Our Review of the Phil and Teds Vibe stroller
Phil and Teds takes a bold direction with their already distinctive buggy - the Phil and Teds Vibe Stroller offers ultimate luxury and sophisticated design, making the Vibe one of the most desirable strollers on the market today. With a weight saving aluminum frame and featuring lines distinct from other Phil and Teds Strollers, the Vibe delivers top-of-the-line comfort and convenience. Best of all, the Vibe folds with the Doubles Kit still attached.
Is it for you? Perfect for growing families, the Vibe expands to a double with the Phil and Teds Vibe Doubles Kit. Best for urban, suburban, and all-terrain walking.
With the right Phil and Teds accessories, the Vibe Stroller has four possible modes:
- Single infant
- Single toddler
- Baby and toddler
- Two toddler mode
WHY YOU WILL LOVE IT
Join the buzz surrounding the Vibe - parenting blogs praise the Vibe for its sleek lines, aluminum frame, and ability to fold with the doubles kit attached. An under seat basket, roomier than those found on other Phil and Teds Strollers, holds everything families need.
Convenience: For families using the doubles kit, the stroller folds without having to remove the extra seat - a fantastic feature for busy parents. The handbrake makes for easy stopping. Washable and waterproof fabrics allow quick cleaning when baby spills their juice.
Comfort: Parents of different heights push the stroller with ease thanks to the adjustable handle. Generously proportioned wheels handle rough terrains, and allow for smooth pushing.
Safety:
- 5-point harness
- Handbrake
WHY BABY WILL LOVE IT
The ergonomically contoured seat and generous padding surround baby in cushioned comfort. For shade in summer, the sun canopy generously covers little faces. Add the zip on Storm Cover and Sun/Insect Cover for added protection when weather and bugs strike.
Comfort: With more padding than any other Phil and Teds Stroller, the Vibe gives babies the best seat for long strolls. Fully adjustable, the seat accommodates an infant and nap time. A bumper bar gives little arms a place to rest.
COMPARISON
If the Vibe's price tag makes you balk, consider the Phil and Teds Dash, which offers more padding than the Phil and Teds SPort and a lower price than the Vibe. You will sacrifice the Vibe's ability to fold with the doubles kit attached.
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- Vibe Stroller Black
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- Vibe Stroller Red/Black
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Specs
- Capacity
- 2 Children
- Maximum Seat Capacity
- 55 / 88 lbs.
- Stroller Weight
- 22 lbs.
- Front Wheel Size
- 12"
Dimensions
- Width
- 26"
- Ground to Handle
- 37" - 43.5"
- Stroller Length
- 38"
- Seat Back
- 23"
- Hip to Knee
- 11"
- Knee to Foot
- 10"
- Folded Dimensions
- 17" x 26" x 35.5"
- Folded Dimensions w/out wheels
- 29.9 x 22 x 8.6"
- Multi position seat
- Plush padding
- Hand brake
- Adjustable handle
- Aluminum frame
- Washable and waterproof fabric
- Max load - 55 lbs
- Newborn up to 4 years
- Stroller Weight - 22 lbs
Phil and Teds Vibe stroller Reviews
All Customer Reviews
- Average Rating:
- Highest Rating:
- Lowest Rating:
- Number of Reviews:
- 8
Excellent Stroller
Reviewer: Tracy Woodward , Portland, OR
Date: July 04, 2008
I have a toddler (almost 3) and a 10 month old. This stroller is excellent and I receive so many compliments on it. I had the Phil & Ted's Sport and just sold it to get the Phil and Teds Vibe. (The Vibe wasn't out when I bought the Sport). I liked the Sport but felt the Vibe was a better stroller. The Vibe is much sturdier and easier to navigate then the Sport. The doubles kit is a HUGE improvement. The ease of use is very impressive. Although I do think this is the best tandem all terrain stroller on the market, I gave it 4 stars because of the following cons:
1. The sunhood drives me crazy. If you collapse it, it rests against the handle bar (in the straight position) making it uncomfortable to hold onto the stroller as the hood hits your hand. You can move the hood forward but its looks strange and you should be able to collapse it without getting in the way of the handlebar. The Sport had the sunhood rest much lower than the handlebar so it wasn't an issue. The sunhood is nice to have but its a nuisance.
