double buggy

the_sonandmoon

Right, baby #2 on the way. I have time yet, but I need to start thinking about (and budgeting for) a double buggy.

I really don't want one of those where one kid is tucked under the other. I don't mind them being side by side, both facing each other, or both facing out. Just not one tucked under the other.

I want one where the older baby (who will be almost 2 when the new baby comes) can lie flat (he naps in his buggy mostly during the day).

Ideally, I would like one that converts back to a single, maybe with a board/saddle on the back for when the older fella no longer needs the buggy.

I have the out n about single at the moment, and while it has lots of good features (great for running with, lovely comfortable lie flat position, narrow), it's pretty wrecked (bought brand new, used heavily for 15 months). The brake is gone, the strap to change the back position is always getting mangled, the net storage underneath is bust, it's a pain to change the back position with the baby in the buggy (i use my head as leverage!)...

I have a besafe baby car seat, so compatibility with that also...

So, any recommendations, or suggestions?

Thanks x

shesty

Such a conundrum, I have put so much thought and research into it and still don't have a solution!But here are my thoughts, mainly experience based

21 months between my pair.We borrowed an Uppababy vista, 2015.
Pros are that the seat arrangement is excellent, back one is above the other, and both seats can be turned to face forwards or backwards.Pram basket can be used with a buggy seat attached.Huge basket underneath.Great for walks on any surface.Foam wheels, no punctures.Can attach a buggy board as no.1 gets bigger easily.Single width, which is ideal and easily converts to a single.

Downside....very expensive from new but I would say there are good secondhand for sale on donedeal by now.Toddler has to be in the front seat if you are using two seats when baby is small.Now I didn't use the pram basket, I just laid the upper seat flat and put in an infant insert.So I found it very heavy and bulky to steer with the toddler down the front and push on anything other than a smooth surface.And it corners like a tank!If using the pram I think it goes down below and toddler would sit in the upper seat, which negate that issue-I've seen it done and it works fine.Other issue is....many many adaptors.Three sets in total, one for car seat, one for lower seat and one for upper seat when lower seat is on.Assembling and disassembling to get in and out of the car (depending on what you drive) is a total pain in the proverbial for the first few months.Also it's a good 1.5 inches wider than the older model, so check will it fit through your front door and also, in your boot (although wheels are easily detached)

In desperation at four months I bought a second hand out and about nipper double.Pros being it's a one-fold job (although I take the shins off myself everytime I fold it); it is an absolute delight to push, and it's generally a light double.

Cons are that it feels wide in shops etc, although I know it isn't; punctures (I recently bought foam wheels for it, got fed up), basket and storage is nothing like the Vista, which I was used to, and it won't fit in the boot of a hatchback.Also if you hang anything from the handle and the kids get out it tips backwards, which is a problem because the storage is not as accessible as the Vista, so I tend to hang bags etc from the Nipper's handle for easier access...and being a double buggy you can't sling your nappy bag from the handle so easily either.

My conclusion 18 mths later is that despite its many faults, the Vista is one of the best ones out there as a non side by side double....if you have the money. Really what it comes down to is what quirks you can put up with, because unfortunately none are perfect.I also looked at the city jogger double, but we had an older version of the vista, which doesn't have as good a double seat arrangement as the 2015 one, and I was reluctant to go and buy a whole new second travel system, just to get a better double seat arrangement.But I thought the city one looked good too.

Outside of those, there was nothing else that caught my eye.

fits

We also have the babyjogger city select and an outnabout double. We use the city select mostly for nipping in and out of shops and around town. We use the out and about for longer walks. Both have benefits and drawbacks. We got them both second hand so outlay wasn't bad at all

jlm29

I have an out and about double. There's 18 mo between my two. I couldn't justify the outlay for a vista or similar, because I forked out for a travel system on my first (not a converts to double one), and I didn't know how much use a double would get.
I thought about buying second hand, but was put off by having no comeback if something went wrong, because they weren't exactly cheap second hand! Also, a friend who had the vista said that it's a bit heavy to push if out for a long walk, or on country roads, which would be my main terrain.
The nipper is a joy to push, no matter the terrain.
They also really hold value, so will be easily sold on.
The basket is a balls to use. In fact, it's so awkward to get stuff into that it's pointless. Trying to sit the child up is, as you say, a pain.
I would also love if there were separate rain covers, but there isn't.
It's surprisingly ok not to be able to use the car seat with it. I prefer baby to lie flat anyhow.

I've never not been able to get it in anywhere, it's deceptively manoeuvrable, but I do have to think about cafes/ restaurants etc, because it can take up a bit of space when parked!

AnneFrank

from having twins years back all i can say is don't get side by side,
nightmare getting through doors

jlm29

AnneFrank wrote: »

from having twins years back all i can say is don't get side by side,
nightmare getting through doors

I think things have improved with this massively! As I said, my nipper easily fits through a standard door, and I know the mountain buggy duet is even narrower!

brokensoul

jlm29 wrote: »

I think things have improved with this massively! As I said, my nipper easily fits through a standard door, and I know the mountain buggy duet is even narrower!

I have a mountain buggy duet and I can't praise it enough. I have not come across any door that I can't get through!

I find it brilliant to get out and about with, I live in the city centre and it is fine to get through supermarkets with and all that. We have brought it onto beaches, up mountains, on gravel roads etc and it runs well on all terrains.

