Just how practical a proposition is a jogging stroller when you are not running with it? Let's face it, they can seem quite ungainly sat in the shop and I know that a lot of moms wonder if they are going to be able to handle them.
Well ultimately I guess that is up to the individual, but you only have to look around and it seems like almost every stroller is in fact a jogging stroller.
Well I liken a jogging stroller to an SUV.
10 or 15 years ago, people almost exclusively drove sedans and likewise pushed their children around in conventional strollers.
But since then the SUV has increased in popularity at an almost exponential rate.
Why? Do we all of a sudden live out in the sticks, having to negotiate wild terrain just to get to the convenience store? No, of course we don't.
We drive SUVs because we feel safe in them, they are smooth and most importantly of all they are a lifestyle choice.
On the flip side they are a tad large and ungainly and they are also uneconomical.
In short, for all their failings we choose them because we like them! The same thing can be said for jogging strollers in that we may not jog with them and we may not traverse wild terrain in them, and yes they can be a bit on the large side - but for all their failings we just seem to like them too! I personally have owned jogging strollers for years and do not find them to be a problem at all whether it is a stroll in the park or walking around a crowded mall.
In fact I find that they are more manoeuvrable than a conventional stroller thanks to that wonderful articulated front wheel.
Believe me; you can really spin these things on a dime.
I haven't met a single scenario that I haven't been able to cope with! On the negative side, some strollers are a little cumbersome and heavy to deal with if you need to travel with them i.
e.
get them into the trunk of your car.
Some strollers are very well designed in this respect; they are supplied with detachable wheels and a collapsible frame that can be operated with the squeeze of a trigger.
Again, you need to think about this before purchasing; if you have set your heart on a jogging stroller and you know it won't fit into the trunk of your compact then perhaps consider purchasing an additional, smaller, cheaper, traditional stroller to take with you.
To summarize I would suggest that, on balance, you would never regret purchasing a jogging stroller as the benefits outweigh the negatives and that is really all you could ask for.