Recommendations for double stroller or just wait? (2.5 yo and infant)
I'm expecting #2 in June and have a petite 2.5 yo who still uses the stroller a lot. We live in Rockridge and walk around a lot. I'm totally happy to carry the infant in a carrier and the toddler in her single stroller but I imagine it will be nice as the infant gets older to have a double stroller that we can use with a carseat. The city select gets amazing reviews but the price tag intimidates me! So my question is, should we go with a cheaper sit and stand type option or wait and see if the toddler outgrows her need for the stroller? Or is the city select the holy grail and totally worth it? I've been cruising craigslist for used city selects which seems like a decent option. I've heard the cheaper doubles are hard to maneuver and fold up which seem like major downsides. I definitely want a tandem, not side-by-side, and don't need a jogging stroller.
Parent Replies
I'm expecting #2 in July and in the same predicament. Part of me wants to just wait and see how it goes, but the other (Type A) part of me wants to be prepared. My daughter is 22 months and has fairly low tolerance for long rides in a stroller so I'm keen to buy something that has a stand on or simple seat for her, rather than investing in a full-on double stroller.
In my research, I've heard GREAT things about the Joovy brand and their line of double strollers. I'm intrigued by their Caboose Ultralight, which is less than $200 on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Joovy-Caboose-Ultralight-Graphite-Stroller/dp/B0…
My kids are 2y1m apart. We got a handmedown tandem everyday Graco (?) stroller and barely used it. So glad we didn't spend money on a fancy double. Of course, we also barely used any single stroller, preferring to babywear and/or have kiddo walk. I'd wait to see if you really need/want it, unless you see a steal on the used market.
My kids are 2.5 years apart, and we walk everywhere, but I opted to do the single stroller + Ergo carrier, and never regretted it. Double strollers really limit where you can go, because they don't fit on some sidewalks, store aisles, buses, etc. - the front-back ones are a little better than side-by-side, but still bulky and hard to maneuver. And I found that the older kid quickly outgrew the stroller and wanted to run everywhere, and it was a lot easier to keep up with him with the baby carrier than it would have been with a double stroller. Pretty quickly the older one was just walking everywhere, and the baby took over the single stroller. Based on my experience, I'd recommend waiting and see what you need before you spend the money.
I would recommend waiting on the double stroller. Our kids are 2 years apart & we almost never used a double stroller. We had a Joovy Caboose that was given to us, but it was such a pain to maneuver compared to our single stroller (a City Mini) that we never used it. We mostly put the baby in a carrier and the bigger kid in the stroller. Then when the baby got too big to carry (9-12 months or so), we actually just piled both kids into the single stroller with the back reclined or had the older kid (then closer to 3) ride a scooter or balance bike. That was so much easier than dragging out the double.