I read what felt like a million reviews on every double buggy and pram on the market. I also stopped numerous Mums on the street who were wheeling the buggies in question to ask them would they recommend their pram. Most said no - that really is the best way to research. I spoke to a woman a few months ago who loved her Phil & Teds Double. She had two toddlers with her and she insisted on taking me through the pros and cons (with a demo)! She was so kind. This led to further exploration into Phil & Teds. Another friend of mine, who has a new baby and a toddler, said she couldn't live without hers. She also told me that some of the models were better than others - issues with brakes on one, no car seat adaptor on another etc.
I had no intention of buying anything until closer to my due date but I found myself in Tony Kealey's today (perusing the changing bag section, as usual). When I was leaving a Phil & Teds Explorer caught my eye as it was on special. I had a little walk around the shop with it and had a play to see how it worked. Damn it was heavy. But after wheeling around every other double buggy/pram in there I concluded that I loved it.
I would hate anything wide. I even find the Quinny gets stuck in doorways (it fits fine but back wheels are chunky). I know many of the doubles are only a tiny bit wider but that just isn't for me. I'm also used to a three-wheeler now. I hated the Gracco one - where one seat is on front of the other - it felt like pushing a bus. It occurred to me that choosing a buggy really is a personal thing.
What finally made me settle on the Explorer was the fact that the care seat can attach to it. For as long as Eve has been in her first size car seat (she still is) I just bring the Quinny base and pop the seat out of the car and into it when I'm in the shops. If I was going for a walk or something I would bring the proper top. Then the sales woman showed me the carry-cot that goes behind the toddler seat. Love this idea. The third thing that made it a done deal was that the seats can be switched around depending on the age of your babies.
According to the website...
Highlights
- Proven off-road dependability in an all new package
- One hand fast fold
- Globally safety certified
- Seat Performance System™
- Takes a double kit (2nd seat) and a car seat all at once!
- Removable seat liner: easy to wash & supreme comfort!
- Foot break (instead of the handle-bar break so many of you warned me about)
I decided to put my Quinny Buzz 3 up for sale on Adverts and put the money towards the double. How sensible am I!
Delighted with myself.
Any experience with double buggies?
I have a Phil and Teds and my boys are 3 and 1 now and I still use it ALL the time unless just going for a short walk and I take the single buggy. I love the P&T, it is heavy (my husband curses it actually but he's not using it every day like me) but I really think it is the best double out there. You've picked a good 'un!!! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteYay! Delighted to hear that you like it so much. Mummy muscles put hubbies to shame ha ha
DeleteInteresting post, we are trying for our 2nd and I have been wondering about double buggies. Thanks for the food for thought you will need to keep us posted on how you find it once. Bubs2 is here x
ReplyDeleteWill do mammabear. I hear it's hard to get used to switching all of the bits... we'll see!
DeleteBest of luck with the baba making :) x
Definitely go with an inline rather than side-by-side. We had a Peg-Perego triple stroller. Not sure if that brand is in Ireland. Twelve years ago it shipped from Italy, now they're available in the US. Heavy, but it had old fashioned pram wheels. Big white, squishy rubber that made for a really comfy ride.
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