Gearhead Mom

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Phil & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Posted by Missy W. @ 7:22 AM

I was never going to get a Phil & Ted’s stroller. Too huge. Too ostentatious. Waaay too much money. And yet, and yet. What’s sitting in my garage? My spanky new, totally huge, completely ostentatious and way too expensive stroller. Guess what? I love it even though it is sort of embarrassing to own. It feels like a mid-life crisis corvette sort of stroller - tons of bells and whistles, snazzy colors, turns on a dime and you can really open it up on the sidewalk.

We went with the Sport Buggy with Doubles Kit model. We got it at the local kid’s store and the back seat attachment was the floor model, so at least we got 10% off. (Don’t be afraid to ask if the store is willing to part with the floor model! Don’t ask, don’t get). The first day we brought the stroller home was the day that Sy ran shrieking down the street, refusing to go anywhere near it. She was completely wigged out by the whole backseat option. She literally catapulted herself out of it and headed for the hill. After a few days just sitting near the stroller, she decided to give it a try and fell in love with it. I think she feels cozy back there. We put Baby G in his carseat and click it onto the top. There is a conversion bar to put it on safely, but I was too cheap to buy it. It sets on there just fine and I don’t worry about him falling out, but if you don’t want to live on the edge like me, get the conversion bar for sure. Once Baby G can hold his head up, I can put him in the regular seat, but for now it’s nice to have him up so high and facing me, he likes the face time.

The Sport Buggy comes as a single stroller with the capability for double conversion by adding an extra seat onto the back. It’s built more like a jogging stroller (although not recommended to jog with it) than a regular umbrella stroller.  You know, there’s so much to discuss about this stroller, I think I have to go with bullet points:

• The swivel front wheel allows for quick turning, making this seriously easy to maneuver.
• It has a lightweight (but still 24 lbs!) alloy and steel frame which makes pushing two kids a little less painful. With my two kids, that makes almost 70 lbs that I’m pushing up a hill, but I just remind myself that it’s good for the thass (thigh/ass).
• It’s such a smooth ride that when I’m just pushing Baby G in it, I am stoked that it has a leash, because when we go down a hill I’m pretty sure he might just fly away.
• I really appreciate the back wheel guards, since Sy sits back there and hangs over the side to see the sights. Her lovie would have some serious tread marks on it if it weren’t for the guards.
• The weight limit for the back seat is 35 lbs. Sy weighs 35 and it’s definitely pushing it. When she is in there by herself the stroller tips.
• The Sport model has a foot brake that is ridiculously hard to push down. I often have to lean down and force it with my hands. It incenses me. I mean, come on Phil and Ted, like I have an extra hand while juggling two kids and a massive stroller that wants to roll right out of the driveway and into oncoming traffic. I swear and break a lot of nails.
• There is very little storage room in the undercarriage when you have a kiddo in the back seat. We can fit a couple water bottles and a shirt or two, but there certainly isn’t room for a diaper bag. They sell pannier type bags to attach onto the side, but I haven’t seen them in person, so I can’t comment on this.
• When I put Baby G in his carseat on the top, the Sport sunshade just meets his carseat shade, enabling him to go on a shaded walk if need be.
• The back toddler seat is a piece of cake to snap on and off. I can easily fold up the rest of the stroller and put it in the back of the minivan with room to spare. At 24 lbs, it isn’t exactly easy to heave into the trunk, but it’s doable.
• Both my kids are happy as clams in this thing. Sy’s pals beg for turns in the back when we go on walks.
• It’s so ridiculously expensive, I am glad this was a gift. I am sort of insulted by the price.

Snapshot:
• It’s the creme de la creme of strollers, as is evidenced by the size and cost of the bugger.
• Easy to fold and easy to change the format, even with no sleep.
• The foot brake infuriates me, but I wasn’t willing to kick down the extra $150.00 for the Vibe, which has a hand brake. In retrospect, I wish we had that one.
• Is it worth the money? Personally, I’d rather have a new sofa (or two from Ikea), but my kids can’t seem to get to the park riding on the sofa.
• Do I secretly love it? Absolutely.

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