It folds easily and fits into the back on my smallish car (a clio)

It is expensive (I think it was €800) but I use it every day and have since my twins were 4 weeks old, and the resale value is good apparently. There are bassinets that you can get for it (I got a lend of them but not sure I would have bought them) but you can also fold down the seats to let them nap.

No idea about the compatibility with car seats as that isn't something we looked at.

jlm29

brokensoul wrote: »

I have a mountain buggy duet and I can't praise it enough. I have not come across any door that I can't get through!

I find it brilliant to get out and about with, I live in the city centre and it is fine to get through supermarkets with and all that. We have brought it onto beaches, up mountains, on gravel roads etc and it runs well on all terrains.

It folds easily and fits into the back on my smallish car (a clio)

It is expensive (I think it was €800) but I use it every day and have since my twins were 4 weeks old, and the resale value is good apparently. There are bassinets that you can get for it (I got a lend of them but not sure I would have bought them) but you can also fold down the seats to let them nap.

No idea about the compatibility with car seats as that isn't something we looked at.

It takes maxi cosi I think. I nearly bought one second hand, until I realised that the girl was selling it because her 18mo twins were getting too squashed in it. I knew I'd have a big baby to go with my big toddler, so it wouldn't have been the buggy for me!

rainbow kirby

I'm going to have 2 under 2 in February (22.5 month gap), my son is a late walker and we're most likely going for the Out n About Nipper double but will probably keep using a carrier and single as well. I want to be able to do some running with both kids at some stage as I'm deferring a London Marathon ballot spot into 2019 and we do walk a good bit. My son is tall so we need something that can accommodate that reasonably well too.

Roesy

I have a 3,2 and nearly 1 year old. We have the bugaboo donkey. It is expensive and it is heavy to lift when collapsing but it's lovely to push and light to turn etc. It can be a single or double and has a nice shopping basket to the side in single form. It can be a pram and buggy seat and can take a car seat. On a few occasions when the 3 year old was younger and we were somewhere where we were doing a lot of walking we have used it in double with a buggy board.

shakencat

im looking at the icandy orange.

It comes as a single and adapts to a double, not under eachother, not side by side.

i have the same ideas as yourself, dont want one nearly on the floor underneath!

check it out, its the only one i actually want!

seamus

jlm29 wrote: »

I think things have improved with this massively! As I said, my nipper easily fits through a standard door, and I know the mountain buggy duet is even narrower!

Certainly in the last 5-10 years, manufacturers have standardised so that basically all buggies are the same or smaller than standard wheelchair width.

This makes life easier because you know that your buggy will fit through almost every doorway.

Residential can be an issue though, as older homes may have narrower doors (especially a porch sliding door). But even a double buggy will not be wider than a wheelchair and so will go through any shop door, fit on any bus, etc.

the_sonandmoon

shakencat wrote:

im looking at the icandy orange.

Yea, I'm seriously coveting that, but is do bloody expensive.

Mothercares genie tandem looks like a great buggy, but older baby can't do lie flat. Maybe I'll have get him napping in the cot, but then I'll be so tied to the house. All day

shesty

Actually you may quickly find that you're not.Baba no.2 often has different sleep patterns because of all the activity going on in the house with no.1.I found my no.2 slept 40mins in the morning, then nothing til about midday....which happened to coincide with no.1's nap. And 40 mins in the evening often in a sling while I made dinner.

No.1 stopped sleeping in buggies probably roumd 18-20 months.No.2 arrived when she was 21 mths.There was no walking to nap because no.1 wanted to play in playgrounds etc..No way was no.2 falling asleep in a buggy while interesting stuff like that was going on!Generally won't nap in the car either unless she's wall-falling, because no.1 is yapping.

We are just at home round 11:30 til 2 everyday to accommodate naps and that's it.Most of the stuff I did to get no.1.to sleep has gone out the window.It doesn't work so well when there's two of them.

the_sonandmoon

Ah Shesty, you're terrifying me!

shesty

Oh sorry!
Two small kids is really bloody tough. The first year is hard. But you do find a rhythm and they do get very close very quickly.It's lovely to watch my pair (mostly) playing together these days!!

I did well too, they both napped at the same time for months, which was fantastic.

Moonbeam

I have 4..

Jan 2009
Jan 2010 (minded child)
Jan 2011
Jan 2013
April 2014

5 kids and 6 years ad the out n about nipper was by far the best buy ever, it was brilliant.
I have brought it to other countries,hiking,shopping,everywhere and it is amazing.

You survive,it is rough esp if like me you have no help around but you get there, I have 3 in school now and in some ways it is harder then having babies but you do get there:)

shesty

Moonbeam wrote: »

I have 4..

Jan 2009
Jan 2010 (minded child)
Jan 2011
Jan 2013
April 2014

5 kids and 6 years ad the out n about nipper was by far the best buy ever, it was brilliant.
I have brought it to other countries,hiking,shopping,everywhere and it is amazing.

You survive,it is rough esp if like me you have no help around but you get there, I have 3 in school now and in some ways it is harder then having babies but you do get there:)

So no.3 is on the way here......I'm hoping no.2 is the biggest shock?!At the same time it's nice when they are close in age, they play a lot together.