What do you look for in a good jogging stroller?

[katfco]

I've been thinking of trying C25K, but need a jogging stroller because our rickety old Graco won't cut it. I was looking around on Craigslist and just don't know what I'm looking for. Suggestions? I'm not in a position to be picky about brand, but if there are any features you found helpful/annoying, I'd appreciate some tips. I've never used one.

Also, any babywearers ever try jogging while babywearing?

[skwcm80]

The Bob revolution stroller seems to be popular on H&F, but I don't have any personal experience with it.

[katfco]

May 15, 2013 11:01:52 GMT -5 skwcm80 said:

The Bob revolution stroller seems to be popular on H&F, but I don't have any personal experience with it.

Well, I'd be shopping off Craigslist and looking for the cheapest one I can find, so I'm more considering what features people found useful. I've seen some with different kinds of canopies, cupholders, etc. I really have no clue about them, so I don't know what I'm looking for.

[Deleted]

I have a baby trend one that was under $200 and it does fine jogging. It's not a "high class" stroller but it does what it needs to. I most recently ran/walked a 5k with it and didn't have any issues.

[katfco]

May 15, 2013 11:48:23 GMT -5 ladybug said:

I have a baby trend one that was under $200 and it does fine jogging. It's not a "high class" stroller but it does what it needs to. I most recently ran/walked a 5k with it and didn't have any issues.

What do you like most about it?

[shevacc]

For jogging, you need a 3 wheeled stroller where the front wheel locks. You'll also definitely want a wrist tether strap, preferable a long one so you can push the stroller out in front of you while you jog behind it without tripping over it. Everything else is a "nice to have".

[irishsara]

I have a baby trend for jogging that I like. Its pretty basic, but rolls well.

The downfalls are that it has a fixed wheel so its hard to use outside of jogging (some don't have this feature)

Mine doesn't have a parent tray so I don't have anywhere to put my water except in the basket.

Other than that, I like it. I got it at consignment sale.

[dixeedeluxe]

I hate the locking front wheel.

I have a BOB and I totally love it. I'd go for a used Bob over anything else. I see them daily on Craigslist for $150-$200 for a single including accessories (parent cupholder, infant seat adapter (which you need for the kid tray).

I don't have an infant seat adapter or a kid tray. I never had a need.

[shevacc]

Nice to haves in my limited experience: a large canopy to keep the sun out, adjustable height handle bar for taller/shorter runners, cup holders for both Mama and baby (though you can use a carabineer for your own water bottle if you need to), hand breaks -- that's a pretty high end feature, though -- ours doesn't have these.

Ours is a bike trailer/jogging stroller combo that we got at Costco. It has a zip compartment that seats 1 or 2 kids. I like it that G can't throw toys out, but I'm not sure a standard jogging stroller would offer this.

[shevacc]

May 15, 2013 11:58:52 GMT -5 dixeedeluxe said:

I hate the locking front wheel.

I have a BOB and I totally love it. I'd go for a used Bob over anything else. I see them daily on Craigslist for $150-$200 for a single including accessories (parent cupholder, infant seat adapter (which you need for the kid tray).

I don't have an infant seat adapter or a kid tray. I never had a need.

Do you jog with it that way? I hate it for normal use but find the locked front wheel essential for jogging since I don't hold onto the stroller, I push it in front of me. It hurts my wrists to grip the bar while jogging.

[dixeedeluxe]

yeah, i've locked it for jogging and it was awful. i guess if i was only running in a straight line all the time, it'd be OK. but adjusting for curves/curbs/etc is way harder than keeping it straight wiht an unlocked wheel.

[irishsara]

May 15, 2013 11:58:52 GMT -5 dixeedeluxe said:

I hate the locking front wheel.

I have a BOB and I totally love it. I'd go for a used Bob over anything else. I see them daily on Craigslist for $150-$200 for a single including accessories (parent cupholder, infant seat adapter (which you need for the kid tray).

