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User: mummyGoth (profile)
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Date Posted: 18 September 2007
Review: First let me say- I am a pram-a-holic. But, while this makes me extremely expensive and irritating in my partner's opinion (and a bit of a novelty at my young mum's group) It also means that after some 12 prams buggies and pushchairs that I am well versed in features and faults of most designs! - And let me say- the Phil & Teds has few faults, in fact - it's as close to perfect as I have got for a pushchair, both in the single and Double catagories.

I bought it 2 months ago, and I have a 2 and a half year old, and a 1 year old, I use it with the doubles kit (extra seat) in "Two Toddler" mode (main seat upright, 2nd seat below) but I really didn't agree with the idea of putting my baby (Benji) in the lower seat, I thought it much more practical to allow my 2 yr old (Jacob) to sit in there, as he walks most of the time anyway he hops in and out as he pleases (and I require) and means I am not worrying about car fumes and wandering fingers with Benji if he were sat in the back. I have not had any problems with the buggy tipping at all, it doesn't budge.

It folds smaller than I expected - actually fitting easier into the back of a VW Golf and Peugeot 307 than my previous double a Maclaren XT (which I got rid of after Benji learnt to sit up and irritate his brother by waving his arms around next to him, resulting in tantrums, baby injury and me pushing a double width buggy while holding a stroppy toddler's hand every time I went out) I was reluctant to buy a traditional 5 yard long tandem pushchair as they are just plain awkward to push and simply enormous to store.

I love the fact this pushchair converts back to a single and is no significantly bigger with the seat on the back.

The fact your kid is sitting with their feet in the shopping basket is really not the end of the world - especially if you put the baby down there- their feet won't be tangled up in bags or nappies etc. And with the seat up top- that's just genius design - although you can't really have the hood up with a toddler sat up there.

It's an absolute DREAM to push, I love air filled tyres, and with two large and heavy children, the last thing you want is plastic bumpy unsteerable wheels. The air tyres also mean you don't feel like your pushing a big pram with 3 and a half stone of small person in.

It is expensive, but if you've bought one for your first child, knowing you're planning more- it saves a lot of money in the long run. I wish I'd bought one when I was expecting Benji at least It would've saved me a lot of hassle with double pushchairs, balancing Jacob on the carrycot of our single big pram, and messing around with a buggy board in the early days.

Top buggy, worth the money and built to last.


Pros: The versatility of the buggy itself, single to double with just a few clicks. Air filled tyres - a must have for anyone pushing a baby anywhere- let alone two toddlers! Folds more compact than you expect - and you can pop the wheels off for extra tight spaces. Both seats are good and comfy - the sport extra seat does recline a smidge using zips - but only if you've got a baby in there as the metal bar gets in the way otherwise! Raincover is fantastic, if a little fiddly to put on properly round the front wheel. Adequately covers both children no problem and no danger of them kicking it off.

Main seat has true "Lie-flat" ability, was very impressed with that - but only if the other seat is on top or not on at all.

Super stylish, and so many colours! I wanted the lime green but my partner put his foot down, so we have the smart navy blue, which I think i prefer now as the other green ones I have seen look grubby very quickly, also I don't think it's a colour to help my baby off to sleep!

Obviously well made, it's lightweight but not plasticky.

The seats are deep and comfortable for both children- and the main seat is so large it would be more than adequate for my children up to the age of 4 at least, no heads lolling off the top of the seat like you see with some buggies.

Oh I just love it.


Cons: The harness is stupidly easy for my toddler to undo - so much so that I recommend anyone with a tot prone to clambering out of their straps to invest in a walking harness and reins to thread through the "D-rings" provided to prevent such acts of houdinism!

Unfolding it, is a pain in the proverbial- the front wheel won't click lock into place without giving the buggy a damn good shaking or wrestle, so no easy 'one handed hold a baby unfolding' to be had here.

Having your tot sat in the shopping basket is a bit of a pain- I can wedge a few things past Jacob's feet- but it's pretty redundant once they're sat down there, and you can't hang ANYTHING off the handles because you'll hit your child in the head. Pannier bags are available, but since I love the in-line design I don't really want to bulk it out with ugly bags. Nor do I want to invest in the handle/bumbag they offer either, I may be a child of the 80s but I do not want to be responsible for a bumbag revival.

You certainly can't fold it one handed - I have been known to plonk my baby on the floor or a stranger before collapsing it to get on a crowded bus.


Score: 9/10
Rating: 21 people have rated this review helpful

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