
HOWEVER... after the baby outgrew her infant seat and moved up to the front seat, I realized this type-of stroller requires a toddler that will cooperate with the sit-and-stand option. The baby (now one) loves the front seat, but my now-three-year-old sits facing me in the rear area, dragging her feet on the ground half the time, and the other half of the time she's trying to turn around to face forward. Also, with the toddler in the rear seat, it's very difficult to access the storage basket (I discovered this trying to grocery shop the other day). A few other minor gripes: although the front canopy is very large, the very front section is soft cloth, and flaps in the wind; also, our front seat won't stay in the upright position-- not a big deal since the recline is not too far back and it seems the kids are more comfortable with it that way. One more thing: the rear tires are air-filled, but very difficult to fill with air due to the design of the wheel-- by the time you get the pump detached, 1/2 of the air is out.
Bottom line: this stroller works best for the 6 or so months your infant will be in the infant seat. In retrospect, that time relatively is so short, I wish I had just carried the infant in an Ergo or something and used our single stroller for the toddler, then gotten a lightweight side-by-side jogger once the baby could sit in it. (Or, there are infant seat attachments for some of the side-by-sides... they just seem to keep the baby far away from you).
I hope this helps! (I hope you even see this; I see you posted several days ago) I know there are not many reviews of this stroller.

:yeahthat: ITA with what frugal mom said.
Sorry I didn't see this earlier. I had a Joovy Ergo Caboose. I bought it because DH thought tandems would be too wide and difficult to maneuver. Well the Joovy Ergo caboose is long and bus-like so it's not that easy to push. And the folding/unfolding is a PITA--not very easy or intuitive IMO. I also didn't like the soft front canopy (although newer version has a stiffer one), and lack of cushions for the seat (unless you buy them separately). Also, the toddler in the back can't recline or nap (sometimes on long outings, both of them will fall asleep in the stroller, so a side by side is much better). I mostly used it with the carseat near me and toddler in front. By the time DS was big enough, I was fed up with it and got a side by side instead (tried a bunch and ended up with the Baby Jogger Summit XC double). Much easier to maneuver and the Baby Jogger has a super easy fold. I would suggest you consider a side by side double (like the BJCMD, or possibly the upcoming MB Duet). Here is a thread I posted a while ago with some comparison pics of various double strollers (including the Joovy):
http://windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=379868

For the newborn phase I agree, I would just use a single and an Ergo carrier--that's what we did a lot with my kids. They much preferred to be carried over riding in the stroller anyways. Or you can get a carseat adapter for side-by-side doubles. I used a Peg Perego Si, which accepts carseats, and would switch off between DD and DS and carry the other in the Ergo carrier. The Joovy Ergo Caboose seems like a nice idea and is top of the line for sit-and-stand type strollers, but in practice a side-by-side is much easier and more useful. Thankfully I sold mine on CL for what I paid! If you're set on tandems though, maybe check out Phil & Teds?