Best overall double stroller: Thule Urban Glide 2 Double
Best side to side stroller: Britax B-Agile Double Stroller
Best budget double stroller: BOB Revolution Flex Duallie
Best tandem double stroller: Phil & Teds Dash Inline Double Stroller
Best sit and stand stroller: Baby Trend Double Sit & Stand Stroller
Table of Contents
Things to Consider Before Buying Double Strollers
Type of double stroller
There are various types of strollers, each designed with unique features for your needs. Each of these strollers come with their advantages and disadvantages.
You should pick strollers that will integrate well into your everyday use and lifestyle. The types of double strollers are as follows.
Tandem strollers
This is a type of double stroller that has a front seat and a back seat, one behind the other. The front seat of tandem strollers reclines, though, to minimum positions while their back seat can recline all the way. Due to the difference in the front and back seat reclination, this type of double stroller is suitable for an infant and a toddler, whereby the infant will sit in the back seat, while the older sibling sits in the front seat.
This arrangement is mainly because your younger child would need more support since they are just learning to sit upright. However, this stroller is not limited to use by an infant-toddler combo since it can take two infant seats, so most twin parents have taken a liking to this type of double stroller.
Pros
- They have the same width as single strollers. This comes in handy when navigating tight spaces like shopping or going through crowded areas
- The seat can be arranged in many different ways
- They can be used from birth since they are compatible with many infant car seats
Cons
- They may be difficult to steer, especially when trying to push both children
- These type of seat may not fit into smaller trunks due to its length
- The child in the back seat has an obstructed view
Side by side strollers
This stroller has two seats that sit next to each other. Unlike tandem strollers, side by side strollers provides the same view to both your children. But due to its wide design, it would not fit into narrow spaces.
Pros
- They provide more room for your child. This also means that the legroom for both your children would be enough.
- Each child is given the same view of the world
- They are easier to push and maneuver
- They fold compactly for easy storage and compatibility
Cons
- They are too wide to go through narrow passages
- Most side by side strollers that allow infant car seats are too wide apart
- Harder to steer when the weight distribution is uneven
All-terrain strollers
All-terrain strollers are suitable for parents who like taking off-road hikes. They come fitted with three large wheels, which make it move over rough surfaces smoothly. The front swivel wheels can lock, which makes it more stable when going over pebbles. This feature means that it can be used during jogging.
Most All-terrain strollers accept only one infant seat with the use of an adapter.
Sit and stand strollers
The sit and stand stroller is suitable if you have a baby who needs a stroller, but you also have an older child who likes to walk part-time. The older child can stand on the platform as you push the stroller, or he/she could sit on the bench on the strollers’ back. This design makes them more light and compact than other strollers hence easy to maneuver.
The platform can be used as a storage space when not in use by your child, making it convenient.
Umbrella double strollers
Umbrella strollers fold up easy, just like an umbrella. They come with a simple design making them the lightest double strollers in the market. Weighing from 20 to 30 pounds, they are easy to move with. This is best for parents looking for a light and a portable double stroller. However, the simple design means that it comes with limited features. Most of them only having a canopy and storage basket as their extra features.
Double jogging stroller
These strollers are designed for jogging. They come with three wheels, one front wheel, and two rear wheels. Its front wheels can be locked in place, or some options come with fixed front wheels that do not need to be locked. However, double joggers with fixed wheels are harder to maneuver with but are the best when it comes to running safely with your child.
Safety harness
The safety harness is one of the most important safety features of a stroller. Therefore, all the double strollers in the market will have a safety harness due to the safety standards set for baby products. Harnesses can be either 5 points or 3 points, though you should always opt for the 5 point harness, especially for your younger kids.
Some manufactures go as far as making the harness padded to ensure your babies are comfortable.
The 5 point harness can either be no-rethread or rethread. The no-rethread option has only one shoulder strap visible, which can be adjusted by either lowering or raising the headrest. The rethread option, on the other hand, has multiple shoulder straps visible, and to adjust the shoulder height, you would have to rethread the strap to a higher or lower level.
Note that the rethread option can be harder to operate compared to the no-rethread option. However, this is not a problem since you will not have to adjust it often.
Seat
The seat should be comfortable to ensure that your babies stay calm when you are pushing them around. This can be achieved by going for the extra padded seats, or if you are on a budget, go for the sling-type seats, which provide more comfort than the cushion ones.
The comfortability of strollers goes beyond the seat padding. Your double stroller seats should be able to recline to multiple positions to ensure that your child will always be comfortable. It is good to see that now most manufacturers integrate this feature into their seats. Therefore, you will find seats in the market that reclines flat or to an almost flat position.
Maneuverability
Double strollers are harder to push and take turns compared to other strollers, but we have options that perform better than their peers. As we mentioned, side to side strollers are easier to maneuver with compared to longer options such as the tandem strollers.
Wheel placement and design also determine how easy it will be to push your double stroller. With double strollers having the three-wheel design being easier to push compared to the four-wheeled double strollers.