2. The basket is suppose to be bigger than the Sport but its hard to place anything in there with the doubles kit on and my 10 month old sitting there. With the Sport, I was able to much easier place items in the basket with my infant in the doubles.
3. The handlebar is too wide and isn't very comfortable. You get use to it but I miss the Sport handlebar.
4. The hand brake is great but don't put it right in the middle of the handlebar. If I have a drink in one hand, its hard to push the stroller when you can't put your hand in the middle of the handlebar.
Bottom line is its a great stroller, but its not perfect. Just a few minor fixes and it would be 5 stars! I would recommend it because there is nothing better on the market that met my needs (all terrain, compact, sturdy, double stroller). I do like the Vibe over the Sport primarily because the doubles kit and brake is much easier and the stroller feels more sturdy and easier to manuever.
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Great stroller worth the money
Reviewer: Anonymous , Pittsburgh, PA
Date: July 01, 2008
I LOVE THIS STROLLER! It is all I could have hoped for in a double. I wish I had known about it when I had my first one. My kids are 16 months apart and the stroller is perfect. The older ones loves to sit on top as the baby sleeps in the bassinet and I don't worry because there is plenty of room! Great wheels and does great in the city and in the malls. BUY IT you will not be disappointed!
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Wobbly Front Wheel
Reviewer: Anonymous , Calgary, AB
Date: June 13, 2008
I too have been experiencing the wobbly front wheel. It happens quite frequently whenever I hit a small bump on the sidewalk or in the mall. Is this a common thing for other Vibe owners? Overall, I still love the stroller.
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The best stroller - just use it correctly
Reviewer: FC Buys , Ithaca, NY
Date: June 06, 2008
We got our Vibe yesterday and we are very happy with it. I did a lot of research and believe this is the best stroller on the market. There are a few important things to note however, since the manual is useless.
1. The wheel covers must be clipped-in properly otherwise the wheels won't go on easy, and they will touch the covers affecting the steering and making a noise. Many reviewers complain about this, but I'm sure all of them got this wrong. After sliding the covers into place you have to push in at the bottom to clip them into place
2. The handle-bar is most comfortable in the highest position and then the brake button is also more out of the way...
Enjoy!
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If you need it, you can't beat it
Reviewer: Anonymous , Detroit, MI
Date: May 27, 2008
I had the opportunity to use a Vibe with Doubles Kit for a long weekend on a trip from Detroit to Boston. Here's how it went:
Set up was pretty easy, its well packed in the boxes and goes together nicely if you follow the
instructions. The wheels didn't click in on the first try, but it was clear they were not seated and after a few tries clearly locked in. In addition, I was using the doubles kit, in 2 toddler mode. My son (3.5 years) took the bottom and my daughter (2 years) took the top.
Pro: The big plus for me was that the stroller was the width of a single, held 2, and folded with the doubles kit attached. I also have a BOB Duallie which we use regularly in town, but it is not appropriate for travel or the 'space sensitive' streets of boston. To this point, every other stroller in Brookline (outside of Boston, family area) was a Phil & Teds, although we had the only Vibe (that I spotted over the weekend). It is a great ride, easy to push, goes easily over curbs, turns, etc. Fitting thru a standard door with ease is a HUGE plus. My daughter loved it - it became her safe space. The grab bar is very nice and kept her in her seat without the straps. My son, when he wanted to ride, was glad to have his own seat and enjoyed the low ride. When he wasn't in the stroller, his seat served as the largest storage area ever for a stroller. Folding it with the doubles kit attached is no easy feat (see below) but is very doable in less then 1 minute with practice. The brake is great in that it can be engaged and dis-engaged via the handle (this will come up again in the Con's), and I used it constantly at intersections / inclines / etc. In comparison to a foot brake, It was much more useful. The seat inserts are great - I think they are microfiber - kids loved the comfort factor.
