List Price: $259.99
Sale Price: $202.96
Today's Bonus: 22% Off
Just purchased this stroller. I've been dying for a jogger ever since I had my first, and now that we have 2, I finally got one! I purchased this stroller because I didn't want to have to buy 2 double strollers: a normal tandem one for shopping and narrow areas, and a side-by-side jogger. Unless you're willing to pay upwards of $450, tandem joggers just don't seem to be an option, except for this one. So, for the price, and ease of not having to play musical strollers or having to find a place to store the extra (we live in Texas, the garage isn't an option due to the creepy crawlers), this is beyond great!
Here are my lists of pros and cons:
Pros:
Very tall handle-bar: I am 5'11" and my husband is 5'7". It works well for both of us, but especially for me.
The child sitting in back cannot reach down into the cargo area, such as I've seen with other tandem strollers, causing headaches for the mothers.
It fits my Chicco Keyfit-22 car seat with room for my rather tall 20-month-old in the front seat. Note for owners of the Chicco Keyfit-30: I don't believe it would fit the Keyfit-30 very well with a toddler in the front seat. The Keyfit-30 sticks out much further, and your toddler would likely be hitting their head on the back of the car seat.
When attaching a car seat, it has an adapter bar as well as a strap, which holds the seat securely.
It has a very smooth ride.
The parent tray has 2 cup-holders + a covered compartment in the middle.
Cons:
There is no handbrake. However, it comes with a wrist strap, so the stroller doesn't get away from you while jogging.
It is rather heavy. I'll have to get used to hoisting it into the SUV, but I need an arm workout anyway! LOL (Note: I've never owned any other double strollers, so it may actually be light for a double, but I'm just used to my single. I really don't know. You'll have to judge for yourself.)
The child tray is kind of rickety, and when folded, it sticks off the front of the stroller quite far. We just figured we'll leave it off most of the time, if we're going to be taking it in and out of the car frequently.
When folded, the back wheels make it kind of bulky. However, they are super-easy to remove. So if you have limited space, you can simply take them off and lay them flat.
I hope the info helps!
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I am SO sad that this stroller didn't meet my expectations! I was so pumped when I found it and hoped it would answer all my stroller problems.Pros:
-pretty easy to push while walking on pavement (I saw a review somewhere that said someone was using this peice of poo to jog with--I would not do this!!) and turns like a dream
-the width is AMAZING!!! It can fit through any door and in any coffee shop...so great!
-basket is pretty roomy, fit lots of stuff!
-My three year olds were comfortable in the back seat
-I love the parent cup holder thingy (something none of my other strollers have) really perfect little set up (wish the child tray was set up as nicely)
-folded size is not bad for a double (folds to be about the same size as my single BOB SUS, pretty big single stroller)
-easy to fold--need two hands so you gotta put down the baby....
Cons:
-I think my kids would kill this stroller in a couple days use! The material is super cheap...I was particularly worried about:
1. Material of stroller wearing down.
2. The foot break is really flimsy--I am fairly sure I will break it if I keep the stroller. Also--one of my kids is very bouncy when excited....we were excited to try the stroller and so she bounced and bounced the foot break out of "lock" position over and over agian. She has always been bouncy but I have never had this problem with my other strollers (she is 30 lbs).
3. The child tray in the front is really flimsy and set much too high for even the three year olds to reach without straining. I am concerned about it breaking with regular use. I also had to remove the tray when folding and storing the stroller because the tray sticks way out making it really vulnerable to breaking as well as making it just that much more difficult to get the stroller in the trunk (no tray for back seat FYI)
4. I have a pair of 3 year olds and an 12 month old. Three year olds fit nicely in back seat but NOT in the front! 12 month old fit nicely in front.
5. The back seat reclines all the way and although I read the instructions and fastened the seat correctly, the seat kept reclining under the weight of my big kids (about 32 lbs)...very annoying.
6. Sun shades are not great because they are really small. BUT it helps that they move freely so you can adjust them with the sun. My 3 year olds couldn't use them at all because they are too tall and the shades hit them on their little heads (they are about average height amongst our three year old friends....)
7. I had a really hard time getting this stroller in and out of my Jeep...and my trunk is HUGE. It is pretty heavy folded (but feels light while pushing) I have an easier time with my other strollers probably because I'm not so scared to break them and just kind of toss them aboard..
8. Folding latch is a joke for a stroller I paid $250 for....I didn't find it to stay latched. This made it harder to try and get the darn thing in my trunk.
9. Back seat rider loooooved to kick back of front seat...ha ha ha...so hilarious that despite the fancy seating arrangement he still found a way to annoy his sisters....he thought it was brilliant!
I really need something that both of the older kids can sit in at the same time when they are all tired out from summer adventures(baby likes the baby back pack still)...and this is not it. I wish this was just even a tiny bit more sturdy...the size and mobility are great! Better wheels would go a LONG way too....back to the search for us!!! If you aren't looking for a rough and tumble stroller for children who belong in the Zoo--this may work for you. I would keep it for short walks/mall trips if I could afford to keep this and also buy something more sturdy for outdoorsy stuff (I jog often with my single and we frequent the beach...my BOB glides over any terrain and this has me super spoiled). We also have a trip to Disney in the future and I would be nervous to take this stroller....for fear of it breaking on us. I think we may just break down and buy the Mountain Buggy + one with the freerider scooter that attaches to the back. I really want a stroller that can get me into the coffee shop/mall/docs office with little beasties restrained and then down to the beach where I can watch them run free...perhaps impossible!
