Excellent everyday jogging travel system
October 27, 2018
We received the Britax BOB Rambler Jogging Stroller Travel System in black via mail. It arrived very well packaged, nothing was broken or missing. We were thrilled with the frustration-free packaging and assembly; my husband opened the box, assembled the stroller and installed the car seat and base in the car in under 25 minutes!
The stroller itself is very impressive and of the quality I would expect from a BOB. It has air-filled tires (that were already full on arrival), excellent steering, it's weighted for 75 lbs, and has a suspension that allowed our newborn to comfortably ride over bumpy pumpkin patch terrain without a hiccup or rousing from her sleep. (I also tested it with my 2 and 4-year-olds.) It folds pretty easily and was a piece of cake for my husband to load in the car. I did find folding and loading to be heavier (it weighs 25 lbs) and slightly more cumbersome for my frame, but still not difficult! Due to the 12" tire size, it is not as compact when folded as some strollers. But it's a minor inconvenience and, unless you have a compact car or never encounter rough terrain, the trade off is definitely worth considering.
It does not come with snack trays or parent consoles, but none of my other strollers have; I just always get those as separate accessories. Storage space under the stroller is adequate. The stroller brake is easy to flip with one foot. It includes a mesh panel behind the child for air flow on hot days and a roll-down solid panel for cooler days. There is a clear window pane in the top of the stroller for viewing, but I found it difficult to use when actually moving with the stroller when by itself; it really was only useful for my 5'4" self when I had parked the stroller and was standing next to it instead of behind it. It reclines nearly flat; with my own infant head support added to the stroller, I was able to walk with my newborn in it without the car seat attached.
On a jog or run this stroller is fantastic. There's great weight distribution, so it feels very light, and it's so easy to steer, even one-handed when needed. The handlebar has a soft foam cover; it wasn't hot enough for sweating on our walks or jogs, but it did give me the impression that it would resist slipping when sweaty. It also includes running must-haves: a front-wheel lock and a parent wrist safety strap.
The infant car seat was of average difficulty for vehicle installation and it easily transitions from car to stroller and back. In the stroller, it's a breeze to pop in and out and includes a very visible red safety strap for extra security and confidence when used with the stroller. I absolutely loved how the canopies of the car seat and stroller meet together and can easily cover baby from the sun and prying eyes!
It has a narrower base for the car, which is helpful. I did find it harder to lower the car seat handlebar once it was installed in my car, since it requires compressing the buttons on both sides at once, but I do have three car seats in one row of my SUV, so it's a tight squeeze! It also required slightly more hand strength to remove from the car seat base than my other infant car seat does, but it was not too difficult for someone of average strength. The handlebar also lowers enough to act as a stabilizing bar when the seat is on the ground! I trust the Britax brand and this infant seat is rated up to 35 lbs.
Overall, I was highly impressed with this travel system and would recommend it for those looking for an everyday stroller that can also be used for either jogging or just rougher terrain travels. However, if you need a more compact stroller that's lightweight and easy to carry this might not be the best option. Pros: smooth stroller ride and easy steering, great canopy coverage on both, easy assembly and installation, good weight limits for stroller and infant seat. Cons: stroller has heavier and more cumbersome frame when carried or lifted due to the air-filled tires, not as compact when folded, difficult to see through stroller window pane when canopy fully extended.
Folded dimensions: folded length, wheels on: swivel mode 38 in; folded height, wheels on: swivel mode 14 in.
I was given this product for free to try as part of the weeSpring Parent Panel.
This product review was collected by the manufacturer.