How much did you use your double stroller?

[stephking]

I purchased a double stoller at a yard sale last summer when I first found out I was preg with #2 ($8 for a joovy caboose, a sit-n-stand) I figured even if I didn't use it a lot, it was only $8. Today we were given a brand new Contours Options double stroller (not a sit-n-stand) they did give us a gift receipt if we wanted to return it. Should I return it (approx $280) or re-sell the yard sale stroller? I am leaning towards returning, but feeling guilty. It is a very nice stroller, I'm just not sure how much I will use it. Is a double stroller something you splurged on? I am a SAHM and my due date is 2 days before DD1's 2nd birthday. 

[ilikedonuts]

My due date with #2 was DD1's 2nd birthday. (DD2 was born the next day so 2 years and 1 day apart). We've more then gotten enough use out of our double. We splurged and got a City Select. So its a tandem that you can use as a double or a single. I babywear and I still liked to have a place to put both kids because sometimes I didn't want one strapped to me especially in the summer.

I SAH too.

[namasteak]

I use mine daily & my boys are 20 months apart (27 months & 6 months)

[luckyno7]

Mine were 23 months apart. We had a bob and I used it a lot.

[daisybuchannan]

Mine are two years apart and I used it a ton, especially when she was really little.

[motzie]

Daily because we live in a city and I had to walk the dogs. We've never taken it anywhere because I prefered to wear the baby and put DD1 in our City Mini if we went on an outting. I have the Joovy Caboose as well and it did the job just fine.

[cricketwife]

I think it depends a lot on how much you use your single. We are not getting a double because I just can't imagine needing it. If you currently use your single a lot, you'll prob use the double.

[shelbyann]

My kids are 23 months apart and I use our double BOB at least 2-3 times a week.

[MamaMaui24]

Keep it!

I know it depends on the kid, but mine are almost 3 years apart and the older one wants to ride MUCH more than I anticipated. We have that same sit and stand but he'd rather have a real seat.

[stephking]

Mar 20, 2016 19:42:12 GMT -5 bailarina said:

I have three kids, each about two years apart, and haven't used mine nearly as much as I thought. I never used a single much either so that is probably a good barometer. Also, my lifestyle changed a bit as the kids got older - I stopped leisure shopping as much (because with two kids it wasn't as leisurely anyway) and then when the older one started preschool, I started doing errands during those times, and I just didn't find myself reaching for a double.

Is there something else you want more than the Contours stroller? That would weigh into it for me too.

I thought I wanted the sit n stand because it looked a little smaller than one with two actual seats, but now I'm torn! We do also have a radio flyer wagon, but I know that's for when the girls will be a little older.

[closertofine]

My kids are 18 months apart. We used the double stroller a ton for the first year. Hardly at all after that.

[darnkatz]

My kids are almost five years apart and I still used it almost every day for the first year and a half, but I was walking almost everywhere. If my kids were only two years apart, I would have used it even more, I think. That said, the Contours is pretty heavy - I think it's almost 40 pounds. If you are just going to use the stroller for throwing in the trunk to go out to the mall, Target, the zoo, etc. I would return the Contours. I've heard the Joovy is a bitch to fold, though, so I wouldn't stick with that. I'd probably look into a double Maclaren or a City Mini double for something lighter and easy to fold. 

[brady2012]

I got good use out of my city select (I think it's like the one you bought). I got a lot of use out of it bc my kids are 22 mos apart. The seat reclined so I had DS in there by 4.5 mos. We did a lot of family walks on the weekends, like 4-5 miles. Plus with a barely 2 yr I needed to contain her if I was out alone.

We used it for nearly 3 yrs and just sold it last weekend for a little less than we paid. H and I really feel like we got our $ worth. Plus as the kids got older they loved facing each other.

[speyedr]

My girls are 14 months apart, DD1 will be 2 in 2 weeks and we use it all the time. We have a City Select and we have gotten our monies worth.

[lala]

I think it's more about what you do that requires it & your kids that anything else. Our kids were 2y11m and then 2y8m apart and we used our double (city mini double) a ton. I rarely used it for every day stuff - but we don't go to the mall much, I don't use strollers shopping, etc. It did get used for neighborhood walks, though - longer ones not around the block stuff.

