[bbrock]

Hi All,

My wife and I are expecting twins. We have an 09 Outback and an 04 Honda CRV. I read through these posts about the Chico Keyfit 30, which is the one I was hoping to purchase, but now have second thoughts after I started to consider fit in our Outback or CRV. We are getting a BOB Revolution SE Duallie stroller, so we need one of the rear-facing car seat models that will fit on the BOB's car seat adapter (see list below). Never mind the fact that we can't have 2 car seats on the stroller at the same time. We will carry the other one with an Ergo Baby carrier when out and about. I have a Yakima Skybox Pro 16s coming to increase space on the Outback, since I was planning on having that car be the one we use for travelling, but also need space on the inside for 2 rear facing infant seats. I am 6'1" and wife is 5'2". Will 2 Chicco Keyfit 30 seats work behind the driver and passenger seats? Or, in order to work, do the infant seats go in a different configuration d/t my height (i.e. center seat and passenger seat)?

Here are the BOB compatible infant car seats:
Graco - Snug Ride
Graco - Snug Ride 30
Britax - B-Safe
Britax - Chaperone
Chicco - Keyfit
Chicco - Keyfit 30
Peg Perego - Primo Viaggio SIP
Peg Perego - Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30

Also, anyone got any experience with fitting infant rear-facing seats in an 04 CRV? What models, of the one's listed, worked? The CRV seems to have a little more space in the back seats vs. the 09 Outback. So, my thinking is that if they can work in the Outback, then I can get them to work in the CRV. Will 2 infant car seats work in the 04 CRV?

I am really not wanting to replace the 09 Outback, but rather my wife and I were considering replacing her 04 Honda CRV at some undetermined future date.

Thanks so much for any help.

Brian

 

[Sweeps]

I don't have twins, but we have a rear facing Graco Snug Ride 30 for my 6 month old girl.
It goes in the middle spot, because if it's behind either of the front seats, either my 5'4 wife's knees are basically on the glove box, or I ( 6'1 ) literally wouldn't be able to drive.
Our's is an 06 Outback.
Absolutely love this car, but the rear seat legroom would be the only complaint with rear facing car seats.

 

[idosubaru]

Don't have twins but we got two kids in car seats. We have a fleet of Subarus so we also have a few seats for both kids for convenience so we can use multiple cars.

If I had to do it over again I'd specifically lean towards something on the smaller end. One of ours is like a LA-Z-BOY. Takes up room, harder to hand off to the grandparents, harder to put side by side in the rear (meaning one center one to the side). It's nice having the option of putting one in center and one on the side if we want/need too.

I can sit just fine in ours even with a rear facing seat behind me - I'm 5'9", even with a rear facing seat. I do have to keep the seat further forward than I normally like with the LAZBOY rear facing seat, but it's not that bad and I drive long trips with it like that all the time.

I would aim for something that you "can" put in the center and on one side so you have passenger/storage room in the back if necessary.

We also have multiple strollers. One of our doubles doesn't fit nearly as well in the rear hatch compartment. If you're stroller shopping I'd lean towards something that stores easily in the rear hatch compartment, makes for packing during trips more cumbersome.

So basically size - leaning towards something smaller will be the most practical for a Subaru.

 

[hiker74]

We had a 2005 CRV and we had to put our Chicco Keyfit 30 and seat on one side. There are latches in the middle, but there is no way for two of them to go immediatley side by side in a CRV, i.e. passenger side back seat and middle. I am not sure about the Outback but on our 2013 Outback we currently have two Brittax marathon 70's (one a 2009 mdl and the other a 2011 mdl) and they cannot go on the passenger side and middle butted together. We are looking forward to getting a booster for our son when he is old enough as we think the Britax marathon 70 can stay on the passenger side and the booster on a latch can go in the middle opening up the drivers side back. I would say you are limited to sacrificing your legroom for a couple years. Sorry to tell you. Rear facing car seats really eat up the room

 

[arthuruscg]

Well, I can help here since i recently went thru this with my now 2 yr old son.

