The best Jogging Strollers (aka Running Strollers) are designed specifically for active parents.
They are very different from regular strollers; here is how to choose the best Jogging Stroller for your family.
FEATURES JOGGING STROLLER REGULAR STROLLER Large Air-filled Wheels Stable at Running Speeds Single Handlebar Brake on Handlebar Safety Tether on Handlebar
Compared to a regular stroller, you can easily push it on uneven surfaces like gravel or pavement. At the same time, your child will enjoy a smooth ride pretty much like when you’re going through smooth floor surfaces.
These benefits are made possible by the 3 air-filled rubber tires installed in every model. These tires are almost like bike tires, which greatly help to soften the ride.
When you push a regular stroller at a faster pace, it has a tendency to turn on its own. This is especially true if the front wheels end up rolling through a bump or an uneven part of the floor. As you gain more speed, this sudden turning can become very dangerous for you and your child.
A jogger, on the other hand, solves this by having the capability to lock or unlock the front wheel. The front wheel can be locked straight when jogging or running. Setting it back to swivel allows you to easily maneuver it while walking.
In addition, you can find a lot of different kinds of jogging stroller accessories that can further improve your experience. These accessories range from trendy organizer bags to weatherproofing your jogger.
What Makes a Good Jogging Stroller?
With so much diversity in design and features, it is necessary to identify which of these jogging stroller models can help you get a better experience. While getting a jogger with the most number of features can be the easiest way to choose, sometimes it’s more practical to get the one with characteristics that you’ll actually need.
BENEFIT | CRITICAL FEATURES |
Easy to Push |
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Comfort |
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Safety |
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Livable |
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Lock and Swivel Front Wheel
The front wheel has to have a switch to lock or unlock it. Locking the front wheel, as you may have already known, allows you to safely push the jogging stroller at a faster speed. Unlocking it so that it swivels offers great maneuverability while walking or strolling.
5-Point Safety Harness
The 5-point safety harness keeps your baby safe while riding the jogging stroller. Although almost all models have this harness installed, it is better to choose one which is the best padded for comfort.
Fully Adjustable Canopy
The style and size of the canopy are one of the most noticeable differences among joggers. Each has its own design serving the same purpose. A good canopy should have a fabric that protects your child from UV rays. It should have the capability to cover your little one from almost any angles.
Reclining Seat
A good jogger should be able to have its seat recline to nearly 180 degrees, if not fully flat. It would also be better if it can be adjusted to fully upright.
HandBrake and Parking Brakes
Parking brakes are a necessity while handbrake is more of a convenience. You need to be able to apply parking brakes if you’re going to be idle for a while for your child’s safety. Handbrake, on the other hand, is best for those who jog on hills.
Adjustable Handlebar
The position of the handlebar in relation to your height can affect your workout titan. Its effect can certainly become more noticeable the longer you run or jog. Even if you’re just the only one who’s going to pushing the jogger, you might end up changing your preferences every now and then.
For double jogging strollers, it’s best to choose a model with an adjustable handlebar because of the combined weight of both children. This feature is an important factor to allow both parents, with different heights, to effortlessly push the jogger.
Safety Tether
A safety tether is an added protection in case you accidentally let go of the stroller while jogging. As the jogging stroller easily matches your speed, it can be quite tempting to let go of the handlebar. The safety tether makes sure that you don’t get to experience a runaway stroller.
Buying Factors
These buying factors will help make sure that you’re able to pick the right model for you. This list of questions is what you should be asking every time you’re scouting for one. They are focused on the benefits you should be expecting from any particular model.
How bulky is the jogger?
Learning how bulky the jogger is can help you make a conscious decision if it’s something you can handle. Remember that you will be carrying this jogger from and back to your vehicle’s trunk at the very least. You need to make sure that you can easily do this so.
You will also need to check if it will fit your vehicle’s trunk in the first place. Having the ability to stand upright when folded is another great option. This allows you to easily store it in the garage or storage area.
Can parents with different heights push it with ease?
When the handlebar is not in a comfortable position in relation to your height, it becomes an effort to push it. Think of the experience when driving your vehicle. You want the seat to be at a distance you’re comfortable with and the steering wheel at the appropriate angle as well.
This is purely a subjective, though. If your budget is a little tight, you may consider the affordable ones with non-adjustable handlebars. However, we strongly suggest that you measure the static handlebar height against your own height before making a purchase online. You can easily do this with a measuring tape.
How does the seat recline?
You will need to take into account how to actually recline the seat. Can you do it with one hand? Is it something you can easily adjust even if your child is already seated?
You will also need to consider the variety of angles it can recline. A seat that can be adjusted to a full 180 degrees position is best. It allows your child to fully lie down while taking naps. If your little one is more of an adventurous type, he or she may enjoy the seat more if it can go fully upright.
Is it easy to push?
Although jogging strollers are built to breeze through uneven surfaces, they still vary with regards to how easy it is to use. It usually depends on a lot of technical factors including the tires, additional suspension (if there is any), the frame construction, etc.
If you’re jogging on hilly terrain, it’s best that the jogger has a handbrake. This can help you a lot when you need to decelerate while going downhill.
Buying Approach
Buying products online is very convenient, but how do you make sure you get the right one?
You have three options to make sure you get the best jogging stroller for you and your child. The optimal way is to do both:
- Check the actual product in the stores and buy them online
- Read roundups of the best products for your particular need
- Check detailed reviews of the products, as well as online customer reviews
Round Ups and Recommendations
We would like to make things even easier for you with our collection of roundup articles. We’ve compiled a list of jogging strollers based on your preferences in our other posts.
Best Double Jogging Strollers
You don’t necessarily need to have twins to enjoy a double jogger. You can bring your older child up to 5 years of age with your little one on your outdoor workouts. Check the best models available today with our list of the best double jogging stroller this 2019.
Best Inexpensive Jogging Strollers
One common misconceptions about joggers is that they’re all very pricey. This is actually not the case. There are those that are budget-friendly, which we’ve listed here in our roundup of the best inexpensive jogging stroller models.
Jogging Stroller for Big Kid
The great thing about joggers are that some of them are durable enough to last up until your child is 6 years old. Not all of them are capable of this, so we’ve compiled in our list of jogging strollers for a big child those models with bigger weight capacity.
Best Jogging Stroller for Everyday Use
If what you’re looking for is a jogger that you can use not only while you’re jogging, then our list of the best jogging strollers for everday use can help you with your purchase. These are the most compact and lightest models that you can bring with you in your daily activities.
Jogging Stroller with Adjustable Handlebar
Is your husband a lot taller than you? Then you’ll be needing a jogger that either of you can easily push regardless of the height difference. Check our list of the top jogging strollers with an adjustable handlebar and choose from the best models available today.
Best Jogging Stroller with Car Seat
There’s a way to use a jogger even if your little one is below 6 months old. The technique is to use a compatible car seat that attaches firmly to the jogger. We’ve compiled all the best models for you in our list of the best jogger that comes with a car seat.
Wrapping It Up
We do hope that our list has helped you tremendously in choosing the best jogging stroller for you. Even if you’re not planning to go jogging at all, this type of stroller will make you and your little one’s experience extremely better than with a regular stroller.
Jogging strollers are becoming a standard nowadays because of these 2 practical factors: better maneuverability for you regardless of terrain or speed, and a very comfortable ride for your child.
Whatever your priority in choosing one, be it price, safety, or design, there’s always a specific model for you.