But, we bought it mainly for traveling, the zoo, things like that. That stroller was invaluable just for 2 trips to Disney World alone and will go with us to Disneyland, too. We only considered strollers that folded easily in one piece, had a full recline in both seats, good shade, easy to maneuver, etc. I did not want a front back stroller.

For what I used it for, I would not have liked either of the strollers you have, but some people love them.

As you can see, people have kids in varying ages apart from each other and some never use it and some it's a must have.

[bears]

My kids are exactly two years apart and I used the Contours Options a ton. We go for lots of walks, so it was perfect for my family. I test drove the Options and the Caboose, and I thought the Options was so much better for my older kid than the Caboose.

[missbella]

Well my 2nd is born yet but we are in the exact same situation. DS will be 2 in May and DD is due 3 days before his birthday. I really think this depends on how you plan to use it. We opted to get the City Select after considering these factors:
-DS likes the stroller
-he cannot be trusted to walk in public.
-we walk a lot in the summer, including to the park which is on a busy street
- I am small, have neck and shoulder issues and have big babies, so wearing them all the time is not feasible.
- I wanted to be able to strap them both in
- I go places alone with DS a lot

That being said, even if you decide you want a real double, I would test out the contour before you decide. It is very functional but it is big and heavy. You could always return it and get a cheaper, smaller double.

[rachelgreen]

I really need to figure this out for myself. We use our Chicco Tre jogger and liteway plus allllllll the time. I know I will want to take walks all the time with both. I do babywear too.

I just don't know if I want a double jogger because they seem so wide! For walks/runs sure. For stores?? Will I need yet another stroller for that?

[stephking]

Thanks for the input! I do think we'll return it since we have the gift receipt and try a bunch of different ones at bru / bbb. Even if we re-buy it later, I don't want to miss the return window. I did wear DD1 a lot, but we used the stroller a good bit too.

[qcinoct]

I used it a lot but my boys were 22 months apart. And, both were runners so it was necessary to strap them into something. 

[TrudyCampbell]

My girls have that same age difference (they're now almost 2 and almost 4) and we still use ours every single day. I live in NYC and we walk a lot though.

[soozy87]

Hardly at all. My kids are about 22 months apart and the older one would rather walk or be carried than ride in a stroller 95 of the time.

[penguingrrl]

I used mine nonstop. We lived in a city and my girls were 22 months apart. I used mine many times a day.

Even when my younger one was born. By the. The middle was 3.5 and we had moved out of the city and I still used the double all the time. We would take long walks and sometimes my middle or oldest would get tired and need to sit for a while.

[galaxy8227]

We haven't used ours a ton (ours are 27 months apart) so for me I would just keep the used one you have. We have two (both bought used) and I was glad to have them for certain activities (like the zoo and our trip to Aruba) but at home we don't use it a lot. DS likes to go in the wagon more or use his rock n roll trike while DD would have been in the single stroller. I often wasn't alone with both kids early on either, if I was it would have probably gotten a lot more use.

[SpartanGirl]

My oldest two are just over 2 years apart and my younger two are 15 months apart. We used our double and our sit and stand a TON. When my youngest was born my oldest was 5 and we put all of the kids in the doubles (big two in the sit and stand and the little two in the double).

Make sure you love what you have though - that it's easy to fold, fits in your car, and is easy to steer/push.

[Brie]

My kids are 2y4m apart. I do not own a double stroller and have not missed it.

Granted, we drive everywhere, my older kid hates the stroller, and my youngest is small and happy to be carried/worn.

[motzie]

stephking You can buy a seat to attach to the back of the Joovy so the older kid doesn't have to stand. Not sure if that helps or not. Amazon has them now for $70 but I think I paid closer to $40-50 so the price might fluctuate.

[rikki]

I use our double stroller pretty much every day.

[stephking]

Mar 21, 2016 11:38:09 GMT -5 motzie said:

stephking You can buy a seat to attach to the back of the Joovy so the older kid doesn't have to stand. Not sure if that helps or not. Amazon has them now for $70 but I think I paid closer to $40-50 so the price might fluctuate.

Thank you! This is what my H and I were arguing about lol I wanted to have an actual seat for her, he thinks it won't make a difference. I'll have to keep my eye on the price!