what stroller did you go with?

Hi there. We have been looking at strollers for a few days now and I must say WOW, I never knew there were so many kinds in such wide price ranges. I am at a loss as to which one to go with. here are a few of the questions I have.



1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?

2. Tandem or side by side?

3. Jogger?

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?

 

we started with a travel system, the graco duoglider that works with the graco snugride car seats. i used it when they were itty bitty and we kept them in their car seats. it's a monster, though, and we drive sedans and it turned out we can't fit the stroller AND groceries in the trunk. we ended up not using it as much because it's such a behemoth. if we had an SUV it would be more of a non-issue.

we just got out first side by side, a combi savvy twin stroller. i love it love it love it love it love it.

 

Thanks for the reply. I have been looking more at side-by-sides. I am leaning toward something that folds easily. I really like the Bumbleride, but I am not sure if I want to spend that much.

 

honestly, for newborns i would still recommend something you can snap the carseat/infant carrier into. what i discovered too late was the graco snap and go stroller frame. it folds down smaller and isn't so heavy. for our purposes, for owning sedans with limited trunk capacity, that would have been a better choice. but having something that we could snap the infant carriers into was crucial. we only just recently got the combi SBS because they're now sitting up well and we're less inclined to want to keep them in their infant carriers when we're out and about.

if you search you'll find other stroller recommendation threads where people gave good feedback on what features to look for and what their preferences were.

 

I recommend snap-n-go stroller as it is lightweight and you can just put their carseats in it. I also recommend SBS jogging stroller for walks. The snap-n-go has tiny wheels and is not good for lawns but is great if you go to stores. I have BOB revolution - it is expensive but very high quality. I also have a cheaper jogging stroller - baby trend - and I am not a fan. It is heavy to push. BOB is much, much better. the BOB reclines well and has large sun canopies.

 

QUOTE(asamac @ Jun 3 2009, 09:20 PM) [snapback]1340179[/snapback]
I recommend snap-n-go stroller as it is lightweight and you can just put their carseats in it. I also recommend SBS jogging stroller for walks. The snap-n-go has tiny wheels and is not good for lawns but is great if you go to stores. I have BOB revolution - it is expensive but very high quality. I also have a cheaper jogging stroller - baby trend - and I am not a fan. It is heavy to push. BOB is much, much better. the BOB reclines well and has large sun canopies.

Thanks I'll check on those. All these decisions! The babies godfather just got in from La and I was talking to him about this verses that blah blah. He just laughed and patted my head. He told me that even if we put them in little red wagon they will turn out just fine and never remember what they were shuffled around in. <_<

 

we had the snap n go to start- it's a must if you have to take them somewhere, but then, I didn't get out much in the beginning.

then we had a loooooooovely inglesina twin swift, it was heavenly, moved smoothly, breezed through doorways, smooth ride- etc, etc...then. a wheel broke off because of the lovely care the baggage folks give at the airport- it was planeside chucked, I mean checked, and it came out busted-- oh so nice when you're trying to get back to your car w/ a toddler, twins, broken stroller, & heavily overloaded baggage cart... but I digress

now, we have a cheap (for twin strollers) jeep side by side-- it does what it must, but it's no twin swift.

and on that note- the godfather is right, sadly, but the lush rides are sooooo nice- just take a cheapie to the airport.

 

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?
I suggest a twin, there will be times you are out by yourself and pushing two strollers will be tough.

2. Tandem or side by side?
I prefer a SBS, the tandem's are long and harder to turn around in places. I have found our SBS fits anywhere that is wheelchair accessible, and most places are now.

3. Jogger?
Only really necessary if you plan to do a lot of jogging. Regular strollers are fine for walking.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?
In my personal opinion, no it's not necessary to get a high end stroller, simply because it's only going to be used for a max of about 2 yrs. My 2.5 yr old now rarely uses a stroller, and when she does she prefers the little umbrella stroller that she can get in and out of easily, and not a big stroller. I personally didn't spend that much on a twin sbs.

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?
We use ours everytime we go out now, to snap the babies in. Once they can sit up we'll likely put them in the cart at the grocery store more, and in high chairs at restaurants. But a stroller is really nice for even just taking them outside before they can sit easily, going shopping, going for walks...etc.