Con: Folding is multistep (covered below). In comparison to a Baby Jogger Q series, its really bad - but for us we managed. Also - to fold with the doubles kit takes quite a bit of practice to get it right. The brake is a bit too convenient - it is spring loaded and engages with a red button in the middle of the handle. Typically - I push a stroller with one hand using the middle of the handle, and that is not possible. I managed to push with one hand in an offset to center, but would have been easier if I could have grabbed in the center. In addition - its just 'screaming' to be pushed, and I found my self twice having pushed it just because my brain said 'its a red button' and walking into the back of the stroller. Luckily, my son did not figure out its function until on the way to the car after we returned to Detroit, otherwise it could have been a lot more 'walking into the stroller' - he was able to reach it from his lower seat.
Neutrals: The canopy is good, and adjusts up and down easily, but it's not 'the bomb'. The finish is nice - I'd say an 8.5 out of 10, but could be a 10 with some minor more attentions to details. At this price point I'd like that (very minor things, like how clean are the welds)
The fold: First, let it be known it is amazing this stroller can be folded at all with the doubles kit on it - kudos to the P&T engineering team for even taking on the challenge! That being said - I count a 12 step process: 1 & 2 (two buttons) - handle bar into upmost position (may not be necessary if your using it in that position, but at 6'1, I found one position below top to be the most comfortable), 3 & 4 (two latches) release 2nd seat, 5 & 6 (two latches) release main latches, 7 fold second seat upward, 8 fold storage basket upward, 9 fold stroller, 10 position front wheel correctly, 11 & 12 close main latches. Like I said, I got to the point in doing this in about 30-40 seconds, so long as I didn't miss a step (damn that handle bar). Once folded, it is compact and will fit in any trunk.
Overall - highly recommended if you got two, need single size and must fold. Nice work P&T!!!
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no shocks!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Lawrence, OH
Date: May 22, 2008
This stroller has no shocks! Despite being marketed as an all terrain stroller, you only get a very moderate shock absorption from the air inflated tires. I wish I would have realized this before ordering. Having never seen it in person and with not many reviews out yet (the first review here that mentions it wasn't posted yet)I am still considering returning it.
In my eyes this is a major flaw for a $700 stroller also called the Lexus of SUV strollers.
The other cons are as mentioned before the "ergonomic" handle bar which is too wide and uncomfortable for my (medium sized) hands. My husband doesn't seem to mind it though. It has three positions, low, medium and high.
The folding with the doubles kit is awkward and quite bulky, but I have never had another double stroller before. We are also having trouble with getting the fold locks to close in the folded position, could be just our stroller though. Another problem is that our rear wheel spokes are catching. We are working on getting this resolved.
In order to work the recline feature on the main seat, you need both hands to adjust the belt and the recline feature (in the form of zippers) on the 2nd toddler seat is hardly anything and only suitable for very small toddlers. My 13 months old (she is average tall) barely fits beneath the metal bar going across the top of the seat. If you don't recline it, you can put the cushion over the metal bar and that gives you plenty of (indefinete) head room.
The basket underneath is small compared to the one my Graco stroller has and the brake is very sudden and unsuitable for slowig down. A little hard to release, but might need to be broken in some. The shoulder strap pads like on car seats are nice but not removable, which will make them hard to clean.
The pros are the well cushioned & removable seats pads, the adjustable sun canopy and the unique Toddler - Toddler mode you can use this stroller in. I also like the solid footwell. The design is very modern and eye-catching.
Comments from The Staff:
Thank you for your review. We contacted the manufacturer in regards to your comments about 'no shocks' and here is what they had to say:
"The Vibe wheels, tires and tubes are completely unique not only to the Vibe but to the industry...being designed specifically for Phil and Ted's. The sole reason for shocks on strollers is to give the occupant and the stroller itself a ride that will absorb the bumps that the terrain that it goes through offers. With the Vibe's proper tires, tube and wheels, the need for external shocks is not there".
