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Jogging strollers give parents the freedom to go for a run whenever they want without the stress of planning for child care. They also make it easy to share the sport with their kids. Compared to everyday strollers, jogging strollers generally have sturdier and more aerodynamic triangular frames, larger air- or foam-filled wheels that can take on bumps at high speed, more advanced suspension to keep kids comfortable, and extra safety features like hand brakes and wrist tethers to help keep the stroller under control.
Because jogging strollers are better at handling uneven terrain than regular strollers, they’re also a popular option for non-runners who love the outdoors. Many jogging strollers can technically be used from birth with a compatible infant car seat and any necessary car-seat adapter. However, babies should be at least six months old before they start riding along while you run. Six months is the minimum recommended rider age for actually jogging with a jogging stroller, because that’s when the majority of infants have sufficient neck and head strength to withstand the bumps and faster movement that will happen as you log miles.
Jogging strollers can be quite expensive; you should expect to spend at least $500 to buy one that rolls smoothly and has decent suspension and as much as $1,000 for a jogging stroller that can also hook up to a bike or carry more than one child. However, many parents I have spoken to report that the physical and mental-health benefits of being able to go for a run with their kid make the cost well worth it. To help you find the very best jogging stroller for your family, I collected recommendations from parents who are avid runners, including one mom who trained for a marathon with a jogging stroller. I also tested many of the strollers they mentioned, pushing and maneuvering them around tight turns, checking out how easy (or difficult) they are to fold, and paying close attention to convenient safety features and extra-cushy materials.
Update on September 11, 2024: Named the Thule Urban Glide 2 the Best Jogging Stroller Overall after talking to more parents who recommend it (the Thule was previously our Best Lightweight Jogging Stroller); named the BOB Gear Alterrain Pro the Best Jogging Stroller for Older/Bigger Kids owing to its high weight and height limits; named the Veer Switch&Jog the Best Modular Jogging Stroller; removed the BOB Gear Revolution Flex as Best (Less Expensive) Jogging Stroller because it is more expensive than our new top pick; updated prices and checked stock for all products.
What we’re looking for:
Age minimum and weight limit
Every jogging stroller on this list has a minimum age requirement of 6 months for letting your child ride while you run, though some are car-seat compatible so you can use them for walking with younger babies. That said, every infant develops at their own pace, so you should also make sure your baby can sit and hold their head up by themself before taking them out for a jog.
You’ll also want to note any age, height, and weight limits, which will ensure you are using your jogging stroller safely and which will determine how long you can use it as your child grows. I have noted the maximum weight capacity for each stroller below.
Weight
Because of their larger wheels and solidly built frames, jogging strollers are heavier than most standard strollers. But within the category there is still a pretty wide range, with the lightest jogging strollers weighing around 25 pounds and the heaviest ones closer to 35 pounds. I have included each stroller’s weight in the product details below.
Tire type
To provide a smooth ride for their small passengers, jogging strollers are fitted with tires designed to absorb the impact of running on rough roads, bumpy trails, and other uneven terrain. Jogging strollers typically have either air-filled tires or foam-filled tires, sometimes referred to as never-flat tires. Air-filled tires are lighter and provide a smoother ride but require some maintenance and are prone to punctures. Foam-filled tires are resistant to punctures but a little heavier and don’t roll as smoothly.
Safety features
As a baseline, all jogging strollers should have a five-point harness and lockable front swivel wheels — and all the ones on this list do. But because the increased speed and bumpy ride associated with jogging strollers makes using them more dangerous than standard strollers, the best jogging strollers are equipped with extra safety features like a hand brake that lets you slow down or stop quickly, a wrist tether for added security in case your hand slips off the handlebar, and reflective elements that increase visibility during early-morning or evening runs. I’ve called out each stroller’s most notable safety features below.
Best jogging stroller overall
Weight limit: 49 pounds | Weight: 25.3 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Twist hand brake, wrist tether
Strategist writer Lauren Ro, a mom of two, says the Thule Urban Glide 2 is the smoothest stroller she has ever pushed. It’s also the lightest stroller on this list, thanks in part to its air-filled rubber wheels, which are extremely easy to maneuver, even one-handed, so you can wipe a bit of sweat off your brow or take a sip of water without stopping. Ro and her husband have used it on flat, smooth roads as well as on rocky nature trails and found it handled both terrains incredibly well. It has a unique hand brake that twists to slow the stroller down for you when you’re running down a hill. According to multiple parents I spoke to, the hand brake makes it easier to keep control of the stroller without using your body weight as a counter-balance. The biggest potential drawback is its child weight limit of 49 pounds, which is not atypically low but also not as high as the weight limits of some other strollers on this list.
