Double stroller - in-line or side by side?

[JessieBird]

I'm not sure where to post this so feel free to move if there is a better place for it.

#2 is on the way and I am thinking about double strollers already. How do you decide whether an in-line or side by side model is best for you?

If you care to share a specific recommendation, here are our needs:

- will start to use next spring, baby will be about 6 mos, toddler will be about 28 mos

- don't need to be able to use infant seat with it

- will use both for walks around our house (packed dirt roads and gravel trails, all level and in good condition) and when shopping

- will use it 1-2 times per week for 1-4 hrs per time (will babywear the rest of the time) walking only, no jogging

- no preference between three or four wheels as long as the front wheels isn't/aren't double, front wheel(s) must swivel

- for comparison, we currently have an UppaBaby Vista and love everything about it

- am willing to spend $$ for quality

Thanks! All advice is welcome!

[Joyster]

I have three double strollers. One, Peg Perego DH insisted on, a Graco we bough for the inlaws and now has somehow ended up in my basement, and a Joovy caboose. Honestly, we got the most use out of the caboose. DS2 was born in winter (it was a bad one in 2007) so a lot of our walking was done indoors, so the smaller stroller came in handy. Also DS1 is 26 months older and at that time wanted to WALK so the flexibility came in handy. If we were going somewhere really tight or crowded we'd often put DS1 in a Maclaren and DS2 either carried or in another suitable baby stroller.

The dirt packed roads and gravel though has me leaning towards a 3 wheeled stroller. Which is also good if you decide to plow through snow or sand. Of that, I have no experience.

[russsk]

I have a Phil & Ted's inline, and I love it. I can drive over pretty much anything. I live in the city, but some of the sidewalks are really terrible! Baby #2 isn't here yet, but I have used the second seat with another toddler, and it worked great. I really like that the second seat just pops off, so if DS decides he doesn't want to sit in the stroller I'm not stuck having to get a new one for just the baby.

I have a small house and only one kid at the moment, so that's why I went for the inline. I know they say the side-by-sides can fit through a regular door, but I can see that being a huge hassle for me, trying to pull a huge stroller up the stairs only to find that I can't open the door all the way because there's a dump truck or ride-on behind it. As it is, I really appreciate the smaller stroller and being able to fit through a door I can only open half way.

[Red Pajama]

http://www.joggingstroller.com/home.jsp

Go here, and use the search features to figure out what you really want. They have many different price points, and reviews of models...

Saying all that, for walks, I like a side-by-side. I've got the Tyke tech 360. I also use it at the library.

I prefer to baby wear when shopping, but I hated shopping with the stroller. Although it fits through doors, and is "wheelchair width", so one would assume it could go almost anywhere, it is too wide for most store displays.

If shopping is important to you, I'd consider a single width stroller.

[MtBikeLover]

We had an inline Phil and Ted's and loved it!! We used it everywhere - up in the mountains on very rocky terrain, pavement, malls, etc. It was wonderful!

[GAjenn]

I LOVE my BOB double revolution. It is kind of big for shopping, but awesome for everything else.

[pauletoy]

We have a Graco in-line and a InStep side by side double jogging stroller. We have not used the Graco in more than a year. Both dh and I love the swivel wheel jogging stroller. You can't beat it's smooth steering. It's rolls effortlessly over any surface. I love it!

We are not big shoppers. We have taken it to the mall a couple of times. It will fit through all the doors but you can't go through narrow clothing racks. This is not an issue for us but may be something for you to consider if shopping is your thing.

[Boot]

We have the Uppababy too. LOVE IT! Did you know you can get a jump seat for it? That might be your answer. I would have got it but our son is already 3 and 35 pounds so I just make him walk!

[khanni]

I second the Joovy Caboose. It is really easy to steer. Don't get the Baby Trend Sit N' Stand for sure. That thing is a bear.

I like the Joovy Caboose for several reasons. It is compact and fits in our tiny car. It is narrow and is easy to steer, so good for many uses (including the farmers market which gets really crowded). The older child can sit, stand, or walk. It's not much bigger than a single stroller, so we got rid of our single and will use it with 1 kid or 2. It's lightweight. It's really worked for us.

