Phil & Ted’s Most Excellent Stroller Review

Phil & Ted’s Sport (Explorer) Our Joovy Caboose died last week. I think I had mentioned that this stroller doesn’t take hills very well; apparently it doesn’t take little cracks or raised lines, not to mention curbs, very well either. And so, last Friday night, we were pushing the stroller down a hill and hit a tiny little bump and one of the wheels snapped off. Not a snap in a way where you can snap it back on, but like the plastic around the wheel cracked and the entire wheel section snapped off. It now rests in peace in a nearby dumpster. Thanks to our generous dinner hosts, we borrowed a Phil & Ted’s Sport (Explorer) stroller (with doubles kit) for our walk home. As someone who has for a long time wanted to try out a P&T stroller, I was thrilled, and after our long, uphill walk home, I was sold (well, sort of). This is a good stroller. Okay, so the sun shade is not as good as the Baby Jogger City Mini sun shade and the basket is hard to access (though it is really nice and roomy), but it is still the best double stroller I have

Read more

Joovy Caboose (Ultralight): Pros and Cons

I’ll get right to the point. Joovy Caboose Ultralight Tandem Stroller Joovy Caboose Ultralight Stand-On Tandem: The Pros It’s smart — a stroller with a back seat that lets big kids sit or stand. It’s less bulky than a double and a lot lighter. With the addition of the carseat adapter, this stroller holds a carseat, making it into an extremely convenient Snap-n-go-like stroller that has an extra seat for the big kid. This was a huge plus for us, as we are still car-less and take lots of cabs. The big kid can sit facing you (with her feet on the platform), sit facing forward (with her feet in the basket), stand facing forward, or sit on her knees facing forward. That’s a lot of options for a 2- or 3- or 4- or 5-year-old who likes options. The big kid seat can fit a rather large kid, probably up to age 5. Maybe older. Though I imagine it would make the stroller a bit harder to push if the kid is very heavy. The stroller is easier to push than most doubles, especially tandem (front seat/back seat) doubles. In fact, it is known as a “stroller and a

Read more

Doubles and Triples and Quads… oh my!

When you are shopping for a stroller for your first child, the selection is, quite frankly, dizzying. If #2 arrives when #1 is still small and you need a double stroller, you will likely find something you like from the many options out there. If #3 comes soon afterwards and you need a triple stroller, the selection is quite dismal. It’s almost enough to convince me to let my almost-3-year-old stand on the sidewalk crying because he doesn’t want to walk to nursery school…but not quite. Buggy Board Maxi The best triple stroller advice is to avoid buying one in the first place. One option is babywearing the new baby (while pushing a double stroller) until the oldest walks independently. Imagine the upper-body strength you will gain as you push two toddlers in a double stroller with a child strapped to your body! I’ve tried this and it’s alright for short distances, but not for longer trips.  Joovy Big Caboose Another plan may be to attach a buggy board to your double. They are inexpensive and easy to use…if your toddler will consent to standing on one while his siblings sit. A double sit-and-stand stroller (like the Joovy Big Caboose) is another option. It is only marginally larger and bulkier than a standard double

Read more