Update:
Baby Planet president Pete Myers wrote in:
On the 5-point harness comments, we are mandated by ASTMcompliance standards in this area, so our harness should be nodifferent than others on the market. One thing to note, though, isthat harness standards changed recently, so there may be a noticeabledifference from strollers tested in previous years.
We did sacrifice some weight to build a more rugged and durableframe (hence the 55lb weight limit) and feel we are the best choice forlong term use.
There was also a note about 3 month old usage. Please note that werecently changed our recommendation on the age appropriateness of theUnity to 1 month old. We had taken a conservative approach early on,but recently determined that our almost full recline was more thanenough to accommodate children at this younger age.
The Unity Sport Lightweight Twin Stroller by Baby Planet is an attractive twin that comes jam-packed with features — both obvious and subtle — which ultimately add up to a very pleasant strolling experience. The manufacturer boasts that its patented ‘Easy-Steer’ handle will improve maneuverability over traditional double strollers and — yes — it most certainly does! Steering the Unity Sport Twin is almost distracting, because your mind tells you to start turning way before you actually need to; The stroller reacts that well to changes in direction, and you really can steer it just as you would a single. We also appreciated the Unity Sport Twin’s placement of its center-rear wheel — a feature Baby Planet calls ‘Room To Walk’ — in an effort to give walkers enough room to extend their stride without constantly kicking that rear wheel.
But what left us most impressed by the Unity Sport Twin is how completely unfazed the stroller was by the weight differential between our two sons: 40 pound Owen and 17 pound Sam. I really expected the stroller to drift to Owen’s side non-stop, making pushing difficult, and it was never an issue — even on uneven terrain. There was no need to overcompensate for the weight difference, for the stroller does that for you. If you are a mom with a toddler and a baby-on-the-way or a mom to a toddler and a newborn who is already here, this is reason enough to consider this stroller. Also, both seats are weight-capable up to 55 lbs, which is rare for a stroller in this style, so you’re going to get extended use from the Unity Sport Twin that you won’t find elsewhere.
Some other positives include the 2-parent cup holders, multi-position reclining seats with adjustable leg supports, auto fold frame locks and over-sized storage baskets. The Terra Cotta fabric style on the model we test-drove was in keeping with the overall modern appearance of the Unity Sport Twin. (It also comes in Charcoal and Red Tech.) The stroller folded with ease, and took up minimal space in the trunk of my Subaru Forester, so it shouldn’t be an issue for those with a compact car.
We did experience two problems with the Unity Sport Twin, however. Sam is an average-sized 6-month-old, and we simply could not get the five-point harness to fit him snugly, no matter what we did. The clasps which tighten the harness were extended as far back as they could go, and the harness still swam on him. That the manufacturer claims the stroller is permissible for infants as young as 3-months struck us as worrisome.
Also, we repeatedly ran into trouble with the canopies which — when in place and extended — provided excellent shade for the boys. Unfortunately, they were rather easy to dislodge — either by Owen’s tugging or by the process of unfolding the stroller, itself – and we found ourselves constantly needing to re-attach.
All in all, the boys thoroughly enjoyed strolling in the Unity Sport Twin, and we thoroughly enjoyed pushing them in it, so we would definitely recommend!
The Baby Planet Unity Sport Twin retails for $289. It is available at Amazon.com
as well as retail locations. For more availability, check TheFind.com.
