OT: DuoGlider vs TakeMeToo vs BabyTrend Sitnstand

[staci]

Hi everyone!

Trying to decide on a double stroller. Dont know for sure if we will even spend the money or not.

Mainly to be used around the mall and on cement walking trail near our home.

DS will be 2 yrs 9 mo when the baby is born. ( He is about 28 lbs right now, about 50%ile) I would like to use this stroller around 2 years.

We can only spend about 130 or less on a double, and even that is pushing it for our budget right now.

I would appreciate any feedback on the Evenflo Take Me Too, Graco DuoGlider, the new BabyTrend Sit and Stand at Target, or any other double in that price range.

I am pretty low maintenance, but some type of basket is required, as well as at least one seat that reclines or holds an infant seat for the baby. I also would prefer some type of sunshade for the baby.

Thanks for any input!! We have pushed all three around the store, but I know that sometimes things seem different once you get them home and use them awhile.

 

[rt2dz]

I have the BAby Trend sit-n-stand and I passionately hate that stroller. IMO, it was the biggest waste of money. The basket is large, but impossible to get to, even when the older child isn't sitting/standing. It's very hard to turn also and my kids are super skinny (My 5yo is the height of 8 yo but still is only 37 lbs). The seats are narrow and my very petite 24 month can hardly sit it in, and he is the size of the average 14 month old.

I also have The Evenflo Take me too stroller. It's not bad. I can steer it well. The basket is large & accessable. It doesn't take up too much room in my small cargo room of my SUV. It's light, especially for a double. The kids can nap comfortably in it, front or back--with or without the carrier in use. The front canopy is small, but a ray shade fixes that. I could also use a couple of extra cup holders. I also like the fact that it holds the car seat-carrier. Bonus, this thing is cheap, $89 at Walmart.

Can't help you with the Graco.

FYI--My kids are 5, 2, and 5 months

 

[PrincessasMommy]

Another vote for the Evenflo Take Me Too!
It's our mall/neighborhood stroller and I love it. It's light (for a double), has a decent size basket, has a step for my 3 year old to get in and out herself and ful recline on the back seat for when the little one sleeps. I find the shade adequate, just put a sheet over it to fully cover. I have a double jogger too and I find this tandem the easier of the 2. It fits in skinny aisles in the mall, it folds easily and it fits any carseat in the back.
I too have heard alot of negative comments on the sit and stand. What if the older one is tired and they both need to lean back? It will happen.

Good Luck with your choice!

 

[staci]

Thanks for the input.

We just started looking, and I have heard a lot of people online say that the sit and stand was recently redone and the new one is much better? I read a lot of negative reviews but some of the more recent ones are very positive.

We drove it around target with just ds in it, and it was easy to manuver, I am just mainly concerned about the bench seat with that one.

Im glad to hear good things about the evenflo. It is 40 dollars cheaper than the duoglider and that concerned me as I thought maybe it was not as good or something.

Thanks again! Any more opinions would be great!

 

[3PRINCESSMOM]

My two middles, (princess #2 and princess #3) are the closest in age, 2yrs 3 mths between them. My sister said "The Peg Perago twin is the best. You have to get it. It is SO worth it." It would have been a stretch to our budget at the time. I hemmed and hawed, but finally just bought a Graco DuoGlide, (OT, but got a discontinued plaid fabric for under $100...great deal). The most important part of this post is that this stroller worked great for us. However, we only used the double for about a year. The older of the 2 wanted to walk herself often, and times when I'd do the mall run or take a neighborhood walk would be when Princess #2 was in preschool. If we had ever invested in the Peg Perago I would have been beside myself!

Bottomline, get a functional but affordable double because in my experience you won't use it nearly as much as you may think, unless you are a serious walker or runner. Now my friend is a runner and she swears the best money she ever spent was on her double jogger.

 

[rt2dz]

Thanks for the input.

We just started looking, and I have heard a lot of people online say that the sit and stand was recently redone and the new one is much better? I read a lot of negative reviews but some of the more recent ones are very positive.

We drove it around target with just ds in it, and it was easy to manuver, I am just mainly concerned about the bench seat with that one.

Im glad to hear good things about the evenflo. It is 40 dollars cheaper than the duoglider and that concerned me as I thought maybe it was not as good or something.

Thanks again! Any more opinions would be great!

My sit-n-stand is the 2005 model. We didn't buy it right away, my oldest DS wasn't really using the stroller so the single worked well. There were just a few times (Sea World) that we really needed it--why we got the sit-n-stand. But anyhow, I've seen the 2006 model, and there isn't much of a difference. I drove that stroller through babies r us with kids in it for some time, and didn't think it was any worse than any other double they had. It wasn't until I got it in the real world that I started having problems. I have not driven the new model, but I don't *see* any differences.

I also have a double jogger that I love (schwinn). But that is my outing (WDW, zoo, Sea World, etc)/walking/roller blading stroller. For the mall and routine things I use the Evenflo; it's an everyday stroller.

