November 25, 2014 Ben Sung

Double your stroller, double your fun! The best double strollers for twins

cute twins Twin babies bring twice the fun, twice the cuteness, and twice the pride into your life. Still, twins add unique complications to the business of traveling with babies, so you’re going to need some specialized gear.

Before we even start on the strollers: let’s talk infant car seats! While most convertible car seats are designed so that babies can ride safely from their first day out of the hospital, we recommend using an infant car seat for your baby’s earliest months, whether you’ve got one baby or two. It’s all about convenience: baby bucket seats can be used on your stroller in a travel system configuration, letting you click the seat in and out of the car and on and off your stroller without unbuckling the baby, and tote your napping tot around right in her seat, ensuring that no nap goes interrupted. A little convenience goes a long way, and it will go that much farther when you’ve got twice as many babies to wrangle!

My top picks for infant car seats for two are the popular Chicco Keyfit and the high-tech Cybex Aton Q. Both of these seats are suitable for babies weighing as little as 4 pounds, and a lot of twins are teeny, so this is a common concern. The Keyfit weighs only 9 pounds, sparing you some lugging, and it’s super easy to install. The Aton Q is a little weightier, but I love the head support, which adds comfort and security for the littlest babies.

With that said, here are some great stroller choices – but this is only the beginning! Don’t forget that it’s best to try a stroller before you buy, ideally at one of our six Magic Beans stores. If we’re not nearby, find a specialty baby store near you and give each stroller a push. And if you still have questions, talk to us – we can make great recommendations.

THE STROLLERS

Joovy Twin Roo Double Infant Car Seat Frame
The Roo is my top pick if you decide to go with the Chicco Keyfit – it also can accommodate Graco infant car seats. This car seat frame is a great pick for moms in the burbs; it folds down easily and compactly to fit in your car trunk, and it has loads of storage room in the basket. It has a reasonably short footprint (shorter than the Baby Trend Snap N Go), making it less unwieldy, and your babies face to the side, so you can get to both kids easily.

Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller
This is my top pick if you go with the Cybex Aton Q; you can purchase upper and lower Maxi-Cosi adapters that will easily accommodate two Atons. And it’s just a great stroller for infants: the seats have a full recline so even newborns can ride, you have the option of two cute and cozy bassinets, and the all-terrain wheels pamper both you and your babies with an easy push and a smooth ride. Plus, the fabrics are eco-friendly, utilizing 50% recycled plastic bottles on the exterior and 50% bamboo charcoal on the interior.

Bugaboo Donkey Stroller
The Donkey does equally well with a variety of infant car seats, with ample twin adapters available for different models. It’s also just a superb stroller (it’s a Bugaboo, after all), with reversible seats, huge storage, that signature smooth-as-butter Bugaboo push on all-terrain wheels, customizable color options, beautiful bassinets… we could go on all day. The side-by-side configuration makes it easier to turn than a tandem design, too.

The only downside to the Donkey as a twin stroller is that with two infant car seats, it can be a tad wide, making it tough to fit through doors. But the Donkey is an outdoor animal – it’s just amazing on city streets, and is a great double stroller for families that do a lot of walking.

And one more thing: the Donkey is made to adapt! If you’re leaving the house with only one of your kids, you can convert your Donkey Stroller into a single stroller in just three clicks.

Baby Jogger City Select
The City Select is just as adaptable as the Donkey, in a slightly more compact package: the in-line seating ensures that it will fit through all doors, and it folds to the size of a single stroller. It can accommodate a dizzying number of combinations of seats, bassinets, and infant car seats, and the seats can face you or face the world. This stroller does best in the suburbs, since it gets along well with cars; the only downside to the City Select is that the weight distribution can make steering a little tricky.

AND MORE…

city-mini-gt-double-jogger If you’re starting with a Snap N Go, once your babies are done with the infant car seat stage, the Baby Jogger City Mini GT is a great next step, with full reclines for naps, the easiest possible one-step fold (nice and flat for your car trunk), and luxuriously-sized canopies. This stroller is great for suburban moms who do a lot of walking around the neighborhood (and the tougher wheels will be very helpful in the playground).

The Maclaren Twin Triumph double stroller is a great option if you’re more of an indoorsy family, doing most of your strolling in the mall or grocery store: it’s terrifically light and compact, with a narrow fold that lets it fit into your trunk alongside a ton of groceries, and ergonomic handlebars for comfy pushing. The seats also have a nice partial recline so the kids can nap.

Going in the opposite direction, the BOB Revolution FLEX Duallie Stroller is super outdoorsy, and is terrific for city moms or suburban joggers! The huge 16” wheels gobble up the sidewalk, the three-wheel design makes for the easiest turns, and the big canopies provide your brood with terrific shelter from the elements while you walk or jog.

There are even more excellent double stroller options in our aisles, and we’d love to introduce you to them. Drop by and take them on a test drive – you’ll be glad that you did!