Should You Travel With a Jogging Stroller?

Have Stroller Will Travel: Our Workhorse

Have Stroller Will Shop. In Mexico 😉

Stroller Reviews For Travel With Baby…

This stroller has actually been to more places than some people. It was nothing fancy, but it was a wonderful stroller for travelling with toddlers and saw us through a number of harsh Canadian winters as well. Time wasn’t kind to this stroller, the wheels ended up all rusty and I could no longer order replacement parts, but if you happen upon one in a secondhand shop or on Craigslist, I recommend you grab it!

It’s a Safety First jogging stroller, and it’s no longer sold in stores. Actually, it’s probably been out of stores for a few years now. It was a hand-me-down from my cousin, and my nephew (the original stroll-ee) is now approaching 12, so this stroller is of a definite vintage. What’s funny is my cousin actually really hated this stroller, but we found it invaluable.

People thought we were nuts for traveling with a baby anyway, never mind attempting to travel with a jogging stroller.

But this jogging stroller folded quite compactly, and very easily. It’s a tad heavy, so it probably would not be allowed as per American Airlines stroller policy, but we had no trouble with it on Air Canada to Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, and it went with us on most of our travels to Cuba. It sailed over cobblestones, had no difficulty with steep curbs, and managed very well on sand. When it was home with us, it got us through numerous snowstorms – even with a Kindergartener riding on the back step (it is probably NOT recommended that you do this, but just letting you know you can – just be safe!)

That stroller owed us nothing.

The stroller’s first trip!

I was concerned about getting a flat tire, and also that we’d need to deflate the tires before gate-checking. I read online somewhere that you might need to do that if you’re traveling with a bicycle – something about the air pressure and having inflatable tires. But on all our journeys we’ve never had to deflate the tires, and we had a little hand pump and patch kit in our carry-on. (We never had to use that either.)

Since this stroller is no longer in production, I had a look around to see what might be comparable today.

There are quite a few options, at many different price points:

The Schwinn Turismo Swivel Single Jogger
This jogging stroller is probably the most similar to our old one, but ours didn’t have a front swivel wheel. At a price point of just over $150, it’s very affordable. And it’s also under 25lbs, which means it’s around the same weight as an UPPAbaby Vista (our favourite stroller). The reviews on Amazon are largely positive, so it really looks like the Schwinn Turismo Swivel Single Jogger is a great jogging stroller that would adapt well for travel.

The Schwinn Arrow Single Stroller
This stroller looks the most like our old beloved workhorse–right down to the fixed front wheel and the hand brake. It’s also a tad on the heavy side at 26.5lbs, and the price is a little more, but but it’s still under $200. The reviews on Amazon for the Schwinn Arrow Single Stroller are mostly positive, with the biggest complaint as overall maneuverability being somewhat challenging. But that was the case with our wheels and in some cases, with steep curbs and cobblestones, travel with a jogging stroller such as this one is actually a necessity.

The Bob Sport Utility Single Stroller
Now this guy is just over 25lbs and folds easily for a jogging stroller, but it is at a higher price point at just over $300. Now that’s totally reasonable compared to other strollers, but that might give pause if this is to be a secondary stroller. The Amazon reviews are mostly glowing, and also mostly from people using this stroller on rough terrain and trails. The complaints are typically about maneuverability, which is a common issue with jogging strollers with fixed front wheels. The Bob Sport Utility Single Stroller looks to be a great choice for travel with baby for more adventurous families who’d get great use of it at home as well.

The Mountain Buggy Terrain Jogging Stroller
At 35lbs and almost $400, this stroller is certainly the heaviest and the priciest of the strollers I looked at. But I’m a sucker for design and it looks pretty cool and it also has a full seat recline which they say is for newborns, but please do not use this stroller for newborn babies without head control. A full recline is great for napping older babies and toddlers, after you’ve totally tuckered them out at the beach. The carrycot attachment that you can buy separately looks suitable for young infants, but no off-roading! The Amazon reviews for the Mountain Buggy Terrain Jogging Stroller  love it for the rugged durability, sleek design, and ability to handle rough terrain.

*I just wanted to add that infants without head control should not be riding in a jogging stroller. Double check with your particular model’s manual to see if it’s safe to do so for smaller babies in their car seat with a car seat adapter.*

If you’re planning to travel with a jogging stroller, you should have a small hand pump and patch kit on hand in your carry-on bag. This cool little package has it all. I’m not sure if you’ll run into trouble at airport security for the screwdrivers, so maybe remove those or place them in your checked luggage. The jury’s out on needing to deflate the tires for gate checking a jogging stroller (we never, ever had to) but best to be prepared, just in case.

So don’t be afraid to travel with a jogging stroller! Now, the one stroller you’ll never see me recommend is the mythical $10 dollar cheapie stroller, not only because it’s awful, but also? It doesn’t really exist. 😉

**We may receive a small commission if you purchase anything after clicking through from this site.**