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?
We chose the double snap-n-go for the carseats (snugrides) when the babies were little. Now that it's 90 degree's outside the babes are getting too hot in their carseats when we are outside for any length of time, so we've transitioned to the combi twin sbs. LOVE IT!! Lightweight, folds easily (tri-fold design), has individual reclining seats and individual seat canopies, cup holders for the babes. The downfalls....small baskets underneath and the canopies are a bit short if the sun is at an angle. I use a backpack for a diaperbag anyways so I just leave it on my back, and for the most part the canopies are working fine but if they don't, I can buy a bigger canopy to attach overtop of them.

It's hard trying to figure out what is the best, and the best for each person is different. For us, money was a consideration since we already have 2 kids, we needed economical pricing but needed a good stroller. The combi twin was the right stroller in our price range. I also much prefer having the full handle across the stroller rather than umbrella type handles, it makes one handed pushing a breeeeeeeze!

Make a list of what you'd prefer and then find the stroller that best matches your needs!

 

I started with the snap n go at first. It's like driving a school bus, but it was by far easier than taking them in and out of their carseats when they were little. It's very easy to fold up and it's lightweight.

I would definitley get a double and not two singles unless you were ALWAYS going to have someone with you?? It's probalby not bad to have two (maybe cheap umbrellas when they are bigger), but definitley would have a double.

I ended up getting the bumbleride indie twin and I love it!! I do jog with it and it's so easy to push. It is big pushing it around in stores, etc - but any double stroller will be. It fits easily through a single door. It's kind of big and heavy to fold up, but I don't have trouble doing it by myself. It is a bit pricey, but I have never regretted buying it.

 

I highly recommend the Snap n' Go at first. It's so easy and lightweight. We got a Duoglider for a cruise we took and for shopping, doctor's. Anywhere a side by side won't fit in narrow spaces. I have a side by side jogger for walks and I use it a lot in the nice weather. I'm finding they are starting to fight in the side by side. If one has something, the other grabs it. I'm hoping it's a phase. I would like to invest in a lightweight side by side at some point too. How many strollers do I need? My mom has 2 umbrella strollers that she uses too. It's great when you have someone else to push one, but not practical for a twin mommy. Good luck with your decision. We have all been there and I still don't know what I want.

 

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?
I would go with a twin stroller.

2. Tandem or side by side?
We had both. We started with the Graco Duoglider and then eventually got a Combi Twin Savvy. If I had to do it over again I would have gotten a snap-n-go for when the beginning and then the Combi after that.

3. Jogger?
We had a jogger as well. We used it for walks/trails. If you get one I recommend getting one with a swivel front wheel.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?
I found most twin strollers are prety pricey to begin with.

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?
I used it almost daily probably until they were about 3. It was the only way I could go out with them and get anything done.

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?
I don't have one anymore, but my favorite was the Combi Twin Savvy!

 

QUOTE(lalalauren @ Jun 3 2009, 08:30 PM) [snapback]1340051[/snapback]
Hi there. We have been looking at strollers for a few days now and I must say WOW, I never knew there were so many kinds in such wide price ranges. I am at a loss as to which one to go with. here are a few of the questions I have.

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin? I think it's better to have a double for when it's one person - or just to free up the second person to carry/push other things.

2. Tandem or side by side? For us, the answer is both. We had a tandem to start because you can put two infant seats in a tandem, but not a SBS. Now, we also have a SBS that we love for a lot of things, but we still use our tandem because we are into the whining because one touched the other/stole a toy/looked at the other funny stage.

3. Jogger? Our SBS is a jogger. I love the manueverability of it even when I'm not actually jogging.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better? I love the high end ones and wish I could afford them, but we have two strollers, each in the $225-250 range, both of which have served their purpose well.

5. How much do you actually use a stroller? ALL THE TIME. I don't intend for my children to know it's possible to walk in a store until they are at least 3. It's a stroller or two kids running in opposite directions.

6. what kind do you have and do you like it? For tandem, we have a Graco Quatro Tour, and we like it a lot. It's big and heavy, but it's a double stroller. It took two infant seats, has snack trays/cups for the kids, nice pattern, a bit heavy to push but great for stores. For SBS, we have a Baby Trend jogger. I love it. I think it's easy to push, extremely manueverable, turns well, etc. We use it for the zoo, walks, etc. No tray for the kids, but there are pockets we can put sippies in, and we just give them snack cups.

 

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?
I would go with a twin stroller.

2. Tandem or side by side?
We have both. I have the Graco Duo Glider and a sbs jogger. Originally we had a Snap N Go type jogger. It was free or we would have just used the Graco. It is heavy, but I'm getting strong arm muscles b/c of it!

