Top 5 Best Jogging Strollers | 2016 Reviews
The impulse to quickly shed extra weight gained during pregnancy leads many new mothers to think about buying a jogging stroller. After all, what better way is there to lose the baby pounds than to go running every day?
There’s one big problem: mom may be ready to go for a run, but a newborn baby isn’t. Experts warn that an infant’s neck muscles aren’t adequately developed to be able to handle the shakes and bumps they’ll experience when placed in a jogging stroller. It isn’t until a baby is at least eight months old that its body can endure the physical experience of being pushed on often-bumpy terrain at fast speeds.
But here’s the good news. Eight months is a perfect amount of time for mom to work back into running shape – and shop for one of the top 5 best jogging strollers.
Why even bother with a jogging stroller, when you probably already have an expensive baby stroller sitting right in your front hall or on your porch? It’s because regular strollers aren’t built to take the wear and tear of moving quickly across rough pavement while hitting holes or bumps, let alone braving off-road jogging trails. A baby riding in an ordinary stroller under those conditions could be exposed to severe danger.
There are a number of the features to look for on a jogging stroller, which you won’t find on a day-to-day model. They include large, air-filled tires to absorb impact, a single locking front wheel for stability at high speeds, a seat that’s tilted backward so shocks are spread out throughout the baby’s body and not concentrated on the spinal column, and a good set of shock absorbers. A small child’s body is obviously still developing, and isn’t yet built to take the stress of being run in a stroller. It requires the extra protection found in high-quality jogging strollers.
Naturally, there’s nothing saying that it can’t work the other way around: you can certainly buy a high-quality jogging stroller and also use it as your everyday method of walking baby around the neighborhood, if you don’t mind using one that might be tougher to fold up and to get in and out of the trunk. In that case, you’ll want a stroller with a front wheel that swivels and isn’t permanently locked into place; otherwise, it will be almost impossible to steer. On the other hand, most serious runners would only consider a fixed wheel model.
That’s just one thing to consider, when you see the prices on many of the best jogging strollers in our reviews. Like buying a car seat, the stroller too has a lot of features that you need to consider.
Quick Comparison Table
|
BOB Revolution Flex Stroller |
Thule Glide Sport Stroller |
Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller |
Baby Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller |
Baby Jogger Summit X3 Single Stroller |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
$$$ |
$$$ |
$$$ |
$$$ |
$$$ |
|
25 pounds |
22 pounds |
24 pounds |
26 pounds |
28 pounds |
|
Swivel Front Wheel |
Fixed Front Wheel |
Swivel Front Wheel |
Swivel Front Wheel |
Swivel Front Wheel |
 |
|
|
|
|
BOB is the best-known brand name in the jogging stroller market, and has built a well-deserved reputation over the years for stability, durability and a smooth ride. We’re listing two of their models here; the Revolution Flex is designed with a front wheel that unlocks so it can do double-duty as a jogging and general-purpose stroller, while the Ironman is meant for hardcore runners. Most of the features are similar, so we’ll be primarily looking at the Revolution Flex and will mention the differences in the Ironman model at the end of our review.
There’s a lot to like about BOB. The stroller has a lockable front swivel wheel with adjustable tracking (a big plus) to ensure a straight path, strong and adjustable suspension, pneumatic tires (12.5” front, 16” rear), adjustable handle with nine different positions. It folds up to be put into the trunk, although you have to use two hands to fold it, and it’s definitely heavier than most normal strollers. There’s an optional adapter that lets you put a car seat into the frame, and a heavy-duty parking brake at the back. There’s also a one-touch adjustment that lets you set the well-padded seat straight up for normal use or recline for jogging. One slight negative: you have to manually lock or unlock the front wheel at the front of the stroller, without the mode switch seen on the handle of many jogging strollers.
The Revolution Flex glides easily over pavement, bumps and grass, although hills aren’t its strongest suit. Turning is smooth and steering with one hand is easy (as long as the front wheel is unlocked, of course) making the ride as smooth and easily controlled as you’ll find on any of its competitors. BOB’s aluminum frame feels solid, and the fabric is high-quality water-resistant canvas with a very large adjustable canopy with peekaboo window on top. Additional features include a good-sized basket and a large mesh pocket for storage (and a smaller mesh pocket inside the stroller for baby’s toys), and of course, a safety handle.