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Love it!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Brooklyn, NY
Date: May 16, 2008
It's been only a couple of weeks that we own the Vibe, and what a difference from our previous strollers! Steers easy, comfortable for the kids, the adjustable handle is excellent for tall moms/dads and on top of that it also folds pretty easily for storage, despite the fact that it's a bulky stroller for 2 kids. Too bad the accessories don't come with it-- you have to buy them separate. A little pricey, but well worth it.
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Good product, but has some glitches
Reviewer: Anonymous , Toronto, Ontario
Date: May 06, 2008
This stroller has a lot of good and bad points, from my point of view. I bought it because my older son (3 ½) is too big to fit in a double umbrella stroller, and I really didn't want to push a tandem or a double jogger.
The front seat in the Vibe is nice and roomy I haven't measured, but it looks to be wider and deeper than the seat in the other Phil & Ted's models and there is definitely more foot-room for him. (In the e3, my son's feet were either dangling by the front wheel, or if he put them up on the footrest his knees were up around his shoulders.)
My son also still naps in the afternoon, so a sit-and-stand model was out of the question for all-day trips. I also like the fact that when he stops using a stroller I can just use this as a single for my younger son.
Other pluses: the stroller fits in the trunk of our Mazda 3 (with the rear seat removed I haven't tried putting it in the trunk folded with the rear seat on yet); the canopy is a decent size and is adjustable; at 22 lbs, it is quite light for a double stroller; the 12" pneumatic tires and lockable front wheel make it useful for snowy winters; and the seats are nice and cushy.
On the downside:
- The rear seat is tight. There is enough room for my six-month-old, but I really can't see him using it until he is 33 lbs, which is the weight limit.
- The recline feature on the rear seat is laughable, and clearly a design flaw. There is a metal bar that runs in a U-shape around the top of the seat, and if I unzip it to recline, the top of my six-month-old's head (and soft spot!) sits right against the bar. And he is small for his age! I doubt anyone will be able to use this feature.
- The handle is not ergonomic - even my husband commented that it is too thick. And because of the way it is shaped (flat rather than rounded) my wrists are bent back when I grip it, and on long walks I start to feel the strain on my wrists. My solution is not a great one I just don't wrap my thumbs around the bottom so my hands are parallel with my arms.
- I don't like the brake it is either on or off, with no in-between, so you can't use it to slow down. It is also pretty sensitive, so it doesn't take much to trigger it. This means that if you are moving even a little, and happen to hit the brake by accident, your kids get a jolt when the stroller stops suddenly. Probably not a good thing for your six-month-old in the rear seat who still sits in a rear-facing car seat to avoid exactly this problem.
- I don't think the stroller has any shocks other than the pneumatic tires. I had been using an old Zooper Zydeco for my younger son which, although five years old and not in very good shape, gives a nice, cushy ride. By comparison, the Vibe feels .... clunky? It bumps over all the cracks in the pavement. A few times I went over a curb and the front wheel started swiveling uncontrollably (like a shopping cart?) and I had to stop the stroller to get it to stop. Maybe this is just a problem with my stroller, and not all the Vibes.
Anyway, having said all this, I still would have bought the stroller because there is nothing else on the market that does what Phil & Ted's can do, and the Vibe is good for children who are not close in age (unlike the other Phil & Ted's models, which seem to be better for two younger kids.) I also realize that no stroller can be all things to all people, so this one is pretty good despite its flaws.
Comments from The Staff:
I have to agree with you that there are no other stroller's on the market that can do what the Phil and Ted's strollers do. These strollers are truly unique. All four of the Phil and Ted's stroller models have the same function in terms of weight capacity when using the doubles kits. There is not one stroller model better than the other for kids closer or further apart in age. When strolling on rough terrain try locking the front swivel wheel for more stability that should help with the clunkiness. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your stroller please contact us at 1-800-887-028.
Jami
Site Manager
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