Dear Baby

(Video: Proof that I never even had a shot at being a Barker Beauty on The Price is Right. Also, I apparently REALLY love the foot break on this stroller. Feel free to make a drinking game out of the number of times I put the break on while on completely flat ground. )

“Tell me about your double stroller.”

I get asked this often both on my blog and from folks who see our stroller out and about. When we first learned we were pregnant with number two, I started researching double strollers and was pretty overwhelmed with the options out there. There are double stollers in all sorts of configurations and price points and I didn’t know where to start or what options would work best for our family.

I was contacted by the kind folks at ValcoBaby about a blog sponsorship and when I starting digging around on their site, I immediately fell in love with the look of their  Ion EX 4 Two . It was so pretty!  But pretty only gets you so far - with two children under two, functionality was at the top my list and I was really stoked to see the versatility of this stroller.

I’ve used this stroller for six months now and here’s what I love about it:

1. The size - it comfortably holds two children (up to 88lbs total) without being huge. It fits through a normal door and doesn’t feel like I’m pushing a boat. It folds down with a simple twist of a knob and it weighs only 26 pounds.

2. Side by side means both babies have a nice view. Over under or front/back seat strollers mean one child will have a restricted view and I could see this becoming an issue as the children grew. The side by side seats also allow my children to hold hands which is so sweet.

3. Accessories - The Ion EX 4 Two has easy snap on options for both a carseat (our Maxi Cosi works perfectly) or a bassinet. We have used both these click on features constantly to accomodate having both an infant and a toddler. We also added a cupholder which we use often.

4. Storage! Lots and lots of zipper pockets on the back with places for clothing, sunglasses, keys, even our dslr fits nicely and is out of sight. The under storage is a little more narrow than some other strollers on the market, but it comfortably fits our diaper bag and my purse.

5. Everything is easy to adjust - the seats can be moved up or down with an easy strap adjustment, the wheels can be free swivel or locked in place, the handle bar can be moved up or down to fit our needs.

6. Far and away,  the biggest standout feature on this stroller is the sun shade-  Arlo’s eye condition makes him extremely light sensitive and this shade can expand all the way to this toes - so no matter where the sun is shining, I know it is always out of his eyes.

Areas for improvement:

1. It’s not a jog stroller, so it can be a bit of a challenge to push over rough terrain (if this is something you need, ValcoBaby offers a great double jog stroller too)

2. The buckle system took a little getting used to - it requires 2 steps - to push a button in and then pull the buckle out. If you don’t know the trick, it can be really frustrating - but the design is there so that a smart toddler (i.e. my nimble fingered Everly) can’t unbuckle herself.

3. No built in cupholder - we needed this feature BAD! But we purchased one off Amazon for $15 and all was well!

So that’s it - our beloved Ion EX 4 Two in a nutshell. There are a lot of options out there when it comes to double strollers, but this stroller has been such a blessing for our family. It makes being out and about with two small children a lot easier than it would be otherwise, it holds everything we need without being huge and cumbersome, and we get questions and compliments on its eye pleasing design everywhere we go.

For more information on where to find the ValcoBaby ION 4 Two, visit StrollerMama. Mention Dear Baby and get 10% off!

Love,

M

Disclosure: ValcoBaby provided this stroller to our family at no cost. We did purchase our own stroller accessories.