If you’re interested in the BOB Ironman for jogging only, you’ll find the differences are (besides the obvious fixed front wheel) a front tire that’s 16 inches instead of 12.5, a hand brake to control downhill speeds, and the option to upgrade to a BOB SUS (Super Utility Stroller) with tires designed for tougher terrain.
Both models are terrific, and pricey; the Revolution Flex runs about $400 and the Ironman and SUS will cost a little more. They’re worth it if you’re serious about this category and particularly if you want a dual-purpose jogging stroller like the Revolution Flex.
|
Details of the BOB Revolution Flex Stroller/BOB Ironman Stroller |
|
|---|---|
|
Weight Limit |
70 pounds |
|
Harness |
5-point |
|
Front Wheel |
Swivel for Revolution Flex, fixed for Ironman and SUS |
|
Tires |
12.5 inches front, 16 inches rear |
|
Suspension |
Adjustable |
|
Weight |
25 pounds |
|
Folded Size |
25 x 44 x 5 inches |
|
Warranty |
Five years frame, one year components/fabric |
Thule Glide Sport Stroller
Here’s an entry in the fixed front wheel (not counting the BOB Ironman) which is a bit lightweight for a serious jogging stroller but doesn’t sacrifice performance.
The Thule’s light weight is primarily due to the fact that even though it’s a well-made and sturdy carriage, both the frame and wheel rims are made from lightweight aluminum and the fabric used is vinyl instead of canvas. The pneumatic tires are good quality and good sized, 16 inches in the front and 18 inches in the rear, with manual tracking adjustment done from the front. The Thule Glide has more-than-adequate rear suspension (which makes it bounce a bit when going over curbs), and a hand brake mounted on the adjustable handlebars. It also folds up with one hand, always a welcome feature.
The ride of the Glide is extremely smooth, although it’s a bit more prone to tipping because the fast roll can allow the stroller to pick up speed quickly. It’s the best option of our top 5 best jogging strollers for grass and hilly ground, in large part because of the stroller’s light weight which doesn’t bog or slow it down. Naturally, turns will be a bit sluggish because of the fixed front wheel; that’s no different than any other pure jogging stroller. There’s a solid feel to the Thule despite its weight, and the canopy (with peekaboo window) is well-made and only a bit smaller than that on the BOB. There are large storage bins and pockets for mom (or dad) and two small pockets inside the carriage for dolls and sippy cups. The interior is more comfortable than most competitors’, with a padded leg rest, a padded seat that reclines to 17 degrees to flat, and good ventilation.
The Thule Glide is a bit less expensive than the BOB at $375, and we like it almost as much – if you like challenging jogs on more challenging terrain, you may like it more. It’s also the best looking of all the strollers we’ve listed here.
|
Details of the Thule Glide Sport Stroller |
|
|---|---|
|
Weight Limit |
75 pounds |
|
Harness |
5-point |
|
Front Wheel |
Fixed |
|
Tires |
16 inches front, 18 inches rear |
|
Suspension |
Rear |
|
Weight |
22 pounds |
|
Folded Size |
21 x 34 x 9 inches |
|
Warranty |
Limited lifetime |
Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller
If you’re suffering from sticker shock after reading our first two reviews, meet the Baby Trend Expedition, a dual-purpose stroller designed for casual joggers and costing only a little more than $100. We have to be honest; anyone who plans to seriously jog with their child regularly should really be looking for something sturdier and built for the purpose. But for walks around the neighborhood, trips across a grassy park and the occasional short jog, this will do the trick at an attractive price.
One reason the Expedition is more of a casual than serious jogging stroller is that it doesn’t have a suspension system, tracking adjustment, adjustable handlebars – and as concerns the most important user, there’s only a minimal amount of padding on the seat and harness. However, it glides nicely, maneuvers extremely well (with the front swivel wheel unlocked) and is quite durable thanks to its steel frame and metal wheels. It takes two hands to fold and you have to bend over to do it, and after you have gone through that routine you’ll find this is a very large stroller to fit into the trunk. The brakes aren’t extraordinary, but they work fine, and the canopy is on the smallish-side with a peekaboo window.