3. Jogger?
We have a Schwinn jogger (swivel front is a must) and love it. It's great for our daily walks and trips to the zoo/Disney/etc.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?
If you are just going to get one, I would get a high end City series one. B/t the two we have we spent over $300 already and I'd like a sbs!

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?
I've used a stroller every day since they were about 3 months old. At least 3x's a week before that. I can't handle sitting at home all day. Just this week (boys are 20.5months) I have started taking them into restaurants and library storytime w/out the stroller but I always have a friend with me to help inside.

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?
I have the Graco Duo Glider and I think the Quattro Tour is much nicer and better quality. You can find a good deal on them right now at allbeebaby.com. We bought our Schwinn on eBay and I really like it for walks but wish it had a snack tray. It also does not fit through all doors so I don't take it out unless I know we are going somewhere with automatic doors (like Walmart or Target). I would like a SBS but honestly, I don't need it.

 

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin? we have three, a double snap and go for travel, a single SNG for when i go out with one baby and the baby jogger city mini for everyday use. i love the baby jogger stroller, if you're looking for something easy to close, this is your stroller. the DSNG isn't good for every day use in the city, just not sturdy enough.

2. Tandem or side by side? the DSNG is so hard to push, i love my SBS

3. Jogger? we looked at these (including the bumbleride) and felt most were too big to negotiate thru crowded city steets and narrow store aisles. the bumbleride isn't as big, but it's new and i'm not sure if they've worked the bugs out yet.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better? the city mini isn't cheap, we paid $400; but in NYC it's totally worth it becuase it's my "car"

5. How much do you actually use a stroller? everyday, anytime i leave the apartment

6. what kind do you have and do you like it? see above, i love the citi mini

 

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin? Personally we have a tandem, a side by side, and a single stroller.

2. Tandem or side by side? both. When they are really little the tandems where the car seats can snap right in are AWESOME. However, generally as the babies get bigger the tandem strollers get harder and heavier to push. I love our side by side (combi twin sport) but its definately harder to take places like grocery shopping-so for stuff like that we still use the tandem

3. Jogger? If you want to exercise/jog with the babies definately. If not its not necessary but joggers are most often higher end and therefore steer and handle a little better.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better? not really. We started with a bumbleride indie twin and just werent satisfied with it and we paid $650 for it, so we traded it in for the $200 combi and are perfectly content with it. However, if you plan on using a stroller TONS and have the money they arent bad strollers...but for us we're just fine with the Combi.

5. How much do you actually use a stroller? pretty often-walks, grocery store, dr's appts

6. what kind do you have and do you like it? The tandem stroller we have is the Graco Quattro Tour Duo-and yes I do like it, folding/unfolding is amazingly easy!! The side by side we have is the Combi Twin Sport-definately like it.

 

1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?
Definately a twin stroller

2. Tandem or side by side?
I heard the side by side ones were harder to manuver by a couple women who had them.

3. Jogger?
Don't have one

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?
Not sure....

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?
A LOT, definately more than I thought I would. My girls are 14 months and we still use the stroller a lot! In fact our stroller is getting beat up from so much use. LOL

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?
We have a Graco double stroller that has the SnugRide car seats that click in. It has been great. When the girls were small we'd just pull out their carseats and plop them in the stroller. When they graduated from the infant seats, and started sitting up in the stroller seats, it has still worked really well. I really like it a lot and has made the hassle a lot less considering there is twice as much of everything we need now

 

here's a quick question...

i've been looking at car seats and strollers. i have a small backseat in my car and the car seat that fits best is the chicco keyfit 30. i've also been wanting a snap 'n' go frame, but the baby trend won't fit the keyfit 30 (i tried yesterday at BRU). does anyone know of a double snap 'n go that will fit the keyfit 30????

 

Oh, the great stroller debate...I'll tell you what I did, any why. I feel what I did worked perfectly--for us. Everyone is different.

We started out with the double snap n go...and loved it! Easy to fold, light to carry, and the huge basket underneath was great for grocery shopping. (It's kinda hard to push a stroller AND a cart!)

The next stroller we got was the Mountain Buggy Urban Double. This stroller was really easy to push. The four wheels made turning so easy. And you really can push with one finger, as advertised. Folds us nice, and is a bit heavy. We only had this for a couple weeks and then we sold it because it didn't work as well for us (because my singleton toddler) and we bought....

...the Valco Twin Tri-Mode with Toddler Seat. This stroller has been my lifesaver. I like to go out for a walk almost every day, and I like to walk when I have to run to the store for just a few things, or to walk to parks and playgroups. I have found that the all-terrain strollers are a necessity for me because sidewalks aren't always even and I need the larger tires. If I didn't need the third seat I probably would choose the MBUD over the Valco. Just my preference. It doesn't fold up as easily and doesn't push as well. But I also had used versions of both, so I don't know what the newer models are like.

