Need a Double-Stroller for a Newborn & 21 Month Old

Updated on November 03, 2008
N.L. asks from Holmes, NY
15 answers

AGGH! Too many conflicting pieces of information on all the potentials. Please, anyone who actually bought and used one, I'd love to know your experience. I am so stressed about silly things like how I'm going to have two carseats in the back (only a sedan), how to fit a double-stroller in the trunk, is it going to accomodate an infant carseat while still be comfortable for my daughter... aggh! I am truly happy to learn that I am newly pregnant but am also a bit stressed about what it will mean to have two babies at different stages with totally different needs! I'm due mid-June with Numero Dos. And of course, concerned about finances. Help!

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E.E.

answers from New York on

http://www.philandteds.com/

This is the best inline double stroller! A little expensive but totally worth it. You can find them a bit cheaper on ebay or amazon.com

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L.C.

answers from New York on

We have Combi Counterpart tandem(but we have gone through 4 other strollers since our second was born)Our oldest was 23 months when second was born so our priorities were:
Had to fit an infant car seat
both seat had to recline
2 canopies
snack trays
parent cup holder
had to be relatively compact
large basket(we walk to the grocery store)
easy to push with either baby or toddler in the front.
Graco duoglider had most of it, but was just too heavy and big for our car. Combi is light and narrow, yet our oldest who is a size of a 5 year old fits comfortably in both seats. It will take any car seat(it simply has a belt that goes over)It has 6 sets of wheels that is great when going over a curb/steps.I can fit 5-6 bags of groceries in the basket. Both hoods go all the way forward(I had to work on the back one though:))Now Combi is known for strollers that are not very sturdy, but ours has gone on the wooded trails(big wheels), 3 mile walks everyday, while carring 3 toddlers in it on some days(when our 4 year old God daughter comes to visit)It folds a lot smaller than most double, yet has all the comfort(back seat does not have child's tray but Ebay now has a new universal tray that fits there).I do not mind side by side jogger to go for a walks and park. But stores, sidewals and to keep in the car tandem has worked the best for us.

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M.B.

answers from Albany on

I have two children 25 months apart. When my second one was born, I was looking for a double stroller that would fit in the trunk of my 2 door Honda Civic. We settled on the Greco Quattro Tour Duo and love it. We have been using it for about a year and a half now. I take it everywhere. When my daughter was in the infant carrier, she rode in the back and my 2 year old rode in the front. Now that my daughter is 18 months, she rides in the front and my 3 1/2 year old loves to ride in the back. It moves well and I am able to get it around racks in stores! The storage is also great. It takes up most of my trunk, but I can still fit stuff in there with it. You just have to put it in upside down (wheels up) and it will fit. Good luck.

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K.M.

answers from New York on

I had a double stroller by eddie bauer and it was great....my kids were 14 mths apart so it was perfect. when it folds up it's not bulky. they sell it at walmart.....good luck to you!!

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J.M.

answers from New York on

I recommend the Quattro Tour Duo Stroller by Graco, yes, it will hold an infant carseat (in the rear seat) and a toddler up front. It is roughly in the same ball park price as other double strollers.
A few things I LOVE about this stroller is it steers really well, it has great ergonomic handles and the undercarriage cargo area is huge. It also advertised, and I can say does- have a 20% smaller fold than other strollers like it (so it will fit into a small trunk), it also folds in one turn of the wrist!
If you have a Burlington Coat Factory near you they carry the stroller, you can go see it, and test drive it there.
I also want to add when we bought it I had a VW Jetta and had to take the wheels off of my double stroller to make it fit! (and that was the only double stroller that would have even come close to fitting) We now have a Hyundai Sonata (2009) and it fits great!
Good luck and congratulations!

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J.C.

answers from New York on

Check out Phil and Teds. They are expensive but are amazing. My friends with kids close in age swear by them. They are big in England.

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B.F.

answers from Rochester on

Check out craigslist.com for your local area. You can purchase a gently used one for a fraction of the cost. When ever I purchase a used item I go online to the manufacturer and register the item just in case there are any recalls!

You will find many different brands and styles on craigslist. We have had used it a lot since the new baby. They grow so fast and items for them are very expensive.

Best of luck to you.

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L.A.

answers from New York on

I have 3 1/2 year old twins, so I realize stroller needs maybe a little different, but I would definitely say do not get the aria twin by peg perego. Yes it is light weight but it is very difficult to fold, push and navigate and despite it's relatively hight cost, not very well made. Mine lasted less than a year and I cursed it daily. I now use an inexpensive umbrella type stroller and am very happy with it.

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R.M.

answers from New York on

My husband says I am obsessed with strollers, so I will try and share my experience. I have twins and a 4 year old.

My top choice is the citidouble mini stroller. It is great for long walks but also collapses very easy to go into the car and is fairly light weight.

My second choice is the valco, but it does not collapse very easily, however, if you are going to have a third child there is no other choice but the Valco with the toddler seat (seats 3 kids).