Alexandria Swette, a trial attorney with two kids under 5 years old, has run hundreds of miles with the Thule Urban Glide 2 on all kinds of terrain. As soon as her first child, Bianca, was 6 months old, she started using the stroller almost daily. “I inched my way back from postpartum to walking, to jogging, and, finally, to running consistently again. It gave me a ton of strength both emotionally and physically,” she says, adding that while pricey, it is worth every penny — especially if you use it regularly like she does. Alexandra Micci-Smith, a mom and another fan of the Urban Glide 2 who belongs to the same run club as Swette, likes that the adjustable height of the stroller’s handlebar helps her maintain an upright posture while running, as opposed to hunching over, and the front-wheel lock gives her better control, even single-handed.
The Urban Glide 2 is also car-seat and bassinet compatible (with adapters), making it a practical option from birth to around kindergarten for active families that don’t have space for multiple strollers. Other features include a storage basket with a zip-top cover to keep your stuff clean and splatter free and optional accessories for rain, sun, and bug protection to make it comfortable year-round.
Best jogging stroller for older/bigger kids
Weight limit: 75 pounds | Weight: 32.3 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Hand brake, reflective tire rims and accents, wrist tether, 100% waterproof and UPF 50+ canopy
BOB Gear jogging strollers are some of the most popular among serious runners thanks to their cushy, air-filled tires that offer excellent shock absorption — the brand likens them to what you would find on a mountain bike. The BOB Gear Alterrain Pro jogging stroller has an ergonomic hand brake and one-handed folding mechanism that allows the stroller to stand on its own when folded. At approximately 32 pounds, it does weigh a bit more than the other single jogging strollers on this list (our top pick, Thule Urban Glide 2, weighs about 25 pounds, and the others weigh about 28 pounds). But in exchange, you get a high rider weight limit of 75 pounds — the highest on this list for a single-seat stroller — and a decent height limit of 44 inches. This translates to more leg room for your kid than the Urban Glide 2 can offer and a few extra years of use.
Safety features include a hand brake and reflective rims on the tires in addition to the reflective accents on the canopy, which has a peekaboo window with a magnetic flap so you can easily check in on your kid as you run. As with many jogging strollers, it has an adjustable handlebar so parents of different heights can use it comfortably. The front wheel swivels for maneuverability or locks for stability on rough terrain, and the seat can recline to nearly flat, allowing children to nap on the go. Finally, it has an extra-large storage basket that can be protected from the elements with a zippable cover plus five extra pockets, including a cell-phone holder by the handlebar. It is car-seat compatible, too, with appropriate adapters.
Best compact-fold jogging stroller
Weight limit: 60 pounds | Weight: 28.5 pounds | Tire type: Foam-filled | Safety features: Remote-lock front wheel, wrist tether, extendable canopy with bug-blocking mesh, one-handed fold, independent suspension
A common complaint about jogging strollers is that they take up a lot of space, especially in addition to an everyday full-size stroller. But Guava’s Roam stroller has a tighter nesting fold that makes it just about as compact as my Baby Jogger Citi Mini GT2 when folded. (Note that despite its name, the Baby Jogger is not a jogging stroller; the Baby Jogger folds flatter, but this stroller folds narrower.) You just have to set the handlebars to the lowest level before you pull the fold tab under the seat. I found it easy to fold and unfold and very smooth to push. I was most impressed, though, with how it handles tight turns. It can effortlessly maneuver through narrow halls and doorways like a compact four-wheeled stroller. Plus, it’s car-seat compatible and fits easily in the trunk of most cars, making it not just good for running but also a great everyday stroller for active families.
The Guava Roam’s 60-pound weight limit is 11 pounds higher than that of our top pick, Urban Glide 2, which can potentially add two years to its lifespan depending on the size of the rider. And while its weight limit is still bested by the BOB stroller above, as the second lightest stroller on this list by three pounds, the Guava’s potential longevity is impressive. It doesn’t have a hand brake — it’s the only stroller on this list that lets you lock the front wheel remotely from the handlebar. That plus the hidden zipper pocket in the storage compartment and the cushy seats make it a convenient and comfortable pick.
Best modular jogging stroller
Weight limit: 50 pounds | Weight: 28.7 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Tunable deceleration hand brake, tunable rear shocks, reflective accents, wrist tether
Veer’s Switchback system allows parents to use the same stroller seat with the brand’s jogging-stroller frame, convertible single-to-double-stroller frame (which I wrote about in our overall guide to the best strollers), wagon, bike seat, camp chair, and as a booster seat on most adult chairs. Unlike most jogging strollers, the seat can be positioned facing either forward or backward toward the parent. This is a handy feature for anyone looking to avoid subjecting their baby to low and eye-piercing early-morning or late-afternoon sun that has a way of sneaking under stroller canopies. It weighs more than the Thule Urban Glide 2 stroller, but I couldn’t tell the difference in weight when pushing it. I was particularly impressed with the seat’s easy-to-use recline handle that lets you adjust the seat with one hand and while on the move.
