Baby Jogger Summit X3 Stroller Review
Price $499
BUY NOW Amazon Albee BabyBOB and Thule are not the only fish in the all-terrain/joggers stroller sea, nay. “Mall or mountain,” the Baby Jogger Summit X3 works very well as an all-terrain stroller and okay as a jogger. While it doesn’t perform as well as its competition when it comes to serious running, we still think it’s worth your consideration, as it eclipses the BOB Revolution Flex when it comes to the fold, the canopy, and seat harness. Here is our Baby Jogger Summit X3 stroller review!
Overview
Baby Jogger has been making the Summit X3 for years and years – and this particular model has been the same since 2016. Ironically, the Summit X3 is Baby Jogger’s only jogging stroller – HA! Baby Jogger was purchased by Graco around 2017, and it’s kinda good to see that Graco hasn’t “Graco-ized” this model, like they have the City Mini.
Size & Weight
The Summit X3 is 28.5 lbs, roughly one pound heavier than the BOB and 4 pounds heavier than the Thule! That said, it folds very compactly, so it would work well for families with small storage spaces and smaller trunks.
Seat
The seat, which can hold up to 75 pounds of baby meat (similar to the BOB), reclines nearly flat, with just one hand thanks to the simple cinch-strap in the back.
The seat is taller than most jogging strollers at almost 19″. In fact, many claim their 6-year-olds still fit comfortably in the seat (yes, many people use jogging strollers for much longer than regular strollers out of sheer necessity).
The padded 5-point harness is awesome and super smooth to use, and (unlike the BOB buckle) it cannot be easily undone by naughty toddlers, especially after the recent redesign. Many parents also use them for older, special needs children or children with mobility problems.
Car Seat
If you would like to use it with your car seat, you can buy adapters separately (but please, not for jogging until 6-8 months). The Summit X3 jogging stroller travel system accepts a plethora of car seats.
Canopy, Braking, Storage, and Accessories
The BabyJogger Summit X3 has a huge, delicious UV 50+ sun canopy with three full panels and two viewing windows, much like the Thule. We also love the side vents to keep things cool under the canopy when it is hot outside. These, combined with the back panel that you can roll up to get a breeze through, make this (and the Thule) better strollers for hotter climates due to the venting. The canopy is nice and smooth and not bunchy and crinkly like on the BOB.
We like that the handlebar on the Summit X3 is rubberized and is very easy to wipe clean. That said, the handlebar is not adjustable. In this sense, it’s more like the Joovy Zoom 360. For tall (over 5’8”) – or very short – parents, we’d recommend the Thule Urban Glide 2 or the BOB Revolution Flex, both of which offer adjustable handlebars.
That said, this stroller does come equipped with a deceleration brake to slow the stroller down while running or in the hills, though the brake itself is tight. The Thule Urban Glide 2 and the much more expensive new BOB Alterrain Pro have this handbrake feature as well.
The Summit X3 also has a runaway strap to prevent the stroller from rolling away if you let go unintentionally (it happens!). The runaway strap is affixed to the bottom of the stroller, which won’t bring the whole dang stroller crashing down if you happen to fall down while running (been there!).
The parking brake is easy to use and clicks when securely activated.
The storage basket on the Summit is pretty roomy, especially for a jogger, and is easily accessible from the back and the sides, though it’s not covered like the Urban Glide’s.
There is also a mesh pocket on the back of the seat, which is a nice place to store water bottles and other small items.
It doesn’t come with a parent console, a snack tray, or other accessories, though you can buy all that stuff separately (Joovy for the win on that one, amiright?).
Wheels/Suspension
The Summit X3 has fabulous 16” rear and 12” front air-filled tires and all-wheel suspension (below). It absorbs a lot of bumps for a super smooth ride.
We love that you can change the fixed front wheel to swivel wheel mode with a simple side lever, unlike the BOB or Thule, where you have to kneel down at the wheel to do it manually. For people who are frequently switching between fixed wheel and swivel modes (perhaps if you like to jog and walk for intervals, for example), this is a wonderful feature. So much more civilized!
Like the BOB and Thule, the Summit X3 also has a trim feature on the front wheel (a red knob) that allows you to get the stroller tracking perfectly straight. This is key for a nice, uninterrupted jog.
Overall, the Summit X3 is easy to maneuver, but doesn’t perform as well as its competition in the jogging department or on uneven surfaces. Because it’s heavier than the competition, it’s just not as easy to push, maneuver and run with than others in its price range.
Folding & Carrying
The fold is the classic Baby Jogger fold that they are famous for. Simply pull up on the seat-handle, and the stroller collapses and is ready for you to carry away. That’s it! It’s super easy, even while carrying a baby in the other arm. The Thule Urban Glide is equally easy to fold. The BOB requires a little more work.
The stroller folds compactly and should fit into most trunks, especially with the wheels popped off.
Bottom Line
The Baby Jogger Summit X3 has many nice features for an all-terrain stroller, including the easy fold, the awesome canopy, the buckle, the easy wheel switch, the runaway strap, and the hand brake. We don’t recommend this stroller for very short or parents taller than 5’8″. BOB and Thule have a better push and are generally easier to run with — and both of them have an adjustable handlebar. Translation: you’ll have to weigh these factors to decide which is right for you, but I personally wouldn’t pay top dollar for this stroller over BOB or Thule, especially for serious runners.
