Hellobee

There have been a lot of questions regarding double strollers on the boards recently, so some of our mamas with 2 kids share experiences, pros, cons and regrets about our double strollers below! All of our kids are about 22 months – 2 1/2 years apart.

Mrs. High Heels/WOHM/Suburbs

Our first double stroller was the Combi.

Pros: I read so many rave reviews about it on Hellobee, it was relatively lightweight for a double stroller, it was easy to fold and stays standing upright once it’s folded, comes with cupholders and snack tray, and can fit through all standard doorways.

Cons: It was not that easy to push – I could really feel the weight of our two children when they were in it. It definitely wouldn’t do well on more uneven terrain. The canopy was essentially useless. In CA, where the sun shines 24/7… I wish it had a more functional canopy. The storage was really small, and hard to get to too.

It did what it needed to do because we mainly used the double stroller on weekends, and I had no intention of switching it out for another stroller, but then when I saw a deal for the double BOB at 40% off I couldn’t resist. My reasoning was that the double BOB has excellent resale value, and I bought it for cheaper than what double BOB’s were selling for used on craigslist. I figured I’d recoup 100% of my money back, so I went for it. We also sold the Combi for close to retail value so that one retains value really well too (bought for about $150, sold for $120).

Double BOB

Pros: Huge canopy, really easy to push – I can’t feel the weight of my two children in it at all… amazing suspension, and it’s multi-functional and would do well on any terrain. It’s a jogging stroller and an everyday stroller!

Cons: HEAVY – it’s hard for me to get it in the trunk of the car by myself, but I manage. It takes up a lot of trunk space too. The storage basket is also small and doesn’t hold much. You also need to buy extra accessories if you want a place to store your cups.

Overall, I’m happy with our BOB, but I’m not using it to its max potential. I rarely jog with it, so that kind of defeats the purpose of getting a BOB for me, but it is still a great stroller so no regrets.

I like side-by-side strollers bc I think they’re easier to maneuver, and I love having the kids sit next to each other. They play, talk, and keep each other entertained. If I could go back, I’d probably choose a Britax B-Agile Double or the City Mini Double because they really check off all the right boxes for me – lighter weight, side-by-side, huge canopies, and easy to fold.

I couldn’t have lived without a double stroller. Noelle still prefers to be carried or pushed in a stroller over walking on her own at the age of 4, and Jaren hated baby wearing, and prefers the freedom he gets when sitting in a stroller, so the double was a must have item for us.

Mrs. Bee/WAHM/Walking city with no car

Combi Cosmo

Pros: Relatively lightweight, convertible 3 or 5 point harness, very easy to fold, stays standing upright once it’s folded, smallest folding double stroller (folds in half length-wise and width-wise), front guardrail has three shallow cupholders that we usually used as snack trays (we use these all the time), can fit through all standard doorways, low to the ground so the kids can easily climb in and out themselves, low adjustable recline, can use a Combi infant car seat, has a mesh back pocket and cups with an adult cup holder, has a piece of fabric that comes up to form a bassinet so you can use it from birth with the flat recline.

Cons: At the time that we purchased our first Combi the weight limit was quite low, but Olive and Charlie are both slim kids. They now have a new double — the Cosmo — that costs more but has a higher weight limit (90 pounds). The sunshade was also way too small, but is also much bigger on the Cosmo. The storage basket doesn’t hold much. The biggest con is the handling — pushing a 3 year old and 5 year old in a hilly neighborhood isn’t easy! But we do it all the time and obviously you get what you pay for since this is on the lower end of double strollers.

We’ve used a double stroller very heavily every weekend for the past 2 1/2 years. At the time we purchased the Combi Double, we had absolutely no stroller storage space so we were looking for the most compact double stroller possible, and the Combi was the only one that fit the bill. We also take public transportation and you need to fold up the stroller every time you ride a bus, so a quick compact fold was necessary. We’ve been happy with the Combi overall for its features and price point. Last winter was one of our snowiest winters, and we shoved this stroller through the snow until it broke. We tried other options (bought a used City Mini Double, single stroller + buggy board), but ultimately bought another Combi when our City Mini Double broke. We often walk over 5 miles on a weekend day, and there is no way that Charlie could walk that much.

City Mini Double

Pros: Easiest half fold ever, folds flat so fits in trunks, flat recline, huge sunshades, fits through standard doorways, great handling, can be used with one infant car seat (but you have to purchase an adapter), high resale value.

