double stroller: things to consider

So now that you've had some time to ponder your responses from the 12 things to ask yourself before you buy, we're going touch on a few things to consider while you're gazing at your answers.

The age of your kids is important. If your youngest is freshly out of the oven and your oldest is still barely able to put a few words together, chances are this stroller will be used for a while. If your oldest is nearly 3 and seems to be a bit more independent and you really just need something to reign him in every once in a while, perhaps you might rethink a $600 stroller. Unless you're planning for more bunched kids, the news is that you won't be using it for much longer.

Translation: Younger kids + closer together = longer livespan of a stroller.

A double certainly isn't a necessity either, although neither of us went this route, we know those who did. If you wear your baby quite often it's possible to get by on a single and a sling/Ergo/Bjorn for a while and then perhaps upgrade to something light and easy when baby is actually able to sit up and enjoy the sights. You might be able to skip right to a Sit n' Stand or double umbrella with great ease and less money.

Don't forget borrowing and buying second hand. If you're unsure about your needs, consider thrift stores or trying a stroller out from a friend (who's not using it) before you buy. For $20, you could find out if that DuoGlider is really going to frustrate you or really help you out. Perhaps you think the Zooper Tango is right for you, but after borrowing from your friend you realize the storage space is too small. Or maybe your friend is really done with her Sit n' Stand forever and wills to you hers as a "passing of the torch." Then your 1- and 3-year old are set. Putting out a call on your mom's message boards are never a bad thing because even we have strollers stashed in the garage/basement and if someone offered to use it for a bit, I would gladly help out.

Wait before you buy. Another thing to consider is your children's personality. Linda's first child hated the stroller until the second came around. He then discovered the joy of riding with a buddy. And while he would never just 'hang out' in the stroller like the other kids, her daughter was certainly happy to sit in the stroller at Starbucks and play with her toes. Had she known both kids would have enjoyed the stroller so much, she would have purchased something different in the beginning.

Realize it's hard to predict the future. A child's weight/height or a move to a different city or even going back to work/stay home can change your stroller needs more than you think. Be flexible and know you may not ever find THE perfect stroller.

Comments

[sierra]

i am a stroller-holic. I have owned as many as 5, all bought second hand for a song or given by friends who'd out grown. We had a stroller for every occasion and while it was total over the top, that is how we lived for the most insane bunching years. No car in the garage - strollers.

[Amanda]

We just invested a chunk of savings in a double Bob stroller. While I love it, I wish we would have waited until my 3 month old is a little older. The infant car seat attachment is a pain and it makes the stroller feel extra huge. For ease, I still use our 2nd hand single stroller for the 14 month old and wear my little one.

[Baby Bunching]

Amanda, Ill offer you some reassurance. I promise you will probably get a good use out of that stroller down the road. Your kids are close in age to probably make it worth the investment. :-)

[Emily Faulkner]

For what it's worth, what may seem like the "perfect" stroller in the early bunching days may not be so great a year down the road. As much as I loved my Phil and Ted's when my kids were newborn and 1, they are now 16 months and 2 and I have grown to hate it. The kid in the back is constantly kicking the kid in front, not to mention they are both running out of leg room back there and the storage basket is used entirely for leg room at this point. It has gotten super heavy and hard to maneuver, and kid in back can't see anything (nor can I see him/her well enough to know that he/she is tossing things out of the storage basket - like my cash last week). I have been begging my husband to let me sell it and buy a Bob, but he thinks I'm nuts after we just bought the P & T and a half ago.
Not exactly sure what my advice is here (it's coming out as more of a vent, i suppose) but if I had it to do over again I wish I'd thought ahead more to what our needs might be with two toddlers. This was a great stroller for two babies, but now our needs have changed and I am having buyer's remorse.

[Aviva Hillenbrand]

I currently own five strollers. Most recently, I got a Joovy Big Caboose which I love. I have a 4 month old, 17 month old and 4 year old. The 4 year old loves the sit and stand area and I appreciate the ability to secure everyone to the stroller. The storage area is difficult to acess and is not very big. The stroller itself is BIG (people comment about it where ever I go)and not for everyone. It is, however, pretty light and easy to steer, even through the snow and muck of a Minnesota winter.

I wanted to let everyone know about this stroller becasue the company is amazing to work with. Within six weeks of getting our stroller through an online store it broke. We called Joovy directly and they sent us a new one right away. I have never had such great costumer service!