Double Sit -N- Stand Stroller Vs. Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem plus Stroller

Updated on May 05, 2009
R.A. asks from Seattle, WA
8 answers

I've heard good things about the Double sit and stand stroller (it is a double stroller that can be turned into a sit and stand if needed) and can't decide if that one is better than the Double Kolcraft Contours Options Plus stroller. This stroller will be for my kids who will be 15 months apart. For now, I'm planning on just wearing one and putting he other in the single stroller we already have. But eventually I do need to get a double stroller. My 15 month old loves walking and although he likes the stroller now, I've heard that toddlers go through a period where they don't, so I'm not sure how much longer that is going to last. Has anyone done research between the Double Sit and Stand and Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Plus Stroller? Does anyone recommend one more than the other. Here are the links for both :

http://www.amazon.com/Baby-Trend-Double-Stroller-Skylar/d...

http://www.amazon.com/Kolcraft-Contours-Options-Tandem-St...

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H.B.

answers from Seattle on

I love my Schwinn Safari TT Double Jogger - it's so easy to push and maneuver that I often use it even if only one child is riding. I can literally push 40+ lbs of kids with one hand and carry a cup of coffee in the other hand. It's easier to push than my single stroller. And you can take the bar off the front so the older child can climb in and out easily - we did this at the aquarium a couple weeks ago and it worked out great. I have three kids and often I have the front pack with me for times the baby wants to be carried and my older two (2.5 and 4) take turns riding. We love it and many of my friends have it and love it too. Check it out! It also goes under the InStep name.
http://www.epinions.com/prices/InSTEP_Schwinn_Safari_TT_D...

Also, there are just times when I have to insist that it is time to go when my older child doesn't want to (the park, the beach, outdoor play area, etc) and it is invaluable to have a seat to strap her into so that I don't have to try to carry a kicking, screaming child in addition to pushing a stroller. Just something to think about.

1 mom found this helpful

C.S.

answers from Medford on

I don't know about the Kolcraft, but I would not recommend the Baby-trend. We have one for our two (2 1/2 and newborn when we bought it), it worked alright for the first 6 months, then the kids got to heavy. I couldnt push it comfortably at all. It is hard to manouver once you have the kids in it. We stopped using it after our little one was out of the infant seat (around 7 months). I think that this is true for most tandem strollers. Your absolute best bet is a jogging type double stroller. Some make attachments for infants. As they get bigger (and they will), the jogging strollers are a breeze to push.

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M.S.

answers from Portland on

There are a few things you need to think about.

*Is your son active and likes to get out of the stroller to walk sometimes?

*Can you trust your son to not disappear in an instant when you turn your back on him?

*Will you primarily be using it for shorter trips where your older one can get down, and ride if he is tired, or are you thinking long walks where both need to stay in the stroller?

*Will you most often have both together? When your older one starts preschool, and you are traveling with just one, will you feel weird about pushing a big stroller with an empty seat?

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B.H.

answers from Seattle on

I personally love the sit and stand! I still occasionally use it with my 5 year old and 18 month old, when we go to the zoo or long shopping trips.
It has the front baby seat holder and gives option for older child to sit or stand and has a buckle.
So the double sit and stand would just give you room to grow, vs the other one where he could only sit. Best of luck to you and your wee ones.

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S.S.

answers from Portland on

My girls are 8-1/2 months apart, the oldest being 2. We found a Joovy Caboose (sit and stand) at a consignment shop and love it! Once my older daugther started walking, she didn't really want to sit in the stroller, so now she can walk, sit, kneel, stand and is pretty much happy when we go out. The basket isn't quite big enough, but it works. It's light weight and easy to fold up. I know it wasn't one of your choices, but worth looking into. Good luck and congratulations.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

I cannot directly answer your question but I can tell you my daughter's experience with a different sit-n-stand stroller that she used with her newborn and 3 yo children.

I looked at the 2 strollers you gave web addresses for and my daughter's babies' stroller is not either of those. I don't remember the brand of hers. This was 6 years ago. As I recall it had the usual stroller configuration in front and then a platform with a bench in back. The older child could stand on the platform facing forward or sit on the bench. The bench has a safety strap but I don't think there was anything to support the child while standing except for something to hang on to. The front position also held the car's infant seat.

