Phil and Teds E3 V2 Review



Review by: Annabel

Introduction



The E3 is a good quality jogging stroller made by New Zealand company Phil & Teds. The stroller is lightweight and handles fairly well whilst carrying kids from birth to 4 years of age.

The E3's real strength however is the unique way it quickly and easily converts to carry two children. The E3's doubles seat simply clicks on top of the (fully reclined) main seat to carry a toddler with a baby, or behind the (upright) main seat to carry two toddlers.

The in line seating style provides comfortable seating for 2 kids without the width of a double or the many disadvantages of a traditionally front mounted toddler seat.

This stroller is a great option for anyone who has, or is planning on having more than one child.

Seat design and function


Seat in most upright position



First recline position with zips undone.



Zips done up, clips undone.



Seat fully reclined.



Plastic flap down.



Plastic flap held up with velcro



Plastic flap removed altogether.



Internal zip to adjust seat.



Top clips to adjust backrest



Back clips to adjust backrest



The seat in the E3 reclines to four different positions using a combination of zips and clips.

The upright position has a good straight and well supported back however the bottom part of the E3's seat angles down so that even in the most upright position a child's bottom is lower than his or her knees. This makes it difficult for a child to sit up independently in the seat without leaning against the backrest.

The first recline position is the "sleepy time" position (clips done up, zip undone). This is slightly more reclined than upright and is designed for babies who can already hold their heads up. It is quite a comfortable position -my 3 year old has slept there for an hour at a time.

The next position is just slightly raised from horizontal and is intended for young babies. A child who wants to see out may be frustrated by this position as it provides a limited view.

When in full recline the seat hangs very close to the ground which is a little odd but there is no real problem with this. In fact the seat kind of sways from side to side which might be a bonus when trying to get a little one to sleep. The seat is completely flat which is hard to find, particularly in joggers, and there is space to put some kind of cocoon in there to make the area more cosy. A baby's head can be put up near the front wheel so that in effect the baby is facing you, however with the large open area at the back of the pram a baby is easy to see in either of the recline positions.

The E3 seat is lower down than in other prams which means the backrest is nice and high and will accommodate tall children. The flip side is that there is not much length from the seat to the foot well so a tall child will have their knees poking in the air. The footwell is also quite small -my 3 year olds feet just fit inside it. Despite this he seems quite comfy in the pram and as the seat accommodates a child to 25 kg or 55 lbs he will be able to ride for some time yet.

The seat fabric is durable and washes well although it is a little rough without a liner.

One very frustrating aspect of the E3 seat is the backrest adjust system. One set of zips is used to adjust the seat in the two lower positions. Buckles are then used to bring the seat right up where the same zips adjust the seat in the two upright positions.

The first problem is that the zips are on the inside of the seat. They can easily be undone with the child in the seat, but are very difficult to do back up without removing the child. This design seems strange -if only the zips were on the outside of the seat like on the Runabout or the old Aria then they would be much easier to adjust.

The clips can be undone with a child in the seat although you need to support the seat with your arm or it will free fall a long way back. It is, however, next to impossible to do these buckles back up with a child in the seat.

The manufacturers of the pram suggest you take a child out of the pram before adjusting the zips or clips which is not an ideal scenario. The pram is apparently designed so that the lay back positions are only used for newborns, and for older children only the two upright positions are used. It seems a shame to have such a lovely deep recline and not be able to use it.

The seat adjust problem becomes less of an issue once the doubles kit is in use since the recline options are limited in both modes.

One more thing worth mentioning is that when the seat is in the two reclined positions the back of the pram is completely open. Included with the pram is a piece of clear plastic that velcros on to cover this area, and rolls up out of the way when not in use. This is kind of cute and kind of works, but honestly I found it quite fiddly. It would be great in a warm climate when you would rarely use it, but in a cold climate I would be worried whether it would provide adequate protection from the wind.

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Child safety harness




The harness in the main seat of the E3 does up at four points with small and quite fiddly clips rather than the two that are present on most pram harnesses.

When the seat is in either of the two upright positions the harness is too large for most children under 18 months of age and the flat cloth piece tends to rub on a childs face.

The other issue with the harness is that it is inclined to loosen when a child struggles against it. The Australian Consumers Association (Choice) has raised concern about the manner in which the harness adjusters slip and Phil and Teds are reportedly working to rectify the problem.

When the seat is in either of the two lower reclined reclined positions (clips undone) the harness is quite inappropriate and according to the manufacturer it is not intended that a harness is used at all. Instead 'D' rings are provided so that an independent harness can be used and clipped to the pram if so desired.

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Hood or Canopy


Hood buttoned down.



Hood up.



Viewing window on hood.



The hood on the E3 is quite adequate although it does not provide an enormous amount of protection. The hood free falls down and then buttons to hold it in place. There is a viewing window through the top but it is covered in dark UV mesh and can be difficult to see through.

