HELP! with strollers!

I have spent hours researching online and still haven't found the perfect stroller that fits all of what I am looking for. I want to buy a stroller ONCE and not end up buying car seats I don't need that my boys will only use for 6 months!!

Here's my dream stroller:

tandem
fully reclining front and back
not huge or too bulky
folds easily
fits inside my car's smallish trunk
not something I will use for only a year and then need to trade in for something more toddler-friendly

Is this possible?! Is there such a stroller?! I am overwhelmed with choices and I will stress out until I know I have made the perfect decision!

You can help me the most by telling me what u have and what u HATE about it, and also if u would buy it again if u knew what u know now. THANK YOU!!!!!!!

 

I use the Graco Duoglider and love it! It worked very well when the girls were little and works fine now that they are 15 months old. It is a little bulky if you are small framed (I am only 5'3) Another down side that I dont like is the rear position is slightly angled and the child doesnt sit straight up. I think once they get a little bigger, this wont be a problem anymore. I also like the tandem b/c most places are so compact that you cant fit a double stroller through the aisles or in between carts and with this one, you can just slide right through.

I also have 2 single Maclarens for when we go on walks by the river or around the neighborhood. This way 2 people get to enjoy a baby and also the single strollers are easier to manuver at the mall.

I hope this helps a little...

 

QUOTE(angie7 @ Jun 8 2007, 10:41 PM) [snapback]285454[/snapback]
I use the Graco Duoglider and love it! It worked very well when the girls were little and works fine now that they are 15 months old. It is a little bulky if you are small framed (I am only 5'3) Another down side that I dont like is the rear position is slightly angled and the child doesnt sit straight up. I think once they get a little bigger, this wont be a problem anymore. I also like the tandem b/c most places are so compact that you cant fit a double stroller through the aisles or in between carts and with this one, you can just slide right through.



I agree. I have the duoglider too and use it all the time.

 

Honestly, I don't think there is a double stroller that meets every need perfectly. I too have the tandem DuoGlider and I too could only buy one stroller and use that throughout. The duoglider did that for me. I never bought another stroller and used it the entire 3 years K&K neeeded a stroller.

No, both seats do not fully recline but we never found that to be a problem. Kyle was my front seated baby and he would fall asleep just fine without being fully reclined, he was never uncomfortable. I know they have changed the model a little since K&K were babies but what I did to fold mine was to actually pull the lever that collapsed it an let it drop to the ground. Obviously I didn't let it smash to the ground but letting it down gently did latch it effectively. Again, I think they have changed how it closes with the newer model but this method might still work. I am one of the few people, I find at least, that actually drives a car and not SUV or minivan. The stroller fit perfectly in my trunk as long as I took the front tray off. I was very pleased with my stroller choice and it did exactly what we needed it to for as long as we needed it to.

 

I was looking for the perfect stroller too - and I just bought a really great one. I'm not due for awhile, but after going through three strollers with my daughter, I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted something that was simple like an umbrella stroller, had larger wheels like a jog stroller, but had the convenience of extra storage and fully reclining seats like my big bulky stroller. It's not tandem, it's a side by side, but fits through regular doorways. I already got it and I love it!

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Jogger-City-Dou...7477&sr=8-3

 

That is a beautiful stroller Kim, pretty far out of my price range but glad you found something perfect for you. It was imperative to me that I had a stroller that would fit the infant carriers in the beginning. Which is why I came back to this thread, I forgot I wanted to address QUOTE
not end up buying car seats I don't need that my boys will only use for 6 months!!
I am assuming you mean the infant carriers? They were a life saver for me and while I understand that not everyone uses them I do think it is important to point out that sometimes they are necessary, especially with multiple births when birthweight can be lower than the average singleton in some cases. Not only did I love every second of the infant carriers even though I did only use them for 6 months, I also had to purchase a car bed for Kayla which I only used for 1 month (it was far more expense than the price of an infant carrier) because she failed the car seat test at the hospital and would not have been able to come home from the hospital without it. Just something to keep in mind.

