Mountain Buggy Duet 2015 - An Honest Review

Jan 26, 2015

A few months ago I was looking to buy a double stroller (see my stroller dilemma post). After much agonizing, I finally settled on something, but before reviewing the stroller I bought, I'd like to review some of the strollers that I test-drove but did not end up buying.

My first choice for a double stroller was the Mountain Buggy Duet 2015 or Duet 2.5. What originally attracted me to the Duet, was it's narrow frame, only 24.5" inches wide! It is the narrowest side by side twin stroller on the market. The stroller is equipped with all terrain wheels, which was one of my "must haves" for a double stroller. I was hoping that the combination of a narrow frame and pneumatic tires will make it easier for me to maneuver the stroller and navigate store isles with it. Since I'm only 5"2, I prefer smaller strollers in general, that way I don't feel like I'm pushing a truck. I hunted down the 2015 version of the Mountain Buggy Duet in a not-so-local baby store and made a trip to see and test drive it.




So here are my impressions:

Steering

When I first saw the stroller, it looked very cute and petite, or as petite as an all terrain double can possibly look. I pushed the stroller around and it maneuvered beautifully. In addition to the pneumatic tires, the stroller is equipped with rear suspension, providing a virtually bump-free ride.

The Handle

One of the things that I immediately noticed, which bothered me personally, was the texture of the handle, which is covered in horizontal rubber ridges. Mountain Buggy calls it a "comfort grip", but I found the ridges to be somewhat sharp and unpleasant to grip. I figured that if I ended up buying the stroller, I would cover the handle in soft grips, sold on Amazon. The handlebar is adjustable from 31 to 42" inches, making it very convenient for any member of the family to push the stroller. 


The Canopies

The canopies are rated UPF 50+ and provide a good coverage, being quite large with an extra pop-out sun visor. There's a mesh peek-a-boo window on top of the canopies, but unfortunately, there's no ventilation opening in the back of the canopy, like on the Baby Jogger GT.



Seats

The seats are pretty shallow and narrow. The narrowness was to be expected on a 24.5" wide twin stroller, but the shallowness of the seat was disappointing. The fabrics on the Duet seemed high quality, unlike the bullet-proof squeaky nylon of the Baby Jogger. The 2015 version has reversible seat liners, which can also be easily removed and washed. The Duet is available in three colors, black with grey, black with red and all black. Not particularly exciting, but still more choices over the last year's model.


The Fold

The 2015 Duet has a redesigned "one hand" fold. There's a button between the seats, which you're supposed to press in order to fold the stroller. I tried it with one hand and for the life of me could not execute folding of the stroller. My husband tried next and had to give it a few good tugs before he succeeded. As far as double strollers go, the fold mechanism was not as effortless as on Baby Joggers, but definitely easier than on Bumbleride Indie Twin. The stroller was pretty bulky when folded. I would not call it a compact fold by any stretch of the imagination. 

Carrycot

The optional infant carrycot is one of the nicest features of the new Duet. It has been completely redesigned for 2015 and is now called Carrycot Plus. The base of the carrycot is made of mesh fabric which provides optimal ventilation inside the carrycot. Over the mesh base, there's a removable, washable winter lining which is Oeko-Tex certified cotton-poly blend. The carrycot can be used in three modes: lie flat, slightly inclined, or converted to a rear-facing child seat. The seat doesn't adjust, but is fixed in a semi-reclined position. I feel like with the Carrycot Plus, you get much more for the same price as other stroller brands charge for a less advanced carrycot.  The stroller can also take two car seats.


The Toddler Test

After examining and folding the stroller, came the toddler-test. I sat my 20 months old in one of the seats and buckled him in. My son is in the 50th percentile, of average height and weight for his age. He was squeezed into the seat like a sardine and was holding his arms in front of his body. The canopy also sat practically on his head. Ben gave me that "what are you doing to me?" look and was wiggling around in the seat, itching to get out. This is a child who generally enjoys being pushed around in a stroller. Disappointing. I was hoping to use a double stroller with my toddler for at least another year and a half, maybe even two. However, this would be impossible with the Duet, considering that Ben barely fits into it now.
Of course, my toddler's comfort was a deciding factor. Though the Duet would have been convenient for me in many ways, I could not possibly buy a stroller that  he wouldn't want to sit in. Sadly, the Duet had to be ruled out.

To Recap

The Mountain Buggy Duet is a stroller with many great features, that would work best for babies under age one or very petite toddlers.

Pros:
1. Narrow frame (only comfortable for babies and smaller toddlers)
2. Pneumatic tires
3. Adjustable handle
4. Large canopies with extra sun visor
5. High quality seat fabric
6. Accepts two car seats for twins
7. Carrycot Plus option with three positions

Cons:
1. Seats are too narrow for a larger toddler
2. Seats are shallow
3. No leg rest
4. Lacks ventilation opening in the back of seats
5. One solid bumper bar (instead of two individual bars)
6. Backrest may not be long enough for a taller toddler
7. Annoying "comfort grip" ridges on handle.

As you can see, the pros and the cons of the Duet are tied and so it all comes down to individual needs and life style. For some, this stroller can be very convenient, but unfortunately I had to keep looking.


7 comments:

  1. Thank you for your review! I am currently also debating the pros and cons of the duet against my bumbleride indie twin, they both have things I love about them :) and things I hate about them:( your review has been very helpful thanks

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  2. You're welcome! I'm glad you found this review helpful.

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  3. I'm currently looking for a buggy for my son and my baby when it arrives. My son will then be 18months so was wondering which buggy you chose in the end?

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  4. Hi Nabiela,

    I chose the Bumbleride Indie Twin. It fits my needs well. It's an excellent walking stroller, however, I probably would not recommend it if you plan on lifting the double buggy often into and out of a car trunk. The fold is kinda awkward and it's very heavy to lift. Here's the full review http://bit.ly/1H3l5lK.
    Also, Valco Baby will be releasing 2 new twin strollers in 2016, the TriMode Duo X and the Neo 2. Both look very promising.

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  5. I'm looking for a buggy for my son and my baby when it arrives. My baby will then be 13months so which buggy you choose?

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  6. Hi Mustary Tabassum,

    I chose the Bumbleride Indie Twin. Here's my review http://bit.ly/1YxCEAi It has actually been updated recently and is now even better than it was. You can check out the new version here www.bumbleride.com/strollers/indietwin.

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  7. Saw in the comments that you mentioned the Valco Duo X. I had been going between the Duo X and the Indie Twin, and finally decided on the Duo X because the new Indie Twin won't be out until August. I was really disappointed with the Duo X and plan to return it. It is actually 31" wide (with the canopies on), not 29.5" as they say in the specs - that is wider than a BOB double stroller! It also didn't push very well - the City Mini GT Double pushes better than the Duo X. I can easily turn the City Mini GT Double with one hand, but not the Duo X. Very disappointed, since the Duo X looked so good on paper and has such an awesome basket!! I've also tried the Valco Snap Duo, but it doesn't push well on rough terrain. I love my single Valco Snap, but the doubles haven't worked out for me.

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