jogger vs. regular stroller - why own both?

glitterclaws · January 2014

Hi guys - I have a dumb question. If I plan on getting a jogger, should I plan on just skipping the regular stroller? It seems like everyone I know has 2 - one regular, one jogger. And it seems like the jogger just makes more sense since it's more versatile. It looked like joggers can hold infant carriers. Is there a downside to only owning a jogger? Thanks!!

JayBzo · January 2014

No idea and would also like to know, however my friend had both and has told me that she has never used the regular one.. The jogger was easiest to get around in stores and so she has always used that one (second baby now almost 3) and still using it. I have heard they are bulky though and some don't fit in trunks easily?

purpleXdandelion · January 2014

I live in MN so in the winter I wander around the mall just to get out of the house. A jogger, for me, is too big for in the mall so I have a little umbrella stroller for those times.

BPer · January 2014

We have a regular stroller, jogger, and umbrella stroller.

We use all of them for different things.

runrinserepeat · January 2014

We have a jogging stroller and a $15 umbrella stroller that we never use. The jogging stroller worked just fine for us in almost every situation.

tourqeyes · January 2014

Jogging stroller can be hard in aisles of certain stores. I don't have a regular stroller and don't really regret not having it. We did invest in a more expensive umbrella stroller for other occasions but also rarely use it.

cuntasaurusrex · January 2014

I really want an all terrain stroller, which is similar to a jogger, because we camp a lot, and also live in a snowy state.

TurtleMonsters · January 2014

personally if I had the $$ I'd get a big one (jogger if you run) and one of those cheesey department store ones like we had as kids that folds up really tight. The big one only works well in open spaces and is nice to have to have for a stroller with storage, ibe it jogger or the typical ones you can plug the car seat in (I have that). The small one is necessary for tight places, is so much easier to transport, but has limited storage.

lynnyrd80 · January 2014

We have a Bob and a City Mini. I'm a SAHM so I use my city mini a lot. It's only 16 lbs and is super easy to get in and out of the car, and it lives in the back of my car all the time. It's also a lot more compact and easy to get around stores and crowds.

My DH is a runner and I was running before I got pregnant again, so we do get use out of the Bob. We also use that when we go somewhere we need more all-terrain.

I like having both and we get a lot of use out of both, but I would say think about your lifestyle to see if you will really need both. You can also get car seat attachments for lots of different strollers including city minis and Bobs. You aren't supposed to run with a baby until they are 10 months because of neck strength. So, you can always wait to buy a running stroller if you want both to stagger the purchases. That's what we did and buy then we decided that we really did want and would use one.

runrinserepeat · January 2014

I guess I should add, in the situations that the jogger would have been cumbersome, we usually just wear DD instead.

livkight · January 2014

A related question: Did many STMs here use a stroller while your baby was little little? Like for the first few months? We live in an apartment with a dog, and I walk him about an hour a day on sidewalks. Baby will of course come with-- I'm thinking a wrap or infant carrier will be best when baby is very new, but I'm wondering how some other dog-walking moms preferred to deal with baby and dog. I do some jogging, but I'm not hardcore, so I'm thinking a jogger would be nice to go everywhere at every pace I'd like to go!

runrinserepeat · January 2014

livkight said:

A related question: Did many STMs here use a stroller while your baby was little little? Like for the first few months? We live in an apartment with a dog, and I walk him about an hour a day on sidewalks. Baby will of course come with-- I'm thinking a wrap or infant carrier will be best when baby is very new, but I'm wondering how some other dog-walking moms preferred to deal with baby and dog. I do some jogging, but I'm not hardcore, so I'm thinking a jogger would be nice to go everywhere at every pace I'd like to go!

For walks during maternity leave with the pooch, I used the stroller. It did take a while for our dog to get used to it, though. At first he was terrified of it.

singingirl96 · January 2014

livkight said:

A related question: Did many STMs here use a stroller while your baby was little little? Like for the first few months? We live in an apartment with a dog, and I walk him about an hour a day on sidewalks. Baby will of course come with-- I'm thinking a wrap or infant carrier will be best when baby is very new, but I'm wondering how some other dog-walking moms preferred to deal with baby and dog. I do some jogging, but I'm not hardcore, so I'm thinking a jogger would be nice to go everywhere at every pace I'd like to go!

we used a snap and go stroller frame to carry the carrier.

am7rice · January 2014

BPer said:
We have a regular stroller, jogger, and umbrella stroller.

We use all of them for different things.

This! Jogger is good for obv running but the boardwalk beach zoo. And umbrella when we have to run into a store or mall. And we also have a frame when he's still sleeping and I need to run into the food store or somewhere.

Kristen0705 · January 2014

My sister and I were just talking about this yesterday. She only has a jogger stroller and we went shopping at the mall. Her infant carrier fit right inside it and we didn't have any problems getting through the aisles. She also suggested you try out the strollers in the store. For her, an umbrella stroller was too short and hurt her back to hunch over and push it.

lindslalala · January 2014

I tried to use just my jogging stroller for everything, but quickly realized that wouldn't work. I couldn't maneuver well in most stores.

biglewzer · January 2014

I have both. It's unnecessary, but convenient. The City Mini is easier for travel and shopping in stores with. It's not as wide and is easier to bring in and out of my car.

