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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 possible for parents to safely share their love of 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, some people use them when they’re not running, too. 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. So 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.
What we’re looking for:
Age minimum and weight capacity
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 capacity: 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 among the most popular choice for serious runners thanks to their smooth 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. It does weigh a bit more than the popular Revolution Flex 3.0 from BOB Gear (which is also our pick for the best less-expensive jogging stroller), but in exchange you get added features like the hand brake and a seat that can recline to nearly flat, allowing children to nap on the go. It also has 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. And the front wheel swivels for maneuverability or locks for stability on rough terrain. It gets my top pick for its combination of great tires, a high rider weight capacity of 75 pounds (the highest on this list for a single-seat stroller), extra safety features, and an extra-large storage basket that can be protected from the elements with a zippable cover. In addition to the storage basket, it has five extra pockets including a cell-phone holder by the handlebar. Finally, it is car-seat compatible, too.
Best (less expensive) jogging stroller
Weight capacity: 75 pounds | Weight: 28.5 pounds | Tire type: Air-filled | Safety features: Reflective accents, wrist tether
The BOB Gear Revolution Flex 3.0 costs $150 less than our top pick BOB Gear stroller at full price and weighs around four pounds less. It comes highly recommended by Christina Brown, an ambassador for the Ragnar relay-race series and mom of four who has trained for a marathon using a jogging stroller. Brown owns both the single and double versions of this stroller, and she loves how they glide in front of her and how easy they are to turn and push. The Revolution Flex 3.0 has fewer safety and convenience features than our top-pick Alterrain Pro but the same high weight capacity, plus a locking front wheel, adjustable handlebar, large canopy with magnetic flap peekaboo window for sun and rain protection, as well as smooth air-filled tires. Brown also appreciates that the canopy is water resistant and UPF 50-plus to help protect her kids from the elements. This stroller is car-seat compatible and has a total of six storage pockets in addition to the large storage basket, which does not zip up the way the one on the Alterrain does.
[Editor’s note: An older version of this BOB stroller, manufactured before 2015, had safety issues with its quick-release wheels. The new BOB strollers recommended in this story do not have this issue. But if you choose to buy an older BOB stroller second hand, this video shows how to properly secure the wheels.]
Best lightweight jogging stroller
Weight capacity: 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 stroller is also car-seat compatible and has a storage basket with a zip-top cover to keep your stuff clean and splatter free.
Brian Hayes, who manages marketing and e-commerce at Tracksmith, agrees that it’s easy to use and says the locked front wheel and superior shock absorption help the stroller “roll more smoothly without the risk of it flipping over.” With optional accessories for rain, sun, and bug protection, Hayes appreciates that he gets year-round use of the Thule Urban Glide 2 with his 11-month-old daughter.
Best compact-fold jogging stroller
Weight capacity: 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. And 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.
It has a higher weight capacity than the Thule Urban Glide stroller by 11 pounds, which can potentially add two years to its lifespan depending on the child, while the stroller itself weighs only about three pounds more. And though it doesn’t have a hand brake, it is 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 the Guava Roam a convenient and comfortable pick.
Best double jogging stroller
Weight capacity: 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 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 capacity: 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. Ro says her kids love riding in it whether they are being pushed during a jog or pulled behind a bike and adds that 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 kids comfortable with adjustable suspension that you can tighten or loosen for different activities and terrains. And according to Ro, 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 capacity: 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
• 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
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