Phil&Teds Vibe 2012
Phil&Teds is a New Zealand Based company established in 1994. The company manufactures baby strollers, travel systems, car seats and feeding systems and sell them world wide. They are noted for their inline strollers which are sold in over 40 countries.
Introduction
Phil and Ted Vibe stroller is a very stylish baby stroller that can be easily adapted to an inline double stroller. It has three wheels with air-filled tires. There is an optional toddler seat and the stroller can accommodate newborn babies. Both the toddler seat and the main seat come with padded seat inserts for extra comfort.Features
- Dimensions: 25.5″ wide. Folded (wheels off) 30″ x 22″ x 8.5″
- Weight: 26 lbs
- From ages: newborn to 6 years old
- Simple brake operation on handle grip
- Folds with double kit attached
- Full seat recline
- Can be converted to a double
Verve Stroller PROS
- Seat is large and reclines fully
- Air filled tires provide comfortable ride
- Folds into a relatively small space
- Easy to maneuver
- Easily converts to accommodate a car seat
- Optional bassinet
Verve Stroller CONS
- The toddler seat is quite small
- Storage area is difficult to access when in double mode
- Seat footrest is not adjustable
Seat
The phil & teds Vibe main seat is large and well padded. It can recline fully which makes it suitable for newborn babies.The bumper bar is easily removed and has a padded, zipped, removable cover.
The footrest is made from plastic and is not adjustable.
The optional toddler seat has limited recline movement.
Hood / Canopy
The hood is large and comes with a zip on the front for attaching different kinds of cover for the stroller. The hood is unusual in that it attaches to the frame and not to the seat. This actually helps as you can now adjust the height of the hood for taller children.Handle
The handle is padded and rounded and can be adjusted to three different positions. This is ample for any size of person and you will not be banging your feet of the stroller, even if the double kit is fit
ted.The brake button on the Phil and Ted Vibe is located in the center of the handle and this can be a problem when using one hand to push the stroller as you can inadvertently hit the brake button and lock the wheels.
Brakes
The brakes are operated in the same way as the Verve Stroller. There is a red button on the center of the handle bar. Pressing this button, applies the brakes. To release the brakes, you have to press a larger black button located in front of the red button.Folding
When folding the Phil & Teds Vibe 2012 stroller, there are some things you MUST do first.- The handlebar must be in the most upright position (perpendicular to the ground).
- Nothing can be below the rear axle level (ie. lift the basket up above this)
- The front single wheel should have the side with the attachment bar on the outside.
- Put handle bar in the upright position.
- Undo the side locking clips. Lift the red lever on the side to start the fold. Fold so that the vibe stroller front wheel and handle come together.
- As the stroller folds, ensure the basket is above rear axle and the front wheel has the attachment bar on the outside.
- When the pram is fully folded you can fold the side lock clips back in place.
Toddler Seat
The toddler seat is small. I think this is the smallest Phil&Teds seat yet.In toddler/toddler mode the older child sits in the upright main seat while the younger child rides in the double kit seat at the back. The double kit seat is attached by linking the latches on the seat onto the black adaptors on the back of the rear axle as well as having the arms of the toddler seat go under the black connectors and then you secure with the black buttons on either side. This is a little tricky and does require two hands to line up correctly. The double kit seat in the rear position will take a child up to 15kg or 33lbs.
The maximum total loading of the pram is 40kg
In toddler/newborn mode the main seat is fully reclined for the baby to lie flat and the double kit seat is attached up the front of the stroller for the older child. The double kit seat is attached with small latches which hook into the frame in place of the bumper bar. The double kit seat can attach to either of two positions on the front which gives the child below a bit more room if needed. The double kit seat in this position will take a child up to 25kg or 55lbs.
Summary
Phil and Teds Vibe stroller is very well designed. It looks good and it works as you would expect for a quality stroller. With the optional double kit, this stroller converts into a stylish inline Vibe stroller that is extremely functional and easy to maneuver.However when in double mode, the toddler seat is very small. One handed pushing can be difficult at times due to the position of the brake button. Although the fold is compact, it is complicated and must be done methodically for it to lock in position.
One of the big advantages of the Phil & Teds Vibe stroller is that it is easy to convert into a travel system. It will accommodate a car seat for transfer between stroller and car.
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