sorry....yet another stroller question

kknapp25

hi ladies...this is my first post on this board. in march we're expecting our 2nd little bundle & our first will be about 14mns old. we're "that family" that has 3 strollers for just 1 child & dh DOES NOT want 3 more w/ our 2nd on the way. i'm currently drooling over the city select & britax tandem strollers but can't decide whether we'd like a tandem more or side-by-side. for side-by-sides we've got our sights on the citymini (have the single & like everything about it other than it's crappy basket) & the macleren techno is on gilt marked down from $385 to $230 or something like that, so i'm tempted....but i'm really torn between tandems & side-by-sides. with 2 so close in age we're concerned that tandems may not be so great for a while since it seems difficult for both kids to be reclined at the same time (one reason i like the city select since seats can face opposite directions) but i'm also not sure that a side-by-side or double umbrella will cut it as our all purpose stroller. so how many of you still have multiple strollers for 2 little guys??? i'd love your input/advice if you've got 2 pretty close in age as well!

kcisthebombdotcom

I have a side by side and find no issue with it. I prefer it because both can recline and nap at the same time and they're next to each other. They like to look at each other and talk their "baby language" back and forth. I dont like the concept of a tandem personally. I find one stroller fits all my needs (combi twin sport). It has adequate storage space for either a day trip to the zoo/aquarium or a quick trip out.

sweetpea2003

I have both.

I have a Baby Jogger City Select and a BOB Duallie.

If I had to pick one of them and throw the other away tomorrow (it would be hard) I would throw away the BOB.

Having a tandem like the BJCS has been wonderful.  They can both recline or be sitting up.  For a long time I could have my todder facing forward (which she loved) while my baby faced me (which he loved).  I can have them face each other if they are in a chatty mood .  I can use it as a single if I choose to.  They make a running board so as my toddler gets older and becomes aversive to being strapped in a stroller I can use the BJCS as a single, hook up the running board, and have my older kiddo hop on and off as she pleases. 

A side by side is ALWAYS a double.  You cannot change that.  It is ALWAYS wide.  The tandem is only a double when you want it to be, only super long when it needs to be. 

My only caveat with the tandem (which is why I said it would be a hard choice above) is that tandem doubles do NOT make good long-distance strollers.  I am a major walker/runner and could not do what I do with my BOB with my BJCS.  For my lifestle, the BJCS pretty much stays in my car while my BOB pretty much stays in my garage (obviously there are days where I take my BOB to the beach or use my BJCS for a quick outdoor walk).

Good luck with your choice!

Raffes484

I love my City Mini Double, but the weight of the stroller was what sold me on it more than anything else. If I had more $$ I may have gone for the City Select.

The Mountain Buggy Duet is the same width as their single. Also, Baby Jogger is coming out with the City Mini Double GT in 2012 and it has an adjustable handle bar and forever air tires which the regular City Mini does not have.

ColesMommy0606

We have the UppaBaby Vista. We plan on getting the Rumble seat attachment for ours once #2 comes along. I have heard good and bad things about the Rumble seat and can't tell you first hand. What I can tell you is I love our UppaBaby Vista and think it's worth every penny.

Under.the.Rose

I just got the Britax B-Ready with second seat and loving it so far with just one baby. We set it up with the second seat and put him in it and he LOVED it down there. There's lots of space for him and I like that the second seat rides over the back wheels (better for popping wheelies over curbs and better for when we're in crowds... I don't like how the other tandem strollers have one baby waaaay out front and low down basically parting the crowd. I like the second seat being more sheltered.)

If I were going to get a side by side it would be an all terrain for only big outdoor excursions where size wouldn't matter. It wouldn't get as much use as our tandem though.

The wheels on the MacLeren's  seem SO tiny. 

kknapp25

Raffes484:

I love my City Mini Double, but the weight of the stroller was what sold me on it more than anything else. If I had more $$ I may have gone for the City Select.

The Mountain Buggy Duet is the same width as their single. Also, Baby Jogger is coming out with the City Mini Double GT in 2012 and it has an adjustable handle bar and forever air tires which the regular City Mini does not have.

 thanks! i have the city mini single & love how it folds, etc. it's very tempting to look at the double. i didnt know about the gt, glad to hear! 

kknapp25

Under.the.Rose:

I just got the Britax B-Ready with second seat and loving it so far with just one baby. We set it up with the second seat and put him in it and he LOVED it down there. There's lots of space for him and I like that the second seat rides over the back wheels (better for popping wheelies over curbs and better for when we're in crowds... I don't like how the other tandem strollers have one baby waaaay out front and low down basically parting the crowd. I like the second seat being more sheltered.)

If I were going to get a side by side it would be an all terrain for only big outdoor excursions where size wouldn't matter. It wouldn't get as much use as our tandem though.

The wheels on the MacLeren's  seem SO tiny. 

 with the britax sale i'm soooo tempted to give in. i do like it but it seems like there are a couple of other seating options w/ the bjcs...such a hard decision!

Raffes484

mummyofsix:

Raffes484:

The Mountain Buggy Duet is the same width as their single.

This is actually not strictly true. And I totally know why you think this, because they are hyping this up like mad crazy and I was surprised over the weekend to see thats its not true. In fact, the rear wheel base is the same width. Which is a BIG difference. They could push the wheels on my Suburban closer together, and it wouldn't make it a Fiat. The Duet comes out a lot wider than the Urban Jungle (single) so for the purposes of getting through aisles, clothes racks, etc, its still wider than the UJ.

OP: Also make sure you google the 'Phil and Teds Promenade' which is a new 2012 single to double and IMO is pretty amazing. 

Good to know that it's just a wheel thing.

Oh, and the bolded line literally made me LOL!

MammaBear81

sweetpea2003:

I have both.

I have a Baby Jogger City Select and a BOB Duallie.

If I had to pick one of them and throw the other away tomorrow (it would be hard) I would throw away the BOB.

Having a tandem like the BJCS has been wonderful.  They can both recline or be sitting up.  For a long time I could have my todder facing forward (which she loved) while my baby faced me (which he loved).  I can have them face each other if they are in a chatty mood .  I can use it as a single if I choose to.  They make a running board so as my toddler gets older and becomes aversive to being strapped in a stroller I can use the BJCS as a single, hook up the running board, and have my older kiddo hop on and off as she pleases. 

A side by side is ALWAYS a double.  You cannot change that.  It is ALWAYS wide.  The tandem is only a double when you want it to be, only super long when it needs to be. 

My only caveat with the tandem (which is why I said it would be a hard choice above) is that tandem doubles do NOT make good long-distance strollers.  I am a major walker/runner and could not do what I do with my BOB with my BJCS.  For my lifestle, the BJCS pretty much stays in my car while my BOB pretty much stays in my garage (obviously there are days where I take my BOB to the beach or use my BJCS for a quick outdoor walk).

Good luck with your choice!

This, but our side by side is a BJ City Elite

Switzerland

Well, I am a stroller addict too, but I have you beat -- I have 5 strollers with my DD -- all serve a different purpose. With Baby #2 on the way we went with the Bugaboo Donkey.