As an on the move family of four, the stroller we use is a big factor in how easy it is to go about our day!
When I was on the hunt for the best double stroller for my family, there were a couple of things that were make or breaks:
1. Cost
2. How Easy It Was To Use
3. Comfort For The Kids
4. Lots Of Space Underneath
Ultimately, I decided on the Contours Options Elite Stroller, and let’s break down why!
Cost
If you’re planning on getting into the double stroller game, just know it’s gonna cost you.
I’ve always believed that if you buy it right, you won’t have to buy it twice! Of course there are cheaper options, for double strollers than the Options Elite, but the reviews were usually horrible, in person and online!
Your stroller is something you will have to use physical effort with, and OFTEN. The last thing you want is something that will make everyday use harder, so I say splurge a little!
With that in mind, this stroller is pretty mid-range in price ringing in at $399.99.
Pro Tip: Pick it up at Buy Buy Baby and not only do you get to test drive it before you buy, but they literally ALWAYS have a 20% off coupon you can use. That brought the price down to $320!
How Easy It Was To Use
What was going through my mind here was, I wanted it to be able to: fold up compactly, stand on it’s own when folded, and be light enough to lift up into the back of my jeep.
To be 100% honest, it wasn’t perfect on any of these. It does them, it just could be better.
When it’s folded, it never feels like it’s secure and all the way folded. It still flops halfway open, which makes it prone to falling over.
Which brings me to my second point. It can stand on it’s own, but almost like a newborn baby giraffe. Not super sturdy at all, and it’s fallen over on more than one occasion.
The last point, is (and I know I sound like a broken record) since there is double the stroller to deal with, in a lot of cases it’s almost double the weight. Honestly, I just looked for the lightest weight stroller I could find in my price range, and this fit right in! The Contours Options Elite stroller weighs in at 34 lbs. Jeez. So no, it’s not the easiest thing to lift into my jeep by myself.
Comfort For The Kids
Ultimately, the kids are the ones who have to sit in the dang thing, so that was a really important factor for me!
To be honest though the seats aren’t as comfortable as I would like for long periods of time, but they are better than other strollers I tried out in the store.
I noticed that when Kaia in particular (my two, almost three, year old) falls asleep, she tends to naturally slide forward since the seats aren’t all that deep. My youngest, Ava, fits fine because she’s smaller, but it’s something to watch out for if your kids have a bigger gap in age or size.
One cool thing though is the different seat positions you can utilize! My personal favorite is being able to recline both seats all the way back so that both of the kids can sleep at the same time.
Another huge comfort factor is the giant sun shades. They can completely keep the sun and wind out of the kid’s faces, which is perfect for when they’re sound asleep, but you still have errands to run! It also has a peek a boo flap in the back, so that you can see what the kids are doing, without them seeing you!
Lots Of Space Underneath
Traveling with multiple kids inevitably means lots of stuff! I mean MOUNTAINS of necessary stuff that has to come with you everywhere you go.
This is why having a stroller with a large basket underneath is so important to me! Imagine a trip to the beach where you can literally only fit a water bottle and one of the kids’ beach towels under the stroller. Now, you have to not only push the stroller, but carry around an oversized bag and the loads of other stuff you brought with you in the hot sun. Don’t even get me started on Disney…
Long story short, you NEED a huge basket underneath your stroller, and this stroller gives you that plus more.
You could literally fit one of your children under this thing! Lol It’s literally one of my features of this stroller. Especially because I have an especially oversized and heavy diaper bag that’s never fit under any stroller I’ve ever owned. This one though, is a BREEZE! Once again, you need the basket ladies. Thank me later!
At the end of the day, If I had to give this stroller a rating, I’d give it a 7/10! It’s not perfect, but it’s a pretty great choice for the price! Let me know in the comments what your favorite single or double stroller choice is! I’ll post my favorite single stroller review later!
