10 Things To Do to Get the Right Jogging Stroller for Your Family
If you are a mom or dad with a young child and you are an avid jogger, inline skater or power walker (or want to be) and you want to be outdoors and stay fit with your baby you can still do it. More and more families are considering a baby jogging stroller. Times have changed - baby strollers used to be for gentle walks in the park. Not anymore - baby jogging strollers are here to stay - helping moms and dads stay fit and get fit. There are lots of strollers to choose from - so it is not easy to decide. Here are 10 things that will help you to decide which one is best for you.
1. Choose an aluminum framed stroller. Your choices will be strollers made with either metal tube frames or aluminum frames. You want your stroller to weigh less than 25 pounds. Metal tube frame strollers are much heavier than those made with an aluminum frame. Choosing an aluminum frame provides you with a lighter, easier to push stroller, and they are also longer lasting, stronger and more resistant to rust and corrosion.
2. Stroller wheels. The stroller you choose should have air-filled 16 inch wheels since they provide easy pushing for mom or dad, and they provide your baby with a comfortably smooth ride. Traditional jogging strollers have two back wheels and one front wheel. The goal with a jogging stroller is to reduce rolling resistance, and any wheels that are less than 16 inches in diameter just don`t do the trick.
3. Comfort for baby. You want your baby to be as comfortable as possible. The seat should be padded and made of a lightweight, breathable fabric. During your jog your baby may decide to take a nap. Look for a stroller that reclines by at least 25%.
4. Sun protection. All jogging strollers have sun canopies to provide shade to your child. Direct sunshine into the baby’s face cause the baby to be very uncomfortable, unhappy, and we are all conscious of the negative impact of the sun’s rays. For best sun protection choose one that has a sun canopy that fully rotates to provide shade to your baby no matter what the angle of the sun.
5. Safety is top priority. Your child`s safety is the top priority when choosing a stroller. Strollers with a 5 point harness will keep you baby safely and securely in their stroller. You want to be able to stop your stroller when you need to. The strollers with a hand brake similar to a bicycle`s hand brake will provide the jogger with reliable stopping power. When the stroller is at rest you will want to secure it with a parking brake which is usually a foot activated bar that is positioned behind the rear wheels.
6. Fits in trunk of car. The process for folding should be simple. Many strollers have a trigger on each side of the handlebar that allow the stroller to easily fold into itself. Most car trunks can hold a folded stroller if it is smaller than 25 x 45 x 18 (inches). In order to fold it into a smaller dimension find a stroller that has one-touch pop-off wheels that are easy to remove for storage.
7. Handlebar adjustment. If people of different heights will be using the stroller a very good feature to have in your stroller is the ability to - with a push of a button - change the height of the handlebar. Some strollers now provide the ability to change the height of the handlebar anywhere from 35 in. to 43 in., and it can be done even while on the run.
8. Make sure that it works for your baby as they grow. Babies come in all sizes and shapes - isn`t that great. Your stroller is an investment - and you want to get as much use from it as possible. A child that measures under 25 in. when seated should be able to sit in the stroller, and a child eighty pounds or less should be safely be able to use the stroller. Look for a stroller that provides good height and weight capacity.
9. Make sure the manufacturer and retailer stand behind their product. You should expect to have many years of enjoyment from your stroller for your family. Shop for a stroller that provides a solid long term warranty on the frame (5 years is good) and at least a 1 year warranty on the seat material. And when you purchase your stroller make sure that you have at least 30 days to try it out - if it isn`t all that you had expected it to be - make sure that you can return it for a refund.
10. They range in price. Make sure it fits within your budget. You can purchase a good jogging stroller for as little as $280 and you can pay over $1,000. Sometimes you are paying for the `brand name`. Select your stroller based on your family`s needs and the features that are important to you. Remember, that it is a multi year investment in your child`s health and your family`s happiness. If you are able to afford $280 a jogging stroller can become an important part of your life.
Follow this list of 10 Things To Do and get the stroller that you need, and save yourself time and money.
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