When you decide to buy a double stroller, there are many things you should consider. Some of these features are general but some are specific to double strollers.
The general features include things like safety, comfort and convenience while specific features are related to how the seats recline, the ability to accept one, two or no infant car seat and how the canopy adjust to provided your children with protection from the sun.
Safety features
Safety features that all strollers should have include a safety harness and a brake system. A five point safety harness is recommended in the US. When you look for your stroller, check to see if this stroller has a harness that is easy to put on, take off and adjust.
A harness that adjust for both height and around the waist is preferable. If you can find all these features plus one with pads on the shoulder strap and crotch strap then its great.
Another safety feature a stroller should have is a brake. Most strollers have rear foot activated parking brake. The type of brake should depend on the type of stroller you are buying.
If you are buying a regular everyday stroller, a rear foot activated parking brake will do. But if you are going to buy a stroller for jogging on a hilly area, one with both a foot activated parking brake and a hand brake is preferable. The hand brake will give you more control when jogging downhill.
Other safety features include a wrist strap for keeping your stroller close to you and a suspension system if you use your stroller for jogging, especially on rough terrain. The suspension system will reduce shaking.
Comfort
If your baby is not comfortable in their stroller, you won’t enjoy pushing them in it. You too need to be comfortable when you push the stroller. You child’s comfort can be achieved in several ways.
The first is for your child’s seat to be comfortable; well-padded and a seat back of the right height. If your child is tall and the seat back is not tall enough, their head will bump on the canopy and it can be very irritating for them.
Furthermore, you should consider the seat recline. A seat with multiple reclining positions is great because you will be able to find a comfy seating position for your child. And if they are young, one that can recline to a flat position is great for quick naps and outdoor diaper changes.
The height of the seat is also important as a high sitting seat will give your child a better view of their environment.
Other features that can give your child a comfortable experience is an adjustable footrest and side support pillows for smaller babies.
Whether you use your stroller for jogging or for running errands, you need to be comfortable pushing it. One feature that can guarantee this is an adjustable handlebar or one placed at a height that is comfy for you.
With an adjustable handlebar, many family members can push the stroller comfortably because each person can adjust the height to fit their needs.
Convenience
A stroller with tons of convenience features is an excellent stroller. Convenience features include easy and preferable 1-2 step fold, self-standing fold, auto locking fold, adjustable canopy, adjustable handlebar, swiveling locking front wheel, big easily accessible storage basket and more.
Some strollers fold easier than others and when folded, some self-stand while others don’t. Some will lock to make transportation and storage easy. Some strollers fold to a small compact unit that is easy to store while others are bulky. No stroller has it all, you just need to choose wisely.
A swiveling locking front wheel is another great features that gives you more options. You can lock it when you are pushing the stroller on uneven terrain to give it additional stability. This feature is really great when you use your stroller for jogging.
But nothing is as great as a wheel that can turn on a dime. A swiveling front wheel gives great maneuverability especially around corners.
I already mentioned an adjustable handlebar as a great convenient feature. I want to add that handlebars adjust differently.
Some adjust in and up down motion while others are telescoping. The telescoping adjust can elongate or shorten the foot length of the stroller while the up down adjust increases the overall height of the stroller without elongating or shortening its foot length.
An adjustable canopy with a peekaboo window is another great feature because you can adjust it to follow the sun and wind and you can keep an eye on your baby via the peekaboo window. The bigger the canopy the better the coverage. Some canopies have sun visors that extend downward to provide additional protection from the elements.
Nothing is as annoying as fighting with your stroller just to get a diaper bag in the storage basket. A big and easily accessible storage basket is ideal.
Other convenience features include parent and child trays. Removable or swing out child trays are great since you can easily move it in other to put your child into their stroller seat. Parent trays with deep cup holders and covered storage are also great to have.
Specific features
The specific features you should look at when buying a double stroller are related to how the seats recline, how the canopy adjust, whether or not it can take one or two car seats or none.
Double strollers can have side by side seats, tandem seats and other arrangements in between. With side by side seats, they can either recline together or independently.
I personally like it when they recline independently. This lets you adjust the seat to satisfy the needs of each child separately. This also applies to the canopy. I also like it when both seats of a tandem double stroller can recline.
Some strollers can receive an infant car seat to make a travel system stroller. A few double strollers can accept two infant car seats while others can only accept one. So if you have twin babies, you probably will want to choose the one that can accept two infant car seats.
But on the other hand, if your twins are toddlers or you have a toddler and a baby, you will be ok with a double that only accepts one infant car seat.
Conclusion
Style and fashion play a major role in how we choose strollers. Some people are loyal to certain brands and some people just love the sleek look and colors of certain strollers.
It is not easy to choose. As long as you are happy and your babies are safe, that’s ok.
Cheeres Denise