After much research we purchased an Inglesina Zippy for Big Picky. I loved (and still love) that stroller. When Big Picky was 10 months old, we were delighted to find out we were expecting Lil Picky. That news catapulted us into the glamourless world of double strollers. I didn’t want a side by side – just too big to maneuver through stores and crowds. I didn’t want a front and back – just too long to steer. That quickly ruled out most of the options out there, leaving a select handful of jogging-style strollers with double kits. All of those were just too big and heavy… except one. The Phil & Teds Sport Buggy.
The Basics
The Phil & Teds Sport Buggy is a unique 4 in 1 stroller. It morphs to carry a newborn, then a toddler, then add the double kit to accommodate a newborn and a toddler, then finally two toddlers. The main seat holds up to 55 lbs and the double seat holds up to 33. The stroller itself weight only 24 lbs.
The Raves
Flexibility: This is a great all purpose stroller. You can use it as a single stroller, with an infant and a toddler, or with 2 toddlers. The double kit is snaps on with a single motion.
Ride Quality: The larger pneumatic wheels give this stroller a very smooth ride. While it’s not an off-road stroller, it’s great for those times you need to cut through the grass at the playground or on rougher sidewalks…or for smoothing the ride while they resurface your street.
Compact: Well, compact for a double stroller. I can’t even imagine lugging around a traditional side-by-side or a front-and-back double stroller. Getting through doors, maneuvering crowded downtown sidewalks… ugh. The Sport, however, is basically the same size as a small single jogging stroller.
The Rants
Difficult to fold/unfold: This is a 2 handed operation. There are 2 buttons on opposite sides of the stroller that must be depressed to fold. The weight and awkward motion make 2 hands necessary to unfold. It took me 6 months to figure out how to pen and close this stroller smoothly.
Small Sunshade: The sun canopy is small. Real small. I’m not quite sure why they even bothered to put it on.
Horrible assembly directions: First time assembly is a pain. The directions consist of a series of pictures with no words. Good idea… poorly executed.
Stability: Once your smaller wee one is done with the newborn reclined position, the double seat is attached below the main seat. The smaller wee one rides below. You must take the bottom child out first or the stroller becomes unstable. This doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it can be annoying, especially when the bottom passenger isn’t mobile. The smaller child goes below (for stability purposes). The older one is mobile wants to get out and run around at the park… but you’ll need to remove the bottom one first to prevent tipping. Throwing caution to the wind, I have taken Big Picky out and left Lil Picky down below. The stroller doesn’t tip, but it is easy to tip by bumping the handlebar or jarring it in some way. I would imagine if she started bouncing or flailing it may also tip. With Lil Picky’s rapid growth, I’ve been able to work around this issue by sitting Big Picky down below. She is heavier, but only by about 5 lbs, so stability doesn’t seem to be an issue.
Other
Surprisingly, Big Picky likes to sit in the lower seat. I’m not quite sure why. Maybe it’s cozy. Maybe she thinks she’s hiding. I’ve discussed this strange phenomenon with other P&T mama’s and they concur. The back seat is often a coveted position.
Another stroller to consider is the Valco Tri-Mode with the optional toddler seat. I didn’t choose this one because the toddler seat didn’t look comfortable. The stroller was also more bulky when folded.
The Verdict
If you’re having your second child within 2.5 years of the first, buy this stroller with the double kit. If you’re having your first and are planning a second quickly, get this stroller and buy the double kit when the second wee one arrives. If you’re planning an only child, I’d pass on this stroller.
Related posts:
{ 0 comments… add one now }