Our last, and final, stroller purchase has been the Peg Perego Twin Aria. We felt like a lightweight stroller is a necessity for traveling now that they have grown out of the snap n go. I keep this stroller in my car and use it when we go to storytime or anywhere else where I feel like I need them contained. I keep the Valco set up in the garage, as it is harder to fold and heavy to lift.

All strollers were purchased used, on craigslist, so don't think that I'm made of money or something. I'm actually very frugal and I'm so surprised that I have spent so much on strollers, but I really have found that it is necessary with twins.

 

QUOTE(lalalauren @ Jun 3 2009, 08:30 PM) [snapback]1340051[/snapback]
1.Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?

2. Tandem or side by side?

3. Jogger?

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?


1. A twin stroller for sure! We started with the Graco Duoglider and snapped in the car seats for 5 months. That was a lifesaver to be able to load them in the house and then get them to the car and just snap them in. We also got a Combi Twin Savvy SBS for quick trips around the neighborhood. Once they outgrew their infant seats the Combi was the way to go. Nice and lightweight. We also purchased a Valco Twin Trimode.

2/3. We have a high end Valco Twin Trimode and for us it was worth every penny!! I can jog easily with the boys or just take it out for the day to the Mall or Park.

4. My Valco was better for us. We needed the toddler attachment for my older DD when she was smaller. But I also wanted a nice stroller to take to the Disney parks where the boys could sleep comfortably if need be. I also wanted a jogger to get the weight off at some point. So the Valco was the stroller for us. It is very heavy to get in and out but I can push with one hand, it has a great cup holder for my coffee, it has snack tray attachments so I can serve them a meal in the stroller instead of taking them out and putting them in highchairs, I could contain all 3 kids if I needed to just get out to the Mall or Target for a change of scenery, and I can run with the twins.

5. I use the stroller pretty much everyday and my twins are 2.5 years old.

6. Graco Duoglider, Combi Twin Savvy (Twin Sport), and a Valco Twin Trimode.

 

I really like Peg Perego Duette stroller, there are 5 positions how you can put carseats or seats. I walk a lot and it is like jogger, also has a stearing weal.

 

1. Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?
Like some others above, we have three, a twin jogger side by side, a single Peg Perego stroller (had with my first born) and a tandem twin.

2. Tandem or side by side?
We have both. We used the Peg Perego tandem Duette for trips where we wanted to click the car seats in and the side by side for walks around the neighborhood or anywhere that we walked to and didn't need the car seats.

3. Jogger?
If you go outdoors a lot and plan on taking it in the grass and other terrain (i.e. to a soccer game where you have to walk a ways to the field on grass), I highly recommend the jogger because of the wheels. I hate our single Peg Perego because it was horrible in grass. I would have rather taken the baby out and carried her in one arm and the stroller in the other LOL.

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?
Not necessarily. Look at the important features and see if they are the same or similar. For us the big things were the wheels, weight, seat size and features such as padding, recline, etc., the canopy for sun (our City Elite has a flap on top so you can look into the stroller without having to stop and go to the front.

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?
All the time, even when I go out to weed the garden I put them in it to have them nearby.

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?
I absolutely LOVE our Peg Perego Duette (tandem). You can position the car seats so both face you, both face outward, both face inward (so they would be able to look at each other), or one facing you and one facing front. The basket is huge below the seats too and the whole thing is sooo lightweight. Much lighter than my Peg Perego Aria single stroller and that was the lightweight one. We also have the City Elite jogger that we also love but it is quite heavy but we don't care because you only lift it once when you get it out of the vehicle and once when you put it back in so we didn't mind. I really like having our single stroller as well so we have when we take one baby out. I am not a big fan of that stroller though and I think the full size Peg Perego would have been much better. The tires on our Aria seem pretty flimsy. I found that the tires make all the difference!

 

I forgot to mention that we got our Peg Perego Duette from Craigslist for $100! It also came with two car seats and two bases. We had two Peg Perego car seats already so we didn't use the ones we got on CL.

 

I have twin tandem stroller ~ absolutely love it and it's easy to push. You can use both of your infant carriers and then it also comes with the "regulare" seats and there are different ways you can face them. Check out the website: http://www.kolcraft.com/product.aspx?id=16...shopby=category

The only thing I don't like about it is that it's kind of bulky to lift into the back of the van but I'm thinking you might get that with any tandem stroller. It folds up really easy and stores well.