Let me start this by saying we have a 08 (same as the 09) OB and the old version of the BOB Revolution. The wife and I are about the same height as you (6' and 5'5"). While I love the BOB, forget about what careseats fit the BOB and worry about what fits the OB first. After 9 months, our son was using the BOB without the car seat adapters. The adapters just get in the way later on.

Most Kid/infant stores like toysrus, buybuybaby, will let you test fit the carseats. Usualy, you just need to give them your drivers license while you are test fitting.

It will be a PITA and you will have to make compromises. The distance between the rear seats and the back of the front seats is very small for a car the size of the OB. You might have to install the car seats without using the removable snap and go base in order to make the seat "shorter". I usually removed the base on the when we went on longer trips to give the front passenger more leg room.

The Graco Snugride 30 when installed on the passenger side will force your knees into the glove box and I couldn't safely fit behind the wheel. Don't forget about the airbags, the driver needs 10" between the wheel and chest bone and I think the passenger needs 20" (much larger bag).

Also, there are Combo front/rear infant to toddler seats that will fit better then the usual infant snap and go seats. Typically, the carseat base is raised and swivels and due to the angle of the seat back, the carseat will sit father back and the top might fit in the gap between the front head rest and the seat back.

 

[subiesailor]

Well, I can help here since i recently went thru this with my now 2 yr old son.

Let me start this by saying we have a 08 (same as the 09) OB and the old version of the BOB Revolution. The wife and I are about the same height as you (6' and 5'5"). While I love the BOB, forget about what careseats fit the BOB and worry about what fits the OB first. After 9 months, our son was using the BOB without the car seat adapters. The adapters just get in the way later on.

Most Kid/infant stores like toysrus, buybuybaby, will let you test fit the carseats. Usualy, you just need to give them your drivers license while you are test fitting.

It will be a PITA and you will have to make compromises. The distance between the rear seats and the back of the front seats is very small for a car the size of the OB. You might have to install the car seats without using the removable snap and go base in order to make the seat "shorter". I usually removed the base on the when we went on longer trips to give the front passenger more leg room.

The Graco Snugride 30 when installed on the passenger side will force your knees into the glove box and I couldn't safely fit behind the wheel. Don't forget about the airbags, the driver needs 10" between the wheel and chest bone and I think the passenger needs 20" (much larger bag).

Also, there are Combo front/rear infant to toddler seats that will fit better then the usual infant snap and go seats. Typically, the carseat base is raised and swivels and due to the angle of the seat back, the carseat will sit father back and the top might fit in the gap between the front head rest and the seat back.

Our old Britax top edge lands at the gap between the seat and the head rest when I bottom out the seat adjustment when I'm in the drivers seat. When the wife raises the seat it doesn't - but she also moves the seat forward some so non issue etc.

As for strollers the double wides are a pain in the ass! You can only use them on wide paths at the park thats about it. The best one I've seen and used by a co-worker with twins is this one Amazon.com: Contours Options LT Tandem Stroller, Crimson Red: Baby

It is still fairly compact due to the rear seat raised up some keeping it shorter than some of the other single file strollers.

However with our 3yr old and 7month old our old Phil and Teds stroller with the rumble seat in the back has become a perfect combo bought it used for $115 about 3yrs ago. On long trips where space is needed I stand it on its side folded up and run a bungie cord from the rear tied down on the floor to the latch hook in the roof. This gives us almost the entire rear floor area to pack with other stuff. We even do duffel bags on the floor with the 75lb doberman stacked ontop with his bed - he still sits below the top edge of the rear seat - however most of the time I toss his harness on and hook him to a rear tie down just to keep him put if we end up in a bad spot ie accident etc.

We use a snap and go elcheapo folding stroller which has gone through about 6 kids at the last count. Tires are bald and almost toast. But it is very light weight easy to fold and toss in the car - super cheap ie free. I did need to pull an axle on a front wheel and straiten it but that was 3yrs ago and never an issue since. We are cheap even though most would consider us the 1%. Wife and I plan on retiring before we are crippled up old people.

 

[subiesailor]

BBrock - be sure to have your wife do some snooping on twins mother groups in your local area or even just local mothers groups. These have been a wealth of information for us over the years. Even the contractor who did some work on our house was a referral from the local mothers group.

