Many modern families enjoy an active lifestyle, and a new baby doesn’t mean that it has to change. Jogging strollers allow you to keep fit and take your children with you. There are plenty of jogging strollers on the market, so choosing one can be a dilemma.
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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
In this guide, we take a closer look at two of the most popular joggers created by baby gear manufacturers, Bumbleride and Baby Jogger.
Both of the high-end strollers featured in this article come in at a similar price point, but there are notable differences between them. Our comparison will help you decide which stroller would suit your family’s needs best, saving you from making a potentially expensive mistake.
So, who are Bumbleride and Baby Jogger?
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Bumbleride: Intuitive, eco-friendly, simple
U.S stroller manufacturer, Bumbleride was founded in 2004 by new parents Matt and Emily Reichardt. The strollers Bumbleride produces are designed to fit with an active lifestyle and with the future health of the planet to the fore.
All Bumbleride’s eco-friendly fabrics are created using a blend of bamboo and recycled material. The designs are user-friendly, safe, and comfortable for your passenger. You can be confident that a Bumbleride stroller will fit an urban or out-of-town environment and will last you through several children too.
Bumbleride Indie
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The Bumbleride Indie is the fourth iteration of this particular model of a jogging stroller. The design is popular with families who enjoy light running or jogging and need an everyday stroller that also offers all-terrain capability with a few luxurious features too.
The Indie rolls on large, air-filled tires that cope easily with any terrain and is an easy, one-handed push. Features to look out for are an adjustable leg rest, adjustable handlebar, huge storage basket, mesh seat window, adjustable five-point safety harness, and runaway safety strap.
If you have twins or two toddlers, you can get the Indie as a double stroller too.
To see a video of the Bumbleride Indie in action, click below.
What we like:
- Copes well with all kinds of terrain
- Generous storage basket
- Adjustable handlebar
- One-handed push
- Luxury feel
What we don’t like:
- Doesn’t come with many extras, considering the high-end price point
Baby Jogger: No Limits. No Boundaries
Baby Jogger was founded in 1984 and has since gone on to become a world-renowned maker of children’s gear, including strollers. They were the first company to produce a stroller that is specifically designed for use when running or jogging.
Baby Jogger’s strollers are created to meet the demands of an urban or suburban lifestyle, being suitable for family trips to the park, trail running, or shopping in a mall.
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 jogging stroller that also comes in a double version that’s perfect if you have twins or two young children of similar ages.
The Summit X3 has very deep and roomy seats that are exceptionally comfortable for older children. There’s also a flat recline feature, making this stroller suitable for a newborn.
A firm favorite with many parents, the Summit X3 has a simple, one-handed fold, a huge sun canopy, and a smooth, one-handed push.
You can watch a promotional video of the Baby Jogger Summit X3 below.
Things we like:
- Large sun canopy
- Easy-to-operate handbrake
- Flat recline making the stroller suitable for an infant
- Easy to push and maneuver
- Copes easily with any terrain
Things we don’t like:
- The foot brake is not flip-flop-friendly
- Car seat adapters are not available
Bumbleride Indie vs. Baby Jogger Summit X3: Features that matter
In this article, we look at jogging style strollers from both manufacturers, the Bumbleride Indie and the Baby Jogger Summit X3.
Canopy
The Indie has a huge canopy that sits high enough on the frame to allow more headroom for a tall child. Two large UPF 45+ panels and a big pop-out sun visor protect your child from strong sunlight right down to the bumper bar, which is a big plus point for you if you live in a hot climate. The dark mesh peek-a-boo window has a magnetic closure instead of noisy Velcro, so you won’t need to worry about waking your napping child when you want to take a peek.
No products found.The Summit X3 has a massive canopy that can also be extended to provide full coverage to your passenger. The canopy has a peek-a-boo window with side ventilation to provide extra cooling power on hot days.
Handlebar
The Indie’s handlebar is fully adjustable, providing a comfortable push for parents of different heights. The handlebar has a thermoplastic, PVC-free rubber cover, which is very easy to clean. A neat grip space in the center of the handlebar allows for one-handed pushing.
The Summit X3 disappoints when compared to the Indie in that the handlebar is not adjustable. That’s surprising when you consider that this is a high-end stroller that doesn’t come cheap, and the non-adjustable handlebar could be a problem for very short or tall parents.
The Summit’s handlebar is covered with rubber that’s easy to clean and won’t slip through your hands on wet days or if your hands start to sweat while you’re out jogging.
Seat
The seat on the Indie offers plenty of room for a large toddler, measuring 14.5-inches wide with a 19-inch seat back, and 25 inches from the seat back to the top of the canopy. The seat has a strap-system recline feature. The maximum recline is almost entirely flat, making it suitable for a newborn. The seat weight limit is 55 pounds.
