Trends for Kids (TFK) has been popular in Europe since it was founded in 1997. Until recently, this German-based company's high quality, innovative and versatile products were not available in the US. Sold in more than 15 countries, TFK has now made its way across the pond to make its US debut in November 2008. With its high quality German design, great features and sporty looks, the TFK stroller may soon be a major US favorite.

The Twinner Twist Duo is TFK's sporty side-by-side stroller for the modern sport-minded parents. As most moms of twins or two children know, finding the perfect double stroller for your individual needs can be a daunting task. This fabulous all-terrain stroller has some outstanding features that could possibly make it the double stroller for you.

The first things we noticed about the Twinner Twist Duo were how great and sporty it looked as well as how narrow it appeared for a side-by-side stroller. As parents contemplating a side-by-side know, the width of the stroller is very important. No one wants to be stuck (and embarrassed) because their stroller can't fit through the doorway. Not to worry, because at 29 inches wide, the Twinner Twist Duo glides through doorways with no problem. We love that TFK placed the rear wheels under the chassis instead of having them stick out on the sides to catch everything passing by.

Even though the stroller is narrow, it does not take away from the spacious seats for your child. There are two large, roomy seats that have the ability to accommodate twins or two children of different ages with no problem. With a high total weight capacity of 100 lbs, we found that even our 6 year olds could jump in for a ride. We found that each seat has a very tall seat back that accommodates even taller children without their heads brushing the canopy. There are padded 5-point, adjustable harnesses for safety and individual foot rests that not only flip up for folding but slide up the frame for the comfort of taller and shorter riders. Each seat is padded with 3 recline positions, including flat. In order to recline the seats, there is a zipper system that requires mom or dad to unzip a zipper on each side. If we could make one change, it would be that they change the zipper feature to a one-handed bar recline that would be easier for parent to do.

The seat fabric is durable, water resistant, non-fade fabric which is both non-abrasive easily removable and washable. There is an adjustable and removable bumper bar but no cup holders or snack trays for either mom or baby. (Remember, Europeans don't eat and drink on the go.)

The Twinner Twist Duo sports an adjustable handle bar (up and down but not telescoping) that is great for taller and shorter parents. Since we are not all the same heights, we love this feature! It's easy to operate with two push buttons on the sides and can be set at any position including all the way up for taller parents and all the way down so that other siblings can "help" push the stroller. Underneath the seats, is a rather large basket but since the opening of the basket is cut in half with a bar across it, we found it hard to fit even a medium size diaper bag in. Besides the basket underneath, there is a zipper pocket on the back of each seat and a zipper pouch on the side of each seat for extra storage.

The large (12 1/2 inch rear and 10 inch front), air-filled tires tackle all kinds of different terrain. Grass, playground mulch, rocky road - no problem! With its suspension system and rear shock absorbers, the Twinner also provides a very smooth ride for baby.

The front swivel wheels provide amazing maneuverability and lock straight for use on rougher terrain. Even with the stroller fully loaded, we had no problem maneuvering this stroller. We were able to push it one handed but know fully loaded you will need a bit more wrist power. There is a convenient and easy to use hand-operated disc brake, located on the handlebar, which allows parents to slow the stroller while in motion or lock the wheels when the stroller is parked. We love that you don't have to use your foot or scuff your shoes to lock this stroller.

While TFK doesn't recommend jogging ("sport use") with the Twinner, we found with the sturdy frame, lockable front wheels, and the air-filled tires, we had no problem taking it for a light jog.

The Twinner Twist Duo basically folds in half, making transporting this stroller not too bad regarding the size. The steps to fold it are easy and quick to do. There is a manual locking strap on the side to lock the stroller closed for transporting. Since the "lock" is a strap with a hole at the end that hooks on a metal knob on the frame, we did find that the strap doesn't always stay. We would suggest a more sturdy (and automatic) lock for this stroller so that we don't have to worry about it unlocking on us when we lift it in and out of our trunks.

Weighing in at 34 lbs, we found this stroller weight average for a full-size double stroller. With sturdy double strollers, we have come to expect this weight. Transporting the stroller on a daily basis in your car or SUV can be heavy. Okay, you might need an SUV or minivan for this stroller because it might not fit in many compact trunks. The wheels easily detach to make it more compact but you will still be lifting a large stroller over 30 lbs into and out of your car.

The Twinner Twist Duo provides great versatility for twins or children of different ages. A great feature of the Twinner Twist Duo is that it accepts two carrycots/bassinets (sold separately) at once for use with twins. All you have to do is remove the seat fabric, attach the bassinet bars, and the bassinets click safely on the frame. The chassis can also accommodate 1 bassinet and 1 seat or stay with the standard two seats that it comes with. Unfortunately, the Twinner Twist Duo does not accept an infant car seat. UPDATE: Trends for Kids will be offering car seat adapters that will accommodate one or two infant car seats (Graco and Peg Perego) starting in February 2010.

This sporty stroller comes in a variety of beautiful colors, such as blue, black, red, white, tan and orange, so there is a choice for everyone. There are also some great accessories sold separately such as carrycots (bassinets), fleece footmuffs, removable soft, fleece carrybag, sun shields, rain covers.

With its narrow frame, adjustable handle, fabulous maneuverability, roomy seats and sturdy construction, we recommend you check out the TFK Twinner Twist Duo when it arrives in the US.
 

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