Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi Junior Review

Tested by:

Sybilla is a mum of 4 who lives in the middle of the countryside in North Essex. She tested the KidsKargo Duel DS Combi at home in the garden, in the countryside and on urban pavements.

First Impressions of the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi

It looks great, and the sleek lines of this nearly all-black tandem buggy instantly wowed me.

The sheer size of it was also one of my first thoughts. I was a little concerned as it took up about half of my sitting room but found it actually does fit through shop doorways and most standard size doorways with no problem.

Make no mistake, the Duel is not a compact double buggy but it does seem to be supremely comfortable for babies and toddlers alike. The bassinet appears very inviting thanks to its roomy size and plush lining. Unlike other smaller prams such as the Silver Cross Linear travel system this bassinet looks like it will fit a sleeping baby well into their 6th month.

How easy is it to assemble?

The Duel is easy to build and took under 10 minutes. The instructions were excellent.

How easy is the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi to fold and unfold?

I had no issues folding the Kids Kargo Duel but you do have to remove the seat and/or bassinet beforehand. I was able to fold the Duel chassis with one hand. If you are short on boot space, it may be worthwhile removing the wheels which are on the large side. This is easily done.

How compact is it?

It's by no means a compact buggy, and unfolded it's 82 cm depth x 106 cm length x 65 cm width (folded: 32 cm x 94 cm x 65 cm).

Given its size I think it does fold down quite considerably. We stored it easily in the cupboard under our stairs. The Duel Kids Kargo fitted into the boot of our Toyota RAV4 but, unsurprisingly, not in our Mini.

How lightweight is it?

Weight wise, it is not one of the lightest double buggies on the market, coming in at 17kg with both seats. Despite this, I found it a lot nimbler than, for example, the ABC Zoom. The frame is sturdy and reliable. It is larger and heavier than the Mountain Buggy Duet, which is easy to push, and slightly less manoeuvrable than the Uppa Baby Vista double buggy although they are about the same weight. However, it was easier to manoeuvre than the ABC Design Zoom double buggy.

I only really ran into difficulty with the Duel when it came to lifting the entire buggy – that was my only gripe.

How easy is the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi to push?

Depends on the surface. The Duel is a dream on even surfaces such as pavements. I only struggled on bumpier country grass and pushing it uphill with my toddler in the bottom seat but that is because she is on the heavy side. It is a heavy pushchair, and as a result, I don’t think the Duel would be ideal when using the bus. I also found turning the Duel round sharp corners took a little more manpower.

What do you think of the wheels?

The back wheels are very large and the front ones are smaller. As the wheels are large, I thought this would bode well for country life and I was right, the wheels worked really well on uneven terrain. The Duel isn’t as adept at handling multi-terrain surfaces as the Mountain Buggy Duet, but I didn’t expect it to be given that the latter is designed for pushing off road. I was really impressed with how well the Duel handled gravel, grass and even bumpier country surfaces. All 4 wheels are easy to take on and off.

The Duel front wheels can be used in 2 different modes:

• Fixed, for tougher terrains
• Swivelling, for less challenging surfaces e.g. pavement

You flick a switch down on the front wheel, and fix them for use on more challenging terrains such as grass, and flick a small black switch up to use the swivel wheels in a shopping mall or on busy pavements.

What do you think of the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi's handlebar?

The handlebar has three adjustable modes: low, medium and high. As someone who is 5’5”, the medium mode was perfect for me. It is easy to adjust. The handlebar worked well for me and I found it brilliant when pushing uphill as I could lean on it for greater support.

What are the the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi's brakes like?

The brakes are really easy to use and located on the right hand side.

What do you think of the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi's seat unit and was it easy to convert?

There are three recline positions available in junior mode: lie back, snooze, sit up.

Once I had seen the online video on how to convert the seat from bassinet to junior seat it was fairly easy to do this. It is a case of taking the white bassinet material out of the black unit and then turning the bassinet on its back and securing the straps provided together in order to transform the bassinet into the junior seat. This is a great feature and the seat's versatility does not detract from any comfort for baby or toddler.

I would say that it felt very comfortable for baby and toddler alike. I know some parents have found that the toddler seat is too small, but my tall toddler was very happy in the bottom seat.

How easy is to interact with your little one in the buggy?

This buggy is excellent for interacting with your baby or toddler who is lying/sitting in the top seat facing you. Obviously this isn’t the case with the child in the rear bottom seat who is out of eye contact.

How versatile is the Duel DS Combi?

The configuration I used was as a bassinet on top and toddler seat below. This worked well but given my toddler is a little on the large side, it was quite heavy to push!

The other configurations available were as two toddler seats, single bassinet and single toddler seat. Used as a single without the toddler seat (and the toddler) I found the Duel a lot easier to steer.

The Duel is particularly easy to use as a single pram for a newborn and it is possible to use the pram for twin newborns though one baby would need to be placed in a car seat. It is not feasible to use two bassinets fitted to the Duel at the same time. You can use the chassis with a car seat, though you may need to buy adapters depending on the brand of your car seat.

What did you think of the hood?

There are two hoods provided. The permanent hood has air vents to regulate temperature and there is an extendable hood for added protection from wind and rain. I found these a great addition and enhancement to the buggy.

How accessible and useful is the basket?

The basket is available for use when you are using the Duel as a single buggy. It is a great size and very handy for shopping and storing baby/toddler gear.

Is the Kids Kargo DS Combi Junior car seat compatible?

It is car seat compatible and can be used with Kids Kargo’s own brand infant car seat Kids Kargo 0+ or Britax Babysafe 0+ (no adaptors are needed). You will need to purchase adaptors for the Maxi Cosi car seat at a cost of £30.

How stylish is the Duel DS Combi Junior?

All our family really liked the look of the Duel. It is a very attractive, smart looking buggy. I think there is a great choice of colours including red, blue, pink, black, navy and stripes.

Are there any additional accessories available to buy?

You can buy a car seat to go with the product and also car seat adaptors (see specifications below for details). Some retailers sell foot muffs. The own brand car seat and adapters are available on the Kids Kargo website.

What did you really like about the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi?

My favourite feature of the DS Combi was the smart appearance. I loved the fact that the Duel can also be used as a single buggy, without the lower seat, which reverts to a large storage basket area.

Any criticisms?

I would have wanted to be aware of the large size of the product before purchasing it.

Who is the Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi Junior most useful for?

Parents of a newborn and toddler who live in a town or village and have a medium to large family car. I believe that the Kids Kargo Duel would best suit a baby up to around 6 months of age in the bassinet as well as a toddler in the bottom seat.

Is it affordable for what it is?

The Kids Kargo Duel DS Combi Junior costs £325 and it is worth the price.

What’s in the box?

• Chassis
• Bassinet which can be converted into a junior seat
• Junior seat
• 2 rain covers

MadeForMums verdict

A sleek, smart answer to a double buggy or single to double buggy for parents that live in an urban or semi-rural environment and have room to store it. I would recommend it for parents who don’t spend too much time travelling on public transport and are looking for a comfortable single to double buggy for their baby and toddler.

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