Jogging Strollers

I have been researching this for a while too. My husband wanted a running stroller for his birthday. I found www.joggingstroller.com to be very helpful. I think it really depends on what type of runner you are. Are you a light jogger or a serious runner? It sounds like at 6-10 miles a day I would put you more on the serious runner side. We are in the process of now buying a BOB. We found some at a running store in Downers but it was pricey even for a BOB. I saw that REI has some, we are going to look this week. Once we decide which we want to buy, I'm going to look online to see if I can find it cheaper.

One of the things I found to be most important in my research is that the wheels be at least 16inches and that the front wheel has a locking position for running. This is from months of reading reviews online and talking with people, and just looking to see what the runners are using.

I hope this helps and happy shopping!

I have an InStep and though I don't jog and now have 2 kids and don't use it much, I still liked it when I did. My advice is, if you can wait a bit, check out garage sales--that's how I got mine, and this is actually the second one I got at a garage sale (the first one was just fine, too--I gave it to a friend). Just a thought...

i love my Tike Tech. it is a light weight but very sturdy stroller. it folds flat when you take the wheels off and even if you don't want to take the wheels off it still gets pretty flat. It is easy to handle getting in and out of the car. it steers really well on all surfaces. it has a very solid seat and my daugher loves it. I have had no complaints from her.
hope that helps

Hi R.,

We have the Bob Ironman and absolutely love it! It took a little while to get used to the fixed front wheel and the weight of the stroller - but my DH and I do a lot of running, and every running Mom we saw out on the Lakefront Path had a BOB and we went off their recommendations :)
The only bummer was that we heeded our peds advice and didn't run with our DS in the stroller until he was 9-months old - a long wait but we didn't want to take any chances!
We also heeded the advice of a few running Moms who advised to wait for the end of year sales and we saved a lot of money.
A.

Love the BOB stroller. We have the revolution. It's great because the front wheel is able to fixed straight for jogging or change the pin and it can rotate. It is super durable. We took it on a hike in Las Vegas at Red Rock Canyon and walked our boulders and difficult terrain. It is pretty pricey, but I really think it is worth it!

I have a BOB Ironman jogging stroller. I was a runner before having my son. I got it when he was 4 months old and ran with him in it when he was 6 months old. It's a great ride and really recommend it if you want to do some serious running. I have another baby now and am going to sell my single BOB and buy the BOB revolution duallie because I need space for 2 and would like the option to run with it or just do some walking in smaller spaces and the fixed tire on the ironman makes it more ideal for long walks/runs.

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I like my Instep...and the price!

baby jogger, get the big wheels, you can use them around 6 months of age if he is sitting up well, and the seats are reclined at a good angle.

We have three kids and own two baby joggers, both used strollers, lifetime guarentee on the frame, and you can buy a replacement cover direct from the company. I would check out craigslist or salvation army (I have seen these strollers at the Salvation Army on Clybourn, ours are from ebay)

If you splurge and buy a new one, they have an excellent folding mechanism, older ones are foldable but new ones fold like an umbrella stroller, run like a jogger. Can't justify it myself since we already own.

Phile and Teds E3. I love it and so does my friend. I have run up to 10 miles with it. It is comfortable for me and my child(ren). They sell them at The Right Start in downtown Naperville so you can try it out before you buy it.

Hi R.,
I was an avid jogger before having children, so when I had my first child I bought a jogging stroller. I've never had any knee problems in the past, but I sure did once I started using the jogging stroller. I know it wasn't the change in my body that was causing my knee pain, because when I went running without the stroller I had no pain. I finally broke down & joined a gym with child care. If I want her to get fresh air, then I take a nice long walk with her in a regular stroller. I've had other friends who experienced the same problem with their jogging strollers. If you have any friends or neighbors that have a jogging stroller ask them if you can give it a try. Better to do a coulple of trial runs before making a purchase that may end up folded in the garage collecting dust.

I love my Croozer!

It's a bike trailer, stroller and jogger stroller:

http://www.bicycletrailers.com/Croozer-737.pro

I got one at a much lower price on ebay - around $250 and definitely worth every penny. Skip the cheap versions (other brands) at Target, etc. You pretty much get what you pay for (I learned after buying and returning a different model).

I have the BOB and love it. My only complaint is that Spencer is only 2 months old, so we have the car seat adapter installed. With that attachment, the stroller folds long-ways, but not in half, so it is very cumbersome and difficult to transport. My friend also has a BOB and she has an SUV, so it fits standing up in the back and the inability to fold is not an issue for her. The BOB Revolution provides a smooth ride, and I love that the front wheel has the option to swivel or lock. I've only run a max of 3 miles thus far since Spencer is still so young, but I hope to get back up to at least 10 miles soon.

Good luck!
M.

hi -- we just went through this same shopping / buying process for a jogger. My suggestion is to TEST DRIVE before you buy! It is great to do research online, but until you actually drive the thing around the store, you can't really tell where it is best to put your money.

I had my heart set on a Valco stroller from what I had read in the Baby Bargains book, but when I drove it at the Galt Baby store, I realized that its wheel base makes it pretty difficult to navigate in a store. The BOB stroller or Phil & Ted's was MUCH better. The BOB was easy to navigate with just one hand! We ended up buying the Phil & Teds and we are thrilled with our purchase so far. Yes, it was expensive, but our previous cheap stroller wore out so quickly, we think it is worth the investment.

I absolutely LOVE my BOB stroller. But I don't have any experience with others. I do know that of all the strollers we've purchased (a lot! But only one jogger), my BOB is by far my favorite and was worth the extra money. I have a frien with a Jeep jogger who seems happy with it but she doesn't run with it.

