Best Jogging Strollers

Do you love to run? It’s not because you had a baby that you need to stop. Jogging strollers allow you to stay active after birth and give you the freedom to go for a run whenever you darn well please, especially if you feel like you can never get away. [See also: best double jogging strollers]

Jogging Strollers come in two different flavors: swivel wheel and fixed wheel.

Best Jogging Strollers – Summary

Swivel Wheel

Fixed Wheel

It used to be that there were several fixed wheel strollers to choose from; now there is only one, the Thule Glide 2. They are not as popular as they once were. It all boils down to this: if you require a stroller to serve as your day-to-day stroller and as a jogger, get a stroller with a front wheel that can swivel. If you don’t have a swivel wheel, you’ll have to resort to lifting the front wheel from the ground each time you steer, which is fine for jogging, but terrible for walking, shopping, or futzing around.

On the other hand, if you are an earnest distance runner and your stroller will not be used for bumbling around the neighborhood, grocery store and such (i.e., you have another stroller for that purpose), you should consider the fixed wheel Thule Glide.

With a fixed front wheel, you will most definitely experience a smoother run with better tracking and less wobbling. Many hardcore runners swear by them.

Generally speaking, jogging strollers are all fairly large and heavy, so if you’ve been using a City Mini or an umbrella stroller, you’re in for quite a surprise. Sorry, this is the nature of the beast — it’s apples and oranges compared to other types of strollers.

Another point to make is that the seats in sports strollers tend to be reclined more than most (thus, they don’t sit bolt upright, even in the most upright position).

FYI — all of the joggers reviewed here use pneumatic, air-filled tires (as they should), which will need to be re-inflated occasionally and may become flat if you hit something sharp; such is life with a jogging stroller. On the plus side, air-filled tires ride and handle exceptionally well, even on the cheapest of strollers.

Best Jogging Strollers – Details

Here are the best jogging strollers in each price category. [See also: best double jogging strollers]

Best Swivel Wheel Joggers

Economy Pick

Baby Trend Expedition Jogger ~ $161

$ – Graco FastAction Fold ~ $199 (runner up)

$$ – Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight ~ $299 (runner up)

Editor’s Pick(s)

$$$ — BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 ~ $549

$$$: Thule Urban Glide 2 ~ $450

Compact Pick

$$$ – BOB Wayfinder ~ $464

If you live in an urban environment and have limited storage space, consider BOB’s latest addition: the Wayfinder. This compact, yet rugged stroller can withstand all sorts of uneven terrains — from pavement to gravel to dirt.

Compared to the Thule Urban Glide 2, the Wayfinder is 2 inches narrower and similar in height, so it’s easy to pack into a trunk (even a sedan car) and can squeeze into narrow grocery store aisles. That being said, it is around 6 pounds heavier than the Thule.

While most strollers have a 50 lbs weight limit, but the Wayfinder can hold up to 75 pounds (that’s a lot of baby to push while on a run!).

The hand and foot breaks, treaded wheels and superior suspension system make this stroller not only great for the city, but also for off-road running. Note, however, that the smaller foot print means the Wayfinder comes with less storage space than the Revolution and the Thule strollers.

Some of the things that real parents love most about it: the zippered under-seat basket, the easy fold, and the adjustable handlebar (parents as tall as 6’5″ have used it as comfortably as parents who are 5’2″). One reviewer said, “a great stroller that can go ANYWHERE (city, mountains, park, etc.) and is a huge improvement for portability over other joggers. If you need to have only 1 stroller (as we do, due to storage challenges) this is a good option.”

Luxury Pick

$$$$ – Bumbleride Speed ~ $699

Fixed Wheel Jogging Strollers

Just to be crystal clear, the front wheel of a fixed wheel jogger cannot swivel. At all. Ever.

I feel terrible for people who buy a fixed front wheel stroller expecting something different. And you see them all the time — trying to negotiate the aisles at the grocery store by lifting the stroller up to turn it. This is not the stroller for shopping, folks.

For serious runners, however, a fixed wheel stroller will track beautifully and won’t wobble. These strollers are not multitaskers, but they are specially designed to do their job (distance running!) very well.

We hope you found a jogging stroller that suits your needs. And remember, you can often find these strollers being sold on the secondary market.

Now, get out there and run!