PHIL & TEDS
Pros:
1) It's beautiful. Just look at it for a minute. Doesn't it make you want it??? (Some people get excited about cars...I get excited about strollers.)
2) It is super skinny even with two kids
3) It is like a transformer...it has 4 different adaptations. I especially love that it can have a newborn lay completely flat and still hold a toddler. (Someone was seriously thinking with this stroller.)
Cons:
1) Will the kid on the bottom feel like he/she is staring at the other one's back?
2) I can't figure out if it is a jogging stroller or not. Some of the websites say it is...others say it isn't. The guy at REI even said it isn't a jogger. I'm confused.
3) With two kids (in the traditional position), the basket is almost unusable.
BOB
Pros:
1) It is a very trusted brand.
2) It's features/accessories blow the other comparable strollers out of the water. (For example, the sun shade is really long, and each seat reclines separately.)
3) I like the idea of kids sitting side by side.
Cons:
1) Side by side seats make it a little difficult to fit through tight spaces.
2) The recline doesn't go flat. So to carry a newborn, I will have to purchase a carseat attachment ($90).
3) It would take up all of the room in my trunk.
Today my friend, Gretchen, and I went and tested the BOB Revolution and I fell in love with it. It handles so gracefully - even with two toddlers sitting in it!
However, now I'm wondering if I should give the Phil&Teds another chance.
HELP!!!
10 comments:
I've got a friend who lives in downtown san francisco. She has two kids 2 yrs apart, the youngest one about 5 months old. She's got the first one you mentioned and LOVES it, raves about it constantly, and it seems to be working great for her. I am really apprehensive about the side-by-side BOB too, or any side-by-side, for that matter, because they are SO wide. I'm not a jogger though, so perhaps my two cents is pointless. :) For us, I'm going to avoid the double as long as possible in favor of an Ergo. Haven't quite figured out how this is all going to work yet.
I've got a double jogger that I love as well. It's a dreamer design similar to the Bob stroller but the front wheel doesn't swivel. The seats do recline individually which is nice since one kid always seems to be napping. Before I got my double jogger I was worried about it being too wide for doorways, but they are specifically made to fit through any standard doorway. In my opinion you'll get you best use out of a side by side stroller because your kids will grow up so fast and they have a higher weight capacity. Mine easily fold down to fit in put trunk as well and all of the wheels easily pop off. I love it, the only down side I think is not having a swivel wheel which would help put even more in tight places. They are worth the investment since they last forever. Just look at Hyrum, he's almost 4 but the since of a 6 years old and he still fit in it easily. If you ever want to stop by to take a look at it to add it to you list of compasions, feel free to do so. Good luck in your decision making and happy jogging!
I have considered both of these options but have yet to decide on either one of them....
The double-wide is SO wide which is why I LOVE the first one. I DO however worry about the kid sitting in the back, I think they would get bored staring at the seat, especially a kid like Zoe who is wild and crazy, maybe a little kid, like under the age of 9 months would be okay in there but I think after that they want to be checking things out too. Which I guess is where the side-by-side is better. hmm, I can see that I am not going to help you here... sorry! good luck though!
oh and yay for going running ;)
I am having this problem now! but i have a 1 yr old and it should be my last! But you know us merrill's...I love the Bob we checked it out at REI the one thing about the first one the kid on the bottom is kinda like in the basket (really close to the ground). My Friend has this one and i don't think I could get used to that...but for a baby they don't care...then the side by side is really a WIDE load! good luck I am no help!
Yikes! I just typed a long answer and the computer ate it, so trying again.
With Phil:
--Baby in the back will definitely be staring at the back of kid in the front. However, s/he won't know any better for a couple of years, so go for it.
--Did you try "jogging" in the store to see if A) the handle bar is at the right height and distance for jogging; 2) you run into the wheel's axle with your stride; or C) you kick the baby in the back while s/he is fully reclined?
About Bob:
--Love the sun shade, side-by-side seats, and trusted brand.
--I agree about tight spaces; it's tough enough to keep kids hands off stuff; this would be harder.
--It's hard for me to imagine that Bob takes up more space than your brown stroller.
--Does purchasing a car seat attachment allow the baby to recline fully? If not, why not use the stroller as is (with bumpers).
Get both--one for jogging (because you don't jog in tight spaces); one for everything else.
Sarah A has a Phil and Ted, ask her. I wanted one so bad when I first saw it in Chicago and we were prego with Ada. But I have also heard it is not as good of a jogger as the Bob. Are you going hard core jogging or want a jogger for the agility and lightness for pushing up these hills? We got the Tike Tech double (you saw it) because it's light, but it has double wheels in front that can swivel or stay forward (more for walking than running). It's wide in crowds, but fits through doorways. Each seat reclines separately and shades separately and has hard backs and each kid has their own foot rest. I found it by going to http://www.joggingstroller.com/
and going to the link "help me choose". They ask you all these questions, then suggest a stroller for you! Good luck.
mountain buggy fits through doors!!! all shopping doors... check it out! don't do the underneath, it won't last you long!! i think it is bad, you miss out on all the cute interaction. if the bob fits through the door, go for that one.
I was looking at that Phil & Ted stroller more after reading your post. It's really cool how the second seat actually comes off when you don't need it anymore.
The thing I am wondering about a double stroller (and also why I am hesitant to rush out and buy one) is will an older toddler actually willingly sit in a stroller very often or is it one of those things that is going to cause constant battles? I realize jogging is kind of a different deal than browsing through stores though...
Just another thought...
You are being smart though to think about this now. I have a single jogging stroller that I bought for around-town last summer. I went with what would be cheap and functional and now I'm sort of wishing I had given it more thought in relation to the future knowing we would have more kid(s). I guess that's what craigslist is for.
I love the BoB, because really, who wants to be the kid shoved on the bottom? But I also love the Chariot Cougar, which is a bike trailer/stroller/jogging stroller deal. I hate the the accessories are all extra, but we only need the one and it works great with just Silvester now and if we get another baby there is an infant sling you can string in. It's just an idea, but I love the BoB for its ease. And wait for an REI 20% off coupon, as there should be one in the next few months. IF you sign up for their email, they'll send you a 15% off one too. Good luck choosing!
i don't have a double jogger, but summer has the bob duallie revolution and she swears its the greatest thing in the world. i have pushed her kids around in it and it really is pretty amazing. we took it shopping a few years ago and there were very few tight stores that were hard to maneuver around in, i was actually surprised. i would say go with the bob, but i don't know much about the phil and ted. sounds like you have a big decision to make. im the same way though, my stroller is a bigger deal to me than the car i drive!
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