If you enjoy a healthy lifestyle and you like to run or jog regularly, that doesn’t have to stop when you have a baby or even twins! You can still run with your children, which is also a great way of getting back into shape after pregnancy. However, to run safely with your family, you will need to choose a good-quality jogging stroller.
Why Trust Us?
Because my full-time job is being mom to 2 precious daughters, and I know a thing or two about strollers. Besides personal experience, I get feedback from other moms who use these strollers every day and put all that research into our unbiased stroller buying guides
- Kyli
But with so many jogging strollers to choose from, which is the best for your needs?
In this article, we compare two jogging strollers brought to you by stroller manufacturing giants, Baby Jogger and Thule.
Table of Contents
Baby Jogger: No Limits. No Boundaries
Baby Jogger was created in 1984 by local newspaper journalist, Phil Baechler.
Baechler wanted to take his infant son with him when he went out jogging. However, the health-conscious dad soon learned that regular strollers are not built to cope with the demands of moving at running speed. So, Baechler designed a stroller that could deal with the stresses of moving faster than walking pace.
Today, Baby Jogger manufactures car seats, strollers, and associated accessories. They design and craft their products to meet every parent’s different needs, whether that includes trips to your local coffee shop or regular family jogging outings on the trail.
Thule: Contemporary, Safe, and Stylish
Thule produces a wide range of brands that are related to transportation and outdoor activities, including strollers.
All Thule’s strollers meet or exceed international safety standards, so you know that your child will be safe while you’re out and about. Thule’s designs their jogging strollers to be easy to handle and comfortable for both the child and the parent, yet they are also very robust and built to last you a lifetime.
Baby Jogger Summit X3 vs. Thule Urban Glide: Overview
In this guide, we compare two very popular jogging strollers head-to-head: the Baby Jogger Summit X3 and the Thule Urban Glide.
These two joggers typically retail at around the same price point, but some key differences between them could influence your decision on which stroller would best suit your lifestyle.
The Baby Jogger Summit X3
- Patented quick fold technology fold your stroller with one hand
- 3 Wheel Stroller: 16" rear and 12" front air filled tires with front wheel lock mounted on the handlebar for easy conversions between jogger and stroller mode
- All wheel suspension system soaks up road bumps making it the perfect all terrain stroller
The Baby Jogger Summit X3 is a double jogging stroller that’s designed to carry twins or two children of different ages. There’s also a version of this stroller that takes just one child.
The Summit X3 has very deep and roomy seats that are perfect for older toddlers. If you have a baby and an older child, the bar between the seats allows your infant to nap without disruption from a lively toddler.
You can see a video of the Baby Jogger Summit X3 at this link:
Things we like:
- Generous, sturdy canopies
- One-step fold
- Easy-to-operate handbrake for excellent control
- Deep, comfy seats and flat recline making the stroller suitable for a newborn
- Locking wheel is hand-operated, ensuring your hands stay clean
- Easy to push and maneuver
- Handles long-distance runs on dirt roads and grass, even with two passengers of different weights
- Seat divider bar prevents seat sagging and keeps two children of different ages separated
Things we don’t like:
- Foot brake is not flip-flop or sandal-friendly
- The storage basket is not easily accessible
- Car seat adapters are not available for this model
- Accessories must be purchased separately
- Unsuitable for newborn babies
The Thule Urban Glide
- Swivel front wheel for easy maneuverability, locks into place for jogging
- Ergonomic handlebar with a range of heights for parent's comfort. The pads are water repellant and removable for washing. Door pass through 25.5 inches
- Turn your Thule Urban Glide into a travel system with the car seat adapter (sold separately, see car seat compatibility chart)
The Thule Urban Glide is a single jogging stroller that’s currently one of the top-selling strollers in its class.
The Urban Glide is rugged and well-made, as well as being fitted with lots of important safety features. Despite its sturdy construction, the Urban Glide is one of the lightest joggers on the market. That means the stroller is easy to lift in and out of your car trunk or carry up and down stairs.
There is also a Thule Urban Glide 2 with an updated hand brake, extra ventilated canopy, and more reflective details for safety.
- A lightweight, all-terrain stroller perfect for jogging or strolling through town
- Voted Best Jogging Stroller of 2023 by Women’s Health
- Swivel front wheel locks into place for jogging and running
Check out this video to see the Thule Urban Glide in action:
Things we like:
- Superior maneuverability
- Ease of assembly
- Super-light and easy to push and jog with
- Can also be used as a regular, everyday stroller
- Comparable sturdy quality and features with high-end strollers, but much lower price
- Large storage basket that takes essentials and some shopping too
- Adjustable handlebar
- Compact when folded
- Easy to fold and open
- Not bulky like some regular or jogging strollers and fits easily into most car trunks
Things we don’t like:
- The seat is narrow and the upright position is too reclined for some children
- Locking the front wheel takes practice and can be awkward
Baby Jogger Summit X3 vs Thule Urban Glide: Features that matter
Wheels
Like most jogging strollers, the Summit X3 has three wheels, large 16-inch rear wheels and a single 12-inch front wheel that can pivot or be locked.
The wheel lock is conveniently located on the handlebar, which means you won’t have to touch muddy, dirty wheels to engage it. This feature also means that you can smoothly change from jogging and walking mode.
Similarly, the Urban Glide has three wheels with air-filled tires. The front wheel is 12 inches in diameter, and the rear ones are 16 inches, which is the same as the Summit X3. The front wheel of both these joggers swivels to provide good agility, and you can lock it too to give you a longer, more stable wheelbase when moving over rough terrain.
The Urban Glide has a foot-operated parking brake.
