I've been on the hunt for the perfect double stroller for the last 7 months. Unfortunately, I didn't find a perfect one, but I did find one that is pretty close and I am really excited about it. I use strollers A LOT (Elise likes to ride in them, thank goodness) and I go back and forth between a Chicco Capri umbrella stroller and a Chariot jogging stroller, depending on the outing. We go on a lot of walks. My criteria for the double:
*needs to be okay for jogging/all terrain (makes it SO much easier to go on walks outside)
*needs to fit an infant carseat
*needs to be okay to use as an everyday stroller for outings to the store or mall (I didn't want to end up with one stroller for jogging and one stroller for outings... too expensive and too much storage space required)
I have read a ton of reviews online and narrowed it down to the 2011 BOB Revolution SE Duallie and the 2010 Bumbleride Indie Twin. I previously dismissed the Bumbleride because of price, but then I realized that if I bought the accessories for the BOB (weather shield and car seat adapter), then it would be more expensive than the Bumbleride, which includes those accessories already. Unfortunately, southeast Alabama does not offer much in the way of baby stores that carry higher end double strollers, so I couldn't go to a store to look at them without driving 4 hours to Atlanta. Thankfully, amazon.com does free return shipping on baby gear, so (don't laugh, because if you know me well this is exactly something I would do) I ordered both strollers so that I could compare them side by side with my child. We spent a lot of time today assembling, testing, and trying to fit strollers in the trunks of our cars. Just in case you are also in the market for a double stroller, I will tell you what we liked about each one:
Pros:
Bumbleride:
*smaller dimensions (1 inch narrower width and 16 inches shorter in length... easier to navigate around corners... much easier to see in front of you)
*huge storage basket underneath (could fit two large diaper bags and basket is attached on the sides instead of in the middle)
*more comfortable foot rests that are also adjustable
*mesh venting in sun shades to allow for a little more air circulation
*officially compatible with Chicco infant seat
*adjustable handlebar
*fits with a lot of extra room in trunk of Camry and Accord (plenty of room to fit stroller and groceries around it)
*good for light jogging (all four wheels are the size of BOB's front wheel)
*adjustable bumper bars (and if you buy the snack pack/cup holder that attaches to it, you can adjust the height so that the child can reach it easily)
BOB:
*easier to fold and collapse
*slightly bigger sun canopy (maybe goes down an inch lower when fully extended, but both go down VERY far (much farther than in either of the product pictures on amazon)
*slightly smoother push when going straight
*would be better for more serious jogging
*each seat width is one inch wider
*weight limit is 100 lbs (90 lbs for Bumbleride)
*know lots of people who have it and love it
Cons:
Bumbleride:
*harder to collapse
*each seat width is one inch narrower
BOB:
*does not fit in Accord without removing wheels, fits in Camry but takes up almost entire trunk
*requires more clearance to turn corners (not a big deal outside, but definitely a consideration for navigating stores)
*footrest is angled in (as Elise grows taller, she'd have to angle her legs in more and more)
*basket is smaller and has an annoying strap down the center that makes you angle a diaper bag in from the side
*16 inches longer in swivel mode (and I think 19 inches longer in jogging mode)... makes it seem a ton bigger and harder to turn corners... one inch wider (may make it a little harder to go through doors)
*vinyl "window" in sun shade instead of mesh
*terrible reviews of car seat adapter/snack tray (though, we did not install it to see in person)
*not officially compatible with Chicco, but supposedly works okay (the 2011 single BOB is compatible with Chicco, but the double is not...though I have seen people use the Chicco with the double BOB)
You can probably tell by all of the pros and cons that the Bumbleride is a better fit for our family. We are very excited about it and I know we will get a ton of use out of it over the next several years. Elise LOVES it and didn't want to get out of it. She played in it for at least an hour and kept telling us which seat was hers and which seat was Baby Jack's. She was very upset that we wouldn't take it with us to Walmart (because at that point, we hadn't assembled the BOB yet or tried fitting the strollers in cars). As soon as we got home, she wanted to get back in it.
Here is another random picture. She recently figured out how to jump and get both feet off the ground. For some reason, holding her microphone provides extra energy for jumping, so she starts jumping every time she plays with it.
That is exactly how Michelle and I hoped Elise would use the microphone! It really does have magic jumping powers!
ReplyDeleteGreat review Steph! Thanks for the info it will really help me in my double search. I love the colors of the Bumbleride!
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