Also there are a number of discounts at local businesses for those who are members of these groups. We had 15% knocked off our Daughters big kid bed and matching furnature by the local family owned kids furnishings store - they design their own stuff and its half a step better quality than potterybarn junk at 1/5th the price!

 

[Startiger]

I've got a BOB Revolution stroller. It is on it's second kid and still looks new. it's a GREAT stroller, durable, easy to push around, and SUPER maneuverable

I Had a Baby Trend stroller before, but we got the BOB and tried it out once. After that, we gave the Baby Trend to my parents so they would have a stroller and we now use the BOB exclusively. It handles MUCH easier your average stroller. Fits perfectly in the back of the Outback too.

 

[subiesailor]

I've got a BOB Revolution stroller. It is on it's second kid and still looks new. it's a GREAT stroller, durable, easy to push around, and SUPER maneuverable

I Had a Baby Trend stroller before, but we got the BOB and tried it out once. After that, we gave the Baby Trend to my parents so they would have a stroller and we now use the BOB exclusively. It handles MUCH easier your average stroller. Fits perfectly in the back of the Outback too.

The only two seater Bob's I've seen are 5ft wide and only work at the park.

 

[bbrock]

That's weird. I posted a response earlier, but for some reason didn't go through. Anyhow, the wife and I went yesterday 10/31 to check out options at Buy Buy Baby. Prior to this for the last few days I have been driving the 09 Outback with the driver seat pulled fwd as far as I could realistically tolerate. I was doing this to see when we tried out seat sizing, if the driver seat would have to go further up. Fortunately, when we tried the Chicco Keyfit 30, it worked and I was actually able to move my seat back maybe 2 cm (not a lot). But, it worked. Yes, it is tight, but, it is possible & doable and I still feel safe and able to control the Outback smoothly. We then tried the Chicco in the 04 CRV, and same thing, it could work. This was good, as we were leaning towards wanting that seat eventually.

Next, we tried out a convertible, the Britax Pavillon, just to get a feel. It fit as well rear-facing. Unfortunately, I forgot to try out the Pavillon and the Chicco side by side, with one in the middle and one on the side.

I read in the Outback manual that it is recommended to have the car seats b/h driver or passenger, but not in center. But, it then says that a seatbelt and tether are in the center to use if needed. Why does it recommend not to use not to use the center? Is it b/c the LATCH system, which it states should only be used for the side seats, is safer? If I can use the LATCH on the side and seatbelt/tether in the middle, then I want to just go and play around and see if I could even fit a convertible or infant in the middle and one on the side. It would be nice to either have the room b/h my seat or the passenger seat. As mentioned, it would benefit the person in the front so as to be able to stretch out, plus, that adult could sit back there with the kids.

One thing the manual also stated is that in any seat position (b/h driver/passenger or middle) in the back, "you should only use a child restraint system that has a bottom base that fits snugly against the contours of the seat cushion and can be securely retained using the seatbelt." Does this mean that you should only use the infant car seat with the click in base? I read the PDF for Chicco install instructions, and it stated that you could attach it without the base via the seatbelt, but I wonder how safe this is or common practice it is. Does it really create that much more space if the base is not used? The infant seat would be lower in the seat, which I guess would allowable the upper portion of the front seatback to be lower.

If a seatbelt is used to secure the Chicco on the side, would that allowable more space in the middle for a Britax or other convertible to be attached with a seatbelt. I read by using the seatbelts to secure seats, it may allow the seats to be slightly closer to the doors which would create more space in the middle.

