I'm Not Embarassed, I Have A Pushchair Fetish! (Kingswood Duo Active Twin Pushchair)

Name: jusophine

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Product:	Kingswood Duo Active Twin Pushchair
Date:	15.01.02 (4885 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great value for money., Good quality., comfortable and easily folds,, compact

Disadvantages: You might have difficulty believing you could buy an excellant product at such a great price!

Either I’ve developed a strange fetish for prams and buggies, or I’ve made several ill advised purchases in the ‘out and about’ category of expenditures concerned with early parenthood.


I'm talking about the fact that I now have a total of five methods of getting my kids around when we’re out and about. First there was the highly expensive pram that converted into a pushchair as the need arose, a so called ‘2-in-1’. I simply had to have it because all the parenting magazines told me so. It turned out to be wonderful for those early days. Great suspension, wonderful looking, but oh so awkward to assemble and fold away, not to mention heave into the boot which it barely fitted.


Then there was the budget stroller, less that £15, very basic, but terribly light weight. I could throw it at the ground and it would virtually spring into action, and it was great for going on holiday.


Next came baby number 2, and suddenly, my mind was racing with ideas for how to transport 2 sproggs around. With just 18 months between them, I needed a double buggy of some kind. The options seemed to be that I either went for a ‘Twin’ pushchair, with side-by-side seats, or a ‘Tandem’ pushchair, where one child sat behind the other.


In the end I went for the Tandem style, because I use a pushchair most frequently whilst shopping, and I felt with a pushchair the same width as a standard pushchair for one child, there would be no nook or cranny of a shop that I couldn’t be free to roam.


Well, it turned out to be a ‘Lemon’, and if you want to know why, then you’ll need to take a look at my opinion on the ‘Graco Stadium Duo’, but in summing up, it turned out to be heavy, incredibly bulky when folded, difficult for the kids to see each other, and like a Sherman tank to push as the larger child sat at the front. I defy anyone t
o get up a curb(lifting the weight of the largest child), and keep their cool!


Next, I decided I simply had to have a comfortable, more substantial single pushchair for my youngest whilst the eldest was a nursery. This has proved to be an excellent buy, and one I wished I had made in the beginning before buying the ‘2-in-1’ and the stroller, as it would have easily taken their place. I’ve also written an opinion on this(the ‘Graco Mirage’) which you’ll find in my profile. You see, I am rather obsessed by pushchairs!


Anyway, onto the matter at hand, and yet another new pushchair(I really ought to go along to a local NCT sale and sell some of this clobber I’ve accumulated). After my extensive practical research, it became clear that what I really needed, was a twin pushchair, that folded easily, took up little space, wasn’t too heavy, provided comfort, protection from the elements, and enabled my kids to communicate like two normal human beings(if you can call a toddler that), without having to either talk to the back of one’s head, or turns one’s head like a Barn Owl to maintain eye contact with the sibling taking up the rear.


Now there are no shortages of ‘Twin’ pushchairs on the market, and if you’ve got the pennies, the skies the limits. However, as you can image, my other half was less than thrilled at my declaration of absolutely having to buy yet another pushchair to add to our collection.


“Their very cheap.” I said. I remembered one I’d seen in Mothercare, basically a double version of their budget stroller. However, it had no padded seats, no canopy, and was I think around £80. Next I looked at the Maclaren range. They do several different twin pushchairs, but what they were, I was quite frankly shocked at the prices. Even in the January sales, they were all priced at over £150, with most being above £200. I t
ook a big gulp and decided not even to ‘go there’ with this notion, keep this information from my other half, and headed straight onto the net to see what I could come up with.


Well, I managed to find this site called kiddicare.co.uk, and what a God send. They had a good range of twin pushchairs with many on sale(and still have as I write today). Do you know, I could have bought a twin pushchair for less that £40! Ah, but what about the quality I hear you say? Yes, I know, probably a false economy, but I did happen to come across the ‘Kingswood’ range.


Now I have heard of this brand before, as a few members of Dooyoo have written about their Kingswood pushchairs and travel systems, although no-one had written about the Kingswood Duo Active range.


The first thing that struck me was the price. It usually retails at £159.99, but Kiddicare have it on sale for an amazing £59.99, now that’s what I call a huge saving.


Next I noticed how attractive the pushchairs were. This particular model comes in navy and orange(Siesta), or turquoise and navy(Cool Summer), which instantly took my eye. I had a good read of its attributes, and decided this was definitely the one for me, and this time, I really really meant it!


So what makes it such value for money? Well for starters, it has nice comfortably padded seats with extendible leg rests. The back rests, which move independently of one and other, have 5 different positions, which means that whilst my eldest is sitting up, ranting and raving, my youngest can be lying flat taking her beauty sleep.


Although the pushchair doesn’t come with a ‘cosy-toes’, it does have a padded hood, which again enables each child to have their own hood up or down independently. The only negative aspect of the hood system is that you must fix it to the chassis each time you erect the pushchair, although this is fairly simple
, and does mean you can leave it behind if you don’t require it.


The pushchair has a fairly small netted storage area beneath each seat, but it's sturdy and heavy enough to hang bags over the handle without fear of it tipping up.


There is a totally effective break system, as you would expect, which is easy to use, and the 3 point safetly harnesses are effective enough to keep the most willful of toddlers from escaping, and the smallest of babies from wriggling free.


The manufacturers say that the chassis is of a standard size, and to verify this, I took it to Kingston during the January sales, and did not come across a single doorway that I couldn’t push it through.


The pushchairs dimensions, which you must know before buying, are;


· Height 103cm
· Width 77cm
· Seat width 28cm
· Length 66cm


Some may find the individual seat width a little on the narrow side for an older child, but my eldest who is nearly 3 seemed very comfortable, and both seemed to really enjoy being able to sit next to each other and babble for most of the shop, well, until Fergus got bored and started pinching Kitty’s leg, but I’ll spare you too much reality. Just picture me, brimming with pride, strolling along with my brood, lockable swivel wheels unlocked and gliding with ease around corners, into lifts and achieving high speed dashes at particular sale items.


The Kingswood Duo active folds with a knack, but once you’ve got it your away. It feels pretty heavy, at 11.5kg, but the umbrella folding mechanism means that once folded it’s compact shape is easy to lift and sling into the back of the car, and your left with more room to put your shopping.


I can’t say what state the chair will be in 6 months down the line, although I will keep this opinion updated. All pushchairs get a hammering, as anyone with kids will know, but a
t least having spent £60 instead of £260, there won’t be too many tears before bedtime. I also have to add, that the pushchair’s price from Kiddicare included prompt, free delivery. Now you can’t go wrong!


You probably want to know if the pushchair looks and feels cheap. Well, it really doesn’t, I was a little anxious , as one often is when ordering over the internet, but quite frankly, there seems little difference between this and the more expensive twin pushchairs on the market, and I am most proud of my best bargain buy for ages.


Now, what on earth am I going to do with all those assorted pushchairs stock piling in the loft?

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