Innovative double strollers are functional but less bulky
Several double strollers use an unconventional design to circumvent problems with traditional double strollers, namely that they can be too wide, too long, too heavy and hard to steer.
The Baby Trend Sit N Stand LX (*Est. $125) and Joovy Caboose (*Est. $160) both work on the same principle. These strollers have one seat, plus a rear running board where a second child can stand or sit behind the main seat. These are an option if you have a baby plus an older child (at least 2 1/2 years old and no more than 45 pounds and 44 inches tall). Their more compact size is a plus, but some parents say these only work well if your older child prefers to stand and doesn't nap much. The strollers are very similar -- they're based on the same design, which has prompted a long legal battle between the two companies that resulted in Baby Trend filing for bankruptcy in October 2009. But they're not identical; the Joovy has a higher weight limit (90 versus 80 pounds) and can accommodate a taller child on the rear platform (44 versus 40 inches). The Baby Trend does cost less, and some owners posting at Amazon.com say it's fine for their needs. But at another top source, owners report bad quality and customer service with Baby Trend -- complaints that we did not find with Joovy.
Although the Joovy stroller is compatible with car seats -- which means you can snap a car seat carrier into the main seat -- this makes for a cramped ride for the child sitting or standing in the rear. The same thing happens if the front seat is reclined. Parents also complain that storage is hard to access when a child is sitting or standing on the back. But many parents say these are small considerations for the convenience of a narrower double stroller. The original Joovy Caboose weighs 26 pounds -- 1 pound less than the competing Baby Trend Sit N Stand LX. The Joovy Caboose Ultralight (*Est. $250) costs more but weighs less (21 pounds). Parents posting to Amazon.com say the lighter model is sturdy, maneuverable and well worth the premium if there's room in your budget. The new Joovy Ergo Caboose (*Est. $385) adds some features -- a bigger canopy that also covers the rear-seated child, pneumatic rear tires and a special mesh seat that is supposed to eliminate pressure points and make the child more comfortable -- but it also adds weight, and at 30 pounds some owners find the Ergo Caboose too heavy and hard to push. For families with three kids to transport, Joovy also makes the Big Caboose Stand On Triple Stroller (*Est. $380) with two tandem-style stroller seats plus a rear running board.
The phil&teds Sport Buggy Double (*Est. $450, plus $90 doubles kit) has been a critical favorite for a couple of years, and now there's an improved version, the phil&teds Explorer (*Est. $480 plus $90 doubles kit). These are three-wheeled, all-terrain strollers. An additional seat installs above or below the main seat for the second child, and because the seat can recline fully, it works for an infant. Reviews say these strollers are great for parents who need a double stroller but don't want the added width or length of a traditional twin stroller. Unlike the Sport, the new Explorer can accommodate an infant car seat. The Explorer also adds a one-handed seat recline, a new pedal brake and an adjustable sun canopy for both seats (the second seat lacks a canopy on the Sport). Critics say the Explorer keeps everything they love about the Sport and just adds improvements so the Explorer replaces the Sport as our new Best Reviewed pick.
The phil&teds Vibe Double (*Est. $660 plus $110 doubles kit) is hailed by the company as "street stopping eye candy." Parents agree that the Vibe stroller looks good, but the jury is still out on its performance. Similar to the Sport Buggy but with some added comfort and convenience features, it actually loses marks for these upgrades. The larger sun canopy makes the adjustable handlebar a tight fit when it's on the tallest setting, and the easy-access hand brake can get stuck or deployed by accident, say some reviewers. The Vibe can be folded with the second seat still attached (with the Sport, it has to be removed first), but parents say that makes the cumbersome fold even worse. Overall, user reviews suggest the phil&teds Explorer is both a better deal and a more solid stroller.
UppaBaby is another company that has successfully taken on the single-to-double challenge. The UppaBaby Vista (*Est. $635) is a high-end stroller covered in depth in our companion report on full-featured strollers. The Vista's optional RumbleSeat (*Est. $130) accommodates babies 6 months and older. For infants, the main seat can be used with an infant car seat while an older child (up to 35 pounds) sits in the RumbleSeat. Another option is the Vista's Piggyback add-on (*Est. $90), which works like a detachable version of the Joovy's stand-on running board. The Piggyback has a higher 50-pound weight limit and can be folded up with the stroller. (The RumbleSeat has to be detached before folding.)
Parents say the Piggyback works beautifully for short trips or for kids who like to hop on for the occasional rest. Toddlers can get tired standing and holding on for longer treks, though. The RumbleSeat gets the same major complaint as the phil&teds series of double strollers: limited visibility in the rear seat. LetsGoStrolling.com highlights this issue in a video-blog entry showing a 15-month-old in the RumbleSeat responding with increasing irritation to the various main seat configurations. As a well-made and expandable single stroller, the Vista is doing well with reviewers, but the phil&teds Explorer gets better parent ratings and comes with a lower price tag.
The latest unconventional double stroller to hit the market is the Baby Jogger City Select (*Est. $500 plus $160 doubles kit). It's even more configurable than the phil&teds or UppaBaby doubles, as you can face the two seats any which way -- toward each other, away from each other, both toward you or both away from you -- and stadium seating means both kids get a great view. Unlike the phil&teds and UppaBaby strollers, the City Select accommodates two infant car seats at the same time (if you buy the doubles kit). With big dual canopies and a huge bottom storage basket, the City Select gets early rave reviews from StrollerQueen.com, Canadian Family magazine and Babble.com, where it's named the best double stroller overall after testing with a 5-month-old, 18-month-old and 3-year-old.
However, owner feedback is mixed. A few early adopters at Amazon.com find the 30-pound City Select ironically city-unfriendly -- too heavy to lift over a curb or up steps -- and some say the seat design proved uncomfortable for their kids. A few say they sold or returned the City Select after a few weeks. Still, other users find it perfect for their needs, and three-quarters of owners posting at Amazon.com give the City Select at least 3 stars out of 5.
