Valco Baby is one of those companies most US parents have never heard of that has established a reputation as a manufacturer and marketer of high end single strollers. They hail from Australia and have quietly been working on their craft for 30 years, much like Mountain Buggy next door in New Zealand. However, despite their prowess in the single stroller arena, they also have a number of double strollers that, while more expensive, are certainly worth looking into if you’re tired of searching through the vast seas of BOBs, Baby Joggers, and Britaxes.

The Valco Baby Tri-mode EX Twin is one such stroller well worth considering. It’s a high end side by side double jogging stroller, although it’s technically marketed as an all terrain and light jogging stroller. While it’s pricey, it has some features that you simply aren’t going to find in any other stroller on the market, such as its absolutely massive storage capacity, to the tune of 90 pounds worth of storage available beyond the kiddos. Valco Baby describes it as a versatile stroller, and if I had to use one word to describe it, that’s the one I’d choose. It’s just a very strong all around, do everything, go everywhere kind of machine.

After spending a week using it in all kinds of conditions throughout the urban jungle that is Chicago, Illinois, it’s set to become one of my favorite double strollers of all time, and we might just have to buy one very soon if our friends want this copy back. Here is an extremely detailed review of the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin.

Buy the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin on Sale at Amazon.

Weight and Dimensions of the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin

How much does the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX weigh?

With the wheels installed, the Tri Mode EX Twin weighs 33 pounds, which places it comfortably in the range of other high end side by side double jogging strollers like the BOB Duallie and Summit X3. If you take the wheels off, it weighs just under 28 pounds. You’re not going to use it without the wheels, of course, but it’s nice to know if you’re putting it into storage, especially since it’s one heck of a stroller in size.

What’s the narrowest door you can fit a Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX through?

You can fit a Tri Mode EX Twin through a door 29″ wide, which makes this one of the narrowest side by side double jogging strollers out there. Most of its competitors are in the 30″ to 32″ wide range, and while you wouldn’t think a couple of inches could make such a difference, the truth is that they do when you’re trying to squeeze between large people in a crowded store or clothing racks in a mall or customers in a tiny hole in the wall cafe in the hipster part of town. Trust me; 29″ makes it a lot easier to get around. With a week’s worth of exploring, there wasn’t a single door we found that we couldn’t squeeze the Valco Baby through. And that made us smile.

What are the length, width, and height of the  Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX?

The Tri Mode EX Twin is 29″ wide, 37″ long, and 43″ tall. If you fold it up with the wheels still attached, the width shrinks to 28″, the length to 29″, and the height to 18.” If you remove the wheels, the dimensions shrink again to 27″ width by 26″ length by 16″ in height. In other words, it gets pretty small, which is pretty impressive for such a beefy and substantial double stroller.

Using the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin with Children

Can you use two infant seat adapters with the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX?

Unfortunately not; you can only use one infant seat at a time with the Tri Mode EX Twin. However, you can use adapters to fit a range of common infant seats, including Peg Perego Primo Viaggio infant seats, Britax Chaperone and B-Ready infant seats, the Maxi Cosi Mico, the Chicco KeyFit 30, and the Graco Classic Fit seat. You can also fit a pair of bassinets at a time if you’d like to, which makes this a particularly infant-friendly double stroller.

What are the recommended height, weight, and age limits for children you can fit in the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX?

The Tri Mode EX Twin is designed for kids between zero and age 4, although depending on the children in question, you may be able to squeeze more time out of the stroller seats. The weight limits for each individual child are 45 pounds, while the combined weight limit is 90 pounds. Each seat is 11″ wide, 9″ deep, and 20″ high, while the footrest drop is 14″. This suggests a child will be able to fit into the seat until the preschool years and a height of at least 44.” Our four year old didn’t have any trouble sitting in the seat, and she’s a pretty picky one.

Seating in the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin

What are the seats, sun canopies, and seat support like in the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX?

The seats are quite comfortable in the Tri Mode EX Twin, at least when judged by the sleep test. Valco Baby used the word plush, and I don’t think my kids would argue with that. Each seat comes with a good amount of padding as well as 5-point harnesses, which are also padded. There are also head-huggers, which are designed to keep infant heads safe when using the seats with the youngest of travelers.