I don't have an infant seat adapter or a kid tray. I never had a need.

I need the front locking wheel for running, but it sucks for walking or using it outside of running. 

Mine has a hand brake too and a decent canopy. 

[geekychic]

I agree the locking/fixed front wheel is necessary.

It took some getting used to, though.

[dixeedeluxe]

Oh I don't need a handbrake because I run at the speed most people walk!

[Deleted]

May 15, 2013 11:51:29 GMT -5 katfco said:

May 15, 2013 11:48:23 GMT -5 ladybug said:

I have a baby trend one that was under $200 and it does fine jogging. It's not a "high class" stroller but it does what it needs to. I most recently ran/walked a 5k with it and didn't have any issues.

What do you like most about it?

The price. Lol
No but really I couldn't afford a BOB or anything. Also it folds really easily, has a parent and child tray/cup holder, very large basket. We used it with the infant carrier too. It's also good on rough terrain. I dont really have any complaints actually except it's big but that comes with being a jogger.

[Deleted]

May 15, 2013 12:38:35 GMT -5 ladybug said:

May 15, 2013 11:51:29 GMT -5 katfco said:

What do you like most about it?

The price. Lol
No but really I couldn't afford a BOB or anything. Also it folds really easily, has a parent and child tray/cup holder, very large basket. We used it with the infant carrier too. It's also good on rough terrain. I dont really have any complaints actually except it's big but that comes with being a jogger.

Can't edit- but it doesn't have a hand break. It does have a locking front wheel.

[katfco]

May 15, 2013 11:58:52 GMT -5 dixeedeluxe said:

I hate the locking front wheel.

I have a BOB and I totally love it. I'd go for a used Bob over anything else. I see them daily on Craigslist for $150-$200 for a single including accessories (parent cupholder, infant seat adapter (which you need for the kid tray).

I don't have an infant seat adapter or a kid tray. I never had a need.

150 for a used stroller? For that much I could hire someone to carry DS for me.

[laurack]

May 15, 2013 12:45:46 GMT -5 katfco said:

May 15, 2013 11:58:52 GMT -5 dixeedeluxe said:

I hate the locking front wheel.

I have a BOB and I totally love it. I'd go for a used Bob over anything else. I see them daily on Craigslist for $150-$200 for a single including accessories (parent cupholder, infant seat adapter (which you need for the kid tray).

I don't have an infant seat adapter or a kid tray. I never had a need.

150 for a used stroller? For that much I could hire someone to carry DS for me.

They are about 350 new though I think... maybe 400

[dixeedeluxe]

May 15, 2013 12:50:07 GMT -5 laurack said:

May 15, 2013 12:45:46 GMT -5 katfco said:

150 for a used stroller? For that much I could hire someone to carry DS for me.

They are about 350 new though I think... maybe 400

Yeah, I paid $300 for a new one.  But it was end of model year and there was a recent voluntary recall.

You really do get what you pay for.  It was our primary stroller.  We also use it for off road (woodsy, fieldy, sandy) areas. 

I'll sell it when we're done with it and probably get no less than $150.  So then my cash output for years of use would be $150 (since I didn't need an infant seat adapter). 

yeah, I researched this a lot before I decided!

[laurack]

what I looked for was "free"-ness. AKA i was given free and I accepted. I have two, one of which is a mountain buggy and is awesome. The other is an old, cheaper one, "nordictrack" I don't know if they even make strollers any more. It seems fine but I never use it because of the mountain buggy being so awesome.

I like having a non fixed wheel. The nordictrack has a fixed wheel which isn't great. Also the tires aren't as big. The mountain buggy is such a "smooth ride", is great on lumpy ground too, though I usually just use it in the neighbourhood.

I'd give you the crappier one for free if you lived close by!