Cons: Still takes up a lot of space folded and doesn’t stand, hard to access storage basket because of middle frame, all accessories have to be purchased separately, front wheel popped off both our new City Mini and used City Mini Double (upon research this appears to be a pretty common problem), peripheral vision is partially blocked because the side panels block view and the seats don’t sit completely upright, narrow seats — Olive and Charlie were pretty squished with their winter coats.

We had a City Mini (single) when Charlie was a baby, and after a year and a half of use the front wheel popped off. I thought it might be a fluke since the City Mini really is a great stroller, so when our Combi Double died last winter, I purchased a used City Mini Double. Not long after the front wheel popped off that stroller! They will replace it if you have your receipt and call the manufacturer, but since we purchased it used we were out of luck. I didn’t want to be stranded somewhere with two kids and a broken stroller, and I didn’t want to spend a lot of money, so we eventually ended up purchasing another Combi.

The City Mini Double is probably the most popular double stroller in our neighborhood (it used to be the Phil and Ted’s tandem). I think the Britax B-Agile Double is actually a better buy than the City Mini Double because it is very similar at a lower price point, and it has better features like an adjustable handlebar (the City Mini was a little high for petite people) and it stands when it’s folded (something that I love in a stroller).

Our needs were unique in that a stroller with a small footprint was one of our absolute essential criteria. If I could do it again I would probably have purchased either a Britax B-Agile Double or a Valco Baby Zee Double (since we ended up spending that much anyway over the course of 3 double strollers). The Valco Baby Zee is lightweight, has a compact fold, and a huge storage basket (a must with two kids).

Side by side vs. Tandem: Having had a side by side stroller for 3 years, I’m really happy that we chose that configuration rather than tandem because we live in a walking city and the kids spend a lot of time in the stroller. Sitting side by side has encouraged bonding, they’re able to keep each other company, and we can give them one iphone to watch a video together on long outings (or impending meltdowns).

Mrs. Wagon/WOHM/Suburbs

We originally had an UppaBaby Vista with a rumble seat and piggyback board to allow Wagon Jr. to choose between sitting and standing. However, being in the suburbs, it was a LOT of stroller to haul in and out of our trunk all the time, clip on the rumble seat, etc. and our kids were quickly outgrowing it. We also had a Combi Twin Sport side by side for travel, but our kids outgrew the weight limit pretty quickly so we sold both of these strollers, leaving us with just our single umbrella stroller. I hoped this would be enough for us, but then we had an almost 2 year old who didn’t want to be strapped in and a 4 year old who always wanted to sit down when he saw his sister sitting. So we knew we needed something that could seat both kids. We also wanted something we could use for jogging. After trying out many different options, we realized a tandem was too hard to maneuver with all that weight, and most side-by-sides were just too tight for our bigger kids. The side-by-sides that accommodated our kids’ sizes seemed just way too wide for us. So we decided on the Baby Jogger Pod. We found it on Amazon Warehouse Deals with the stroller wheels and the jogging wheel and snatched it up. It’s fantastic for jogging and encloses the kids in their own little tent-like pod so they can snack, play with toys, watch a video on the tablet, or just hang out (or even sleep). So far the only downside is that the kids share one space, so it’s quite a tight fit, and sometimes we have the problem of pushing or hogging foot space. Our solution is to make them hold hands when they’re fighting has actually worked so far. They love that they can bring in whatever toys they want. I’ve been tempted to throw a dog or two in there as well!

Mrs. Chocolate/SAHM/Suburbs

I have the Citi Mini Double as well. I posted about how I whittled down my choice, but I love my stroller. It was great for Disney and at 4 Drake still likes riding so it’s easier when we are out to keep them together with me. I debated side by side vs tandem and went with side to side as I was worried one of them would be upset about not being able to see if they were stacked. I figured Drake would always want the front when Juliet was young and wouldn’t know the difference, and it would be harder to convince him to let her have the front as she grew. They like talking and playing together too so it’s nice that they can.

In the suburbs I only use it at the mall and outings like the farm, and I wanted a stroller that was easy to push vs my huge Graco which was not. I tried it out and loved the smoothness and ease with which it moved. It’s also wide enough to fit through a standard door which meant I could open the door and get in alone at the mall. I’m happy with our choice even if it was a bit pricey at first.

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Which double stroller do you own or are you considering owning? Do you love it/hate it/wish you got something else instead?