Hot wheels for the boys

Once I knew that I was expecting twins, I realised that I had to buy new twin-friendly baby equipment which would not be part of the usual hand-me-downs from friends and family. The first major twin-specific piece of equipment I knew I had to buy was a set of wheels for the boys.  Off to internet I went with Google and Yahoo search engines at my side. 

I quickly realised that not only did I need learn to understand my babies when they are born but I also needed to understand the different terms people use for the same thing depending on where they live. For instance, the words “prams”, “strollers” and “pushchairs” are used for pretty much the same thing depending on where you live in the world! 

So off I went on yet another research project. What I would need for my twins? This is what I found out.  There are commonly two configurations for twin strollers / pushchairs.  This would be the tandem (where one baby sits in front of the other) and the side-by-side. 

Both are designed to fit into elevators and through single doorways but the major difference I found was that tandem strollers are typically designed to carry two babies of different ages.  Most are not designed to carry two newborns at the same time!  If I were to buy something for my twin boys, I would have to look for a side-by-side stroller / pushchair where BOTH seats are designed for newborns and can be reclined fully. 

While there are many models out there, I had to carefully consider my lifestyle in choosing a stroller / pushchair.  As I am quite petite, have to drive everywhere hopping in and out of cars into buildings, my primary considerations for a stroller would have to be weight and ease of opening and closing. 

Some single strollers weigh 8kg and above while most twin strollers weigh in at a whopping 12kg – 20kg each.  Imagine having to lift that weight in and out of a car repeatedly in a day! And that’s before lifting the babies to and from their car seats and …. not forgetting the groceries???  Decision made … as light as possible please!

It’s too easy to get caught up with those funky space-age strollers with chunky wheels, spring suspension, storage bags galore and iridescent colours. But for practical reasons, a petite mother like me, looking after two babies, needs convenience above all.  If it’s not as sturdy as those designed for jogging through the park or some off-road adventure and only lasts a few years, that’s fine by me.  I can buy another one later. Who knows? I may even have to buy separate strollers by then if the boys no longer want to sit in a side-by-side stroller.

So this is what I bought, the Combi WE2 side-by-side weighing in at a featherweight 8.2kg (18 lbs).  While Combi is a famous Japanese brand selling through-out the world, the Combi WE2 is only available in the UK!!  The US version is the Combi Twinsport but that is slightly heavier at 10.2kg (22.5 lbs). 

I found and bought my Combi WE2 on e-Bay and it had it delivered last week!  I must say it looks very nice and will be perfect for the boys!  I can’t wait to take them out for a spin.

Here are some pictures of my WE2 opened and closed (it even stands by itself).