Britax Holiday Double review

Britax has been an established front-runner in child safety technology for over 70 years. Best known for its revolutionary car seat designs, it’s now storming the market with impressive pushchairs and bike seats. The Britax Holiday double buggy follows the company’s ethos which is: ‘family life should be lived without limits’.

While the Britax Holiday Double could never match our Mountain Buggy Duet double buggy for off-road adventures (it doesn’t claim to be all-terrain), it works well as a handy stroller to keep in your car for shopping trips, or when you’re off on a day trip.

It also packs down and comes with handy straps so you can carry it hands-free as a backpack, or over your shoulder.

Tested by:

Carolyn tested the Britax Holiday Double in the everyday life of her 2-year-old boy and girl twins. This included nursery runs, park strolls, shopping trips and travelling to see the family over Christmas.

Another MFM reviewer, Natalie, tested the Britax Holiday Double with her 1 year old and 4 year old.

What were your first impressions of the Britax Holiday Double?

I really like the look of it. It is simply stylish. There are 4 colour options: Steel Grey, Aqua Green, Coral Peach or Blue/Red. Given the choice, I probably would have chosen the Grey, however my boy and girl twins love the Blue/Red and have chosen their favourite seats!

What age is the Britax Holiday Double suitable for?

It is not suitable for newborns. It can be used from 6 months to approx 3 years (15 kg). It doesn’t have a lie-flat option, which for us is no longer an issue as my 2-year-olds would rather be sitting up.

Is the Britax Holiday Double good value for money?

Yes, I think it is well worth the price.

How does it compare to other double strollers?

The Britax Holiday Double is by far the lightest and most compact double pushchair that I have ever used. It’s similar to the My Babiie MB22, and the Cosatto Supa Dupa due to it being a single umbrella fold with small wheels. Whilst the frame does feel a little flimsier than both the MB22 and the Supa Dupa, it doesn’t affect its performance, and is actually much easier to push than the Supa Dupa.

It is certainly not as strong or smooth a ride as some of the all-terrain doubles that I have used, such as the Mountain Buggy Duet and the Bugaboo Donkey 2, but it will most certainly get you from A to B.

How easy is it to fold?

There are 3 simple steps: first you have to push the 2 buttons at either side of the top of the frame. Next, lift up the fold-release button. Finally, lift the levers on either side of the chassis. You will then be able to push the frame forward until it folds in half.

How big is the Britax Holiday Double when folded and unfolded?

It is incredibly compact when folded. It seems to fit in any little nook and cranny. It also locks nicely into place and is freestanding once folded.

Unfolded, it is 76cm wide so a little wider than some other doubles such as the Mountain Buggy Duet and Cosatto Supa Dupa, but similar to the My Babiie MB22. It fits through my doorway but the doorway in my previous house was only 74cm so something to consider before buying.

Does it fit in the boot of a regular car?

Absolutely! In fact, it looked a little lost in our car boot. After having twins, we deliberately bought a car with a huge boot to enable us to fit any double buggy, but this one would fit in any car for sure. Britax claims the Holiday Double will fit in ‘any car boot’ and fellow MFM reviewer, Natalie, found it even fitted in the footwell behind the passenger seat of her Peugeot 5008.

Is it car seat compatible?

No, it’s a regular fold-down stroller, not a car-seat compatible model.

How lightweight is it?

At 9kg, it weighs considerably less than each of my twins! Lifting it in and out of the car is no problem at all, and I love that it has straps to enable you to wear it as a backpack if your kids want to walk, leaving both your hands free to hold onto them. I have been caught out a couple of occasions where I’ve let them walk and they’ve tired halfway there and I’ve had to carry both of them, so this is perfect for such scenarios.

How does it ride on different surfaces?

It is really easy to push and tackles cobbles and bumpy roads with ease. Mounting large kerbs is also no issue, as you can apply some weight to the handle bars to lift the front wheels up.

It can feel a little flimsy at times when you’re turning corners as the frame wobbles a little, but this doesn’t affect its purpose and it spins effortlessly even fully loaded.

Fellow MFM reviewer Natalie took the buggy up a flight of steps to reach her flat, and even with a 1 and 4 year old inside the pushchair’s back wheels manage well.

Is the Britax Holiday Double easy to use on public transport?

I wasn’t able to test it on any public transport as we drive/walk to most places. It’s so lightweight I’d say it could be taken on public transport no problem.

How effective are the wheels?

The wheels are great, I thought with them being so small that it would make pushing it more difficult, but the front suspension helps with any minor bumps. They are puncture-proof, too, which is a bonus.

Is the frame strong and durable?

The frame is a little flimsy and can wobble a little when you're turning corners. My twins are quite heavy at roughly 13kg each, so they aren’t too far off the weight limit for each seat. However, I do think it is durable enough for its intended use.

Fellow MFM reviewer Natalie also noted some movement in the frame when pushing her baby and 4 year old, although it didn’t compromise its performance.

What do you think of the handlebars?

At 5’4” the height of the handles is perfect for me. For my 6’ 1” husband on the other hand, they are a little short. He did find that he had to hunch over slightly in order to push it, so it would be great if the handlebars could be made extendable.

How easy is the Britax Holiday Double to push?

Pushing one-handed isn’t particularly easy, especially when you have only one child in the pushchair. this is because the frame is so light compared to the child, so it takes two hands to manoeuvre. I did manage to navigate my way round the supermarket with my little girl holding onto my hand whilst my little boy slept in the pushchair, but it wasn’t easy. I had to keep repositioning my hand onto different handles depending on the direction that I was going. It is a little easier to push one-handed with both children in the seats.