The canopies are large, rounded, and independently adjustable. The arc in the canopies means kids get a generous amount of head room, and the EX in the Tri Mode EX Twin refers to the extended hoods, which means sun glare is really hard to come by when you’ve got the canopies fully extended.

Can you recline the seats in the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX?

Yes! You can recline the seats in the Tri Mode EX Twin with a single hand, and you can move from a flat recline to a fully upright seating position.

Moving and Using the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin

What is it like to push the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin, and is the handlebar adjustable?

It’s a dream to push the Tri Mode EX Twin, to be honest. Valco Baby describes it as an all terrain and light jogging stroller, and that’s pretty spot on. Whether we took it on walks around town, through the mall, or did some light jogging on trails in the nearby state park, it kept on moving without skipping a beat.

Pushing it is easy, and while the stroller isn’t meant to be used as a full on jogger, it’s easily comfortable on- or off-road thanks to the giganto-wheels it comes with.Because it’s so narrow, you start to develop a feeling of invincibility when pushing the Tri Mode EX Twin. Yes, you know deep down that you shouldn’t feel that way, but it’s hard not to when you look at pretty much any door in front of you and think, “yeah…it’ll fit.”

Terrain wise, we somehow managed to push it through dirt, sand, gravel, sidewalks, grass, and even a bit of snow, and those giant wheels kept on moving. I’d normally hesitate to describe any stroller with a pair of front wheels as jogging-capable, but I wouldn’t be afraid to run for a while with the Valco Baby.

You can adjust the wheel position with a dial three ways: the first is a fixed position that allows for the light jogging described earlier. The second is at a 45 degree angle, which is suggested for toddler seating, and the final option is the full swivel typical in double strollers to allow for maximum mobility.The handlebar on the Tri Mode EX Twin is also adjustable, which makes it easy for couples with significantly varying heights to find inner peace when taking turns pushing their little ones.

What are the brakes, tires, suspension, and wheels like on the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX?

The tires are among my favorite part of the Tri Mode EX Twin; they’re 12 inches in diameter and filled with air. According to Valcro, they provide a natural suspension for a smooth ride, and I find it hard to argue with them on that point. I was skeptical since there wasn’t a dedicated suspension system included, but I don’t think the Valco Baby needs one.

Something else I love about the Tri Mode EX Twin is that it comes with its own tire pump. Yes, you could buy one on your own, but it’s lovely to have a company think of this ahead of time and just include one for you. Furthermore, each of the wheels is on a quick release, which makes it easy to remove them without any tools.

How easy is it to pack up, assemble, or disassemble the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX? 

The assembly procedure doesn’t take much time, and it’s also a rather simple affair to pack up the Tri Mode EX Twin when you’re ready to haul it in a car, SUV, or minivan. The fact that I don’t have much to say about this part shows how little time it took; I hardly remember putting it together.

The storage limits are another show-stopping element of the Tri Mode EX Twin. You’ve got storage pockets behind the canopies that are fully removable, so you can even use them as shopping bags. You also get the standard basket underneath the stroller and side storage compartments.

According to Valco Baby, you can store up to 90 pounds of cargo in the Tri Mode EX Twin. We didn’t get out the scale to measure it, but we definitely stored more things in there than we’ve managed to get into any stroller, including the Joovy X2 Double, which has a gigantic basket. We were quite impressed. I was also impressed to find that a raincover, an accessory that pretty much every stroller company makes you buy separately, is included as standard equipment with the Tri Mode EX Twin.

Buy the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin on Sale at Amazon.

 

Is the Valco Baby Twin Tri Mode EX worth it?

In a word, yes. It’s one of the most expensive side by side double strollers I’ve come across, but when I look at the engineering and functionality of it, the price tends to justify itself in my mind. It’s a serious stroller that gets out of your way and lets you get on with your life and take care of your kids. And that’s exactly what a stroller is supposed to do.

Are there cheaper options out there? Certainly. The BOB is popular, and for good reason, and the Summit X3 Double is also frequently chosen among families looking for quality side by side double jogging strollers. But the Tri Mode EX Twin is easily worth a second or third look, and is quite possibly one of the best double all terrain strollers on the market right now.

You can buy the Valco Baby Tri Mode EX Twin Stroller here in Hot Chocolate, here in Raven, and here in Raisin Waffle. The Special Edition is also available, and adds additional UV protection in the canopy.

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