This Baby Trend model has a very large storage area plus a “console” attached to the handlebars with a small storage area and two cup holders; some find the cup holders to be a negative because bottles or cups often fly out and hit the passenger while mom is running. Since this stroller isn’t meant for high speeds, though, that most likely won’t be a problem. There’s also a “two sippy cup” child’s tray holder inside.
The Expedition is not a great jogging stroller but it’s a very good standard one, and a nice choice if you want to be able to jog every once in a while.
|
Details of the Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller |
|
|---|---|
|
Weight Limit |
50 pounds |
|
Harness |
5-point |
|
Front Wheel |
Swivel |
|
Tires |
16 inches front, 18 inches rear |
|
Suspension |
None |
|
Weight |
24 pounds |
|
Folded Size |
23 x 33 x 16 inches |
|
Warranty |
6 months |
Baby Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller
We always wonder about misleading titles, as this “Ultralight” stroller weighs about the same as the first three strollers on our list, 26 pounds. However, we do think this is a very solid product.
This is another swivel model, with the front wheel lockable for traditional use around town. The handlebars don’t adjust, but they’re at a comfortable level for most people. There’s a very good rear suspension system which provides a smooth ride on bumpy pavement, and the stroller maneuvers well with the front wheel unlocked. We wouldn’t recommend the Joovy for extensive use on dirt trails or steep slopes, but it does nice double duty on sidewalks, grass and other non-challenging surfaces. You’ll need two hands to fold it up.
The seat is a comfortable one for the passenger, adjustable to 30 degrees from flat, although the seat is shorter than on most other jogging strollers so your child may grow too tall before hitting the 70 pound weight limit. The canopy is large with a peekaboo window, there’s a console with two cup holders and a storage pouch, and there are pockets next to the child seat as well. There are adapters to use the Joovy with a number of popular car seats.
This is a better stroller for joggers than the Baby Trend and you’ll pay more for it, about $270. It’s also a terrific unit for everyday use. We’d still suggest, though, that if you’re into more serious running, you step up to the Thule, BOB or something similar.
|
Details of the Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller |
|
|---|---|
|
Weight Limit |
75 pounds |
|
Harness |
5-point |
|
Front Wheel |
Swivel |
|
Tires |
12.5 inches front, 16 inches rear |
|
Suspension |
Rear |
|
Weight |
26 pounds |
|
Folded Size |
25 x 34 x 19 inches |
|
Warranty |
6 months |
Baby Jogger Summit X3 Single Stroller
Something similar to the BOB, we heard someone say? The Summit X3 is another good alternative. It’s a swivel model (with the switchover controlled from the handlebars, which we like a lot), great all-wheel suspension, drum brakes and lots of other bells and whistles that boost the price well above the BOB’s, although you can sometimes find it on sale for $400.
Even so, we don’t think it quite justifies the higher price. The suspension and handlebars aren’t adjustable, the smoothness of the ride (particularly on difficult terrain) and the maneuverability aren’t quite up to BOB’s, even though there are drum brakes they’re less responsive than we’d expect, and there is a large canopy but it isn’t well-ventilated.
There are definitely things to like about this stroller, such as infinite recline for the very comfortable child seat, which is larger than that in most competitors so taller children fit nicely. It folds up easily, has a separate weather cover, and fits Graco car seats (a common brand). It’s a stroller that we like and that you may fall in love with, but you probably won’t love the price.
|
Details of the Baby Jogger Summit X3 Single Stroller |
|
|---|---|
|
Weight Limit |
75 pounds |
|
Harness |
5-point |
|
Front Wheel |
Swivel |
|
Tires |
12.5 inches front, 16 inches rear |
|
Suspension |
All-Wheel |
|
Weight |
28 pounds |
|
Folded Size |
25 x 34 x 15 inches |
|
Warranty |
One year |
Originally posted 2016-05-08 14:23:13.
The post Top 5 Best Jogging Strollers | 2016 Reviews appeared first on ParentsNeed.
No comments:
Post a Comment