Kohler2009 · January 2014

I started off with a regular stroller that accommodated the infant carrier. After I was cleared to exercise, I bought a jogging stroller and joined Stroller Strides. There was no way I would have been able to push my regular stroller while jogging. The joggers are much smoother (for mommy and baby!!). I also loved the jogging stroller for the beach. Last year I bought an umbrella stroller (UppaBaby G-Lite) as DS was 2 and just needed something comfy to ride in. I loved how light it was and folded up pretty compact. It was great for errands, trips to the zoo, pretty much everywhere. I also used it a ton at Hershey Park. Having twins this time around, I plan to get the Baby Jogger City Double and then a double umbrella (like a Maclaren) down the road when they are a little bigger.

GinnyJ2012 · January 2014

I have a baby trend jogger and it is heavy and takes up a lot of space. The front wheel locks and unlocks with a button on the handle. This makes it easy to get around the mall and other places. While jogging the wheel must be locked or the stroller shakes.

We have an umbrella stroller from a friend that has tall handles and it works great with DS who is 15 months. It has slightly larger wheels and we did take it to the beach, but it only worked ok.

allardr · January 2014

I have just a jogger for DD--Grand Safari Stroller & it fits my Key Fit 30 infant car seat. I don't run, but we do use the stroller mostly for walks & hikes so it needed to have real inflatable tires not plastic ones. It works great. The only down side is it's kind of large for some stores. But to me it didn't warrent a 2nd stroller. This summer we're going to Myrtle Beach so we will pick up a $10 little stroller from Walmart for the boardwalk there but to me it's better than a 2nd real stroller.

As for the dog walking question, if I walked my dog alone I wore baby. I didn't want to deal with a lease tangled with stroller (my big dog pulls a lot). Now I have two dogs so I refuse to do two dogs with baby even if worn. I go to the dog park now. When DD was little I'd let dogs loose at dog park and walk laps with her in carrier in stroller around the perimeter.

Big+Lil · January 2014

I love my Bob and used it with the infant seat in the beginning. When she could sit on her own, I bought an inexpensive umbrella stroller. I use that for shopping trips and more crowded spaces because it's not as bulky.

TRyan86 · January 2014

I've been looking at getting the baby jogger city mini gt. It looks to me like it combines the best of both. It still folds up small, is not too heavy and can do all terrain. Not great for intense running but it looks like it would be fine for some jogging/trails etc. anyone have any experience?

livkight · January 2014

TRyan86 said:

I've been looking at getting the baby jogger city mini gt. It looks to me like it combines the best of both. It still folds up small, is not too heavy and can do all terrain. Not great for intense running but it looks like it would be fine for some jogging/trails etc. anyone have any experience?

I'd love to hear thoughts on this too!

Soon2BMrsN · January 2014

We have owned as many as four strollers all at once. When ODS was first born, we had a Graco infant seat and the stroller frame to snap the carseat into. We used this exclusively for the first six months or so, but we also registered for and received a Chicco umbrella stroller and a Jeep jogging stroller at our shower. When ODS was 8 months old, we switched him to a convertible carseat so we then kept the Chicco stroller in the trunk of the car for outings and walked him around the neighborhood in the jogging stroller. When YDS was born, we again used the infant carseat/stroller frame combo AND sometimes also the Chicco. DH pushed a kid in one and I pushed the other. When YDS was about 8 months old, we bought a double BOB so I could start working out again. We thought we were done having kids, so we got rid of the infant seat/stroller and the Jeep jogger (it was a piece of junk). Now we have the Chicco in the back of the car for YDS and use the BOB for walking/running. When the new baby arrives, I plan to get the infant seat adaptor for the BOB since ODS will be five and not need any stroller anymore. I don't plan to buy a stroller frame with our new infant seat because I cannot fathom a time that I would/could use it. I will just wear baby or take the BOB out for YDS and baby if need be.

Anyway, different set-ups work for different people. I am sure some would say that it's crazy I have owned four different strollers, but all were/are used constantly and suited our needs at different times.

eta: I must not be a big shopper, because I have rarely taken a stroller into a store in 4.5 years of parenting. Or I frequent places that have carts.

lindslalala · January 2014

TRyan86 said:

I've been looking at getting the baby jogger city mini gt. It looks to me like it combines the best of both. It still folds up small, is not too heavy and can do all terrain. Not great for intense running but it looks like it would be fine for some jogging/trails etc. anyone have any experience?

I'm looking at the double version of the city mini gt. Unfortunately there's no where nearby I can test it out so I'm unsure if it's too large for going through stores. It does seem like the perfect compromise though.

glitterclaws · January 2014

Guys, all this info is amazing. Thank you!!! It sounds like there's a reason most people have more than one.

I'm not a hardcore runner, but I do run, plus we camp and go to the beach a lot so that's why I was leaning towards jogger only. I guess I was forgetting the day-to-day with baby. I don't want to be someone who is deterred from leaving the house because of having an infant so it sounds like I need options.

You guys rock!

EllaSmella · January 2014

We just had a BOB. This next time, I'm just getting a smaller stroller. The BOB is lovely to push/use, but it's a bear in small spaces and a pain to load in and out of the car. It will stay at home for use around the neighborhood and I am planning on using the smaller stroller for out and about.

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