Conjured up by a New Zealand dad who wanted to enjoy mountain trails with his children, the many features you’d expect from a modern twin buggy have had a lot more thought put in to make them work for the great outdoors and adventure. The Mountain Buggy Duo has individual adjustable seats with sun hoods, a detachable bumper bar, lockable swivel front wheels, rear wheel suspension, gear tray, bottle holder, quick-release wheels and a 2-step easy-fold mechanism.
The Duo is also extremely versatile, allowing you to add two carrycots, (£153 each) a twin carrycot (£204), one carrycot and one seat, depending on your situation. It can even be converted to a travel system. There are other accessories to buy separately that embrace the outdoor spirit – a storm cover, sun cover and sleeping bag.
What we love
On first impressions, the Mountain Buggy Duo looks like the kind of machine able to tackle any terrain, and that’s not just because of its name. Though I haven’t used it to cruise up any mountains, I have used it on some very steep hills with no problem. With great suspension, the Duo tackles the bumps and holes of my local hilly park extremely well. Tippi appears very happy and comfortable and there were certainly no complaints from my friend’s newborn, who slept the whole time we took a rather long walk. It offers a smooth ride all round.
The Duo handled market day in a busy city centre well. It’s certainly one of the most compact side-by-side buggies I’ve encountered and I could manoeuvre my way quite easily through the crowds.
The Mountain Buggy Duo is also great for those mums wishing to keep fit. It can handle bumps at speed and is so light to push – ideal for those power walks.
A very important factor for me - and any busy parent with children demanding to go outside - is that it’s easy to put up. On my first encounter with the Duo, no instructions were even needed until I came to adding the carrycot, and from then on putting it up and down was so simple. With its 2-step fold mechanism it couldn’t be easier.
There are also a couple of final touches I appreciated. It looks good, and some of the accessories are wonderful (though these can add a lot to the overall price). The sleeping bag is heavenly – soft and protective - and the reversible fleece liners beg to be laid on. I also liked the smaller pockets in the gear tray underneath the buggy. With so much gear to carry around it’s good to be able to gain easy access instead of fumbling around in a packed tray. It’s this attention to detail that makes a difference.
What to watch out for
The Mountain Buggy Duo can be expensive, with all the extras mounting up, from carrycots to the smaller accessories. With such a choice of accessories available you need to really think about what you want or you could end up overindulging and blowing your budget.
Even though the Mountain Buggy Duo is easy to fold down, it’s not that small and it feels bit like you need a 4x4 for this 4x4 buggy.
Who is the Mountain Buggy Duo best for?
Active parents-of-two who like to go cross-country in comfort and with ease.
The Mountain Buggy Duo is a well thought out all-terrain twin buggy that can tackle a busy town centre as efficiently as a mountain - or local park! This side-by-side option not only fits through a standard doorway, but also is versatile and smooth. With an overwhelming array of accessories, you’re quite literally spoilt for choice, but make sure you don’t go over your budget on the extras
