Stroller Advice Needed!

Hi there- hoping for some help from you moms who have had your twins for a bit...

I am about to register and am SO confused by the amount of strollers out there.

From what I can see it sounds like I'll need:

1) 1 Snap & Go Double Stroller (for when they are infants)

2) 1 Side by Side Lightweight Twin Stroller (for indoors - malls, easy to get out of trunk, etc.)

3) 1 Twin Jogging Stroller (for jogging)

Is that right? 3 strollers? Or can you use the Twin Jogging Stroller as the all-in-one stroller for the mall AND jogging? And is a snap & go really needed or can the infants go in the jogging and/or lightweight twin strollers?

So many options, so I'm so confused!

Help please!!
:mellow:

 

Congrats on the impending arrivals! I've had all three. This worked well for us and financially it was doable: two were gifts and the SNG was bought from Craigslist for $35. I'm sure others will weigh in here. GL!

 

I've had two... A double snap'n go and the baby jogger city mini double. I wouldn't call it a jogging stroller because it has 4 wheels, but the wheels are larger than regular strollers so you can take it about anywhere. I love it. Just wish there was a kind of tray, a more accessible basket, and less recline.

I don't jog so for us a real jogging stroller would be a waste of money.

 

We HAVE several strollers but all we use is this one:
http://www.target.com/Graco-Duoglider-Stro...lers&page=1
The car seats are getting a bit small at this point, though.

 

I came to the same conclusion, eventually (that I needed all three). But here is what I learned from experience:

Until they are about 4-5 months, the Snap & Go is really all you need unless you are doing a lot of outdoor walking, in which case you might want to get a jogging stroller with an attachment for holding two infant carriers. (I think the Bob Revolution can do this -- I don't think the Mountain Buggy can -- and I don't know about other brands of joggers.) The SNG is great indoors, but tends to be a little wobbly (I found) on sidewalks, and it doesn't go off-road at all.

You need the infant-carrier attachment to put a baby under 6 months in a jogging stroller. And even then, you can only walk -- you can't jog with them until they can sit in the stroller without falling over, which is around 6 months.

And you don't need an umbrella stroller until about ~6 months either, because the SNG serves the same purpose -- lightweight and convenient. You can put younger babies in the umbrella stroller, but it's best if it has seats that recline all the way. (Our Maclaren theoretically had that, but it still looked very uncomfy for them until they were at least 3-4 months old.)

If you don't go shopping or to the mall a whole lot, and if you have a large car with an easily accessible trunk, you could get by without the lightweight umbrella stroller. But although we don't use ours often, I find it helpful when I need to drive somewhere and then walk -- the mall, the doctor's office, the library, the farmer's market... We have a station wagon, so the jogger does fit in the trunk and I can get it in & out by myself, but it's no picnic.

You didn't mention the tandem option (like the Duoglider). Personally we had no need for one, but I think people who do a lot of shopping or errands with the twins tend to like them because they are narrower than double joggers or umbrella strollers. They're heavy and you can't really walk/jog with them, but they do usually have snack trays and more storage space.

Does that clear it up at all?

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Dec 17 2008, 03:26 PM) [snapback]1114179[/snapback]
I came to the same conclusion, eventually (that I needed all three). But here is what I learned from experience:

Until they are about 4-5 months, the Snap & Go is really all you need unless you are doing a lot of outdoor walking, in which case you might want to get a jogging stroller with an attachment for holding two infant carriers. (I think the Bob Revolution can do this -- I don't think the Mountain Buggy can -- and I don't know about other brands of joggers.) The SNG is great indoors, but tends to be a little wobbly (I found) on sidewalks, and it doesn't go off-road at all.

You need the infant-carrier attachment to put a baby under 6 months in a jogging stroller. And even then, you can only walk -- you can't jog with them until they can sit in the stroller without falling over, which is around 6 months.

And you don't need an umbrella stroller until about ~6 months either, because the SNG serves the same purpose -- lightweight and convenient. You can put younger babies in the umbrella stroller, but it's best if it has seats that recline all the way. (Our Maclaren theoretically had that, but it still looked very uncomfy for them until they were at least 3-4 months old.)

If you don't go shopping or to the mall a whole lot, and if you have a large car with an easily accessible trunk, you could get by without the lightweight umbrella stroller. But although we don't use ours often, I find it helpful when I need to drive somewhere and then walk -- the mall, the doctor's office, the library, the farmer's market... We have a station wagon, so the jogger does fit in the trunk and I can get it in & out by myself, but it's no picnic.

You didn't mention the tandem option (like the Duoglider). Personally we had no need for one, but I think people who do a lot of shopping or errands with the twins tend to like them because they are narrower than double joggers or umbrella strollers. They're heavy and you can't really walk/jog with them, but they do usually have snack trays and more storage space.