The stroller is heavy and cumberson to put in the car trunk. We used it often taking the kids for walks to a park and the store and all of us liked it. I think my daugher used it less often when leaving in a car.

When we went to the mall my daughter used a light weight frame that held only the car's infant seat. I remember her saying that she preferred the small frame rather than a regular stroller because it was lightweight and easy to use. My granddaughter liked to help push the cart. She was 3 preferred to not ride in a stroller bur she did when there were 2 people walking. A 10-11 yo neighbor girl often went with us to push the stroller with my granddaughter in it or to hold her hand. I did use an umbrella stroller when I took her for long walks from my house. She walked until she got tired and then rode.

An aside comment: At 8 my granddaughter still likes to take walks. She and I walked often from the time she was a couple of months old. I didn't walk with my grandson and he doesn't like to take walks. May be my influence or not. :):)

Once my grandson had outgrown the car seat, my daughter and I used a light weight stroller with a net basket underneath the seat and on the back of the baby seat, a snack tray and beverage holder for the baby and the adult, and a canopy. It folded in a similar way the umbrella strollers fold. It was very easy to use; much easier than the regular stroller my daughter had for her first baby.

I think my daughter said that if she had to choose over again she'd choose to use the frame first and the lightweight that folded like an umbrella stroller for her oldest and skip the sit-n-stand. She was on a limited budget. However, those walks to the park would've been difficult without the sit-n-stand. The lightweight stroller wasn't so convenient for rough terrain.

The frame for the car seat was around $50 and the lightweight stroller was less than $100. She bought the sit-n-stand with a gift card.

Your oldest child will be much younger and this would make a difference in choices. I am impressed by the pictures of the Contours stroller. There wasn't a good picture of the double stroller but if it is just a double stroller I would choose the Contours one. There wasn't a good picture or description of the double stroller. I would want to know how the standing part is provided.

Your son will want to sit in front. At 3, my granddaughter did ride in a stroller when we had lots of walking to do such as at the mall. I think she's be less willing if she shared with brother. As a preschooler she often said, "I'm not a baby." Then there will be the dilemna of who sits in front with the 2 seater. Once your daughter is interested in looking she won't want to ride in the back. I've seen 2 seaters and the seats are awfully close together. What child wants to have their face 16 inches from a canvas back?

Your babies at 15 months apart will use a stroller together for at least a year and probably longer. I'd choose the contour because it has choices and isn't really very much more expensive.

I would also consider getting a car seat stroller frame for use in the first few months if there will be 2 of you to push 2 strollers or if one of you will be taking just the youngest. The frame is so lightweight and ergonomically designed; very easy to maneuver and relatively inexpensive. Not heavy enough for rough terrain but perfect for mall and in store shopping.

A comment about shopping. When I shopped for groceries with both kids, I put the car seat over the grocery cart child's seat and my granddaughter in the cart on a folded blanket. She could help put food in the cart and I always knew where she was. Shopping was faster and safer this way. Then when the youngest was able to sit in the child's seat I still kept my granddaughter in the grocery cart. When I just had my granddaughter she rode in the grocery cart that had a full sized plastic formed seat until her head was above the back. This was quite awhile.

As Sue suggested, I would look in resale shops. My grandchildren's strollers were in nearly new condition when they were thru using them. Your post reminds me that I was going to take them to a resale shop but they're still in my daughter's storage.

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M.M.

answers from Portland on

I have the double sit n stand stroller from onestepahead.com and I absolutely love it. Not so big and bulky and easy to manuever. We used as a double until my older son was ready to be out and then converted to the sit n stand. Great to have some place to put him if needed. I think your best choice is the double sit n stand. Lots of room to grow and use for a while. Hope this helps.

M. M.

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D.H.

answers from Spokane on

I think that you should get a Kolcraft Contours Options Tandem Plus Stroller because it can ajust. if you say you are pregnant and you child is all most to that age when he is going to want to walk then your other 2 kids will enjoy it.Hope that I have helped.

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