Tuesday, January 6, 2009

10 Things To Do to Get the Right Jogging Stroller for Your Family

By Joe Peterson

Tough decision trying to decide which baby jogging stroller is right for your family. More and more parents with young children have adopted a healthy lifestyle. They want to be active and they want to do it with their baby. Thousands of families have invested in a baby jogging stroller for their baby - and maybe now is the time for your family to do the same. There are so many choices that finding the one that is best for you is not an easy task. Don`t let that stop you and your partner from staying fit and getting fit. Look at these 10 things to do when deciding which jogging stroller is best for you.

1. Lighter the better. The stroller you choose should weigh less than 25 pounds. Strollers are made with either aluminum frames or metal tube frames. The lightest ones are those that have an aluminium frame. Not only are aluminum frames much lighter but they are also stronger and longer lasting.

2. Stroller wheels. The stroller you choose should have air-filled 16 inch wheels since they provide easy pushing for mom or dad, and they provide your baby with a comfortably smooth ride. Traditional jogging strollers have two back wheels and one front wheel. The goal with a jogging stroller is to reduce rolling resistance, and any wheels that are less than 16 inches in diameter just don`t do the trick.

3. Seating comfort. Many babies love to nap during their parents run. The stroller seat should tilt back at a 25 percent angle to make it easier for baby to sleep. In addition, the material in the seat should be a light weight fabric that breathes making it comfortable for baby especially on warmer weather days.

4. Sun canopy. Everyone is now conscious of the destructive nature of the sun`s rays, and when out exercising you want to make sure that your son or daughter is fully protected. Each jogging stroller that you consider will have a sun canopy - but some will do a better job than others in providing protection from the sun. For maximum coverage for your baby make sure that the stroller you choose has a sun canopy that rotates 360 degrees to block the sun`s rays no matter which direction your run takes you.

5. Child safety. Safety is number 1 whenever it comes to your baby. Make sure that the stroller you choose keeps your baby safely strapped into their seat. Look for a stroller with a five-point harness. The stroller should have both a hand brake, and a parking brake (engaged by flipping a bar with your feet).

6. Folds easily. Make sure that it can be easily folded with a one step process that one person can do (there is not always a second person available to help you) for placing into a car trunk. If it compacts to no more than 45 inches long, 25 inches wide and 18 inches tall it will fit in most cars. For even more compactness make sure it has quick release wheels that pop off and on with a push of a button.

7. Adjustable handlebar. If you are 6 foot 4 inches tall and your partner is 5 foot 4 inches tall, and you are both going to be using the stroller, the handlebar on your stroller should be easily adjustable (with a simple push of a button) making it comfortable for each of you when jogging.

8. Make sure that it works for your baby as they grow. Babies come in all sizes and shapes - isn`t that great. Your stroller is an investment - and you want to get as much use from it as possible. A child that measures under 25 in. when seated should be able to sit in the stroller, and a child eighty pounds or less should be safely be able to use the stroller. Look for a stroller that provides good height and weight capacity.

9. Buy with confidence. If you bring the stroller home and try it out and it just isn`t what you expected it to be, make sure that the retailer will provide a full refund without any arguing. And if there are problems down the road make sure that there is a good long term warranty from the manufacturer. A solid manufacturer`s warranty is 5 years on the frame and 1 year on all other parts of the stroller.

10. Look for a stroller that fits into your budget. Jogging strollers range widely in price. Look for the features and benefits that you need for your stroller and then expect to pay somewhere in the range of $280 to $900.

Use this list of ten things to do to list which stroller features are most important to your family. Then use your list to help you to purchase the stroller that best meets your needs. - 15438

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