"I have also looked at the Babbyjogger city select, ... it takes a maxi cosi car seat or bassinet easily, whilst still allowing you to have the older child in an upright seat too. It can also have newborn facing you, and older one facing out, or both facing in to each other."

You can have the newborn parent-facing, and the older child facing outwards, but only if the newborn is in the carseat. If you have a bassinet, the older child also has to be rear-facing. Something my toddler isn't keen on, so we didn't bother with the bassinet. We just use the carseat. When the younger is old enough to use the pushchair seat, they can still be rear-facing whilst the older is facing forward.

Hi there

I am having the same dilemma, as also due with no.2 in May when my first will only be 19 months, so won't be reliable enough at walking or just riding on a buggy board/twoo seat on my current Bugaboo.

I have done a bit of research and, as our front door/hallway are too narrow for any side by side options, have been looking at P&Ts as well. Anyone I know with a Dash, Sport (ie: earlier P&T models) seems to hate the brake, and they don't have the 2nd sun hood for the back seat, so I am only considering the Explorer and the Vibe.

There seems to be little to chose between the updated Explorer and the Vibe (which I have been told by Peppermint has also been improved, after locking wheel probs etc, so they have started restocking it, with no reported complaints yet) when it comes to weight and size, so it basically comes down to which you prefer the look of frame-style/colour-wise, and a few key differences in features:

- The Explorer has the one hand fast fold, but you have to remove the 2nd seat if it's on - the Vibe folds with the 2nd seat attached, but the woman in Peppermint said she thought it was actually more cumbersome and time consuming to fold than removing the 2nd seat on the Explorer - so maybe no advantage there. I guess go and have a play in a shop and see which one you prefer dealing with.

- both take a maxi cosi car seat (if you get adaptors) but I think only the Explorer seems to let you have the 2nd child in a seat (lower/back seat) at the same time.

- only the Vibe has a recline on the 2nd/rear seat, but apparently this is only about 10 degrees, otherwise would stick out too far for you pushing behind - so again may not make a huge difference?

- the Explorer has the pedal brake whereas the Vibe has a button which you push on the handle - so depends which your preference is. The woman in Peppermint said some people hate the latter as they can hit it by accident when walking along and then jolt to a stop. I'm not sure whether I'd like flicking up a pedal brake in summer though if wearing flip flops?

- when it comes to accessories there are a couple of things (food tray and base bag) that are only available for the Vibe. Otherwise they both have the same things like cocoons, cup holders, bassinets, car seat adaptors - but often with the Explorer they are versions that are common to the Dash and Sport too - whereas for the Vibe they have to be slightly different as the frame is a different shape.

The other buggies I am vaguely thinking about are the Bugaboo donkey - as I love my current chameleon and this new version will adapt from 1 to 2 kids back to 1 again, with umpteen seat combinations - but they will be over £1k for a new one with necessary parts for 2 kids, and as they are only coming out this spring there will be no 2nd hand market for cheaper ones. And having read this thread, I have also looked at the Babbyjogger city select, which I have to say looks great in terms of price and again allowing lots of different seating combinations. I have yet to see one in a shop but on the plus side it takes a maxi cosi car seat or bassinet easily, whilst still allowing you to have the older child in an upright seat too. It can also have newborn facing you, and older one facing out, or both facing in to each other. And both can get a view as seats are staggered - so no worries about the younger child being slung above the pavement like they are in P&Ts, which I know some people don't like.

I hope that helps a little?! Let me know what you decide!

Thanks Kelly. I thought it sounded like your post! See you Tuesday, Abi

Abi - I picked you up a brochure on the City Select and will bring it to playgroup Tues... but you should go to Twist and check out the different P and T's as well as the City Select. I had a good look at them all the other day. Lots of different pros and cons to consider.

Xx Kelly

When I was hunting, I struggled to find a Sport, tried John Lewis and Mothercare etc. You might have more luck with a small, independent shop than a chain.

