Bumbleride Indie Twin Stroller Review

Feb 26, 2015

After ruling out Mountain Buggy Duet and Valco Baby Snap Duo 2 (Black Beauty), I was getting a little edgy in my quest for a double stroller. My toddler was having stroller envy when I tried taking him for a walks while pushing his baby sister in a single stroller. Though he enjoys walking when there's no stroller around to tempt him into laziness, seeing his sister in a stroller, while being expected to walk like a big boy, just doesn't sit well with Ben. He would grab on to the single stroller and cry for me to "take the baby out". As you can imagine, I was getting desperate for the freedom of being able to leave the house with two kids minus toddler meltdowns. 

The next stroller I turned my attention to was the Bumbleride Indie Twin. This was a sort of natural progression, being that I already had two Bumbleride strollers, an Indie single and Queen B. 
When I was browsing double strollers in a baby store, the Indie Twin stood out from the rest with it's beautiful bright colors. It was calling my name. I already knew from my experience with the single Indie that I could live with this stroller. My only hesitation was the price and the weight. I went home and thought about it for a few days. As far as I saw, there was no other option available immediately that would trump the Indie Twin. As I mentioned in my Double Stroller Dilemma post, I didn't want a tandem stroller and also, I'm a huge snob when it comes to quality of materials. The few side by side double strollers that are on par with Bumbleride (Easywalker Duo, Mountain Buggy Duet) I've already ruled out for various reasons.

I'm not sure exactly how this happened, but my husband did not voice any objections to spending $700 on the Indie Twin. I think he was so tired of my whining about needing a double stroller, that it was worth it for him to spend any amount just to shut me up. Of course there's always the possibility that he truly likes to make me happy, but who believes that? 
And so, the Indie twin in Aquamarine color now lives in our garage. 

This is how we roll...

Double stroller Bumbleride Indie Twin

Before purchasing the stroller, I've read a bunch of reviews by other bloggers and they all made it sound like the Indie Twin is sheer perfection and can do no wrong. I intend to present you with a more realistic review. While the stroller is in fact pretty great, and I mostly enjoy using it, it does have it's flaws, like ALL other strollers and because I like to knit-pick, I will discuss those unapologetically in addition to the stroller's strengths. 

I'll start you off with some specks:
  • Stroller weight - 34lb
  • Weight capacity - 90lb
  • Stroller width - 29.5"
  • Seat width - 11"
  • Seat depth - 10"
  • Backrest - 19"
  • Seat to canopy - 22"
  • Seat to bottom of legrest - 10"
  • Handlebar height - 25-43"




Steering

The Indie Twin is truly an "all terrain" stroller. It has four 12" air-filled tires which provide a very smooth ride and can go from sidewalk to grass to pretty much any terrain without skipping a beat. I know many parents prefer no-maintenance  foam or rubber wheels, but honestly, I don't think pumping up the tires once in a while is that big a deal. Personally, I'm crazy over pneumatic  tires and I think the little extra maintenance they require is well worth it. I love how this stroller never gets stuck on crack in the pavement and while the stroller is heavy, it is very easy to push and I can steer it with one hand. You can run with this stroller by locking the front swivel wheels, but you should not do so with a child under 6 months.

The Handlebar

The handle on Indie Twin is covered in soft foam that's comfortable to grip. The height can be adjusted between 25-43" by pressing two buttons on either side of the handlebar. There's a tiny drop of wiggle in the handle and I'm not sure if it's present on all Indie strollers or just on mine. When I say tiny, I really mean tiny and it doesn't bother me personally.

Canopies

The canopies are quite large and rated at SPF 45. I really like the redesigned peek-a-boo window with black mesh under the flap. The flap has a magnetic closure which would not wake up a sleeping baby as velcro might. There's a zipper in the back of the canopy which can be opened for ventilation. Though it's nice to have this option, I would have appreciated having a mesh insert there as well. Without an insert to hold the two parts of the canopy together,  the back portion of the hood just sorta hangs in your child's face when unzipped and needs to be folded out of the way. It would also be nice to have an extra sun visor in the front of the canopy. Overall, I would say that the canopies are adequate, but could be slightly improved on.


Seats 

The seats are well proportioned and can be individually reclined to a flat position. My two year old toddler seems very comfortable in the seat, even when bundled up in all his winter layers. He actually falls asleep in this stroller when we go for long walks. I purchased a carrycot (more on this later) for the second seat, since I like facing my 3 months old daughter.

The recline mechanism does what it should but is not my favorite. Maybe it just takes getting used to. My single Indie from 2009 and the Queen B both have a one hand recline lever which I find to be more convenient.

There's a a zip up pocket in the back of the seat where you can store little things like keys and cell phones. We can all use some extra storage, right?

One of my favorite feature is an adjustable leg rest. I pick it up so my son can stretch out comfortable when he's resting. My one complaint about the leg rest is the lowering mechanism. To pick up the leg rest, you simply pull it up, but lowering is a tad of a nuisance. You have to reach under the seat and press two buttons on either side, similar to the way the handlebar adjusts. These buttons are facing in and while this set up is convenient on the handle, it's awkward under the seat. You have to shove your hands into a tight space and then lower the leg rest unto your hands. My single Indie from 2009 had little levers to lower the leg rest, which was a simpler system than the new buttons.