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Handle design and function


Handle in higher position



Handle in lower position.



The handle on the E3 can bet set at two different heights by removing it and turning it upside down. Whilst the second position does add height to the pram, it also shortens the available stride space which may be an issue for those with long legs and/or a long stride.

The handle is attached with small push buttons that slide in and lock into matching holes on the frame. These are quick and easy to release however they also allow the tiniest amount of movement in the handle. This in no way affects its function, however it can be a little annoying.

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Storage




Rear view of basket



Basket with seat fully reclined



Basket with toddler seat attached to rear.



A lot is said about the lack of storage on the E3 but it could certainly be worse. The basket underneath holds a surprising amount and goods can be accessed from the side if the seat is in full recline.

Pannier bags can be bought to provide extra storage although using 2 will add considerable width to the pram. It is possible to sling smaller bags on the frame on either side and hold them on with either the doubles adapters or the front bumper.

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Wheel brakes


Brakes


The brakes on the E3 are very effective and easy to use. A bar across the back axle drops down into place with minimal effort. The brakes stop the wheel cogs moving and once in place the pram is very stable even on quite steep inclines.

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Fold mechanism


Fold button


First stage of fold


Folded with wheels on


Folded with wheels off


Folded with doubles kit on top


Strap to keep pram folded


The folding mechanism on the E3 takes some getting used to. The fold buttons are at the front of the pram so when putting it into the car you need to put the brake on and walk around to the front to fold it.

The fold mechanism works by pressing the two buttons either side of the seat in together whilst turning one around. The backrest part then collapses backwards and the fold is completed by kicking the front back underneath the pram so that the front tyre and foot well rest on the ground and the backrest and hood face upwards.

The wrist strap that hangs off the handle bar can be threaded through the front tyre and snapped closed to hold the pram in the folded position. Alternatively it can be picked up by reaching through the handle to grab onto the front wheel.

The pram folds nice and flat and the wheels come off easily for an even more compact fold. It's slightly more bulky (and harder to fold) with the doubles kit on top and the doubles kit needs to come off completely when the pram is being used in toddler/toddler mode (this is very quick and easy).

The best way to unfold the pram is to let the front wheel drop down so that three wheels are on the ground. The back of the pram then clicks upwards.

The folding and unfolding mechanism can be a bit of an acquired skill, although once mastered it is straightforward enough. The initial stage of the fold is a finger entrapment hazard so make sure your fingers are spread out when pushing the fold buttons. The other thing to look out for is the pram frame rubbing on the ground when getting used to putting the pram up and down.

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Wheels

Front swivel wheel.


Button to fix/remove wheel.


Rear wheel.


The E3 has 30cm or 12 inch air filled tyres. The wheels are great for general purpose outdoor as well as for inside use.

The front swivel wheel can be locked by adjusting a button behind underneath the foot well. This is quite a fiddly operation and takes some getting used to.



All wheels can be quickly removed for more compact storage.



Phil and Teds recommend that the tyres be filled to 22PSI.


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Manoeuvrability

The E3 handles rough terrain fairly well although I wouldn't classify it as a real off-roader. The air tyres enable it to go over most terrain however the lack of suspension can make the ride a little bumpy.

Phil & Teds state that the pram can occasionally be used to run with but that it is not intended as a full-time jogger. Personally I wouldn't be jogging with this pram. When loaded up with two kids I find the E3 can be quite heavy to push and it steers downhill as I'm walking along the city pavement. This improves with more air in the tyres however I always need to exert some force through my wrists to keep the pram running straight. Fixing the front wheel does not seem to help the problem.

On smooth ground the E3 is very easy to manoeuvre. It can be pushed with one hand even with the doubles kit in use. It is a little bit longer than some other joggers but is fairly narrow which makes it easy to navigate around small shops.

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Size

The E3 is quite a long and narrow pram. The official website gives the width of the pram as 58cm although I measure the width from the outer edge of each back tyre to be 60cm, and from hubcap to hubcap to be 64cm. Even so it is easy enough to negotiate through shops and crowded areas.

The E3 weighs 9.7kg or 21lbs which is fairly lightweight for a pram with pneumatic tyres. The doubles kit adds an extra 2.6kg or 6lbs.



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Accessories


This pram come without any accessories included, however there is a range of optional accessories to purchase.

The doubles seat is itself an optional extra.

The sun and rain covers come in both single and double size. The double covers do a great job of protecting both children when in doubles mode. They can also be used on the pram in singles mode and are a good option for those planning to use the doubles kit in the future.

The cocoon enables you to lift a sleeping child in and out of the fully reclined seat and also makes the seat a cosier place for a young baby.

Three separate seat liners are available -the padded Race Seat, the Buggy Bunny which is a padded fleece liner with removable pillow and a fitted lambskin.