Like a lot of other jogging strollers, the Veer has a hand brake and a wrist tether. But what sets it apart is that you can tune the hand brake to be more or less sensitive depending on your individual preference. This is also true for the rear shocks, allowing you to adjust the ride to different types of terrain. And for the times when you aren’t jogging, it’s an excellent companion for all-day (or multiday) outings like camping, soccer games, or museums and amusement parks. It has a huge storage basket with inner zipper pockets, two cup-holder mounts (the actual cup holders are sold separately), a snap-on snack tray (also sold separately), an adjustable leg rest, a bumper bar, bassinet or car-seat compatibility, and the whole thing, padding included, can be hosed clean. The major downsides are its size and the price, though it is incredibly solidly built and very easy to fold. This is the stroller I would get if I lived in a house with a garage that could accommodate the rest of the Switchback system, like the wagon and the bike seat and the camping-chair base. On its own, this is an excellent jogging stroller, but without the space for the multiple bases, it makes less sense.
Best double jogging stroller
Weight limit: 100 pounds across two seats | Weight: 34.2 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Twist hand brake, reflective accents, wrist tether
Though she has “so many strollers,” runner and mom of three Allie Standish says the double version of the Thule Urban Glide 2 stroller is her favorite for both running and everyday use. The depth of the seats is on the shallow side, but Standish says the easy maneuvering more than makes up for that. “It feels like I’m pushing five pounds instead of 80,” she says, adding that the handlebar adjusts and goes up really high for tall people like herself (Standish is 5 feet 10 inches tall) so, like Micci-Smith, she doesn’t have to hunch over. It has the same twist hand brake and convenient zip-up storage basket as the single version of the Urban Glide 2 and allows twin parents like Standish to adjust each child’s seat and canopy individually. It is car-seat and bassinet compatible and can accommodate three children with the added Thule kickboard. Lastly, many parents shopping for double strollers want to know that the one they choose will fit through standard doorways, and Standish assured me that this one does.
Best multisport jogging stroller and trailer
Weight limit: 100 pounds across two seats | Weight: 31.9 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Reflective accents, wrist tether
The Thule Chariot Cross 2 Multisport Double Cycle Trailer Stroller can be used as a double stroller with four wheels, a double jogging stroller, a bicycle trailer with with three wheels and the included trailer arm, or a ski trailer with the add-on Cross-Country Skiing Kit. According to the brand, it can even be used from one month of age with the addition of a hammocklike infant sling that holds babies above the seat (and secures them with a five-point harness) to keep them from feeling any bumps. Both Ro and Swette say their kids love riding in it whether they are being pushed during a jog or pulled behind a bike. According to Ro, it’s robustly built, with seats that recline individually so if just one child is sleeping the other one can still sit up. It doesn’t offer the same level of glide as Ro’s Thule jogging stroller, but it still keeps both of her kids comfortable with adjustable suspension that you can tighten or loosen for different activities and terrains. “During the summer, when we stay at the beach, I take the kids on long runs to Riis beach, where they can have a snack, play, and run around. Then I run them back home. In total, it’s five or six miles and a really good workout given that you are pushing at least 60 pounds of toddlers,” says Swette. Ro adds that it’s very easy to convert from trailer to stroller by removing or reattaching the front wheels. She also likes that it has deep pockets for storing everything from soccer balls to water bottles for full days away from home.
Best hands-free jogging stroller
Weight limit: 50 pounds | Weight: 22 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Reflective accents
A traditional jogging stroller isn’t for everyone. Lauren Fleshman, a two-time 5K U.S. champion, founder of Picky Bars, and mother of two, says that if she had to choose between using a jogging stroller to run at her favorite time of day or getting up at 5 a.m. to run alone in the dark before her family wakes up, she’d choose the latter. However, if running alone isn’t an option, she suggests buying a hands-free KidRunner. Instead of a handlebar behind the stroller, it uses a padded waist belt and trailer bar so you can jog while pulling your child behind you. It’s ideal for anyone who doesn’t like having to push the handlebar of a traditional stroller, which requires changing your running form. “With the baby behind you, the view of the path ahead is unobstructed, and your hands are free,” Fleshman says, adding that it’s good on lots of surfaces. It can take a bit of getting used to, especially in finding the right fit of the waist belt, but since it doesn’t weigh that much, has large air-filled tires, and sits close to the ground, it takes very little effort to pull and cuts through wind well, even when you’re running uphill.
Additional reporting by Karen Iorio Adelson.
Our experts
• Christina Brown, ambassador for the Ragnar relay-race series and parent
• Allie Burdick, fitness writer and parent to twins
• Amir Muhammad Figueroa, co-founder of Harlem Run
• Lauren Fleshman, two-time 5K U.S. champion and founder of Picky Bars
• Brian Hayes, head of digital at Tracksmith and parent
• Valencia Hike, ambassador of the Black Girls RUN! Baltimore group and parent of three
• Alexandra Micci-Smith, runner and parent
• Elke Pitman, ambassador for the Ragnar relay-race series and parent
• Lauren Ro, Strategist writer and parent
• Allie Standish, parent of three, including a pair of twins
• Alexandria Swette, runner, trial lawyer, and parent of two
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