No products found.The Indie offers an option for a newborn that’s not provided by the Summit X3. You can convert the toddler seat into a bassinet-like environment for your baby by reclining the seat entirely and raising the leg rest. If you prefer, you can purchase a separate bassinet to convert the stroller into a pram.
The Indie has a padded, adjustable five-point safety harness with a toddler-proof center release button. You can separate the waist and shoulder straps, making it easier to remove small children from the harness.
The Summit X3 also has seat recline functionality and a regular, five-point safety harness. Once fully reclined, the seat has a smart, vented top that gives your child extra ventilation to keep them cool when you go jogging on a summer’s day.
Storage
The Indie has a large storage basket that’s easy to access. There’s also a neat zipper pocket that can be used to store the included air pump, as well as a diaper bag and other baby essentials. If you want even more storage space, you can buy a separate universal stroller organizer.
No products found.On the back of the Indie’s canopy, you’ll find a small zipper pocket for your keys and phone. Also, there are two additional pockets in the back and inside of the seat.
The Summit X3 has a generous underseat storage basket that will comfortably take a diaper bag, a few baby essentials, and a few small shopping bags. You also get extra storage in the form of two mesh, seat-back pockets for your keys, phone, and wallet.
Note that access to the storage basket on the double version of the Summit X3 a central bar on the stroller chassis obstructs access to the basket. You can remove the bar, but that is a hassle you don’t need when you’re coping with two small children.
Bumper bar
The Indie has a bumper bar included that folds up with the stroller. The bumper bar is covered with the same fabric as the canopy for a stylish finish.
Footrest
The Indie’s footrest has multiple positions, including an infant mode for the bassinet function.
Wheels and suspension
The Indie has three 12-inch air-filled tires that give a super-smooth ride, and it also has all-wheel suspension. The rear wheels can be removed with the push of a button, making the stroller more compact when it’s folded. The front wheels are 3600 swivel-capable, but you can lock them for moving across rough terrain.
A nice touch is the included air pump that you get with the Indie; perfect if you get a flat while out and about!
The Summit X3 also has three wheels; 16-inch rear wheels and one 12-inch front wheel that can swivel or be locked. One nice feature of this stroller is that the wheel lock is on the handlebar. That means you don’t need to touch dirty, muddy wheels to engage it, and you can smoothly switch between walking and jogging mode.
The Summit X3 gives a silky smooth ride thanks to its inflatable tires and high-tech suspension system.
Parking brake
The Indie and the Summit both have a foot-operated parking brake that is between the rear wheels. Unfortunately, neither of these brakes are flip-flop friendly.
The Summit X3 also has rear drum brakes that allow for better control over the stroller when you’re moving downhill or across rough terrain. You also get a wrist tether for extra security.
The fold
The Indie has a one-step fold that’s smooth and easy to carry out with two hands, and there’s an auto-lock feature too. The stroller dimensions when folded are 32 x 24 x 11.5 inches.
Compared with the Indie, the Summit X3 folds into a larger package, although it will fit comfortably into most car trunks. The stroller’s folded dimensions are 34.25 x 32.5 x 15.35 inches.
The Summit’s folding mechanism is quick and straightforward and can be achieved using just one hand, which is crucial if you’re juggling a baby in one hand and trying to collapse the stroller with the other.
Travel system
The Indie converts into a travel system for a newborn baby, and it works with most popular brands of car seats.
In contrast, the Summit X3 is not compatible with any brand of infant car seat. So, you won’t be able to use the stroller for newborns and very young infants who can’t hold their heads up independently. That could be a real deal-breaker for you if you like to drive to trails, parks, or to the beach for your run.
Accessories
You don’t get many accessories with either of these strollers. However, the Indie comes with a handy air pump for your tires. You don’t get that with the Summit X3. Also, if you’d like a cup holder, parent console, or snack trays for your passengers, you will need to pay extra.
Colors
The Summit X3 comes in a limited range of colors, including black and gray, and green and gray.
The Indie comes in a few subtle, stylish colors, including black, turquoise, gray and mint, navy blue, gray and coral, and green.
No products found.Wrapping it up
If you like to go running or jogging, or if you enjoy taking your child off-piste for some all-terrain action, you’ll need a jogging stroller. Both the Bumbleride and Baby Jogger strollers we’ve featured here are perfect for the job they are designed to do, but there are differences between the two.
The Bumbleride Indie is compatible with all of the most popular car travel systems, and the stroller also has a full recline feature so you can use it for a newborn. You can also purchase a bassinet to use with the Indie’s chassis, which you can’t with the Baby Jogger Summit X3.
Both the Indie and the Summit X3 come in a double version, so if you have twins or two young children of different ages, they can travel together. Both these strollers are ideally suited to off-roading and for daily use around town too. Whichever you choose, you’ll get a super-quality, reliable stroller that will serve you and your family well for many years.
