Comfy Kiddies and Happy Mummy (Phil & Teds Sport)

Member Name: lulu2004

Product:	Phil & Teds Sport
Date:	23/11/08 (678 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: I felt it gave me a lot of freedom to get out with my two children

Disadvantages: A couple of design flaws- hood is very low, baby rests very low to ground

I know when you have two children with a small age gap buying a double buggy can be so puzzling. From my own point of view I had a toddler about to turn two years old the week my daughter arrived. He has been walking since 11 months and is really quite able so I thought it would be ok to try and cope without a double stroller. Closer to my due-date I began to get heavy, and a shopping trip with my toddler was very hard work and I realised I had better prepare to need a double stroller as a toddler and baby was going to be every bit as hard as a toddler and a bump were.

I did my research online and was happy that a Phil and Teds Sport would suit our needs. And so I watched Ebay like a hawk until one came up that looked to be in good condition and I bought it. I was very pleased when it arrived as it was indeed immaculate so I was very pleased although you do need to be aware of the different versions of this stroller. There is an earlier one which was called the E3, then came the Sport and I'm pretty sure the Sport was recently changed a little too as mine has no guards on the folding mechanism and one in a shop had these when I looked.

For a few weeks I tried very hard to cope with a single pram for my little girl- my loola; but my son is quite wilful and a shopping trip could have taken hours with him dawdling to look at things in wonder like a two year old tends to do, or him lifting things off shelves, or him trying to wander off. I don't believe in toddler reins so my only other solution was to organise the double for the times that I would have both children out with me. My son is at nursery so he isn't with me all day, but the times he is with me I do like to take them both out and about to see the world. But it's hard to be a happy, fun mum when you're feeling entirely frazzled that your toddler is hard to hold on to. He isn't a naughty child- he's just a curious, independent little boy like he should be. You gotta love these mums of youngsters with less than a 2 year gap that tell you they never needed a double as their toddler was angelic. I am always by myself when we are out as I live 40 miles from my mum. I have no one to help me when i am out with both children.

I know from experience that if you are considering a Phil and Teds Sport then you are already probably trawling the net looking for reviews on it. It a big buy so it's good to know the whole truth about it, so I hope my review will help.


The Phil and Teds Sport as a Single Buggy

I have used this as a single periodically with both children so I can give a review of it for an 11lb little girl and an almost- 2 stone toddler. I can safely say that for the toddler it is terrific. I wish I had it a year ago. He loves it too. Ours is black and with the three large pumped wheels he calls it his 'racing buggy.' I find it easy to push with him in it and he is certainly no light-weight. The straps for him are very spacious and he can fit in with his big winter coat on. As he is older he doesn't sleep in a pushchair anymore so I have never tested the recline with him but as it is a full recline i am sure he would have a comfortable sleep.

I'm not so happy with the Sport for a newborn in Single Mode, You put the seat unit down into a complete recline and set the baby down there. I would recommend buying the Phil and Teds Cocoon for a small baby as the seat is rather bear on its own. I can't stress how much I love the cocoon- it's like a small baby sleeping bag / soft carry cot. My daughter will fit into it long past 6 months although I wouldn't take this as word for all babies as she is really pretty small. She sleeps whenever she is put into it and is very cosy and warm.

What bothers me about the Sport in newborn is that the baby rests very low to the ground. I always get the feeling that she is going to bump off the seat if I go over a kerb (although she never has!) It will be absolutely fine as a single for her when she is able to sit upright, but at the minute I do prefer the loola when I just have my baby with me.

If I only had one stroller I could certainly cope with the fact that it is quite low, but it is my bugbear with single mode. The Sport is a 1-part fold so it's just a matter of pressing the two buttons in that are located on each side and the pushchair starts to fold up on itself. It will clip in to a lock although sometimes I don't push it down far enough and mine ends up unfolding again as I lift it. This is my fold though, not the Sports!

As a single it's remarkably compact when folded. I have plenty of room for it in the boot and I've put it in the boot of my mum's Citroen c3 easily too... and that's very tiny!!

The Phil and Teds Sport as a Double Buggy

I would hazard a guess that most people buying a Sport are doing so as it is known to be one of the best doubles on the market. You buy the stroller as a single, and then buy a seat-unit which is called the 'doubles kit' this enables you to make your stroller a double for a baby and a toddler or two toddlers depending on your needs.

As a double I personally cannot fault it. It is the size of a large single stroller and it can easily be taken in and out of shops. It turns on a sixpence. I really and truly cannot list a complaint. Oh wait, that's a porky pie. I do have a complaint, but it's only a small one... the hood!

Now, I've never used the Sport in two-toddler mode, we are still in baby and toddler mode, but as I mentioned before my toddler isn't exactly small. When you set the stroller up to suit a newborn you bring the original seat down into full recline and slip the toddler seat above this on the two rests. This is great in theory but it leaves my two year old hitting the hood. If I put the hood down to shelter him then he can't see out so we always end up keeping the hood folded back. That won't be ideal when the colder weather hits like it is forecasted to do. If I have to use the rain cover then my little boy has to keep his head under the hood and not see very much.

A lot of people's concern is the fact that the baby is laid underneath the toddler seat and that the baby can't see out. But it hasn't been a problem with us as every single time that I have popped her into the cocoon to slide her in she has fallen fast asleep. She's not a nosey baby so perhaps it wouldn't suit all babies

I can get the two children around town so easily and my little boy loves to tell people that his sister is underneath. I feel like I have got so much freedom being able to nip here and there. Like I mentioned before, I have no family around me to help or babysit so it's nearly an essential for me.

I like the way I can fold it in one piece, although I do know that whenever I change it into toddler mode it does require the double-kit to be removed to fold. That's little sacrifice though.

They also keep great value if you want to sell second-hand which is always a plus when you spend a lot (up to £380 new!)

So, I think that's the system covered. I think it's really a great item and would recommend it to anyone interested.

Summary: Sport Stroller with doubles attachment