GL with your decision!

 

Whether or not you need an expensive stroller depends on where you live. If you live in one of the major northeastern cities (or Chicago) and need your stroller to perform on cobblestone, on ice, in snow, city sidewalks... Then yes, don't waste time in a cheaper stroller that won't serve your needs

I'm in downtown Boston and got the phil & teds vibe and I love it so much. It's narrow enough to go through aisles at the deli, baby GAP, etc. Light enough for me to haul up 3 flights of my brownstone. Versatile enough to jog with. It's one bad a$$ stroller. No one minds sitting on the bottom and I used it from birth. In early days I used bassinet mode and put them both in swaddled up.

We never used a snap n go. When we used a car we'd just wear them when we got to our destination or we brought the stroller along. We didn't use the car much though and even now only really have the kids in it a few times a month. I use the stroller everyday

 

First I want to say thank you to everyone for taking the time to answer. My FIL has decided that a stroller will be his gift to the boys (yay for papaws!) We are going to go stroller shopping tomorrow, I think we have decided to get two at this point. One to leave at Kaila's dad's ranch, this will have to be a jogger, or somthing that rills easy over grass and uneven places. The other I think we will go with the Combi, just by going on the recommendations but I'm not sure I still wnt to look at them. I watched the movie Baby Momma today and had to laugh at the scene where she is stroller shopping and buys the one with airbags! Kai and I were both like "OH OH DO THEY REALLY MAKE THOSE"

I did actually make an impulse purchase early on in the pregnancy. I got an old silver cross pram at a flea market for $150. I think it is so beautiful. It isn't practical at all and I doubt we will ever use it. Right now we have it in the nursery just as decoration.

 

QUOTE(lalalauren @ Jun 5 2009, 09:05 PM) [snapback]1343140[/snapback]
The other I think we will go with the Combi, just by going on the recommendations

I just posted about the Combi and finding it wobbly. There are others who agreed. I was so disappointed in this stroller. It just didn't feel right even though the boys looked very comfortable. They both had their 7 mos feet up on the bar!

 

QUOTE(Jennifer2008 @ Jun 5 2009, 09:03 PM) [snapback]1343241[/snapback]
I just posted about the Combi and finding it wobbly. There are others who agreed. I was so disappointed in this stroller. It just didn't feel right even though the boys looked very comfortable. They both had their 7 mos feet up on the bar!


well then IDK. I am going to look at them all closely. My friend is coming along with her 1 year old and newborn to be our test subjects LOL! Thanks for the info

 

1. Is it better to have two stollers? Or a twin?
If you will always have someone with you, then 2 could work, however, for those times you just wanna get out of the house for a walk for 20 minutes.. a twin is more your style.
2. Tandem or side by side?
I tried out the tandems in toysrus, and hated them. They are long, so you have to get used to navigating sharp corners like a semi truck. I don't know about the US, but in canada, there are no tandem strollers that have the bicycle wheels on them, Which i have found extremely important in a stroller.

3. Jogger?
The best way to go if you plan on going anywhere other than the mall with the stroller. Joggers, you can take to the beach, on gravel, to the park, on trails etc etc

4. What about the high end jobbies? Are they really any better?
I agree with a PP. The bells and whistles that I find are really nice to have are : Cup holders for mom, a little window on the canopy to see the babes, a turning front wheel ( if you go with a jogger), seperatly fully reclining seats ( for newbies or very sleepy toddlers!) and a good amount of storage space beneath the seats.

5. How much do you actually use a stroller?
Every day! We walk everynight after dinner with the dog, and sometimes in the mornings too. And then if I go to the mall, theyre in the stroller, and same for the grocery store.

6. what kind do you have and do you like it?
Baby Trend Expedition SBS. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT. It's a bit bulky in the folded fashion, but we have a minivan AND a pickup, so space isnt an issue. It's a bit on the heavier side, but I have definately seen worse. I LOVE the fact that it has speakers in the canopy with MP3 Player hookup, I have downloaded the same songs they sleep too at home onto my mp3 player and play that if we're out and about during naptime. works like a charm! The front wheel can be locked for jogging, or unlocked for easy turning. 1 BIG downside is that it's a few inches wider than standard door jams, but we don't have a problem with that (yet) because we haven't taken it anywhere other than outside, to the mall, and the grocery store. It does fit thru the automatic door at the mall which is nice. It's exclusive to toysrus, and here in canada goes for $269.99