Inline Pushchair Or Twin Buggy?
Thankfully the choice of double buggies has grown over the past decade and there’s now much bigger choice of twin pushchairs. Now the first thing you need to think about when you’re picking the pram that’s right for your growing family is whether you need a double buggy (where your children sit next to each other) or a tandem pushchair (where one child sits behind the other). Each design has its advantages and crucially, its disadvantages and which you ultimately opt for depends on your lifestyle and your children.
An important point to remember is, a tandem buggy may not be suitable if you have twins. Most tandem designs do not have two lie-flat seats, suitable for newborns, so you can only carry one newborn baby and one toddler. Although there are some models that let you attach two car seats, so you could transport two newborns at the same time – but this isn’t an ideal way for your babies to travel for long periods of time.
Double buggies let your little ones sit next to each other which can be a great way for your children to bond. They can interact with each other and share each others’ company when you’re out and about. As they grow they can talk to each other and occupy themselves when they’re getting fed up of shopping! And from a parent’s perspective there’s generally more storage space with a twin pushchair, with a shopping basket under each seat unit, which can be handy when you’ve got all the extra baggage you need for two children. However, you do pay for this extra room with the big size of a double pushchair, which can be difficult to fit into some places!
Having said that, tandem pushchairs have some very practical positives. The design of a tandem buggy means that it’s no wider than a single buggy – with one child sitting in the back there’s no need for the pushchair to be any bigger than a standard model. This makes it a doddle to manoeuvre your way around shops and small spaces and means you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll make it through that narrow door.
Another great feature of some tandem pushchairs is that you can remove the back seat unit and use the buggy as a single pushchair. This means you’ll only ever need one buggy whether you need to transport two children or one.
Which design is best for your family really depends on your little ones. If your children are close in age and you will be using a double buggy for a long time then a twin design may be more appropriate, as your children both get an equal view. However, if you’ll only be needing a double pushchair for a short while, until your older baby is happy to walk or use a buggy board then a tandem buggy, with a removable second seat offers better value for money.