 

[Twingle]

We had the Graco for our twin DD's, and I HATED IT. It was very heavy, hard to turn corners, the sunshades did not cover the babies, I could go on and on.

I would recommend taking your children to the store and trying out the models they have there. That way you can see what they are comfortable in, and what is easiest for you.

Good luck!

 

[staci]

My sit-n-stand is the 2005 model. We didn't buy it right away, my oldest DS wasn't really using the stroller so the single worked well. There were just a few times (Sea World) that we really needed it--why we got the sit-n-stand. But anyhow, I've seen the 2006 model, and there isn't much of a difference. I drove that stroller through babies r us with kids in it for some time, and didn't think it was any worse than any other double they had. It wasn't until I got it in the real world that I started having problems. I have not driven the new model, but I don't *see* any differences.

I also have a double jogger that I love (schwinn). But that is my outing (WDW, zoo, Sea World, etc)/walking/roller blading stroller. For the mall and routine things I use the Evenflo; it's an everyday stroller.

Thanks for the info!! I know things can seem different once out of the store.
Do you have problems getting the double jogger into your trunk? I would consider spending a little more for one, except I really hesitate due to size. We had a single jogger for ds for awhile, but it was just too cumbersome to get in and out of the trunk (olds. intrigue). I also think it would seem big to use in stores, and we cant get both.

Thanks again for the info!

 

[staci]

My two middles, (princess #2 and princess #3) are the closest in age, 2yrs 3 mths between them. My sister said "The Peg Perago twin is the best. You have to get it. It is SO worth it." It would have been a stretch to our budget at the time. I hemmed and hawed, but finally just bought a Graco DuoGlide, (OT, but got a discontinued plaid fabric for under $100...great deal). The most important part of this post is that this stroller worked great for us. However, we only used the double for about a year. The older of the 2 wanted to walk herself often, and times when I'd do the mall run or take a neighborhood walk would be when Princess #2 was in preschool. If we had ever invested in the Peg Perago I would have been beside myself!

Bottomline, get a functional but affordable double because in my experience you won't use it nearly as much as you may think, unless you are a serious walker or runner. Now my friend is a runner and she swears the best money she ever spent was on her double jogger.

Thanks, it is nice to hear that.

I get all worked up that I 'need' a peg or something, but in reality I know that isnt true. Honestly, in the midwest, most everyone has a graco. That is just what is widely available here.

 

[rt2dz]

Thanks for the info!! I know things can seem different once out of the store.
Do you have problems getting the double jogger into your trunk? I would consider spending a little more for one, except I really hesitate due to size. We had a single jogger for ds for awhile, but it was just too cumbersome to get in and out of the trunk (olds. intrigue). I also think it would seem big to use in stores, and we cant get both.

Thanks again for the info!

I have a full size SUV, and can fit it in the cargo area. The Schwinn folds better than our old single jogger. But I still can't fit it in as well as I did in my old SUV (Mid size has a larger cargo area). I don't think you would have much problems getting it into the typical car trunk. It fits nicely in DH's vehicle--just not the three car seats.

What you really need to do is evaluate how you will use your stroller most often. I keep the Evenflo in the car. I use it 5 out of 7 days per week. For the normal things, this is a great stroller. I will be honest. I bought it because I had a neighbor who liked it really well and it was cheap. The double strollers I liked wouldn't take a carrier. So I bought this one until DS#3 outgrew the carrier. Then I was going to get a "nice" one. I just can't justify why I would need another stroller. This one isn't hard to use and more than does the job. It would be a waste of money to upgrade to another stroller and I can't really see what I would gain from it. This is my double until it falls apart & I don't see it happening anytime in the next two years. We do plan on #4.

Now if the only time I used a stroller was for excerise or for major outings (WDW), then I'd stick with the jogger. But the jogger isn't good for the mall & other stores. At WDW it is good because it is no wider than the rental doubles and their stores are set up to accomadate those.

 

[belle&beast]

I have had really good luck with my Evenflo Take Me Too. We purchased it online when it came out in 2003 and have been using it ever since with no problems. We just returned from a week at WDW and used it the whole time and were glad to have our stroller with us. My DD4 and DS2 take turns sitting in the back which is more comfortable, but they can both fit in either spot. I don't think you will be disappointed with the Evenflo especially for the cost- it was $149 when we bought it!

 

[staci]

Thanks! You guys awesome! It is nice to get some 'real' reviews of these stroller.

Those of you with the takemetoo or duogliders, how do they do with sidewalks? We live in a 1970's neighborhood, and some of the sidewalks have settled out a bit, so there are some little bumps at the seams.

I have a big garage sale double (7 years old) that I used last summer with the daycare kids. I have to LIFT it over the 1" or less bumps becuase the wheels cant make it - they just stop.

My little cheapo graco umbroller does fine on the cracks, as well as my graco big travel system.

Thanks again for all the input so far!!!