Have Strollers, Will Travel

We currently possess not one, not two, not three, but FOUR double strollers! Why so many you ask? Some were purchased and some were given to us. Each serves a different purpose but all of them are (or will be) used by Tanner and Abigail.

The first stroller that Tanner and Abigail ever used was a Baby Trend Double Snap N Go. We didn't register for a double stroller because we bought a used one from a coworker of mine (see below). However, my friend Julie (who IS a twin) told me about this stroller base that she found on the Target website. I checked it out (about $100) and quickly added it to our Target registry. I liked how it was adjustable to accommodate many different makes and models of car seats and how it folded up easily and fit in the back of any vehicle. Unlike the stroller that I bought from my friend, I didn't have to take Tanner and Abigail out of their infant car seats to strap them into a stroller seat. I simply had to "snap" the seats into the frame and "go"...which I did A LOT! I used this stroller everywhere: grocery store, church, walks, shopping, and at the Common Ground Fair. It has a basket underneath, two cup holders in the handle, and a small covered compartment for storing keys or other items. I plan to give ours (along with our car seats) to a friend who is expecting twins later this year. I HIGHLY recommend this stroller base to anyone expecting twins.

While packing to move to Alaska, my friend Ella gave us her Instep Ultra Double Jogging Stroller. Her two youngest sons had outgrown it and she didn't want to take it with her to Alaska. Tanner and Abigail didn't use this stroller until early spring, mostly because they were too small for the seats and I was happy using the Snap N Go. The first time I pushed this stroller I was amazed at how smoothly and easily it moved...it wanted to GO! I keep this stroller at home on the porch and I use it several times a week to take Tanner and Abigail for walks around the yard, on Fishtown Road, and sometimes down Rt. 220 to Grammy and Grandpas house. I have two issues with this stroller the sun visor and the front wheel. The visor works in one of two ways, open and closed. Many times when I take the twins for a walk the sun is at our backs when we leave and in our faces on the way home. I am unable to move the visor so that it shades their faces and many times I have end up pulling the stroller backwards to keep the sun out of their eyes! This stroller really likes to move but because the front wheel is fixed it is kind of a pain to steer. I guess if I were jogging it probably wouldn't be a problem but because I am using it to move at a more leisurely pace it is kind of annoying. If you plan to do a lot of jogging or walking I recommend getting a jogging stroller but look for one with a swivel wheel and an adjustable sun visor.

Just before Tanner and Abigail grew out of their infant car seats, I began searching for another double stroller since we weren't going to be using the Snap N Go for much longer. I did LOTS of research online about double strollers and found many that I liked with good reviews but I couldn't make up my mind. I was getting overwhelmed and irritated with the amount of double strollers available. Finally I asked Matt, who is a savvy online shopper, to find the three best double strollers online and I would pick from one of them. Eventually I found three that had the features I was looking for and were in my price range, but I wanted to try them out before I bought one. My father in law, Tanner, Abigail, and I went to Babies R Us and tried out all three strollers and finally decided that the Baby Trend Double Sit N' Stand was the best of the bunch. This was the only double stroller that had a 5-point harness and a cup/snack tray for BOTH seats. The BONUS of this stroller is that the back seat can be removed and converted into a sit n' stand which I will probably use as the twins get older. The stroller can also accommodate two infant car seats (certain makes/models). It handles well and has tires that are good on most terrain. I keep this one in my car and use it like I did my Snap N Go for errands or small walks around town.

Our fourth double stroller is an Inglesina Double Stroller that I bought from a coworker who had twins. The seats can be arranged forward facing, rear facing, or facing one another. It has large, white wheels and a small basket underneath. The main reason that I didn't switch to this stroller after the Snap N Go is that it doesn't fold up as easily as the Sit N Stand. To fold this stroller up both seats have to be removed from the base. So every time I go somewhere I would have to assemble and later disassemble the stroller all while dealing with two toddlers. This stroller is going to stay at our camp on Lake St. George so that we can use it for walks around the loop and for naps, since BOTH seats fully recline. Tanner and Abigail used it for the first time today. It glides well but is not as easy to steer as the Sit N Stand because it has four fixed wheels. This won't be an issue at the lake because we won't be making many sharp turns as we meander around Knowlton Shores Road.