B.O.B. Duallie Stroller Review
By Matt Smith

My wife and I have spent the last several months hauling kids around in the BOB Duallie Stroller. We have loaded up every combination of infant, 2 year old, and 4 year old you can think of. From time to time, my six year old would hitch a ride when one of the others was ready to walk. We developed a fondness for the stroller, and the many features that make it unique.

All strollers fold. All strollers have wheels. Most strollers have sun shades, storage compartments, and seat belts to secure your children. The Duallie has improved upon many of those features. The sun shade hangs low enough to shade your kidlets, even late in the evening when the sun is low. The sun shade also wraps around from the side, low and tight to provide shade when the sun is streaming in low and from the side. The five-point harness system is improved from BOB strollers we have tested in the past. The shoulder straps slide easily up and down to adjust to the height of your child. The height adjustment is indpendent from the over the shoulder adjusment, making it much easier to get the right fit for taller kids that are no longer porportioned like toddlers. The quick release buckles are improved over the quick clips, and having the sternum straps red, rather than the same grey as the rest of the harness, makes it much easier to sort things out when you have a child that doesn't really want to get in the stroller.

A nice feature is the ability to recline each seat individually, for those times when you have a sleeping or tired child, and a rambunctious one at the same time. Of course, every parent knows that never happens. The cavernous storage under the seat is excellent for longer walks when you want to take a picnic lunch, but not carry it on your back. It easily holds 3 book bags, 3 coats, a diaper bag, 2 water bottles, and doubtless, a few other oddities that made it in unnoticed.

The Duallie features the unique BOB suspension system which provides up to 3 inches of travel to cushion your children when rolling along packed trails, over curbs, or gently bouncing it to keep the little one asleep. With all these features, it might cross your mind that the Duallie could be a hassle to fold. It isn't. Quick release levers under the handle fold the top down, at which point the Duallie can easily roll into the back of a full size SUV like a Yukon or Expedition. A quick snap of the suspension cartridges, and the wheels fold under so the Duallie can fit in a mini-van, sedan, or simply take up less space in your garage.

Par for the course, the Duallie is somewhat cumbersome, and isn't exactly an umbrella stoller you'd keep in your car for emergencies. However, it is extremely comfortable for both adult and child. We enjoyed long walks on paved trails in the Wasatch Mountain canyons. The kids were able to sit in the stroller for 60-90 minutes at a time with no complaining. The mesh pockets and cup holders in each seat provide great opportunities to hide treats, and stash a cool drink.

Overall, I was impressed with the quality and function of the Duallie. There were only two items on my wish list, first, the v-pull brakes are not as fast or easy to release as new inline style brakes. Inline brakes also produce more braking action with less force, which is nice with 60 pounds in the stoller, rolling down hill on a path. The v-pull is perfectly functional, but in this class, the upgrade seems appropriate. The other feature I often wished for was a way to collapse to Duallie side-to-side. Even folded down flat, the Duallie takes up a lot of room in a vehicle. If it were able to collapse to say, even 60 percent of the total width, it would be a huge boon. Some child bike trailers have addressed this issue with 3 piece cross members, with locking sleeves over the joints. With such a feature, this stroller would certainly rule it's class.

Summary: Though the MSRP of $450 is a little steep, there is no question about the quality of the product. Whether you are just starting a family, or are active grandparents, if you like taking your kids outdoors, the Duallie is an excellent stroller. It is certainly high end, but if you can spare the expense, you'll never regret the investment. If you put in the effort, the Duallie can be found online for as little as $350, which helps to take some of the bite out of your pocket book.

For more information contact:
B.O.B TRAILERS, INC.
www.bobgear.com
5475 Gage St
Boise, ID 83706
800 893 2447
208 375 5171
FAX: 208 375 5172

Matt Smith is a contributing editor at GearReview.com, and enjoys spending time in the outdoors with his 4 children and wife.