I love my Chariot. It is expensive, but works for running, biking, cc skiing, and hiking. You have to buy a different attachment for each activity, but we feel if it helps us get out and workout, it is worth the price. If I remember correctly, it comes with the jogging equipment. Happy running!

I don't jog, but we do go on long walks with our baby jogger. It has a great canopy and a nice size basket for a jogger.

I love my phil & teds jogging stroller. www.philandteds.com
The really nice thing is that the single strollers can convert to a double (with the purchase of the second seat).
I agree that you do need to invest in a good one if you are planning to run long distances. Good Luck!

Tiffany had great advice... I just wanted to add that I LOVE my bob. It handles great on a run and also is good for walking to and from the park. It is a bit big for getting in and out of the car, but that is the only draw back so far. Galt Toys has a great in house selection that lets you try out the stroller. The people are knowledgeable and very nice... Good Luck!

M.

I disagree, you do not need to spend $300+ dollars.

I have an Instep Ultra double and I love it. It's lite weight and has been good jogging and just running around town. Before our double I got the cheapy one from Babies R Us (babytrend?) and it was heavy and pulled to the right.

Visit www.joggingstroller.com they have side by side reviews of what you want and I think they have a "quiz" where you tell them what you need/want to do and they recommend versions for you. I ended up ordering mine from Amazon because none of the store that displayed runners (the fitness stores) had more then one in stock.

Hi R.,

I am an avid runner too. I registered for the Baby Trend Expedition for my first child and we love it! Now that my second is 9 months old, we are looking into getting the expedition double jogger since we enjoy the single version so much. It is definitely one of the less expensive ones on the market, but I am very satisfied. I can't tell you how many miles I did with the first stroller, but my daughter (now almost four) and I used it for Spring, Summer and Fall since she turned one. Oh, you might want to ask the pediatrician first, mine recommends waiting until the baby is at least a year before putting them in a jogging stroller and going out for a jog. Another plus, the expedition also works very well in grassy areas (i.e. picnics) because of the big wheels. Good luck and happy jogging!

R., I own a fitness company for moms and moms-to-be. We offer running groups, stroller fitness and other fitness programs for moms, so I have a lot of experience with the different strollers myself and from the experiences of the hundreds of moms in my programs. I actually give lectures about strollers to groups of new moms.

If you want a jogger that's going to last and give you the least trouble, you are looking at at least the $300 range. We have many moms who have had less expensive strollers and many end up purchasing two or three before they realize they should have just gone with the best to begin with.

My personal favorites are the BOB Revolution, the Valco Runabout, and the Phil & Ted's Vibe. All three are front wheel locking optional, so it's more maneuverable with the front wheel unlocked and safer at faster speeds (rollerblading or under 6 minute miles) with the front wheel locked. This makes the stroller much more versatile. The BOB and the Valco handle very similarly, but the Valco gives a great option for the future. If you have another child you can purchase a jump-seat for the front that the older child can ride in while the younger one is in the standard seat. I have the Valco currently and use it exclusively (jogging, stroller fitness, shopping, etc.) The Phil & Ted's also has an optional jump-seat, but it's off the back which can hinder your stride a bit.

We also have moms who have Baby Joggers & Mountain Buggys and they like them quite a bit as well. They are also front lock optional.

My favorite website for jogging strollers is www.totsonthego.net. They carry most of the brands that I've mentioned and also have free shipping. The majority of the moms in my programs have purchased their Valco's, BOB's, and Phil & Ted's there.

Good luck!

My advise is to look for one w/good shocks. I do a lot of running, and we bought a single jogger when my 3.5 year old was a baby. At that time we got a Reebok single jogger, and it has great shocks. I used it so much for running w/him that I wore through two pairs of tires. It has held up really well. The other feature I liked was the sun visor which can be position 180 degees.

When we were ready to buy a double stroller ( I have a 9 month old), we went for the BOB Double Triathlon STroller. I got an AWESOME deal for it on REI's outlet site last Summer. I like it a lot and have been running w/it since my daughter was 4 months. If you like the BOB strollers, look on Amazon Marketplace, too as they have deals on last year models.

Check out the BOB!! I love it so much. It is perfect for jogging and everyday. It is a bit expensive but it is so worth it. Good Luck!

I got the Jeep Liberty Sport Urban Terrain stroller - it wasn't priced as high as some of the others (I want to say I paid $129.99) yet had all the bells and whistles, including a music console where I could plug in my iPod. It also had a little entertainment console for my daughter. I found it comfortable and easy to maneuver - so much so that I tend to use that stroller when I take her to the zoo. It has ample storage and is easy to fold, yet obviously it is not compact. Anyway, I would definitely recommend this stroller!

Hi R.,

I would suggest you buy a Trek jogging stroller, you can find them at a number of bicycle shops, the stroller is light weight and you can buy an attachment to tow it to your bike when the baby is older. Also, it has both a rain shield and a mess cover and very deep pockets. It folds down easily but is a bit long.

It has carried my two sons over many miles and never a complaint, they are now 5 and 9 and the youngest can still ride in it.

Good Luck!
S.

Hi R.,
I bought a stroller that can be attached to your bicycle and also be a stroller... It folds and is easy to store. Plus if you have another baby in the future or are babysitting another child you can fit two in it! there's a compartment in the back where you can store things you will need, it also has a wind catcher and rain catcher in the front and back so your baby can get air but not get rained on if you end up walking during a rainy day. but, if you don't cycle too, I wouldn't recommend it. Hope this helps!
K.

You might want to visit Runner's Edge in Wilmette. The last time I was there, they had a wide selection, knowledgeable staff, and would let you 'test drive' them (just like they do their shoes). Good luck!