Need help from double stroller owners! UPDATE ON PAGE 2

[MommyPoppins]

We have a Graco side by side double that we bought about a year ago. It's not long for this world and we plan on having at least 2 more children. We've decided that we aren't buying cheapo strollers anymore, because they just don't last. Until just recently there haven't been any stores here that sell a nice side by side double stroller. So my questions are these:

What kind do you have?
How much did it cost?
Does it fit easily through doorways?
How much do your kids weigh now? (Ours are about 30lbs each. It pushed just fine when they were little, but now the wheels always get stuck.)
How easily does it fold?
Does it have storage baskets?
How well does it push?
How long has it lasted you?

TIA

 

[mom2jcc]

We have a Combi Twin Savvy. It is a side by side that is light weight but built well. It folds up super easy and even has a shoulder strap to carry. I think it was $199. We bought it when our babies grew out of the infant seats and now they are almost 10 months both weighing 20 lbs. each. I do have friends with toddlers that use this stroller. Never had a problem with any doorway and it is nice to not have to worry if it will fit thru or not!! I can't fit a super big diaper bag in the storage baskets (2), but can fit a backpack down there. It pushes so easy...I push it with one hand and pull my shopping buggy at the grocery store. It steers straight everytime. Hope this helps!!

 

[mommy2twingles]

I will second the combi twin savy. We used this when our boys were little. It was great, folded up small and was easy to get them in and out of. I never had a problem with doorways but sometimes in isles at the store it was crowded (though not the strollers fault, the store just did not have enough space between racks)

 

[tanyaandallie]

What kind do you have? We have a Maclaren Rally Twin
How much did it cost? I paid $179 or something like that. It was for the 2005 model. If you look online you can find some good deals on these strollers. I bought ours at www.ambebaby.com.
Does it fit easily through doorways? It fits fine through doorways.
How much do your kids weigh now?
My ds is about 22 lbs and my dd is about 32+ lbs. It works great with both of them in it.
How easily does it fold? It folds easy and folds down to a pretty small size. The one thing I don't like is that it doesn't stand up on it's own, but it does have a carrying handle.
Does it have storage baskets? Has storage basket but no drink holder
How well does it push? Pushes great
How long has it lasted you? We just bought it for our Nov trip to Disney so haven't had it long.

I test drove a ton of strollers and decided on the Maclaren. It weighs more than the combi and the Peg but I found that it felt much more sturdy than both of them. I also felt like my dd (who is 3) didn't look quite so huge in it.

So far I like it!

 

[3littleHalls]

What kind do you have? Maclaren Twin Traveler
How much did it cost? $350 I think
Does it fit easily through doorways? Yes(taken to many dr appts)
How much do your kids weigh now? (Ours are about 30lbs each. It pushed just fine when they were little, but now the wheels always get stuck.) My kids are now 45lb and 28lb after our last DW trip and it did great
How easily does it fold? fine. no complaints there
Does it have storage baskets? Yes, but no huge, at WDW we use a backpack and hang it on the arms
How well does it push? DH and I are tall(I'm 5'11" and DH 6'1) and we don't have to lean over at all, you do have to lean it back a little to get up on curves.
How long has it lasted you? We were able to use it while #3 was a newborn and still going and she is 2 1/2. Very sturdy, even my 7yr old will ride it in(she is 50lbs and 51" tall)

 

[kellia]

We have the same junk stroller you have! Our twins are about 35 lbs and it doesn't work well for them. We also had an Eddie Bauer double one and that didn't work for twins, made for one big and one little kid, plus it weighed about 60 pounds, so getting it in and out of the van was a PITA! I have heard good things about the Jeep double stroller, we have the singe versions and they push very nice. The singles were about $29, double is about $75. Wish we would have gotten that for our lightweight model sooner!

 

[MommyPoppins]

Thanks everyone. Anymore???

 

[horseshowmom]

There was a really nice one listed over on the budget board. It was $99 on Amazon.com (had been something like $279) and had free shipping. The customer reviews on it were very good. You might want to check over there.

ETA: Copied the information below from the Budget Board

If anyone is in the market for one...Saw this posted on another board @AMAZON $99 marked down from $259 with free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...sim/karensfinds

 

[hardysmom]

We have a Mountain Buggy Urban Double which is an all-terrain with 12" swivel wheels. Cost about $300+, but we had twins when DS was 2 and HAD to have something dependable. I wanted ONE stroller I could use for big walks, zoos, and errands.

Fold is simple and it self-stands, though it certainly isn't tiny and light like the Combi. Great in a SUV/Mini Van, but a pain to load/unload over and over in a standard trunk.

Pushes like a dream, fully loaded, with one hand. Holds 50+ on each side. My kids are about 30 lbs right now and pushing doesn't feel that different than when they were babies. I have an after market cupholder attached. Storage is great.