A toddler sized sleeping bag has harness slots and can be converted into a seat liner by removing the top section. An all in one fleece suit is available for children ages 3-9 months.

Additional storage options include a removable parcel tray cell pack cell and pannier bags to hang off the frame either side of the seat. The 'Bacpac X' is a nursery bag that clips to the back of the pram when in singles mode.

A travel bag has luggage wheels and a drag handle and fits both the both the single E3 and doubles kit.

A car seat converter kit enables a car seat to be attached to the pram when in singles mode only. The Travel System consists of a support bar and straps. The manufacturer claim it is quite universal and will accommodate "most" car seats .

Toddler Seat


Pram in toddler/newborn mode.



Toddler/newborn mode with hood on.



Back view of toddler/newborn mode.



Harness on doubles seat.



Pram in toddler/toddler mode.



The toddler seat is the defining feature of this pram.

Rather than a toddler seat it is referred to as a doubles kit because at times it is the toddler who rides in it up top, whilst at other times the younger child sits in the seat at the back of the pram.

In toddler/newborn mode the main seat is fully reclined for baby to lie in and the doubles seat is attached up the front of the pram for the older child. The doubles seat is attached with small push knobs into adapters that take the place of the bumper bar.

The doubles seat in this position will take a child up to 25kg or 55lbs.

In toddler/toddler mode the older child sits in the upright main seat whilst the younger seat rides in the doubles seat at the rear. The doubles seat is attached with the same push buttons to the back of the pram frame. This is again very quick and I have managed it one handed on more than one occasion.


The doubles seat in the rear position will take a child up to 15kg or 33lbs.

There are several advantages to having an in line seating style such as this one. Both children have their own full seats with full backrests. They are out of each others way unlike traditional front mounted toddler seats where one can be squashed by the other. The double rain and sun covers completely cover both children. Both children are also able to sleep in the pram although my daughter's head does drop forward in the back seat (I find a 'U' shaped pillow gets around this problem).

The most common observation is that the child in the rear seat has no view of where they are going. This may be true but they have plenty of space in front of them and plenty of view to each side. It may not suit all children however some kids are known to argue over who will sit there.

In toddler/toddler mode there are a few things to look out for. The first is that the child in the back seat must get out first or the pram is likely to tip backwards. More seriously children in the back seat may be able to reach the wheels while the pram is moving and there have been reports of injuries from this happening. The Australian Consumers Association has taken this issue up with the manufacturer and they are apparently looking into a way to prevent such accidents from happening.

One obvious issue with the toddler/baby mode is that the baby has very little vew of the world. My little girl tolerated this until she was about 4 months old. There was then a very awkward stage when she was too little to sit upright in the toddler seat, but was not happy lying down underneath where she could not see anything. She sat up quite early and by 4.5 months I just had to put her in the toddler seat but I was not really comfortable with the setup until she was closer to 6 months (the recommended age for babies to use this seat).

My other problem was just generally managing the pram and the kids and the baggage You need to kind of slide your baby into the pram and I remember on more than one occasion trying to juggle shopping and a toddler while I tried to thread the crying baby into the pram, only to realise that I should have put the shopping into the basket first since it is hard to access with the seat reclined. On these occasions I really wished a had a double pram where I could just dump the shopping and the baby and the toddler into it and run!

I must say that personally I found this pram a little awkward when using it in baby/toddler mode. It would be great if you've got a baby that sleeps soundly but sadly that isn't the case for many people.

On the whole however this pram is an excellent solution to the problem of trying to accommodate two children in a compact pram.



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Summary and Rating

Pros

  • Seat lies completely flat for newborns.
  • Nice large seat back to accommodate taller children.
  • Lightweight for its class.
  • Compact fold.
  • When using in doubles mode:
    • Both children have comfortable seats.
    • One infant can lay flat when needed.
    • Doubles seat quick and easy to attach in both configurations.

Cons

  • Backrest is difficult to adjust whilst child is in stroller.
  • Harness unable to be used when backrest is fully reclined.
  • Harness too big for infants when seat upright.
  • Harness in both main and doubles seat are fiddly to do up and can slip and loosen easily.
  • Stroller can be heavy to push with two children on board.

Conclusion

As a jogger for one child this would definitely not be my top pick. The seat adjust, the harness, the length of the pram, the way it handles, and some quality issues are easily enough to put it behind several of its rivals.

If you've got two children however and you don't want a double stroller then this pram is hard to beat. The pram enables you to start the day with two kids awake, then have one or the other or both asleep, then one, or the other or both out of the pram, all whilst pushing a single width pram with one hand. Very clever indeed!

One last word -this is a very distinctive looking pram and you will get attention from everyone when using it in doubles mode. It's a nice conversation starter!

Rating

star star star star



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