I have two small children only 14 months apart, and Phil & Teds was one of the brands that stood out when it came to double buggy shopping whilst pregnant with my second child. In the end however, I was given a double stroller as a gift, but was thrilled when I finally had the opportunity to experience a Phil & Teds travel system and find out whether it lived up to the hype of it all.
First impressions?
Let’s start from the beginning; the Vibe arrived in two boxes; one box with the single stroller, and another which was the double kit.
I received the 3-wheeled inline stroller in a beautiful cobalt colour and was instantly in love with its very sleek and well-designed look.
How is assembling the Vibe?
The unpacking was relatively fun, the instructions where clear, and the majority was already assembled, my husband and I unpacked it together. It is useful to read the Instructions before use; we spread all the parts on the floor, identified them piece-by-piece and then put it together. It was fun!
Opening up the main frame, is a bit tricky, but once you feel your way to finding the button-like part in the insides of the handle bar, it opens up like a butterfly. The flaps on the sides are pushed down to bolster the main frame of the buggy. Open up these side flaps to fold up the buggy for storage.
What do you think of the hand break?
The hand brake is awesome! It makes a big difference from the old designs where you play ‘footsie’ while trying to apply brakes. It feels very secure and does not even allow the front wheel to move either left or right, compared to other buggies I’ve used in the past that allows the front wheels to swing both ways while the brakes are applied.
The Sun Hood clicks on quite easily as well but was a bit tricky figuring which way around – zip towards the front wheels, Velcro close to the handlebar. Seat
How does the double kit work?
The double kit is an extra seat unit that fits seamlessly at the back of the frame to convert it into a double buggy and can be removed easily as well. I was initially sceptical and thought that my 19-month-old might be too big for it, but really she fit right in.
Is it comfortable for your little ones?
Yes, it really is. After it’s all assembled we had a nice family walk to the lake and I must admit, the kids loved it. My kids love this buggy so much that if I don’t fold it up they both go and sit in the stroller and start telling me walk. When pushing this stroller, I do not feel like I have two heavy toddlers.
Is it comfortable to push?
It’s so light and a real joy to push. I love the position of the breaks, and the handles. It is lightweight and the wheels seem to glide along the pavement/grass/stony paths. I actually find myself walking more and driving less with the kids since we got the Vibe. The adjustable handlebars allows for easy pushing and comfortability based on your height.
How is the Vibe out and about?
This is not the buggy for tight spaces; it is quite large, so I would not recommend you use this on buses. I remember when my car broke down and I attempted to use the bus, I nearly died of shock at how ruthless some people can be over buggy spaces.
Saying that, if you are willing to fold it up, it folds neatly and is very compact, but that would mean removing your child(ren) which could get complicated on a packed bus.
Tell us about the basket.
When it’s just me and my daughter (when my son is off to nursery) then space is not an issue. There’s lots of room underneath for nappies, food, wipes the usual parent travel bits. When they are both in however, there’s a really limited amount of space. Phil & Teds are aware of this and so, you can purchase extra storage however.
The most annoying thing about the Vibe is that there is no rain cover included in the double kit. I have no problem buying one, but after parents shell out hundreds of pounds on a stroller and another 129 on a double kit, I think a rain cover should be complimentary.
What’s in the box?
- Chasis
- Wheels
- Seat unit
- Double kit
- Hood
- Second seat unit (sold separately for £129)
- Seat unit - £129
- Carrycot - £149
- Single raincover - £20
- Single sun cover - £25
- Parasol - £25
- Freerider stroller board -£79
Made For Mums verdict?
Like I said, my family are so happy with this buggy. The pros by far outweigh the cons, I adore the buggy for being exactly what it proclaims to be, its stylish, lightweight and easy to manoeuvre.
My kids love it, their grandmother even takes them out in it which never ever happened before. Even with my two having out grown a lot of the options, its still worth it. Definitely recommend this to other parents.