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This is not the first double jogging stroller I've owned, and certainly not the most expensive, but it's off to a good start where design and function are concerned. I took this stroller out for an inaugural run last night and here are my initial thoughts:WEIGHT: It's a bit on the heavy side, so you'll definitely build muscle getting it in and out of the car. But on the ground, running was a breeze and I didn't notice the weight of the stroller, nor the weight of my girls I side. Even though it lacks the fancy suspension of a BOB stroller, I had no problem running with this stroller on the bike trail or off the bike on rough terrain.
TURNING: The tandem design of the stroller does require some extra concern when turning, but I expected that to be the case. When the front wheel is in swivel position, the key is to let the swivel do the work for you. When the front wheel is in locked position, making turns is a bit more difficult. However, I find this to be the case with nearly all fixed wheel jogging strollers, especially doubles. My "fix" (on all the jogging strollers I've owned) is to push down on the handlebars and raise the front wheel slightly off the ground. This makes turning a lot easier. I made several 360 degree turns this way (to "pick-up" slower kiddos who were jogging with me) with no concern for safety.
HANDLE HEIGHT/WIDTH: As a 5'6, 125 lb female, I had no issues with the height or width of the stroller handles. They are just right for me and, in all honesty, better than some of the other jogging strollers I've used.
TRAYS/ACCESSORIES: I agree with other reviews in that the tray system (especially the tray arms) could be greatly improved I,proved upon, especially in the front. My 2 yo rode with a sippy cup in the holder and although it did not fall out, it did make quite a racket.
As for the adjustable shades on both seats, I love them! When the back seat is fully reclined, the crown of my baby's head still got a little sun, so I might advise bringing along an extra blanket or a hat for baby if you are using the stroller in the heat of the day (which I wasn't, so it wasn't a big deal for me).
Not having a hand brake was not a deal breaker for me, as I normally don't use them even on strollers that have them. I went up and down overpass-grade hills while running last night with no issues or concerns about safety.
OVERALL: I feel that this is a great stroller at a great price. I love having the features of a double jogging stroller without the double girth, which takes it's toll on both doors and shoulders!
With a little practice (esp. for new jogging stroller handlers), this stroller can be perfect for meeting both your everyday ( swivel wheel) and recreational (locked wheel if jogging) needs.
Honest reviews on InStep Safari Double Tandem Stroller (16-Inch, Blue)
This is my 3rd double stroller.I started out with a Sit-n-Stand. Didn't like that because my then 3-year-old would constantly escape/attempt to fall out and it was difficult to steer.
So I sold that one and opted for this same brand's double-wide stroller. I kind of liked that one. It had it's problems, like the fact it was too wide. Too wide for doors and for many of the sidewalks around here. It was a beast when folded and my 3-year-old's legs would dangle kind of far off the front, almost touching the ground. However, he could climb in all by himself, which I realize is a bonus now that I've got this one.
I sold that double stroller and got this tandem stroller. I agree with other reviewers that front seat's canopy is way too low too low for even my 17-month-old (he's 95%, though). My 4-year-old fits nicely in the back, but I have to lift him in there. I like that both kids can see!
Other reviewers have commented on this stroller tipping. I think that's the nature of 3-wheeled-strollers. I've almost tipped both my single jogging stroller and the double jogging stroller I had previously, which is why you have to be extra careful on uneven surfaces.
I use my jogging strollers for walking only. I don't think I'd try actually jogging with this one.
This stroller is very, very tall. I'm 5'9" and my arms are elevated pushing the handlebar and my sight is limited over the canopy. The height is good for me, and not-so-good for shorter folks out there, trust me.
This stroller also has the same stupid wheel/spoke design as the InStep double stroller. The plastic "spokes" are so wide it makes it *very* difficult to pump up the front tire with many bike pumps. My husband's mini-bike pump wouldn't fit so I had to buy a new bike pump with a smaller flip-lock to work with that stroller.
I have had this stroller for a very short time and if I find any more issues, I'll try to remember to update here. This stroller might be the best I can do, for the price. :-)
EDIT: 2ish months later . . . I've found this stroller is extremely difficult to back up. The front swivel wheel doesn't seem to want to cooperate. I've tested it out at the zoo and survived the madness. It's nice not having a stocky beast to force through doors! I also tried this out on garbage day and was able to get around the gigantic recycling cans (I live in Oregon). With my previous double-wide stroller that would never have been possible.
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I was looking for a double stroller for my newborn and 16 month old so that we can go for walks on the trails in the woods near our house. This stroller works perfect.I have a graco car seat that fits well with the adapter, however I can't figure out how that safety strap is really supposed to work, but I tied it off so its secure. With the car seat in, my 16 month old fits fine, but I could see a taller / older child being cramped.
There was concern about the height of the handle bar because of other reviews but I am 5'3" and the height is fine, below shoulder height and generally comfortable.
I don't foresee ever trying to bring this thing shopping, it's a beast to lift but good to push. Stairs are do-able, going up is a bit awkward because its heavy, and after being out and getting sweaty the handle bar grip gets slippery.
One bad thing is that the toddler in the front typically drops his toys and there's no netting or compartment to catch the stuff. And it's hard to talk to the front passenger because they are obstructed by that car seat and seemingly far away but if you're on a quiet trail it's better.
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