The only issue I've had with it is when my kids are cranky (they are now 2 and 4.5) and start bonking each other's head or whatever. But, if they were in a side-by-side, I think they'd tug each other's hair or hit each other or whatever when they're in that mood anyway. The other thing is, the kid in the back doesn't really have the option of falling asleep. This hasn't really been an issue, but there were a couple of times my daughter complained about it.

Mostly, my kids walk now, but I still bring it along for long walks in case one or both of them get tired, and pushing it around when it's empty doesn't really bother me since it is so easy to steer. And, I can put my goods from the farmers market in the basket.

[mbhf]

Phil and Teds, definitely. It sounds ideal for your situation, I just got mine but I wish I had taken the plunge years ago! It's the size of a single jogger, and it's so easy to push even with 60 pounds in it. I can easily steer it around with one hand even on bumpy terrain. I love it because my 3yo is getting to the point where he doesn't always want to ride in the stroller and is reliable enough to walk with me but sometimes he does want to get in, and for long walks and boring trips my older kids want a turn in the stroller too, but sometimes it's just the baby and when I had a different double I was always wondering why I even bothered with bringing the double because only one child (or no child) was in it and I has this big stroller anyway.

I have a big beautiful Bertini double but it is a beast, I am always worried it won't make it through a doorway (it always has, except interior doors in my house) and no way would I take it shopping. I assumed it was considerably larger than most side by sides, but it's really not any wider than my friends double jogger. I had a side by side maclaren that was okay for the mall and walks around the neighborhood but even it was too wide to fit in many store aisles and of course the wheels weren't up to much that wasn't paved.

[mamadelbosque]

If I could go back in time to 2006/7 when we got our first stroller I'd ask for a phil'n teds. I've almost never used the jogging stroller we do have, and while I like my baby planet stroller, I keep wishing I had a secondary seat so that both boys could ride, at least some of the time. Part of me keeps debating about selling both strollers I have now and buying a phil'n teds, but I just can't quite justify. If I *ever* saw one used for a half-way decent price though I'd buy it in a heart beat.

[LuckyMommaToo]

Another vote for Phil and Ted's. Still using ours as a single almost four years later. If you want to go the side-by-side route, my SIL adores her Mountain Buggy Urban Double.
-e

[marrymeflyfree]

I have the Rumbleseat attachment on our Uppababy Vista...works very well for us! I love that I can switch it to a single if need be (if I'm wearing LO, for instance). So versatile. Mine is an older model, but it was a very simple process to do the retrofit. They sent us a shipping box. My two are close in age as well, 17 months apart. They're now 5.5 months and 22 months. The older one loves her special little seat.

[dogretro]

Phil & Ted's. Have used it as a double w/ two babies twice now & it has been worth every single expensive penny.

[mummyofan]

bob for most things and a combi for the shops (bob's kinda big)
Phil and Teds, I found splashed my DD when it's wet and she could reach the guard rail/cover thing, didn't like it, but that's just me and not trying to diss it!!!

Bob pushes like a cloud, even up the hill, where there are lots of bumps, and on gravel, you don't notice it, but it feels too big for dept stores (not that I go much now!!) The combi is no narrower, just less footprint.

[starlein26]

I read about this stroller and I'm impressed! Too bad I'm not on the market for a new stroller. http://www.babyjogger.com/city_select_lp.aspx

[Tjej]

It's been over 4 years (over 2 with 2 kids) and we really really love our Phil n Teds. When the road is wet/mucky the kid in back may get dirty. We got ours before they started having the covers on the back wheels, so our kids get splattered a bit and I suppose they could stick their fingers in there if they wanted to hurt them, but they haven't (I really shouldn't say that and tempt fate, should I?).

It's a little long in stores, but it gets around fine and is really not much bigger than a single. So it's very okay for shopping (not perfect, but what stroller is?). For us, I rarely use it in stores and when using a stroller I just have a cheap umbrella stroller in the trunk that one kid can ride in and the other can be carried (if baby) or walk (if responsible and older) or hitch a ride on the back (standing on the rear bar and holding the handle while I push).

Tjej

[peaceful_mama]

In line 100%!

the side by sides don't fit through doorways IME.

[treegardner]

Originally Posted by starlein26

I read about this stroller and I'm impressed! Too bad I'm not on the market for a new stroller. http://www.babyjogger.com/city_select_lp.aspx

Wow!

[WC_hapamama]

If you already like your Vista, just get the toddler/jump seat attachment.