Obviously as a City Select owner, I do quite like it!! My husband was convinced we'd be better off with a P&T because of their 'compactness' but there are a few things about them I didn't like.

There were a few things which sold the CS to me; It's very versatile in terms of the seat configuration. When I bought our single pushchair for our first child, it was important to us that it could be parent-facing so we could interact. Same applies with second child. I can use a carrycot or carseat (it's compatible with the Maxi-Cosi Cabriofix, which we already have). I didn't like the 'slung underneath' factor with the P&T. When using two pushchair seats, they are tiered with the rear child higher up, so I think they'll both be able to see out properly. With the P&T, I imagine the rear child has to peer around the side.

My husband thought the CS would be huge, but when we compared it side by side with a P&T, the CS was only a few inches longer and about the same width. The CS is narrower than my Quinny Buzz.

As for it being heavy, I can't say I've noticed it being a problem. I don't pick it up and carry it, and when pushing my two children in it, the weight doesn't seem to be an issue. One thing I will say, is that going up and down raised kerbs, or the step into my house, I have to use the bar at the bottom for leverage, but that's what it's there for!

I've only had our CS for a few weeks, but I've had several people approach me, admiring it

Thanks for all your feedback - it's really helpful!

I hadn't considered the City Jogger. I've read some info online, but it's difficult to understand why it's better than a P&T - what are your views?

One big concern I have is the weight of the City Jogger, it's 15kg in doubles mode. This compares to the vibe and dash, both 10kg, and the explorer is 12kg.

Also, how much does the Sport seat recline? Presumably I'd find one hard to find if the Explorer has replaced the Sport?

Thank you
abi

Oh yes the Baby Jogger is so much better than the P&T - love the fact you can have a proper pram bit for baby and that they can face you.

Have had more buggies than I care to admit and the P&T was the worst by a very long way.

Go and have a look at one in a shop with lots of space to try pushing it around in.

Bit of a minefield, this double-buggy lark, isn't it?!
I was told the Explorer was replacing the Sport. When I was looking for ours, I was accosting women in the street, asking them the pros and cons of theirs. One woman, who I'm sure had the Dash, said she hated the brake.

If you want to compare side by side, have a look in Twist in Balham. When I was there, I think she had Vibe and Explorer. She also had the one we eventually bought (Baby Jogger City Select, which I think is brilliant).

Hi,

I have the Dash and really like it. When I bought it the only advantage I could see between the Vibe and the Dash was that the Vibe will fold with the second seat attached on the back. With the Dash and Explorer/Sport you have to remove it to fold it but I've really never found this a problem as it comes off in a second. And the Vibe is slightly wider and more expensive.

I don't know much about the new Explorer but hopefully they've put the brake onto the handle like the Dash as this is much better than the foot brake they used to have?

The Dash has done everything I've needed it to with a toddler and baby and then 2 toddlers.

I have the brand new explorer and while I do love it... i wish I'd have gotten the Dash. The new explorer replaced the Sport model and while it is fab... it is so heavy. The lightest weight one is the Dash. Those extra few pounds feel very heavy when you have two toddlers in the pushchair. If you were to go for the new explorer - please be advised the the second seat does not recline. So, I have a Sport seat on the back of my explorer. Hope that helps!

Thanks - it's so confusing! I think the new style Explorer has replaced the dash - but I might be wrong!

I've heard the Vibe is really heavy and I know a lot of people are unhappy with it. I've heard really good things about the Dash however!

I had a Vibe and hated it. Really difficult to steer and actually quite wide to push around the shops.

I think the standard one is supposed to be better.

Hi

My 2nd baby is due in May, and I've decided to go for a Phil and Teds. I've heard they're heavy, but I'm attracted to the fact they're so narrow.

Anyway, I cannot decide between the vibe (their top of the range model) and the explorer (which has recently been completely redesigned).

Has anyone recently made a similar decision? what did/would you go for?

Many thanks
Abi