If you are a mom or dad who loves to jog or power walk - and you have two young children - it’s not easy to get you exercise sessions. Now might be the time for you to consider a double jogging stroller for your family.
A double jogger will be lightweight and have a fixed front wheel. The fixed front wheel is ideal for jogging, because it provides the stability and straight tracking that you need.
Here are our 10 tips to keep in mind to help you find the best tandem stroller for jogging or walking that best suits you and your baby.
1. Smooth ride and easy to push. You want to make sure that your kids enjoy a smooth ride when in the stroller and that it rolls smoothly for you as you walk or jog. To get this smoothness make sure that your stroller has three large wheels (16 inches in diameter) and that the wheels are constructed similar to a tire on a bicycle (meaning spoked wheels with air-filled tires)
2. Comfort for passengers. Part of a smooth ride for your baby is having them be as comfortable as possible. The seats for your babies should be padded and ideally be made of a lightweight, breathable fabric. Make sure the seats recline so that baby can have a nap while you jog.
3. Adjustable handlebars. Get added flexibility with handlebars that are adjustable. If for example, your spouse is significantly taller or shorter than you the stroller should have the flexibility to easily adjust the height of the handlebars.
4. Lighter the better. When you walk or run with your stroller it is obvious that the lighter it is the easier it will to push. But you will also want to factor in that in all likelihood you will be putting your stroller in and out of the trunk of your car - and it will be easier with a lighter stroller.
5. Long lasting. Today’s strollers will either be welded aluminium frame construction or will be constructed of metal tubes connected with plastic joints. Look for one that has a welded aluminium frame - it will be more expensive, but they are noticeably lighter and much sturdier than strollers with metal tube frames. Also, look for a stroller that has wheels made of alloy - they are lighter and rust-resistant - compared to steel wheels.
6. Child Safety. Look for a stroller that has a 5-point harness for both seats. This harness style is easy to use and it will keep your kids safe and secure in the stroller.
7. Brakes. Your double jogging stroller must have a parking brake (usually a bar near the rear wheels that is engaged with a flip of your foot). In addition, the better jogging strollers will have a hand brake (situated on the handlebar) which is similar to a bicycle hand-brake and is used to quickly stop the stroller when running or walking.
8. Sun Protection - one of the most important aspects to look for is whether there is a sun canopy that has the flexibility to provide shade to both of your babies no matter what the angle of the sun. Look for a twin stroller that has independent sun canopies for each child seat, and the canopies should be fully flexible so they can be positioned so that the sun can always be blocked from the baby.
9. Can be folded and stored by one person. There will be times when it will just be you and your kids - and you’ll want to be able to fold it yourself with no hassles. The stroller when folded down should be small enough so that it fits into the trunk of your car. There will be times when you’ll want to condense the stroller down to its smallest possible size - so make sure that the stroller you decide on has easy to take off and easy to put on wheels.
10. Makes Sure Your Stroller is Rated to Safely Hold Your Kids. The certified weight of the stroller should be no less than 100 pounds. As your kids grow and gain weight you still want to be able to use the stroller for runs or power-walks.