Undecided on this one - it's growing on me

We bought the Double Snap and Go when the twins were born, and loved it. When they outgrew their infant carriers, we needed to buy another stroller, and we decided on the Inglesina Twin Swift. We've been using it for about a month and are not completely satisfied with it.

Before buying we asked many other moms of twins which they preferred, a side-by-side or a front-to-back stroller. Most said they preferred the side-by-side because both seats fully recline (unlike the front to back), the babies could communicate with each other, hold each other's hands, steal pacifiers, and be generally cute.

Many of those same moms recommended Peg's Aria Twin. We didn't like two things: the price and the handle. We looked at Chicco's Citta Twin, but we heard that the seat fabric tears easily. We considered the Graco DuoGlider and Combi's Twin Savvy, but both had the handle like Peg's. We were told that MacLaren's Twin Rally wasn't worth the price and we didn't like its handles either.

As you can tell, we looked at all the side-by-side options except for jogging strollers and the really cheap umbrella strollers. We read several reviews about Inglesina's Twin Swift, and it seemed to have a lot going for it. After using it for a while, we like it...mostly. But there are some things that we don't like about it.

First, it is HEAVY, and I'm not a weakling. I didn't think 28 pounds would be that much, after all, my 3 year-old is 35 pounds, and I lift 50 pound bags of dog food without much trouble. And I'd only be lifting it in and out of the back of the minivan. Well, this stroller is cumbersome when folded and the latches that are supposed to keep it closed don't work very well. In fact, I haven't found that I can use them at all as long as the canopy is attached.

Speaking of the canopy...I am very unsatisfied with it. It pops off the stroller frame every time the stroller is closed. What poor design! When I am wrestling with squirming 9 month-old twins, keeping the 3 year-old from running into the parking lot, collecting the diaper bag and other baby accoutrement that have been strewn throughout the car, making sure the car is locked, etc, the last thing that I need to be doing is snapping the canopy back onto the frame. Mostly, I leave the canopy in the back of the car because it's such a pain.

With the Double Snap and Go, I was able to do quite a bit of grocery shopping using the ample basket. Not so with this stroller. I feel that the baskets are made with a flimsy mesh material that will rip if too much is placed in them.

Finally, I didn't think that I'd miss the children's snack tray. I guess I don't remember how much we used the one in our first child's stroller. Mostly, I miss the cup holder because now I seem to be picking up sippy cups frequently.

All that being said, there are some positive aspects to this stroller. First, we love the three separate handles. We have been able to hang many (not very heavy) bags on them, including our backpack-style diaper bag. The handles are tall enough where my 6' husband can push it comfortably.

Also, we are impressed with the stroller's easy maneuverability. I am able to steer the stroller with one hand using the middle handle, leaving the other hand free for the big brother's hand, a cup of coffee, keys, etc.

We haven't found a door that it won't fit through. We were concerned about that, but it is very slim.

Finally, we like the colors. This may seem petty, but we are tired of all baby gear being black, blue or tan.