Double Jogging Strollers

Archived Q&A and reviews ▼

Archived Q&A and Reviews

Related pages: Jogging Strollers and Double Strollers

Double stroller - a jogger or not?

Aug 2006

We have two children - a two year old and two month old - and need a good quality double stroller. I need advice on whether to buy a double jogger stoller or a McLaren double stroller. We have a McLaren Quest for our older son and have been very happy with it. However, I'm wondering whether we'll be better off with a heavier framed jogger now that we have two children rather than a light weight MacLaren. It also seems that a jogger is more versatile. I don't plan on jogging with it, but we might want to do some trail walking and of course, lots of city walking too. The two joggers we are considering are the higher end Schwinn and BOB models with the swivel front wheel option. I like the canopies on the BOB Duallie model and have heard that the seats are superior to the Schwinn (the Schwinn seats recline more and are not easy to put fully upright, etc.). I appreciate any advice on this issue. Thanks! anon

It really depends on your lifestyle. Jogging strollers are great for walks, but not great for carting stuff around. I use an older double Maclaren for trips that require transporting bags (grocer or airport) so that I can just hang them off the handles. I use my Mountain Buggy Urban double for pretty much everything else. I do also bring it along when I am travelling to our mountain home via plane. It isn't very helpful in the airport with carting car seats and the like, but I do like to walk at the other end with it.

When buying a double, please keep in mind door width. Strollers that are 30 inches and narrower are the easist to maneuver in a variety of situations. Anything wider and you may be stuck storing it in the living room and ahve a more difficult time getting in and out of doorways at shops, etc.

I did find that getting a 'jogging-type' stroller that was less than 30-inches wide forced me to give up the individual sunshades. It really doesn't bother me now. Bob, by the way, has the best sunshades around. I had a single Bob that I just loved jan

You are going to get many opinions on this one, but here is my 2 cents. We are about to have a baby and have a 2 1/2 yr old and I have been researching the double stroller thing for a while. Also, in the course of doing nanny childcare shares, childcare swaps, etc. I have had the opportunity to try out many different types of double strollers, and I have a strong opinion about them. I even own a Graco Duoglider, besides other assorted single McClarens and Peg Peregos. So, the thing that I don't like about the side-by-side strollers is that they can be unwieldy and difficult to maneuver in aisles and on narrow sidewalks. There aren't any trays for the kids and the baskets are usually small and no sun protection. The tandems are way big when you fold them and won't fit in my car, but they are easier to maneuver and the storage baskets are enormous and they usually have sun canopies that actually work and trays for the kids- and much better for infants because they recline. I don't like jogging strollers at all, sorry! Especially for those folks who are never actually going to jog with it- I think of them as the Expeditions of the stroller world. Unless you are a single parent or other seriously childcare challenged person, the jogging strollers change your stride and cadence, jam your wrists, and make you have to do lots of quick stops and starts and don't really lend themselves to a great run. You are so much better off setting up a time for a partner or friend to watch the baby or waking up a half hour earlier in the morning and take the 30 minutes to run unencumbered and let your mind wander along with your body to unwind from child stress. And, if you buy one only intending to do trail walking with your child, aren't you really there to explore and experience natural spaces with your kid? Why would you want your toddler strapped in a stroller away from the actual experience of the dirt and rocks and sticks and bugs? Your 2 year old would be so happy to walk the trail with you and discuss and be excited about the things that you see and find. And your infant will be happy in a sling close to you. I think that we as parents in this country do our kids a huge disservice by chauffering them around in humongous strollers and joggers. My heart drops everytime I see a chunky 3 year old stuffed in a stroller and plied to sit there with a tray of fatty snacks while the parent shops and pays no attention to the child. My guy was able to walk a mile when he was 30 months old, and very happy and eager to do it. I would take the stroller just in case, but it ended up only being a cart for the diaper bag. Now, he likes to run that same distance and is so excited and full of energy- this also tires his body so that he is good napper and sleeper, and has only had 1 cold in the last year. I rarely take the stroller now, and we have so much fun meeting people and looking for rocks and stuff along our way. When the baby is born, I intend on using a sling and continuing our walks. However, for longer days and outings, and as the baby outgrows the sling, I will be buying a Joovy Caboose (look online at Tinyride.com for more info, the new Emeryville BabiesRus and Rockridge Kids carries them, too). It is fairly lightweight, smallish and foldeable and fits in my small car trunk. It is similar to the SitNStand, but much better and lighter. My son likes it too because he likes the option to stand on the back, it makes him feel like a big kid. Good luck with your decision! see you on the sidewalks

Valco double jogstroller

Feb 2005

Hi do you own a Valco double? how do you like it and could I possibly try it or see it. Is it good for children of different weights? folding ease? heavy? easy to push? liza
[no replies received]

Double Jogger with Canopy

August 2004

I was wondering if anyone has come acrossed a double jog stroller with a canopy that actually ratchets forward to shield the sun from the front. My Baby Trend single jogger does this, but I have not seen any doubles with this feature. Any info would be great! Thanks sunburned kids