 

Dianne,


I am curious, what is the infant car bed? I've never heard of it!

 

QUOTE(angie7 @ Jun 8 2007, 10:41 PM) [snapback]285454[/snapback]
I use the Graco Duoglider and love it! It worked very well when the girls were little and works fine now that they are 15 months old. It is a little bulky if you are small framed (I am only 5'3) Another down side that I dont like is the rear position is slightly angled and the child doesnt sit straight up. I think once they get a little bigger, this wont be a problem anymore. I also like the tandem b/c most places are so compact that you cant fit a double stroller through the aisles or in between carts and with this one, you can just slide right through.

I also have 2 single Maclarens for when we go on walks by the river or around the neighborhood. This way 2 people get to enjoy a baby and also the single strollers are easier to manuver at the mall.

I hope this helps a little...


I got the Duoglider as a shower gift and even though we haven't had babies to put in it yet, my husband loves it! It turns on a dime and seems very stable, even though when you look at the size, it feels like you'd be pushing a bus. Don't know how it will be in the long run, but it seems nice.

 

I practiced with the DuoGlider and the car seats many times in my dining room before I felt comfortable going out in public with it. I just had to get the technique down of putting the seats in and out (I kind of had to do it on an angle) because I didn't want to be stuck somewhere in a parking lot or something and not be able to get someone in or out. Even with my 3 year olds, and my son is very big, I had no trouble steering. I like to think they use the word glider in the title for a reason lol!!

We got the car bed from the hospital, this is the one we used although we paid full price not the price they are selling it at!

 

I also have a duoglider and I drive a Ford Focus and it fits just fine and I can even get a weeks worth of groceries or 2 cases of diapers and a case of wipes in the trunk along with it!

the back seat of the duoglider fully reclines although the front seat doesn't but neither of my kids have issues sleeping in it and its great when they are still in the carriers because both carriers fit on it!

it IS a bit heavy but I'm 5'4" and can get it in and out of the trunk by myself - it takes a few tries but once you do it you'll be a pro!

we also now have 2 single Chicco Capri strollers (umbrella style) for when DH and I or my mom and I are together...

Dianne we had the same carbed for Ian when we brought him home although we didn't have to buy it, the hospital rented it to us since we only needed it for a month!

 

we have the valco twin stroller, and love everything about it. only drawback---it was a big investment financially. we plan to use it for years

reyna

 

We purchased this one...................http://www.tinyride.com/Mountain-Buggy-Urban-Designer-Stroller-Double-2007-P2047.aspx (COCO). It is deff pricey , but we plan on using it for awhile...........I was very overwhelmed when I went shopping for carriages.......but i hope this one works out.

 

I think you'll regret not having infant car seats for your babies. We used them and my kids could be transported from the car without waking them up, we also could clip them into their double snap and go and rock them to sleep when we were at playgroup. They also slept in them while I went shopping,etc.

Now that my kids are in car seats that stay in the car, the whole shopping experience is different. We now have to find a cart with two seats, I have to deliver one baby to playgroup then come get the other. etc.

As for longevity of these products -- most people I know iwth the Duoglider felt that it was real hard to maneuver once the kids got heavier -- not to mention, only one kid gets to sit in front and the other kicks them etc.

I bought my double snap and go for $90, sold it for $46 6 months later -- so it really didn't hurt that much.

the infant car seat is key, though, especially with two -- since naps are key and your ability to let them nap wherever they are in the beginning lets you get out.

Teri D

 

I had a change of heart about strollers and carseats recently.....I, too, had planned to skip the whole infant seat thing, which I never liked much with my DD (I did use an infant seat, plus a stroller frame, for her for 5 months). And, the two infant seats I already had were older models that aren't compatible with the Double Snap n Go or the Duoglider -- and I really wanted to avoid buying new ones for such a short time.

BUT -- I decided the convenience of infant seats for the first six months to transport *two* babies would be worth it. And, infant seats are much better and safer now, what with the special foam and side impact protection and all, so I opted to get two new Snugrides, and also the Double Snap n Go. I waited until I got a 20% off coupon for Babies R Us, plus used their 10% twin discount for the two seats....and I found the stroller frame on sale at Baby Universe for $78 including shipping. (Although it's fairly easy to find used, too.)