[katfco]

May 15, 2013 13:17:49 GMT -5 laurack said:

what I looked for was "free"-ness. AKA i was given free and I accepted. I have two, one of which is a mountain buggy and is awesome. The other is an old, cheaper one, "nordictrack" I don't know if they even make strollers any more. It seems fine but I never use it because of the mountain buggy being so awesome.

I like having a non fixed wheel. The nordictrack has a fixed wheel which isn't great. Also the tires aren't as big. The mountain buggy is such a "smooth ride", is great on lumpy ground too, though I usually just use it in the neighbourhood.

I'd give you the crappier one for free if you lived close by!

Thanks for the thought, anyway.

Some people like the fixed wheel, others like the non-fixed. Do they make one that can be adjusted?

I've seen a few Baby Trends on CL for about 50, so those are what I'm leaning toward. I'm not a runner at all, so even if I had the money to spend I woudn't want to spend more than that unless I can be sure I'm going to keep it up.

[dixeedeluxe]

I believe both the BOB and the BabyTrend have a front wheel that you can fix OR unfix.

[dixeedeluxe]

I believe both the BOB and the BabyTrend have a front wheel that you can fix OR unfix.

[laurack]

well I believe if they don't have a fixed wheel it can be fixed. I think the mountain buggy could be fixed if I wanted to... not 100% though. I'm pretty sure the bob goes either way too but maybe I'm wrong!

The mountain buggy is just our stroller, we didn't get a regular stroller and a jogging stroller, so in that sense I'd have been willing to pay more. I walk quite a lot and I wanted a stroller with good shock absorption and such, the roads around here can be terrible.

I had been planning to buy a BOB which I may have done if I hadn't been given the mountain buggy. But now, if I had to I'd buy a mountain buggy over a BOB probably.

the only other stroller we have is a maclaren umbrella stroller, also free. The things people throw out around here

[irishsara]

There are some models where you can lock the front wheel or unlock it. It just depends on the stroller and model. On the newer baby trends you can lock or unlock it. It should say either way.

[wildcatprincess]

I have a Mountain Buggy and I like that it has 2 front wheels, but it's a double. I always felt like the doubles with one wheel in front looked unstable (probably not true). It is nice having the wheels that can be fixed or swivel. When we run trails I keep them free because there are a lot of turns, but when we're on the road it's pretty straight and I lock them because it's easier to push with one hand. I also like that it fits through a single door when we're out at the stores, people are always impressed when I can get a double through a standard door. But again that's mainly a plus with the double model.

In terms of accessories I do need to get a wrist strap and a rain cover (more for windy days than rain, the kids hate wind in their face). There are a ton of hills around my house and I always have a death grip on the handle going down, I'd feel much safer with the strap. As far as other accessories we don't have any and they do fine.

[dixeedeluxe]

I got a rain cover because we take it camping. I keep it outside and we store toys in it overnight. It keeps the dew off the toys!

It's a generic BRU jogger cover. So it was cheap and it's ill-fitting.

[nls0412]

We have a baby trend that I love. It's super smooth and the front wheel has the lock/unlock option which is awesome. It has a child and parent tray, and a small compartment that you can plug your phone into and play music through.

[katfco]

I appreciate everyone's input. One more question: is it possible to buy a wrist strap if the stroller doesn't come with it? There's a Baby Trend on CL that looks nice for only 50, but it doesn't have a handbrake and I'm nto sure if it has a wrist strap. At least one is a must. I can't find anywhere online if it's possible to buy a strap separately.

[shevacc]

May 15, 2013 15:14:22 GMT -5 katfco said:

I appreciate everyone's input. One more question: is it possible to buy a wrist strap if the stroller doesn't come with it? There's a Baby Trend on CL that looks nice for only 50, but it doesn't have a handbrake and I'm nto sure if it has a wrist strap. At least one is a must. I can't find anywhere online if it's possible to buy a strap separately.

My "wrist strap" is just a two foot long strap made out of seat belt material (though not that wide). It came with it, but I'm 100% sure you could figure out your own.