I haven't seen one exactly like you are looking for, but take a look at the Bob or the Dreamer Deluxe twin strollers. Both have great canopies that can fully protect children from the sun. I am going with the Dreamer myself when number two presents herself/himself in March as I like the fact that the canopies are seperate for each seat. -avoiding the sun, too

I would highly recommend the Dreamer Design Ditto. I love it! Canopies are the best. They unsnap at the top and come down in front to block direct sun. Most double joggers have improved their canopies, but the Dittos' canopies are separate for each seat which to me is even better. My 3 year old like to pull it all the way down to hide from people and my 11 month old is happy with it as is - it comes down really far even without unsnapping. Also, there are lots of pockets, it reclines well, and it folds up small enough to fit in the trunk of my Camry! I've also heard great things about Phil and Teds. Funky design as the baby sits behind and below the toddler. Check out www.joggingstroller.com. They are a GREAT resource with reviews on all jogging strollers. Good luck! anna

GOZO Double Jogging Stroller

September 2003

We are in the market for a double jogging stroller for our 4- month and 2-year old kids. The side-by-sides seem bulky and cumbersome - we saw a front/back GOZO parked at Lake Tahoe recently that seemed like a good solution. Does anyone have any experience/feedback on using/owning this stroller, especially since they are close to $500? thanks jackie

We've had the Gozo stroller for the last two years and, overall, it's been really great. We bought it because it could be converted to a double if we had another. Unfortunately, a second child hasn't come so I can only speak for the single. The stroller is really well constructed and flies ! In the past two years the only maintenance we've had to do is pump up the tires. Downsides are that the strap-in system is really outdated and the sunshield overhang thing doesn't really work that well (but maybe these have been improved since we bought) . Also, it's not very portable. You can get it in a large SUV but otherwise it's not a good travelling stroller. Best of luck to you. RK

We purchased our GOZO stroller 3 years ago & have been very happy w/ it. We have logged MANY miles on it over the years & have never had any problems. It is very easy/comfortable to push (both walking & running) and my son is quite comfy in the seat. We too bought it w/ the thought of future plans for another child. While we still don't have a second child of our own, it has been great to have the second seat when we need it, since it seems that we regularly have a little friend along. I have a very small station wagon ('97 Ford Escort) & by using the quick release to remove the handle bar, I can get it in the cargo area w/out a problem. Reassemnly of the handle bar takes me no longer than it would to unfold/reassemble a folding jogger. If you want any other information, I'd be happy to share our experiences or try to answer your questions. Romy

November 2002

I need to upgrade from a regular double stroller to a jogger stroller for my 2 children, 20 mo. and 3yo. I will need a stroller that works well for walking on sidewalks on very steep and shallow hills. Is the GoZo the way to GO? Is it worth $500? Also, is it great for running? Would like to hear your likes and dislikes! My children don't mind being in strollers for long walks and runs. Thank you am

We have a Gozo for our 2 year old and really like it. We bought it with the idea that we could easily 'upgrade' if we had a second child. The upsides are that the jogger really flies - great for running (though I'm not a very good runner) and the seats are upright instead of in a sling position. Also, we've had it over a year with no problems whatsoever. Downsides are that the jogger isn't very portable. You can get the front wheel off and get it into an SUV if you have the inclination (and vehicle) but we found it more effort than it was worth. Another issue is the strap-in system. It's outdated and kind of clumsy - hopefully they've improved that since we bought. Overall, we really like the Gozo but it depends on your needs if it's right for you. - Rachael

Looking for a double jog stroller

June 2002

We are preparing to buy a double jog stroller for our expanding family. We'd love to hear about people's experiences with the different models (baby jogger, Kelty, etc.) and designs (side-by-side, front-back). Any input would be greatly appreciated!

We have not had the need to buy a double jogger (yet!) but we purchased a baby jogger for my daughter when she was 5 months old. We love the jogger not only for its quality, durability and safety but also because we have had such incredibly positive customer service from the people at BabyJogger. You can check out their website and if you can't decide which on is best for you (I don't know how many double joggers they have) the customer service folks are great about asking you questions to help you make a decision - no hard sell AT ALL! Happy Jogging! Chris L.

We bought a Baby Jogger Twinner for our 1 and 3 year old kids, and it's worked out well so far. I found that some joggers only worked for kids at similar weights, and didn't want to worry about stability issues. This stroller is more expensive than others, but it is so easy to use - especially on hills - and is really sturdy. The only downside is its width - it definitely is for walking, hiking, and jogging - not for running errands or shopping. alissa

I have a Baby Jogger stroller, but if I were to do it again, I would get the GoZo jogger. In fact, as we are planning on another child, I am sure I will. It is the only single jogging stroller that converts into a double. The seat design not only allows for a child to see more, the seats are padded and adjustable. I know they sell them on Amazon (see the review, http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005O87C/babynavigator/102-0893962- 4304167,) but the only place that I have seen them in town is at a woman's athletic store on College called See Jane Run. You could test drive it there.

Check out the review on http://www.babynavigator.com/Strollers/Gozo.htm. This is a great site to research other baby products, as well. Julie

Comparison of wheel sizes