Anyhow. I really don't like bulky strollers -- so I got the Inglesina Twin Swift for after the kiddos are out of the infant seats. It's a side-by-side, but 29 inches, so it should fit through most doors. I really liked the three handles....so far, it pushes really nicely, with my 35-pound DD on one side, and her doll on the other side, LOL. The fold is a little clunky, and the hoods are a pain, but no stroller is perfect....I found a new 2006 model online for less than $200.

 

The stroller we just bought is a little expensive but it will help because we have a two year old. We bought a Joovy double stroller. It works with almost any brand of car seats and it will stick with us when the twins get older. My two year old can sit or stand in the back with both car seats on the stroller. I think it will be the greatest investment we have bought so far.

 

QUOTE(mrsfussypants @ Jun 9 2007, 08:14 PM) [snapback]286331[/snapback]
we have the valco twin stroller, and love everything about it. only drawback---it was a big investment financially. we plan to use it for years

reyna


Great to hear you liked the Valco...I've been going back and forth between the Valco and the Baby Jogger city series double. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go with the Baby Jogger because it seems like it's a little easier to close and carry. Is the Valco easily collapsible? I agree it's a big investment, but I know from experience with my two year old that sometimes the more value priced strollers don't last as long and aren't as sturdy. Due to our lifestyle, I usually end up pushing the stroller through gravel, grass and dirt and sometimes sand, so I need something that can take a beating!

 

i got the duoglider first and already wanted to get rid of it after a few months. yes,. it fits the travel seats,. but the cost of lugging it outweighs the benefit to me. finally i got the combi twin savvy side by side,. which i had avoided bc i thought it wouldn't maneuver easily but it does. it easily fits through even one side of double doors and down most aisles,. it's padded enough to support them even from i would say 4,. maybe three months old (before then we were not really out and about anyway) and it folds up so easily,. is lightweight and fits in small spaces. anyway,. that's my take on the stroller thing.

 

KimK...as far as maneuvering goes, Valco is amazing. it has shocks and everything. we take it to the beach, on trails--everywhere. It collapses down easily---but I don't know in comparison to other ones. We had the single valco with our ds and loved it so much we sold it and used the money toward the twin. One other great thing about it is the valco company is so easy to work with....we got a flat tire once, and they just sent us a whole new wheel, no questions asked. It has a lifetime warranty too. Since we have a toddler, we can also use the jumpseat on the front to actually make it a triple stroller. Also, it has the ability to fit car seats in it if you use their adapter. I should be a spokesperson for them!!

Reyna

 

I just bought the graco quatro. I think its a bit pricy $260, But its the only stroller that can fit two infant car seats with out being the snap and go. I Love it.. But ask me again after the babies come!!

 

QUOTE(TwinMommyHeather @ Jun 8 2007, 10:30 PM) [snapback]285437[/snapback]
I have spent hours researching online and still haven't found the perfect stroller that fits all of what I am looking for. I want to buy a stroller ONCE and not end up buying car seats I don't need that my boys will only use for 6 months!!

I assume you are talking about not getting infant carriers? If that is what you mean, I highly recommend getting them. Carrying the car seat is sooooo easy and convenient. You donj't have to wake them to get them out b/c you can just bring the whole carrier inside. I would never have made it through Aidan's first 5 or 6 months of life without it!!

 

I had the snap-n-go for when the girls were little and I can't imagine life without it (where do you live, I still have mine). It was wonderful! I also couldn't imagine life without the infant seats. They sleep so much in the beginning and I would have hated to wake them up everytime we went anywhere. Anyway I now have the Combi Twin Savvy (it's a side by side) and I love it. The girls love to hold hands when they ride. It has been a lifesaver and just made it thru our Disney vacation. The only thing I don't like is the small baskets underneath. Good Luck with your decision, it is very overwhleming!