How did you find the seats?

I really like them; they have padded straps for comfort and mesh panels to allow air circulation on hot days. They can be independently adjusted by opening/closing the zips at the back of each seat. The 5-point harness is easy to secure and adjust to suit your child.

How many recline positions are there?

There are just two recline positions; upright and slightly reclined. You adjust them via zips on either side of the back of the seat.

How comfortable does it seem for your 2-year-old twins?

Although my babies looked a little cramped, especially in their bulky winter clothes, they had no problem falling asleep, which is always a good sign. At times, my little girl would want to sit more upright that the backrest allows, so I had to loosen the harness so that she was able to do this. This is a common issue that I have had with most pushchairs.

What’s it like used with a baby and an older child?

MFM reviewer Natalie also tested the Britax Holiday Double, with her baby and 4 year old.

She says: “It easily accommodated my just 4-year-old, who still ‘gives up’ if walking longer distances and needs a pushchair, as well as my one-year-old. So depending on the size of your older child, I wouldn’t rule it out if your older child is approaching 3 and you’re looking for a solution when their legs need a rest.”

Are the seats forward or backward facing?

The seats are forward-facing so interaction with your little ones is limited. That’s not an issue with my two, who’d much prefer to be nosy and explore the world rather than look at me! You can easily see them with if the hoods aren’t up and there is a gap at the back of the hoods to peer through, too.

What do you think of the hoods?

The hoods are great because they have fun colours inside to keep children happy, plus they provide great sun protection on sunny days. The visors are UPF 50+ approved.

How did you find the brakes?

They’re easy to use, but on a couple of occasions, my husband accidentally knocked the brake on when he was pushing the pushchair. They also make it very difficult to roll the pushchair up/down steps. We have a couple of steps up to our front door and I discovered this after returning from a walk and my children were both sound asleep. Normally I would wheel them up the steps and let them continue their sleep in the pushchair, but I had to take them out and carry them in individually.

How large are the Britax Holiday Double's baskets?

There are 2 roomy baskets; one under each seat. For such a compact stroller, the baskets are a decent size and easily accessed from the back of the pushchair. The mesh sides come up quite high, so you’re unlikely to lose anything by it falling out. You can fit quite a lot in them (including beach towels, buckets and spades if you’re on holiday), but you wouldn’t be able to squeeze a massive changing bag in there.

Does the Britax Holiday Double make travelling with 2 kids easy?

Yes. It’s so compact that having the extra space in the car boot has made a huge difference for us. We can now fit a lot more luggage in there. This was particularly great at Christmas when we had to squeeze in a hoard of presents. It isn’t quite compact enough to qualify as hand luggage on a plane, but with it being so light, it would certainly make transporting it easier than most other buggies.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Two hoods
• Wheels
• Instruction manual (in a huge selection of languages).

Any optional extras you’d recommend?

The only thing I’d say is lacking is a rain cover, which costs £25 extra and I would recommend, especially if you’re going on holiday somewhere where there’s likely to be showers as the sun canopies aren’t huge.

You can also buy a travel bag for £35. The travel bag is good if you are putting it in the hold on an aeroplane. It also makes it more comfortable to carry, as the bag straps are more padded than the buggy straps, plus it has extra pockets for essentials.

Is it easy/hard to build the buggy?

It is really easy to build and all pretty self-explanatory. Inside the box you get the chassis, three front wheels, the sun canopies - which are already attached together - and the instructions.

You simply clip on all the wheels and both hoods and it’s ready to use. The instructions came with some helpful diagrams. The two shopping baskets and strap pads are already fitted, so there’s no scrabbling around on the floor trying to fit those.

What would you have wanted to know before you purchased the Britax Holiday Double?

The fact that the brake gets in the way of wheeling it up/down steps. Luckily my 2 are at an age where they can in/out of the buggy outside, but it is definitely easier to get them in the buggy indoors.

Who would the Britax Holiday Double be most useful for?

It would be most useful for parents on the go, who want an alternative lightweight, compact double buggy for taking on shopping trips, holidays or strolls to the park.

What was your favourite feature of the Holiday Double?

The carry straps are pretty special. Whether it’s carrying it up the stairs or going for a long walk, the option to throw it on your back and be hands-free is genius.

Where can I buy the Britax Holiday Double?

It's available to buy from Amazon and Boots.

Made for Mums verdict:

For me, the Holiday Double does exactly what I wanted it to do, it makes travelling with 2 older babies or children so much easier. It is compact and portable, folds down really small and is easy to sling over your shoulder or on your back so you can hold a toddler’s hand. Although it feels a little wobbly it is actually very robust. The only drawbacks are that its handles are a little short for anyone with a taller frame/longer legs and it’s hard to push one-handed as it’s so lightweight, but for day-to-day trips and travelling it’s a godsend. I would certainly recommend it - in fact I have already been on the phone to all of my twin mum friends about it!

Read More...

• Buyer's guide to double buggies
• Best double buggies
• Best buggies for twins

MadeForMums product reviews are independent, honest and provide advice you can have confidence in. Sometimes, we earn revenue through affiliate (click-to-buy) links. However we never allow this to influence our coverage. Our reviews and articles are written by parents who are professional journalists, and we also include feedback from our parent community and industry experts.