Lastly, we looked at strollers. That Bob is very nice, but a monster. I picked it up to place in the back of my car to try out the space, and dang, I didn't account for its width, length, and I hit my taillight and took off a very small chip. It is a beast. While it could be pushed easy, I really am not sure if lugging the BOB in and out of the car is the smartest. We also looked at the Baby Jogger City Select, which is a tandem, and it was very nice. Yeah, crazy pricy, but definitely easier to load in a car and it doesn't take out taillights. Maybe it has a little more rolling resistance, but I think it would be smarter for everyday stuff. Subiesailor, I glanced over the Contours Option, which seems similar to the City Select, but unfortunately was not able to get to it as it was up off the ground. Will have to another time. It would save us some cash, but it doesn't appear to be as nice as the City Select. I will have to research it more. I could also consider things like the Chicco Cortina Together, which is Chicco's tandem. The thing is is that my wife and I were hoping for more of a jogging type stroller for being active, which the BOB accomodates, but the City Select really doesn't. We could do fast walking with it, but not jogging. Also, checked out the Baby Trend Snap and Go or Click and Go, whatever it is called, and that seems like an inexpensive and smart option for the first group of months.

Again I am appreciating all the insights.

 

[hiker74]

On strollers definitely check the second hand stores. We have a coompany here in Indy (not sure where else they have stores) called Once Upon a Child. They have tons of strollers. In terms of Double Strollers make sure you get the lightest ones possible. These things are like steering the Titanic away from an iceberg. The Graco Duo Glider which has been around weighs a ton and is horrible to manuver. I would stick with the lightweights, i.e. the Baby Trend, McClaren, etc. You are going to be new parents. There is always the draw to get the latest and greatest. I understand. We went to Babies R Us and got an $800 crib for our first that now has deep teeth marks in it, but our second child got a $150 IKEA Crib! The Ikea crib is 4X more sturdy than the $800 crib from Babies R Us

 

[hiker74]

Also...WHile it is truly nice to have the car seats fit into the stroller if I was going to go back and do it all over again I really did not see a great benefit in this other than most strollers could not support a newborn's head very well so the pumpkin seats worked better. After they are 5-6 months (which really is not that long) they can fit in a regular stroller fine without the pumpkin seat

 

[subiesailor]

That's weird. I posted a response earlier, but for some reason didn't go through. Anyhow, the wife and I went yesterday 10/31 to check out options at Buy Buy Baby. Prior to this for the last few days I have been driving the 09 Outback with the driver seat pulled fwd as far as I could realistically tolerate. I was doing this to see when we tried out seat sizing, if the driver seat would have to go further up. Fortunately, when we tried the Chicco Keyfit 30, it worked and I was actually able to move my seat back maybe 2 cm (not a lot). But, it worked. Yes, it is tight, but, it is possible & doable and I still feel safe and able to control the Outback smoothly. We then tried the Chicco in the 04 CRV, and same thing, it could work. This was good, as we were leaning towards wanting that seat eventually.

Next, we tried out a convertible, the Britax Pavillon, just to get a feel. It fit as well rear-facing. Unfortunately, I forgot to try out the Pavillon and the Chicco side by side, with one in the middle and one on the side.

I read in the Outback manual that it is recommended to have the car seats b/h driver or passenger, but not in center. But, it then says that a seatbelt and tether are in the center to use if needed. Why does it recommend not to use not to use the center? Is it b/c the LATCH system, which it states should only be used for the side seats, is safer? If I can use the LATCH on the side and seatbelt/tether in the middle, then I want to just go and play around and see if I could even fit a convertible or infant in the middle and one on the side. It would be nice to either have the room b/h my seat or the passenger seat. As mentioned, it would benefit the person in the front so as to be able to stretch out, plus, that adult could sit back there with the kids.

One thing the manual also stated is that in any seat position (b/h driver/passenger or middle) in the back, "you should only use a child restraint system that has a bottom base that fits snugly against the contours of the seat cushion and can be securely retained using the seatbelt." Does this mean that you should only use the infant car seat with the click in base? I read the PDF for Chicco install instructions, and it stated that you could attach it without the base via the seatbelt, but I wonder how safe this is or common practice it is. Does it really create that much more space if the base is not used? The infant seat would be lower in the seat, which I guess would allowable the upper portion of the front seatback to be lower.

If a seatbelt is used to secure the Chicco on the side, would that allowable more space in the middle for a Britax or other convertible to be attached with a seatbelt. I read by using the seatbelts to secure seats, it may allow the seats to be slightly closer to the doors which would create more space in the middle.

