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Whether you want to get in shape or get up a little speed, taking a walk, jog or run with the little ones is a great way to boost your mood and your metabolism. Jogging strollers come in two forms these days: traditional joggers, which have a fixed front wheel and often 16-20" tires; and hybrid strollers, whose front wheel can be fixed for running or allowed to swivel for everyday maneuvering. Whether you are a daily pavement-pounder or a weekend walker, we've sauntered and sprinted with more than two dozen models to find the five best in their class. — Kate Bayless
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Babble Best: BOB Revolution - $389
There really wasn't much contest when it came to choosing our top pick. The BOB Revolution performed heads above the rest in regards to functionality, versatility and ease. Our only gripe: even in its up-most position, the seat is fairly reclined, so curious riders must lean forward to get a good view. This flaw, however, is outweighed by the ease of assembly (about two minutes), maneuvering (not just one-handed steering, one-finger!), folding (two steps, plus a carrying handle), changing from swivel to fixed (flick of a knob), and storage (the lower basket is easily accessible and fits three gallons of milk). The Revolution worked equally well strolling through Target and on a weekend trail hike. Twigs, rocks and sidewalk cracks were no match for the adjustable shock absorbers, which ensure a smooth ride. But one feature — unique to BOB — puts it ahead of the pack: a fine-tuning adjustment knob, which ensures that the front wheel tracks straight when fixed. After testing more than two dozen strollers, we cannot emphasize enough the importance of this feature. And though in the past, BOB's design may have seemed a bit industrial, the style-conscious will be pleased to know that the Revolution now comes in five color combinations. For riders up to 70 pounds.
Get it from BOBGear.
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Jeep Overland Limited - $220
We were pleasantly surprised by the fixed-wheel Jeep Overland Limited jogger. For nearly half the price of other joggers, you get a stroller that performs well on both runs and walks and has a ton of extras. At 28 pounds, the Overland was one of the heavier strollers that we tested, but this didn't decrease the stroller's maneuverability. Features for your little rider include a snack tray with cup holder, a versatile canopy, two zippered interior pockets and nearly vertical seat recline. Parents will enjoy the adjustable handlebar, wheel reflectors, the attached odometer and "Music on the Move" tray (which can accommodate an iPod, a portable CD player, or even a Walkman). Though I was a bit skeptical about this last gimmicky extra, it was great to run to music without feeling guilty about having earplugs in. Bose surround sound it is not, but the quality was good enough to make us run an extra block and start pondering what podcasts we might want to listen to on our next outing. Our only beef is that all the Overland 's extras added significantly to assembly time, and even after multiple tries, folding always seemed awkward. But for its performance, accessories and price, the Jeep Overland Limited is a great find. For riders up to 45 pounds.
Get it from Kolcraft. |
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BOB Ironman Stroller - $349
If you go through more than one pair of running shoes in a year or need more than one hand to count the number of miles you run at a time, consider the fixed-wheel Ironman stroller by BOB. The lightest BOB stroller (22 pounds), the Ironman is designed for serious road running, with stiffer shocks, a hand brake and 16" high-pressure tires that are slick and thinner than BOB's other fixed-wheel models. In addition, you get all the traditional BOB features, including their adjustable tracking to ensure a straight run, an easy two-step fold, adjustable shock absorbers and an accessible lower basket. This fixed-wheel jogger folds down to a manageable 41"x17" even with the wheels on. Although still offered in bright, look-at-me-yellow, the Ironman is also now available in blend-in blue.
Get it from BOBGear. |
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Bumbleride Indie - $400
The Bumbleride Indie lives up to its description as an "urban jogger." Available in five eye-catching colors, this fashion-forward stroller was the lightest we tested (only twenty pounds) and includes great features for kids (foot muff, padded head support, big canopy, four back positions and infant seat bar) and parents (adjustable handlebar, lots of storage, cup holder, tire pump, fold lock and carry strap). As far as swivel wheels go, the Indie has easy maneuvering and a great turning radius. Though the shocks provided a smooth ride, in its locked position, the wheel didn't track straight for running and took some futzing with. Folding also took some practice, though re-opening the stroller was a breeze. For riders up to 45 pounds.
Get it from Bumbleride.
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Baby Jogger Performance - $430 & Dreamer Design Rebound Merge - $300
These fixed-wheel joggers were both good enough to make our list, but not different enough to warrant separate spots. The Performance and Rebound are long strollers and don't fold up to anything that merits the word "compact," but despite their size, both are lightweight and handle well. Both would be ideal strollers for fairly serious runners who don't need to store their strollers in small spaces or lug them in and out of the car. The Baby Jogger Performance has 20" wheels, a padded — albeit narrow — seat (only 10" wide), a decent canopy with side vents and easy-adjust shoulder straps. The 16" wheel Rebound Merge by Dreamer Design was a bit heavier and longer than the Performance, but came with a rain canopy and tire pump. Besides some inner seat pockets, there are no cushy extras or padding for kids, but parents get a detachable console, a rotating, adjustable canopy and an adjustable handle bar. Out on the road, both provided a fairly smooth ride, felt stable and tracked reasonably straight with only occasional corrections needed. Performance for riders up to 100 pounds; Rebound Merge for riders up to 85 pounds.
Get the Performance at BabyJogger.
Get the Rebound at Dreamer Design. |
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