"The Desirables"
- Quick Fold
- Smooth ride
- See both kiddos at the same time
- Kids can both see out equally, in either forward or rear-facing direction
- Foam-filled tires/good suspension, all-terrain/low maintenance
- Durable
- Ample storage
- Cup holder (for adult and kiddos)
- Large canopies
- Equal seat size on both seats
- Double infant car seat compatible
- Telescope handlebar
- Convertible to one-kid stroller
Pros: It ticks ALL my boxes.
Cons: It's heavy, expensive, and requires multiple (small) purchases to acquire all the pieces I want. But, the fact that it ticked all my boxes made it entirely worth these cons for me.
I have used it quite a few times with Noah (with just one seat attached), but my assessment of it with the second seat or with two infant car seats is entirely theoretical at this point, based on testing it out at the store a few times with both seats and infant car seats (sans babies).
Runner-up:
Britax B-Ready
I don't like the idea of putting one child basically IN the storage basket underneath. The B-Ready ticks almost all my boxes. But, the rumble seat in the basket, smaller second seat (rumble), and limited seat placement were deal-breakers.
Honorable Mentions:
UPPAbaby Vista
Even pricier than the City Select! Doesn't accommodate two infant car seats and rumble seat again. No deal.
iCandy Pear
This one was very promising. The only reason I didn't consider it completely was two-fold: (1) it's not really available in the U.S. yet. I'm not buying a product like this if I can't get my hands on it first (2) it comes with SO many pieces in order to make all the adapters and seats work! And then you have to take it all apart down to the base structure just to fold it up. No deal.
If anyone's interested in more details, let me know! I'll do a follow-up post after I've used it for a while with the twins.
It's SO hard to pick a stroller! I read blog posts just like yours when I was deciding which one to buy when I was pregnant with Logan. I ended up buying two...both on Craigslist. That way I could justify buying two since they were priced just right! I got a Combi side-by-side, which folds up so small and is really light weight. I use it when we go to the zoo, Arboretum, walks, etc. because it handles like a dream! But I don't take it places that require a tight fit. That's why I wanted two! I also bought a Joovy sit n' stand, which fit my needs perfectly with a newborn Logan and 2 year old Ethan! It could accommodate Logan's infant car seat and then later just have him sit. I use it at the mall, etc. where I need my stroller to be "slim!" But I'm not crazy about how heavy it is or bulky in my trunk. And it does not steer particularly well. But I do like that Ethan can choose to sit or stand. For the $40 I paid for it, it was worth dealing with the undesirable parts of it. I still use both of my strollers even today! And I know you will use yours a lot for sure! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rachel! Man, stroller shopping was hard! I chose the Combi for Noah cuz I saw yours and just loved it, so I didn't do ANY stroller shopping then. I was planning on just reusing that til we found out we were having twins. Had to sell it. :-( I was REALLY hoping I could just use the double Combi, but it doesn't accommodate two infant car seats, only one. I'm really, really hoping to not have to buy two strollers (which I can totally see doing for two kiddos of different ages, great idea what you did!), but I might end up having to go with a lightweight side-by-side (like the Combi) when they get older. We'll see. You got some great deals! I searched and searched on Craigslist for the City Select, and all I found for months were ads for people wanting to buy one. lol! At least I know it'll have great resale value when we're done!
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