Lastly, we looked at strollers. That Bob is very nice, but a monster. I picked it up to place in the back of my car to try out the space, and dang, I didn't account for its width, length, and I hit my taillight and took off a very small chip. It is a beast. While it could be pushed easy, I really am not sure if lugging the BOB in and out of the car is the smartest. We also looked at the Baby Jogger City Select, which is a tandem, and it was very nice. Yeah, crazy pricy, but definitely easier to load in a car and it doesn't take out taillights. Maybe it has a little more rolling resistance, but I think it would be smarter for everyday stuff. Subiesailor, I glanced over the Contours Option, which seems similar to the City Select, but unfortunately was not able to get to it as it was up off the ground. Will have to another time. It would save us some cash, but it doesn't appear to be as nice as the City Select. I will have to research it more. I could also consider things like the Chicco Cortina Together, which is Chicco's tandem. The thing is is that my wife and I were hoping for more of a jogging type stroller for being active, which the BOB accomodates, but the City Select really doesn't. We could do fast walking with it, but not jogging. Also, checked out the Baby Trend Snap and Go or Click and Go, whatever it is called, and that seems like an inexpensive and smart option for the first group of months.

Again I am appreciating all the insights.

Every parent we know with two stroller age kids - generally own off road jogger and the city machine two very different strollers which work very differently for the intended use.

The bob is never going to be a stroller you take to the mall or shopping etc. The narrower lighter rigs will be your first choice for that sort of use.

If you guys like going to the park - walking paths - etc then the bob gets tapped for that duty given your willing to put up with its bulk in return for a nice walk through the park etc.

Which is why going used and hitting the mothers groups is a very good idea. My wife just spotted a duel seat bob on the mothers list for $50 - it was gone before the notice had hardly been up for 5 minutes. Like I said new isn't always needed of course safety things you need to be aware of but new doesn't mean safer in most cases - just means you won't know the safety issues till after you start using it and any recalls or fixes are found and sorted out vs slightly used you'll know exactly what your getting.

We also get most of our kids clothing from the mothers groups my 7 month old just went to daycare sporting some high end brand something I'm sure was a $100 outfit that cost us about $2. LOL

 

[subiesailor]

Good to hear your able to sort out seating space - even at 5'11" I was just barely able to get comfy in the old gen 3 - and I'm not a big guy 165lbs so if your 6ft+ and making it work my hat is off to you! LOL

The center spot is always the safest spot regardless of car or maker.

The reference to seat bottom is more to do with the angle of the cars seat padding and the angle the kids car seat sits when properly snugged down.

I Highly! Recommend a seat install course when you do get your seats. I took a 30 minute on from the local California Highway Patrol you need to schedule it with them as they actually have licensed people who do this. The CHP officer actually ended up giving me a foam roll that gets wedged under the front edge of the snap and go base given the car seat angle was not correct. He went over how to use this spacer correctly vs incorrectly.

After going over install with two of us in two different cars - he had us take turns installing a test seat in the back of an old police cruiser with padded rear seat not the hard plastic they use now. He then reached in and yanked the seat over on its side to show us what can happen if you do not get the seat smashed down snug during install.

100% sign up for a class Local FD or Highway Patrol is best given they actually see accidents and know which mistakes and child seat mistakes can be the worst mistake you might ever make.

 

[subiesailor]

Most safety people poo poo the seat cover under the car seat. However what I've been told is that the major reason for this is that very few people ever actually get the kids car seat installed tight enough so for that reason they don't like to see protective covers between the car and the kids seat. However I do use a thin protective cover that is a little stiff with non slip grippy surface on the car side. The main reason is that my 3yr old makes a mess and between her weight - and smashing her seat down very tight into the car seat it is pretty hard on the actual car seat its self. The protective mat helps lessen the impact this has on the seat in the car.

 

[hman]

I actually have a 2011 Outback and only one little guy, but I wanted to kick in some info that I've learned. First off, I've drank the Britax CooAid. I have a Britax - B-Ready, B-Agile, Chaperone, and a Boulevard that my 9 month old son will be transitioning into shortly.

