....so, never mind me, I'm just using this post to record my double stroller research.
Mama's looking for a new stroller! My requirements are that it needs to be lightweight and must be easy to push. I would also like for it not to take up my entire trunk. I do not like the traditional tandem strollers, like Graco makes - they're like driving an airplane and are a PAIN to steer. I love double jogging strollers... most are narrow enough to fit through a single doorway and they steer like a dream.... but they take up my entire trunk... IF they even fit in my trunk (we have sedans).
Currently, we have a single Maclaren Triumph stroller and LOVE it. It's an umbrella style stroller, but it steers really well, has a decent sized basket under the seat and has a canopy. It is super small, when folded up and even has a shoulder strap so that you can easily carry it, if need be (this option is awesome for Disneyland and the airport, when you have to fold up the stroller to load the tram or plane).
When Penelope was born, we had gotten the Graco Travel system. We bought a floor model at Babies'r'us, so we had gotten a great deal - and, at the time, the car seat it came with was one of the best rated infant seats on the market... so it worked very well for the newborn stage, for us. When Penny got a bit older and didn't need to be in the infant seat, we invested in our Maclaren because we wanted something a little more lightweight. We loved the Maclaren so much... and also the convertible Britax car seat we bumped her up to that we decided to completely do away with our travel system (figured that, when we had another child, we would buy a double stroller and have the newborn use a convertible Britax car seat instead of an infant seat).
....so now comes baby #2 (Due July 2012!) ... and, thus, my search for the perfect double stroller. When I first started this search, I initially gravitated to the idea of getting a double version of the stroller we already have:
The Maclaren Twin Triumph
It's a pretty straight-forward, umbrella style stroller. It folds up nice and small and steers decently. At $275.00, it's a lot more affordable than a lot of other double strollers, but is still a bit steep for an umbrella stroller. Luckily, these can be found at a lot of stores and, most importantly, in a lot of craigslist ads.
Yesterday I went to the Irvine Regional Park with some mommy friends and we decided to visit their zoo. While inside, I ran into a mother who had the most AMAZING looking stroller and I had to ask her all about it. I'm glad I wasn't the only one... right after I was done talking to her, a bunch of the other moms that I was with ended up stopping her to. What did she have? This amazing little thing:
Yesterday I went to the Irvine Regional Park with some mommy friends and we decided to visit their zoo. While inside, I ran into a mother who had the most AMAZING looking stroller and I had to ask her all about it. I'm glad I wasn't the only one... right after I was done talking to her, a bunch of the other moms that I was with ended up stopping her to. What did she have? This amazing little thing:
Kinderwagon Hop
This thing is pretty neat. It's a tandem stroller, but has stadium seating, so it's not as long as traditional models... which makes it a LOT easier to steer. It folds much like an umbrella stroller and is very light weight for a double stroller (21.5 lbs!). At $299.99, it's quite the steal too.
From looking at reviews, the only drawbacks, it seems is that it doesn't have a very big storage basket and the canopy doesn't really extend far enough forward to give the front-seated child adequate sun protection.... which really aren't big problems for me.
After I found this seat, I had to dig a bit more though... and, by doing this, I came upon this marvelous looking creature:
After I found this seat, I had to dig a bit more though... and, by doing this, I came upon this marvelous looking creature:
Baby Jogger City Select Double Stroller
Can we say, "oooOOOooo"? Costing $669.94, this is probably way out of my price range... but, man.... what an awesome looking stroller! It has all of the same things that I love about the Kindweragon stroller and more! It has 16 different positions, which is awesome for being able to have it adapt to what we will need as our kids grow as well as even being able to be used as a single stroller. It doesn't fold up as small, but is still MUCH smaller than traditional double joggers. Oh yeah... it's a jogger! If I ever jogged, I could totally jog with this thing. I DID just join a stroller fitness group.
Can we say, "oooOOOooo"? Costing $669.94, this is probably way out of my price range... but, man.... what an awesome looking stroller! It has all of the same things that I love about the Kindweragon stroller and more! It has 16 different positions, which is awesome for being able to have it adapt to what we will need as our kids grow as well as even being able to be used as a single stroller. It doesn't fold up as small, but is still MUCH smaller than traditional double joggers. Oh yeah... it's a jogger! If I ever jogged, I could totally jog with this thing. I DID just join a stroller fitness group.
...I suppose I'm going to have to scour Craigslist double time to try and find me a used model... otherwise, I think we'll be going for one of the cheaper options listed above :P
Ok... and, though I'm not sure that I want to invest in another Graco stroller, I'm adding this one, because it does look pretty neat:
Ok... and, though I'm not sure that I want to invest in another Graco stroller, I'm adding this one, because it does look pretty neat:
Graco Ready2Grow LX Stand & Ride Stroller
For only $199.99, it's certainly the most affordable option. I like that it has many different riding options, just like the City Select, but it also does not fold down to be that small. If it's anything like the single Graco stroller that we had, I'm guessing it doesn't steer any easier either. Not the worst, but still a decent option...