At 28.5", it is one of the narrowest on the market. Quite a bit narrower than your graco, slightly narrower than the Combi. The trick to a SBS is to make sure it is under 29", which allows you through standard doors. The Valco, another "big" all-terrain, is currently the narrowest on the market, so looks can be deceiving. The steering on my Mb is so nimble that I can steer one handed through a narrow doorway, which is nice when you have other kids on-foot.

Stephanie

 

[fireman17]

We have used a Chicco twin stroller. Super easy to fold especially at the airport when we can gate check it. It is very light, has baskets under the seats and both seats recline so when the kids fall asleep you can lean them back.
I found it great to use going on the Disney buses for the fact that it's not too bulky to carry. We bought a shade cover that works great for the stroller and keeps the sun off of the kids.
You can do a Google search for Chicco stroller and the price goes between $129.00 to $135.00.
I highly recommend this stroller as we have used it for our last four trips to Disney World and it has held up great.

 

[akrake]

i second the rally!!! it's light weight & fits thru doors...wish the basket were bigger....but I like it!!

 

[fenfur]

What kind do you have? We bought a Macclaren Twin Techno
How much did it cost? It was right around $300, usually runs $360 or so
Does it fit easily through doorways? Yep, except super narrow doorways in old buildings (like the crystal shop on Main Street in Disneyland or the Store with the Christmas stuff in it), but WDW should be much more accessible. Basically any doorway you can fit a wheelchair thru, you can fit this stroller thru.
How much do your kids weigh now? One is 30 lbs or so and the other is 38 lbs and it pushes just fine with both or just one in there.
How easily does it fold? Super easy, really compactly too.
Does it have storage baskets? yes, but they are super tiny. But I bought a diaper bag that was made to go on this stroller, it is the Skip Hop Duo DOuble and it holds a TON, and is sooooo easy to clip onto the stroller. We actually use the big outside pockets as cupholders.
How well does it push? Pushes great, only bad thing is that you need to push with 2 hands, so no talking on the phone while pushing it. Unless you have a great neck ear hold.
How long has it lasted you? Just bought it 4 months ago.

I looked and looked for a double stroller for us. I liked the mac because both boys could climb in and out of it by themselves (convienient when getting on and off rides), the handles are taller (I'm 5'8" and Dh is 6'4"), it's a great company everyone I talked too loves their mac.
We lloked at the Combi, but we didn't like the way it kinda wobbles when it is built up. To us it felt not very sturdy.

 

[saffymom]

Another Combi Twin Savvy lover. I think I paid about $250 for mine, but it's the LX or something that an infant seat fits in. I haven't had a problem with doorways at all. It's about the same width as a wheelchair, so anywhere they can go, so can this stroller.

My kids are about 35lbs and 18lbs. I've never had a problem pushing it with both kids in or just one at a time.
Folding it is pretty easy and it takes up very little space in my car's trunk (a Hinda Civic, which is very small!). I would like the storage baskets were a little larger, but since there are two it's not so bad. The bar that holds the wheels in place runs right through it though which makes getting larger things in there tough.

It is so easy to push! DH thought I was crazy for spending so much on a stroller.... until he pushed it! He couldn't believe how easy it was. He was very impressed how well it handled tight corners.
I've had the sroller for about 8 months and it's still holding up great. We're taking it on it's first WDW trip in Feb., so we'll see if I still love it after a week on the buses!

 

[jlstwinmommy]

I too have the Combi Twin Saavy. I just took it to WDW a few weeks ago (the week after Thanksgiving). My twins are 3 and my ds is about 35lbs and my dd is about 30lbs. I love this stroller because it is lightweight and it folds easily. I also have a double jogger (BOB stroller) which pushes much easier than my Combi but is also twice the size and weight of my Combi. I use my jogger when I am going somewhere local that is outdoors (the park or our local Six Flags) and I use the Combi if I need to travel or go to the mall. The only time I have a problem with the wheels on my Combi is when one of my twins locks the wheels in a straight position (which seems to be a great game for them lately). Otherwise, this stroller pushes and steers fine despite their weight.

Hope this helps.

 

[ekball]

We also have a Chicco Citta Twin, and though it isn't the most expensive out there, we are happy with it! Check out these reviews....
http://www.epinions.com/pr-Chicco_Citta_Twin/display_~reviews

Took ours to WDW in Sept. and here's what I found....
*Easy to fold after a little practice.
*No complaints from the kiddos about comfort.
*DS took a number of naps in the stroller thanks to the recline feature and a double Ray Shade that we bought to keep the intense sun off of them (I did not see one stroller that week that had canopies that adequately protected the kids in them - the ray shade is a must for a week at WDW, IMHO).
*Very compact when folded - great on the bus and in the room.
*Nice sized baskets underneath - held all of our cr*p, no problemo!
*Inexpensive, but didn't feel cheap in construction or function.
*Kids were roughly 27 & 32 lbs at trip time - no problems maneuvering or pushing (unless there were people in my way j/k).
*Lastly, I LOVE how little room the chicco takes up in the back of my truck (suv). Also, easy in/easy out.