Does that clear it up at all?


YES - it sounds like I'll need all 3... I was just wondering if it was all necessary but I suppose it is. Thanks to everyone for your help!

 

I bought my Snap n Go off of Ebay before my twins were born. I LOVED it! I still miss it... I would check Craigs List or Ebay for one.
Once they were a little older we took them to BRU and tested out some strollers to see what kind I liked best and which aws the most confortable and easy to use. I ended up getting a side-by side McClaren Twin Techno which I like a lot. We also have a double jogger that was given to me by a co-worker but it's huge so I only use it ocassionaly around the neighborhood.

 

you can't live w/out sng in the beginning, youre right!

after that (and cuz i walk or jog every day) we got our bob and hoped to use it as an every day (ie, *mall*) stroller, but i think it's proving to be difficult. getting it in and out of the car is a pain, as is strapping them into a stroller after unstrapping them from car seats. i find myself very often using a single umbrella now and putting one babe into my ergo carrier.... so, we will probably look for another, every day type stroller soon. maybe used, i'm not sure.

in other words, yes, i think you need all 3! (unless you don't acutlaly use your jogger for jogging, in which case you can get something smaller, less intense than a bob and use that every day).

gl and congrats!

 

QUOTE(Minette @ Dec 17 2008, 08:26 PM) [snapback]1114179[/snapback]
I came to the same conclusion, eventually (that I needed all three).


Me too! And in the progression that you listed.

I had the Duoglider first where the car seats go right into it. Either that or the SNG I think is a necessity in the beginning.

Then I went to the Combi SBS Twin Savvy. Nice and lightweight and they like being next to each other and not front to back (no one wanted to ride in the back of the duoglider anymore-it was uncomfortable).

Then I started running and wanted something that I could use for all 3 of my kids at the Disney parks instead of both DH and myself pushing strollers. So we got the Valco Twin Trimode with toddler attachment. I cant say enough awesome things about this stroller!! www.valcobaby.com

Good luck with your search.

 

We only have one stroller.. and it's a regular joe double stroller. It doesn't fit in our car [so we can't go anywhere with them unless it's got shopping carts or to someone's house. We just can't afford it. It would be SO nice to be able to have all three though!!

 

I would say the snap n' go is a must. I bought a Duoglider off of Craigslist for $50. We are taking a cruise and I know a side by side, won't work. We also have a jogger, which I haven't used a whole lot yet. I will use it more next summer when I walk everyday. So, I would say you will probably need all three at some point, depending on what you plan on using them for.

 

I agree w/most of the PP, I had a snap and go and it was a lifesaver now my guys have outgrown their infant seats so we use a schwinn jogging stroller for walks and our shopping/errand stroller is the Baby Planet Unity Sport which folds nicely and fits in the back of our SUV well and it is lightweight compared to all the other stroller that I tested out. I also second the idea of using CraigsList if you want to save some money. I acutally got my snap and go from a fellow twinstuff member who was local for a GREAT price. I had a jogger from craigslist but it wasn't in very good condition (what did I expect for $30, I guess?). I was lucky enough to get a brand new one as a gift for xmas from my parents. Good Luck w/the strollers....there are quite a few to chose from but the ladies here are all VERY helpful.

 

Get the Valco.
If you are active and you plan to use your stroller for outings and walks,
the Valco is totally worth it.
If all you will do is head to the mall, get whatever is at Babies R Us, Target, etc.

Oh, and definitely start out with the Snap and Go. Just sell it when you are done with it
and get 1/2 of your money back.

 

QUOTE(Celten @ Dec 17 2008, 03:24 PM) [snapback]1114174[/snapback]
We HAVE several strollers but all we use is this one:
http://www.target.com/Graco-Duoglider-Stro...lers&page=1
The car seats are getting a bit small at this point, though.


I didn't get to read all of the posts, but this is what we use most too. I had a jogging version of the Snap N Go (not graco and not worth buying) and I liked being able to take the kids into the stroller without waking them up. My boys are light, but long and outgrew their infant seats at 5 months (and they were 33weekers). Luckily I didn't pay for the snap n go or the carseats so I didn't think it was too much of a waste. We also were given the above Duoglider and I use it for the mall/stores/drs office/etc. When the boys were 7 months, I decided to buy a Schwinn jogging stroller to try and lose weight. I LOVE it for walks, the zoo, DH's triathlons, and Disney BUT it does not work for the mall. The good thing about the Duoglider is that it works like a snap n go and can attach 2 infant carriers to it. That way, you will only really need two strollers. That being said, we have nicknamed our Duoglider "the tank" b/c it weighs a lot. Good luck with your decision! It's not an easy one!