Double pram or single pram/sling for newborn/16mth old?

I'm going to have a 16mth old and newborn, and I will probably be walking a bit to the shops etc... We are probably going to get a double pram regardless for long outings etc, but for everyday, like the 10mins walk to the shops and wandering around, did you use a sling/carrier for bubs and a stroller/single pram for toddler. DD is getting to the stage of wanting to walk everywhere but I don't want her walking to the shops as we live on a really busy main road, so for safety I will still use the pram and strap her in.

And if you used a carrier what did you find the best/most versatile. I have a baby bjorn which is good for shortish periods/ smaller bubs, but as DD got bigger it got harder to use on my back/shoulders. I would love a babyhawk carrier, and I also saw a baba sling which looked ok, what did you find better??

ETA, I just want to know where to spend my $$.

For Si I use a BabyHawk or Pikkolo (by CatBirdBaby) and they're both comfy and great. If you want something a guy would use as well, Pikkolos can look more gender neutral, but if it's just for you, and you're cool with the straps of a Mei Tai style (excellent adjustability and not too hard to get the hang of) then the BabyHawks can be super pretty.

I never got the hang of using a baby carrier, and the sling I have is so bulky and uncomfortable. I have a three wheel pram, which we bought in case we had a 2nd bub to put the toddler seat on. Now we have 2nd bub coming, I bought the seat. I got it from Target, and managed to get $10 off as it was a display one, so no packagin and looked a bit grotty. By the time I got it tothe car in the rain, it was clean! So, when I go out, this is what I will be using. HTH.

I could never trust a babycarrier myself and just relax using them so i always used the double pram.

There is 19 months between my DS and DD. When DD was born I used our old pram (Beema Q) and our Bubba Sling. When DD grew a bit and the sling started hurting a little we bought a Phil and Teds pram with the 2 seats one behind the other. I also have a baby carrier called a Snugli which is fabulous. DD is 7 months old now and she loves both the pram and the baby carrier. I ususally take the baby carrier in the basket of the pram so if DD gets a bit whingy I pop her in the baby carrier and she settles being close to her Mummy!

I rushed my answer before, cos both my kids started crying halfway through. :P

For ease of use, I can't go past my Pikkolo (which is a SSC, soft structured carrier). Ergos fall into this category too, but personally I like Pikkolos better, because they're more easily used with a newborn. Bub can be worn on your front and older bub can be worn on your back, easy! In the Pikkolo, they can also forward face out, like the Baby Bjorns (but with more support/comfort).

I also find my BabyHawk Mei Tai really easy and versatile, the straps provide really good support, and while at first I found it a little tricky (keeping in mind I'm super unco), now I actually find tying the MT heaps easier than fiddling with strap settings.

Both my boys as newborns hated the Ring Sling and Pouch, but I've found them super handy for a hip carry as bub gets bigger, so I can carry them on my hip on short trips and still have my hands free!

Another style is a wrap, you've probably heard of the hug-a-bub, a stretchy wrap for younger ones, and then you can get firmer wraps for all ages. Apparently these are definitely the most versatile, you can carry bub in any position you want with heaps of support, but there's a huge learning curve. I haven't got a wrap.

Something to remember is that if you're having trouble with any style of carrier, You Tube has heaps of tutorials, it's really handy like that!

Anyway, just wanted to share some knowledge about carriers, cos there are pros and cons to all of them, just like with prams. Carriers are definitely more portable, I'll chuck a carrier in a bag if I take my eldest to the park, if he gets too tired, I'll wear him home! If you go on an outing, like to a market or zoo, carriers can be useful there too, each adult can carry a child, you can squeeze past people in a crowd and the child can see everything (I sometimes wear my nosy eldest while cooking, he bugs me and wants to know what's going on).

I've got nothing against prams, I'm very open to getting the second part of my P&T pram when I need it, but I'm all for options, and I think a good carrier or two can make life heaps easier in many situations. :)