Ride quality
The Summit X3 has an all-wheel suspension system, which, together with inflatable tires, means that your passengers will enjoy a smooth, cushioned ride over rough terrain.
Your passenger will enjoy a smooth, cushioned ride in the Urban Glide, thanks to its rear wheel suspension system that allows the stroller to float over unsurfaced tracks and trails. Like the Summit X3, the Urban Glide has a safety wrist tether.
Brakes
The Summit X3 has two brakes. There’s a foot-operated parking brake and hand-operated rear drum brakes. Note that the parking brake is not flip-flop-friendly.
The rear drum brakes mean that you can control the speed of the stroller when you’re running downhill or over rough ground. Without this brake, managing a double stroller with two large toddlers on board would be extremely difficult, especially when you’re running downhill. The stroller is also fitted with a wrist safety tether for extra security.
Like the Summit X3, the Urban Glide has a hand brake that allows you to control the stroller when jogging downhill.
Seat
The Summit X3’s seats recline individually. That’s important if you have a young child who enjoys a nap and an older toddler who likes to sit upright and enjoy the view. The fully reclined seat position has a vented top, providing extra ventilation and cooling on summer runs.
Like the Summit X3, the Urban Glide has a nicely padded seat that can recline to an almost flat position, allowing for comfortable napping. The vented top provides good air-flow when the seat is fully reclined.
Canopy
Both the Urban Glide and the Summit X3 have generously proportioned canopies that extend to cover your child right down to their knees.
You can adjust the canopies on the double Summit X3. When fully extended, the canopies will provide cover for your passengers, right down to their knees. Each canopy has a peek-a-boo window and side vents for extra cooling in warm weather.
The Urban Glide’s canopy also has a peek-a-boo window with a silent magnetic closure. Also, the Urban Glide’s canopy is made from UPF 50+ fabric to provide your child with excellent protection from strong sunlight. That’s an important consideration for you if you live in a climate where the summers are very hot.
Handlebar
One area where the Summit X3 falls down is that the handlebar is not adjustable. That could be a problem for very tall or short parents. That said, the handlebar is covered with durable rubber to minimize the risk of the stroller slipping through your grasp on wet days or when your hands get sweaty on a run.
On the other hand, the Urban Glide has an ergonomically designed, adjustable handlebar that’s lacking on the Summit X3. That’s a feature that’s is great for parents of different heights, meaning that you won’t have to stoop over the stroller, risking backache, and you won’t suffer from risk pain.
Folding
One big plus point in the Summit X3’s favor is its simple, quick folding mechanism. Baby Jogger’s patented folding system can be operated with one hand, which is very important if you have two children to control while you’re collapsing the stroller.
When it’s folded, the Summit X3 measures a reasonably compact 34.25 x 32.5 x 15.35 inches, which will fit comfortably into most car trunks.
The Urban Glide is also easy to manage in this respect. It has a simple, one-handed fold and measures 34.2 x 27.2 x 13.3 inches, coming in even smaller than the Summit X3.
Storage
The underseat storage basket on the Summit X3 is very spacious and can easily fit a diaper bag, a small amount of shopping, and other baby essentials. Unfortunately, access to the storage basket is blocked by a central bar, and removing it can be a hassle. However, Baby Jogger has provided extra storage in the form of mesh, seat-back pockets that will take a phone, keys, etc.
When it comes to onboard storage, the Urban Glide outdoes the Summit X3. This stroller has a very large, easily accessible underseat basket that will carry all your baby essentials and a few bags of shopping too. With the Urban Glide, you also get a zipped, water-resistant cover for the storage basket that you don’t get with the Summit X3.
Accessories
For a stroller that sits in the mid to high price range, it’s disappointing that you don’t get any useful accessories included with the Summit X3. So, if you want to buy a parent console, cup holder, or trays for your passengers, for example, you will have to pay extra, which pushes up the total price tag.
It’s surprising, given the price point at which the Urban Glide retails, that you don’t get any accessories in the deal.
So, like the Summit X3, if you want a cup holder, parent organizer tray, child’s snack tray, or rain cover, you will have to buy these items separately, which will markedly push up the price of the stroller.
Car seat compatibility
Disappointingly, the Summit X3 is not compatible with any infant car seats. That means you can’t use the stroller for very young infants until they can hold their heads up unsupported. The lack of car seat compatibility could also be a problem for you if you like to travel to your favorite jogging spot.
If you need a stroller that can be converted into a combi travel system, the Urban Glide can do that. However, you will need to purchase a special infant car seat adapter that’s sold separately.
Colors
The Summit X3 comes in a limited range of colors, including black and gray, and green and gray.
Similarly, the Thule Urban Glide comes in a small range of colors, including black, red, gray, and blue.
Wrapping it up
Although both the Baby Jogger Summit X3 and the Thule Urban Glide are great quality, well-built strollers with plenty of safety and comfort features that appeal to parents, there are a few notable differences that could prove to be deal-breakers for you.
The Summit X3 is designed to be used exclusively as a jogging stroller. The storage basket is quite large but difficult to get to, and the chassis strut that cuts across it makes retrieving the contents tricky. However, the stroller handles rough terrain smoothly, and the deep seats, large wheels, and suspension make for a comfy ride.
The Urban Glide is intended to double up as a regular stroller and a jogger. You can buy an infant car seat adapter too, which is essential if you plan on using this jogging stroller as a travel system. The storage provided on the Urban Glide is large enough to take all your baby essentials and some shopping too, making it ideal for use as an around town stroller. The ride quality you can expect from the Urban Glide is superb and definitely on a par with that of the Summit X3.
With the Urban Glide, we think that you’re getting a two-in-one stroller that’s more versatile than the Summit X3 and for a very similar price tag too.