For an inexpense double stroller try the Combi double. It is really cheap, very lightweight, but fairly low quality. It is a great stroller to throw in the back of the car.

I hope that helps.

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L.S.

answers from New York on

You have several options: side-by-side, tandem, or sit-and-stand. They all have benefits and bad things.

Tandem: They're long and unwieldy, but you will absolutely be able to use them for kids of different ages. They tend to take up a lot of room in a trunk, but they are the least-costly of double strollers. While the Graco DuoGlider is the standard, it really got that way because they made the most patterns and were really one of the only players in the marketplace. They're monsters and they're common-looking. Kolcraft has one that's more Bugaboo-like called the Contour Options Tandem. Also a monster, but has a variety of seating options: both kids face front, both face back, both face eachother and both face away from eachother. Options, get it? It's *very* reasonably priced and is great looking. I have it. It's the lesser or all the tandem evils, IMO, and comes with an attachment for most infant carriers.

Sit-and-stand: If your older child doesn't want a stroller, they can stand or perch on the bench seat of the sit-and-stand. They're great, but your older one might be a little young for it. One Step Ahead has a double stroller that converts to a sit-and-stand - it's a great option.

Side-by-side: DO NOT listen to the people that tell you side-by-sides are bad because they're too wide - they're not They fit through standard doorways, and if you're going to be doing down narrow store aisles, are you really going to do with that an infant and a toddler? I didn't think so. There are some *very* expensive side-by-sides on the market - you can spend up to $1,000 on one, but there are very reasonable models - the Zooper Tango is $399 and the Combi is $250-ish; both take an infant carrier. The Aria Twin 60/40 from Peg Perego, which also takes an infant carrier on one side, is a piece of garbage and a waste of money. I was never so disappointed in any stroller as I was in my Aria Twin. Baby Jogger has a side-by-side that's lightweight and $399 and takes an infant carrier - that's the one I recommend. It's narrow, lightweight, great-looking... maybe a tiny bit expensive, but it's a good investment that will take your kids from birth (full recline in addition to infant carrier) to 50 lbs. each. Make sure you check double-stroller weight capacities. Some only go up to 35 lbs each side. My almost-3-year-old is 32 lbs. A stroller that only goes up to 35 lbs is not an option for me.

Personally, I have the Kolcraft Options Tandem for when my daughter was born and my son was less than a year old. I also have a Maclaren Twin Techno for now, and I love, love, love it. It won't take an infant carrier, so it might not be the best for you.

I have done extensive homework on this - feel free to get in touch privately if you have any more questions.

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K.H.

answers from Utica on

Hi N.
Congrats and God's blessing with this wonderful family.
I know a bit about double strollers because I had twins. Don't know exactly what is out there today, because my twins are 18yrs, but what you want is something tandem, not double. A real twin stroller is made for 2 babies the same size. In other words a twin side by side will tip to the older baby's side.
It also depends on what you will be doing with the stroller. I am assuming that you are going to the mall, not cross country running.
I think I would want one with a standing platform, and a car seat, as well as the reg. seat. Then it will grow some. I saw one not long ago with a mom who had three that were close in age. Didn't need to know what kind but it was great for her, and she loved the 3 without width or long length. She said she could use it for the two as the oldest outgrew strolling, or the youngest outgrew the carseat.
Weight is also an issue, and this looked compact and easy to manuver. I thought the older kids were twins, but they were 7 months apart as the middle child was very early but healthy now.
Hope you find something as comfortable as that for your little ones.
Really just wanted to say congrats and
God bless
K. SAHM married 38 years--adult children 37, 32who made us grandparents this summer, and twins 18 and in college.

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D.C.

answers from New York on

Hi N.,
I live in NYC so space is an issue. The side by sides are difficult to get thru dorways and will not fit in most stores check out lines, or some elevators. Also walking on the sidewalk=takes up too much space. If you live in the "country" you don't have these issues, so perhaps a sidebyside is OK for you. I have a JANE (spanish company) threewhelled front-to-back. I LOVE IT! It's the same size as Phil n Teds but one kid does'nt have to sit underneath. (I also don';t like this up/down option either). I have to say it's kinda heavy (for bus and subway, esp. if you are alone) but for the back of a car=fine. And you have to buy their carseat. I Never did. I Bjorned the little guy until 4-5 months then put him in the backseat(Reclines). I had tried out the Graco Duoglider (friend's) which was good (REALLY long it seemed and tougher to manuever on uneven pavement than the Jane) and that was my THIRD choice. My second choice was a VALCO SINGLE stroller with a jump seat attachment for the toddler. So check out JANE and VALCO and see what you think. Good Luck!

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E.S.

answers from Albany on

Perego makes them. It was a lifesaver.

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A.O.

answers from New York on

I'm actually in EXACTLY the same boat as you. I haven't started hard-core looking into the strollers yet, but I have been keeping my eyes open. I'm curious to see what kind of advice you'll get.

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