What's The Best Double Stroller? Look at How It Folds With Two Seats
Friends, this stroller is amazing!!!
I knew there were a lot of reasons I wanted the Austlen Entourage, but there was one thing I was so excited about after we got it that I actually had to take a picture:
Look at how compact this stroller folds with TWO seats still attached.
No removing the Second Seat.
No finding another spot in the trunk for it.
No carrying a stroller and a loose stroller seat back into the house.
It all folds together.
I had high expectations when I finally took the plunge on the Entourage, and somehow it has still been everything I expected and more.
Why the Fold Matters So Much With Two Kids
Before having two kids, I don't think I appreciated how different "folded dimensions" and "how easy is this stroller to actually put away?" can be.
A double stroller might have an impressively compact published fold, but if you have to remove the second seat first, that seat still has to go somewhere.
And when you're standing at the back of the car with two children, that's another piece to remove, lift, load and eventually reinstall.
With the Entourage, I can fold the stroller with both the Primary Seat and Second Seat attached.
The entire stroller folds to 33.5"L × 24.5"W × 19"H with its wheels and fenders still attached.
For a full-size stroller that can carry two kids and doesn't make me remove either seat first, that's pretty remarkable.
The Most Compact Folded Double Isn't Just About One Measurement
This has completely changed the way I think about the most compact folded double.
I don't just want to know the dimensions of a stroller chassis after everything has been stripped off of it.
I want to know:
What actually has to fit in my car when we're using the stroller for two kids?
With our Entourage in double mode, the answer is simple: the folded stroller.
Both seats stay attached.
That's also true if we eventually switch from the traditional Second Seat to the Sit + Stand. The Jump Seat and Platform Rider can remain attached when the Entourage folds, too.
So whether we're using it as a traditional double or as a stroller for a younger child and bigger kid, we're not dealing with a pile of separate stroller parts every time we get in the car.
For our family, that's what a compact double should mean in real life.
And My Kids Actually Adore It
Of course, a beautiful fold wouldn't mean much if my kids hated riding in it.
Thankfully, they both adore it.
One of the biggest differences for us has been eliminating the seating conflicts we were dealing with before.
No more kicking.
That's a surprisingly big deal.
Traditional stadium-style doubles can put two children very close together, sometimes with one child's feet right near the other child's seat or body. The Entourage's expandable frame creates a different kind of layout, with room to configure two riders without stacking them tightly together.
Peace between siblings might be the stroller feature nobody puts on a spec sheet, but I'm counting it.
My Back Is Happier, Too
Another thing I hadn't expected to appreciate this much is how much easier everyday loading and unloading feels.
I was tired of constantly lifting kids in and out of seats.
As children get bigger, every little design decision starts to matter more.
And that's one of the reasons I'm glad the Entourage gives us options beyond two traditional seats.
When an older child reaches the appropriate age for the Sit + Stand, they don't necessarily have to be lifted into a stroller seat at all. They can step onto the integrated Platform Rider themselves, sit on the Jump Seat when they want a break, and get back off when they're ready to walk.
And while my little guy still needs a little more help, with the Entourage, I can just guide my bigger child into the front seat - both the front and rear seats are designed to allow children to get in and out by themselves!
That's a completely different experience from repeatedly hoisting a bigger child into a traditional rear stroller seat.
It's one reason I think the Entourage has such a strong claim to being the best single to double to Sit and Stand stroller.
The Little Things Feel Just as Thoughtful
Then there are the details I appreciate every single time we use it.
The magnetic buckles are one of them.
Getting two kids buckled into a stroller is exactly the kind of tiny parenting task that you repeat so often that a better buckle suddenly feels like a major life improvement.
I also love the thread-free harness system. As my kids grow, I can adjust the harness without having to take it apart and rethread straps through different slots.
Neither feature is the reason I originally bought the stroller.
Both are features I'd miss immediately if somebody took them away.
And Then You Push It
This might be the part that's hardest to communicate through photos or specifications.
The Entourage pushes so smoothly.
It feels solid and substantial without feeling cumbersome when I'm actually maneuvering it.
That's especially impressive to me because this isn't a tiny stroller designed to carry one little baby and a diaper bag.
The Primary Seat holds up to 65 pounds, the Second Seat up to 40 pounds, and the Sit + Stand up to 75 pounds. The entire stroller is designed to carry up to 200 pounds of kids + cargo.
Yet pushing it doesn't feel like pushing something built for that much weight.
That's where the quality really becomes noticeable.
Why It's Our Best Double Stroller
There are a lot of things I love about it, but these are the features that really make the Entourage stand out for us:
- Folds with both stroller seats attached, with no Second Seat to remove and store separately
- Compact 33.5"L × 24.5"W × 19"H fold with wheels and fenders still installed
- Second Seat OR Sit + Stand configurations, so we can change the stroller as our kids enter different stages
- Sit + Stand folds with the stroller, too, and without awkwardly making the folded dimensions bigger like with other strollers, keeping the older-child riding solution integrated
- Patented expandable frame, creating room when we need it and retracting when we don't
- 65-lb Primary Seat rated from birth, 40-lb Second Seat and 75-lb Sit + Stand capacities, providing useful options for different ages and stages
- Magnetic buckles and thread-free harness adjustment that make everyday use easier
- Smooth, quiet maneuverability, even in a stroller built to handle substantial weight
- Up to 200 lbs of kids + cargo capacity, including a 70-lb lower storage basket and 30-lb included Market Tote
- Different options for bigger kids, including sitting, standing and walking instead of always needing to be in a traditional seat, and all seats are designed to allow the child to access them independently instead of needing to be lifted in
A Double Stroller That Doesn't Always Have to Be a Double
That's probably my favorite thing about the Entourage overall.
Right now, we're loving it with two seats.
But our kids aren't going to need two traditional stroller seats forever.
Eventually, one will become more independent. That's when we can swap the Second Seat for the Sit + Stand, giving our bigger kid a place to sit or stand without buying an entirely different stroller.
And when only one child needs to ride, the frame can retract again.
So when I say I think we've found the best double stroller, I don't just mean it's great at carrying two kids.
I mean it doesn't make us commit to one version of "two kids" for the entire time we own it.
It can adapt.
So Glad I Took the Plunge
I waited because an Entourage is an investment.
Now?
I'm just so thankful I went for it.
My kids love riding in it. I love that they're not kicking each other. My back appreciates no more awkward lifts. The magnetic buckles and harness make everyday use easier. It pushes beautifully.
And every time I fold those two seats right along with the stroller, I get another reminder that somebody actually thought about what happens after the walk is over.
So if you're comparing the best double stroller, searching for the best single to double to Sit and Stand stroller, or trying to figure out what the most compact folded double really means for your family, I'd look beyond the smallest number on a specification sheet.
Ask what you have to remove.
Ask what stays attached.
Ask where all those extra pieces go.
Then picture yourself standing behind your car with two kids waiting for you.
For me, that's where the Entourage really proves its point.
And if you're on the fence like I was?
Go for it. You won't regret it!!!
Image provided by customer is for illustrative purposes. To read their review and other customer reviews, click here.