I also find that the distance between the edge of seat and the foot rest is quite short. As you can see in the picture bellow, my 2 year old toddler, who's in the 50th percentile just about fits without any room to spare.


Fabrics

When it comes to fabrics and colors, Bumbleride Indie Twin is one of the most attractive double strollers out there. Honestly, I think the quality of fabrics and the gorgeous Aquamarine color played a major role in me being sold on this stroller. My pictures don't do justice to how deep and vivid the Aquamarine color really is. I noticed moms checking out my stroller every time I'm outside with it. Looks do matter! The Indie Twin is available in a choice of 7 gorgeous colors.

The fabrics are very high quality, Eco-friendly and best of all machine washable! Since I absolutely detest filthy strollers, I love that I can just unsnap the seat fabric and pop it into a washing machine. 
In my opinion any stroller which lacks removable, washable fabrics should not even be considered.

A minor complaint that I have (remember, I like to knit-pick?) is that the fabric that covers the leg rest extends too low down. I'm sure it was designed this way with your child's comfort in mind, but  your kid's shoes will always be leaving dirt on it. As you can see in the picture bellow, it took just one outing in slushy weather and already I have stains on that part of the fabric. And I promise you I was extra careful, putting my son in. There's just no avoiding it. Yes, the fabric is washable and that's great, but there's a limit to how often I want to be doing the washing. Did I just contradict myself from my previous paragraphs? Who knows. I'm sleep deprived and groggy.


Bumper Bars

The bumper bar on on the Indie Twin is one of my peeves. It really needs to be redesigned in my opinion. I like having a bumper bar on a stroller, but this one just makes no sense. Forget gate opening, this bar doesn't open at all. You can either remove it altogether, or collapse it down by pushing two buttons on either side. What ends up happening, is that I either have to lift a heavy toddler over the bumper bar to put him in the stroller, or collapse the bar, put him in with his feet over it, and then drag his feet in dirty shoes under the bar while dirtying up the seat. Neither option is really user friendly. Ahh, we can't have it all, can we?


Underseat Storage

The storage basket is deep and roomy. Whatever you need to stuff in there, trust me, it will fit! Diaper bags, shopping bags, groceries, blankets, you name it.


The Fold

The Fold on the Indie Twin is relatively simple. You pull two little levers on either side off the handlebar and collapse the stroller forward. Unfolding the stroller is another thing entirely. You need to pull up the handlebar and shake up the stroller so the frame clicks into place. The stroller proved to be too much of a beast for me to accomplish this. I'm a 5"2 weakling, and because of the weight and size of the stroller, I just can't raise it enough to click the frame into place. Lifting the stroller into a car trunk is also out of the question for me, but luckily I don't need to do that, since I mostly walk everywhere. On those rare occasions when we drive somewhere with kids, my husband is around and does all the lifting and unfolding for me. The Indie Twin is bulky and awkward when folded, but that's the flip side of having large, all terrain wheels which make the stroller so easy to push.

The Carrycot

I'm kind of disappointed in the Indie Twin carrycot. First of all, it's not even a "carrycot" since it's no longer made with carrying handles. Second, it is just too basic. When you compare the Indie Twin carrycot (retails for $160) to the Duet Carrycot Plus ($140), you can't help feeling disappointed. The Duet carrycot has three modes: lie flat, inclined and rear facing seat. The interior fabric is Oeko-tex certified, cotton-poly blend. The exterior is made of breathable mesh with a removable winter liner. There's also a flap attached to the cover of the Carrycot Plus which effectively keeps the wind out. All this for $20 less than the price of the Indie Twin Carrycot. 
Do I like having the carrycot? Absolutely! I like that it's deep, encloses my baby on all sides, and allows me to face her. Do I wish it offered a little more for my money? You bet!

Little Missy bundled in her Air Buggy down footmuff.


Recap & Rating

The Bumbleride Indie Twin is a very solid, well made stroller, perfect for walking on all sort of terrain. It's got a great balance of parent/child comfort and is aesthetically pleasing. The stroller is quite bulky and may not be an ideal choice for parents who often need to lift it into a car trunk.

Pros:

1. Roomy seats
2. Adjustable leg rest
3. Large canopies
4. High quality fabric
5. All terrain wheels
6. Adjustable handlebar
7. Large storage basket
8. Available in 7 gorgeous colors

Cons:

1. Bumper bar doesn't open
2. Awkward leg rest lowering mechanism
3. Short distance between seat and foot rest
4. Heavy
5. Awkward to unfold  

Despite the few cons of the Indie Twin, it really is an awesome stroller! The great push, all terrain air tires and roomy seats make it a dreamy ride. Currently, we're navigating really gross slush here in NY and I would not even consider taking any stroller outside other than one of my three Bumblerides.
I've decided to give the Indie Twin a 5 out of 5 stars rating! We can't wait for warmer weather to have some real adventures with this stroller!

1 comment:

  1. Hi DailyBabyFinds!

    Thank you for your honest and in-depth review! We are honored that you've chosen Indie Twin. Thank you for choosing Bumbleride again, we truly appreciate the feedback and review.

    ReplyDelete