27 Apr 2011 8 Comments

Double Stroller: Britax B-Ready Vs. Baby Jogger City Select

After many months of searching for a double stroller, we finally narrowed down our options to tw0 tandem double strollers. We wanted a tandem and not a side by side simply because of the width. I’m sure it’s no fun getting stuck in an aisle or doorway and gliding through a crowded store without knocking over items would be a challenge with a side by side stroller.

The two stroller that we really liked were the Britax B-Ready and the Baby Jogger City Select. We decided to get the latter and so far, we are beyond impressed. Here’s why…

Safety:
Since one of the seats on the B-Ready is sitting fairly low to the ground, I can see how that my curious Jordan would probably reach and touch the spinning wheel. In the City Select both kids are fairly high up off the ground and away from the wheels which eliminates the chances for pinched fingers.  

Stability:
The City Select is definitely more stable.  It definitely would not tip with the Small Fry climbing in and out of it. The wider-base, four wheel design and the front position of the second seat all make it very, very difficult to tip. We even tried hanging a heavy diaper bag on the handle bar and it didn’t even move!

Seating:
The City Select has much more versatility with seating options and it is superior to B-Ready based on the less claustrophobic stadium seating. Since the child seating in the bottom of the B-Ready doesn’t have a view of anything, we could totally see Jordan  kicking the baby on the upper seat! Besides, (even though you’re not supposed to) you are not able to hang a diaper bag off the handle while your second child is in the lower seat.

Folding:
Both have great folds but are completely different. You can fold the City Select with both seats attached but the seats have to be in the right positions. The B-Ready has an easy fold too and I love that the 2nd seat can stay attached.

Handles:
Both strollers have adjustable handles but we like that the City Select actually goes out away from the stroller to accommodate taller parents a bit better. Not that we’re tall but my dad is and he’ll be pushing this stroller too!

Sunshades:
Both strollers has excellent sun protection. The canopy on the City Select fully encompass the top half of the seat, protecting kids from sun at almost every angle. You can also retract the canopy in thirds  for incrementally less protection.  

Storage:
There’s no question that the City Select is the clear winner here.  There’s a good amount of space in the lower basket which is enough for a medium sized diaper bag and Michael’s camera bag. The B-Ready has plenty of storage room as a single but with the lower seat installed, the lower child’s legs go into the storage basket, reducing overall storage capacity.

Warranty:
Baby Jogger offers lifetime warranty on frame and 1 year on soft parts while Britax only offers 1 year warranty on everything.

Price:
B-Ready is the winner here because Britax has a promotion until April 30, 2011 called the “Free Ride Event” where you can get the whole double stroller for $400. Since you have to purchase all the attachment separately for the Baby Jogger, it could easily cost you $800 to use it as a double.

I have to admit that I cringed a little when I figured out how much the City Select would cost after all of the attachments, but only after the first use, I could say that  it was worth every penny! =)

by Joy in Product Reviews