children · Family · Workout

Outfitting A Jogger Stroller

I love my jogger stroller. A lot. With my oldest son it had to be pried out of my hands and sold against my will – he was too old for it but I didn’t want to give it up. We had a lot of fun those years, going all over. We walked, we hiked, we saw thousands of miles roll by.

(Vintage late 1990’s photo of Ford)

When I was pregnant with our new baby, Walker, I didn’t think about decorating a nursery…no, I thought about my super jogger stroller I was going to have and all the goodies to go with it. Rational thinking probably not. But still fun!

I bought our BOB Revolution within 2 weeks of having Walker. I added in the handlebar console and the car seat adapter which works perfectly.

(Out at the Carbon River at Mt. Rainier NP in spring of 2010 with Walker)

What I like most about the handlebar console is how deep the bottle pockets are. Water bottles won’t fall out of them and you won’t lose items. It attaches securely with no wiggling. Is the BOB worth it? I know the price tag can leave one blanching. $389 is a lot – especially when the car seat adapter is $59 and the console yet another $19. One can start looking at entry level ones like Baby Trend and Instep that start at $100 to $200 and include some of the accessories and wonder if it is worth the extra cost. Yes and no on this. If all you plan on doing is using it as a stroller and will be on paved roads or sidewalks you might consider saving the money. If you plan on going on unpaved trails and giving it more abuse, go for the gold!

On a local rail to trail (smooth unpaved) in late spring:

A young Walker in May, 2010 sitting happily in his jogger:

Out for a walk with Kirk pushing and older brother Ford walking on a paved rail to trail nearby:

Once I had the stroller assembled and everything ready to go we started getting out, often daily. I started thinking about what I needed with me at all times. From my past experiences with Ford I knew what was essential. What I always have with us – I bag each section separately in quart freezer bags and then carry it all in a small sack in the under compartment.

  • Small tire pump (look in the bike section).
  • Spare inter tubes – one for the front wheel, one for the back wheel. The one flat I had due to thorns with Ford, that spare tire was priceless! I was miles from the truck!
  • Blanket – you never know if it will change and get cold.
  • Extra outfit and a hat.
  • Changing pad with diapers, wipes and a garbage bag or two. I use The First Years The First Years Deluxe Fold and Go Diapering Kit.
  • Ready to use formula and a clean nipple/collar. I use Similac Advance EarlyShield Ready Right Now Infant Formula with iron, 8-Ounce Plastic Bottles (Case of 24).I found the nipple/collars at Babies r Us for cheap – they were sold as “disposables” but were not! Or I carry my home bottles with water in them and Similac Advance EarlySheild powder 0.61-Ounce each, 16-count Packages (Pack of 6). They are easy to use. I always carry at a couple feedings just in case!
  • A burp rag
  • Snacks for me – a couple Kashi bars usually, the Crunchy ones are great
  • A map of where I am. Might sound odd but if you walk large neighborhoods it can come in handy. Just print and cut out one from Google Maps! If you do trails you should always have one.
  • Cell phone. I never go without mine in case I ever need my husband to come get us!
  • Your drivers license. If something happened you would want them to know who you are! Please carry it!
  • A sit pad. When we walk on trails vs road walking I carry one for when we take breaks. It is nice to have.
  • Water for me.
  • GPS. Sound crazy? Nope! Fun way to know how far you have walked! We have a couple, I often use this small one Garmin Forerunner 305 1.3-Inch Portable GPS Navigator, as I can tuck it into the console and forget about it.
  • Lunch…well, OK, only for the long walks! Often we pack a small cooler with cold drinks and a homemade rice or pasta salad for an after walk lunch at the truck.

After having Walker I was desperate to get back to working out. I had been going to the gym until I was 18 weeks pregnant and was told to quit exercising for his safety. After researching my options (our gym only offers daycare for 3 months and up and at useless hours) I quit the gym and then I joined Stroller Strides in June. I don’t get to every workout – when it is hot I have zero desire to be in the sun – but when I go I have a lot of fun. I have met a couple moms with babies the same age. And I can justify my stroller, no? 😉

I do know that when the weather turns I am going to pick up a Sammy Sack – a number of the ladies at Stroller Strides have them. I used to sew fleece lap blankets for Ford, these look so much better (and less work for me!).

It can be a fun way to get out, have your child with you and get exercise. Walker and I have put a couple hundred miles on the BOB and hopefully as it cools back down as summer winds down we will be back to daily walking – and not just on the cooler days!

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