As far as your car seat list goes, I bet you can guess which one I would pick! LOL But for YOUR setup I would definitely recommend the B-Safe. While I like the Chaperone, in a behind the driver/passenger seat config, it would be TOUGH to slide back far enough to be comfortable, because of the crash bar on the base. Additionally contact your local/state PD to schedule an appointment to install the seats. While there are tons of videos and instructions available online, it's always nice to watch a certified professional do it with you.

As far as stroller, I'll tell you this. If you're anything like me, you will NOT end up with one stroller. As nice as the BOB is, and it is NICE, it's not practical for every environment and situation, so keep that one in mind. Here's a couple of videos to check out. I personally like the idea of an inline double, which is why I picked up the B-Ready.

- BOB Double

- SE Single (Updated for 2011)

- Maclaren Twin Techno

- B-Ready Double

Check out Amazon.com before you buy. I've found that they are consistently $100+ dollars cheaper on Strollers, Car Seats, etc...

 

[subiesailor]

All the car seats we have were bought via Amazon ^ she is right in most cases Amazon is cheaper - get your big ticket items before January given the Amazon local tax system goes into effect January 1st.

The mothers groups are a great source for clothing and second hand strollers. Our Phil and Teds ride - was basically unused when we bought it for $115 and we have used it so much I just replaced the tubes in the tires they were rotten from sitting in the hot car the past few summers. If you get a stroller with the air tires - I highly recommend getting the hard plastic tube liners sold at bike shops - its a thin hard plastic liner that goes between the tire and the tube. After several flat tires I put those in and we haven't had any issues since. I also keep a spare tube in the trunk tray in the Subaru for the stroller. LOL

Good luck kids are fun and will change your life! Usually in a good way ha ha
For sure the single file two seater rig is the stroller you and your wife will use the most when out and about vs headed to the park etc. They are just way easier to pack - and manage and they fit through standard doors.

 

[bbrock]

I have learned much from all these posts. Keep sharing any more insights b/c I am all ears.

Subiesailor, you say that after Jan. the local tax will be implemented by Amazon. I actually notice that Amazon is now and has been maybe for a month charging tax. Are things going to change again after Jan.?

I do like Amazon's prices on car seats, strollers, etc. We are in luck b/c a co-worker is giving me her crib. We can use that for the both twins until they are bigger and then get a 2nd one. Made a trip to Ikea a couple of days ago to get somethings and went by the crib section. We like there prices and the build quality on some of the cribs definitely is adequate. We will keep that in mind as an option.

 

[subiesailor]

I have learned much from all these posts. Keep sharing any more insights b/c I am all ears.

Subiesailor, you say that after Jan. the local tax will be implemented by Amazon. I actually notice that Amazon is now and has been maybe for a month charging tax. Are things going to change again after Jan.?

I do like Amazon's prices on car seats, strollers, etc. We are in luck b/c a co-worker is giving me her crib. We can use that for the both twins until they are bigger and then get a 2nd one. Made a trip to Ikea a couple of days ago to get somethings and went by the crib section. We like there prices and the build quality on some of the cribs definitely is adequate. We will keep that in mind as an option.

Interesting they might be rolling out their tax in sections possible that my area isn't hit till Jan and maybe other areas are already getting taxed.

 

[subiesailor]

I have learned much from all these posts. Keep sharing any more insights b/c I am all ears.

Subiesailor, you say that after Jan. the local tax will be implemented by Amazon. I actually notice that Amazon is now and has been maybe for a month charging tax. Are things going to change again after Jan.?

I do like Amazon's prices on car seats, strollers, etc. We are in luck b/c a co-worker is giving me her crib. We can use that for the both twins until they are bigger and then get a 2nd one. Made a trip to Ikea a couple of days ago to get somethings and went by the crib section. We like there prices and the build quality on some of the cribs definitely is adequate. We will keep that in mind as an option.

Just check the recall data on the older cribs. My two kids are in a crib used by a few other family members it was a drop side - I modified it and simply screwed the drop side down so it was fixed. Diaper changing table I bought off Craigs list $190 new paid $30 for it looked new never used it was probably the best purchase can't wait for my 2nd kid to get out of diapers so we can sell it ha ha!!