I'd give it a big overall, and for the price, I wouldn't feel bad if I did have to replace it in a couple of years (but I don't see that happening). OH - and I *think* I got it from Baby Universe...on sale and free shipping when I bought it.

 

[MommyPoppins]

Okay, so I narrowed it down between a combi, maclaren or a inglesena. We went to Babies R Us to try them out. They only had a combi and maclaren(the 400 dollar model, not gonna happen, I'm thinking of the Rally Twin, which I've seen online for 199) Anyway, the combi was awesome as far as folding it up. But it's seemed really unsturdy and the I didn't like how cheapy the baskets seemed(compared to the mac) However, that's as much as I liked. I put my 2 kids in it(around 30-35 pounds each) and it was hard to push, harder than my graco. The wheels kinda like didn't even turn, they were kind of just skidding? (No the breaks were not on) So, was that like a fluke? A bad floor model? Or is that going to be a problem? Doesn't work well with heavier kids?

The mac pushed better, certainly not "one handed" like lots of reviews say, but it was kinda complecated to close up. And only folded down flat, and not in half like the combi was was really neat.

Anyone have a inglesenia? The reviews are good, although it's heavier and doesn't go up steps? (can't imagine needing it to here!)

So that's where I'm at. No where! I really thought I would be blown away by the combi, everyone raves about it. What am I missing?

 

[SnowWitch]

We purchased the Peg Perego at www.amebaby.com a little over a month ago for around $200 w/ free shipping. The same stroller at babiesrus Aria Twin MT Stroller - Rubino is listed at a sale price of $289 today. We haven't had it long & our girls are very yong but it is fabulous, we have a combi single that we took to Disney last year and shopping multiple times prior to Gracies arrival and my main complaint with the combi's is the small storage basket and the bar that goes across the top of the basket. The Peg has a HUGE storage area and great steering!!

 

[MommyPoppins]

We purchased the Peg Perego at www.amebaby.com a little over a month ago for around $200 w/ free shipping. The same stroller at babiesrus Aria Twin MT Stroller - Rubino is listed at a sale price of $289 today. We haven't had it long & our girls are very yong but it is fabulous, we have a combi single that we took to Disney last year and shopping multiple times prior to Gracies arrival and my main complaint with the combi's is the small storage basket and the bar that goes across the top of the basket. The Peg has a HUGE storage area and great steering!!

I couldn't find any good reviews on this stroller, Aria Twin MT Stroller. That's why I ruled it out. Everyone said with a couple bottles of water inthe baskets they drag onthe ground, and that things started falling off after just a few months!

 

[happypooh]

I too am looking at getting a double stroller for my son (just turned 2y) and my baby girl to be (due March)...from what I've read, the inglesina is narrower than the Chicco twin and easier to steer than the maclaren as it has an extra set of handles so you can steer with only one hand. Now, I love love love my maclaren quest (minus the shade which keeps coming off) and I hate my peg aria (bad steering and a cupholder which keeps popping off) so I'm really wondering what to get. There is apparently a new double aria that has a 60/40 seat arrangement which will allow for a car seat to be clicked in (that would be nice) but I don't know if I trust peg enough on the steering esp. when the kids get bigger. There is also a zooper that will carry a car seat too but those are usually really heavy. Talking about heavy but absolutely a dream to steer is that Mountain Buggy Double! Managed to ask a mom who had one when we were having lunch at POFQ and it really is lovely but I'm not sure about trying to haul that thing onto the disney buses! Would love to hear if anyone has done it!
Looks like a toss up between the inglesina swift, maclaren rally or techno (there's also a new one too can't remember the name) and the chicco twin. If money were no object, I'd probably get the Mountain buggy and a maclaren or swift too! Problem is I can just see my son deciding he doesn't want to ride in a stroller which is another reason I'm procrastinating! Sorry this is a long rant..I'm just so strollered out looking at all the options!

 

[disneymom06]

Keep looking. Sometimes they have a sale or sometimes they sell out last years model cheap. I purchased a MacClaren double stoller. It took a while to learn how to fold it correctly, my 12 year old can do it faster than my husband. I hate umbrella strollers but I knew that I would need one for Disney. At the time, my youngest was 11 months and my second stroller child was almost 4yrs old. I have used this stroller on MANY Disney trips and I can tell you it was worth the investment. We will be using the stroller this year and it is 4 years later. I just can't see paying to rent one and I never use a stroller anymore but I know that it is a neccesity in Disney. Need I tell you that much weight has been put into that stroller. It has taken a beating and still rolls well. Last year the combined weight in that stroller was over 100 pounds. I could go on but it was the best investment that I made for our Disney trips.