If you’re a parent who likes to keep in shape by running or jogging, you need a jogging stroller. But what about taking shopping trips to the mall or popping into your local coffee shop to meet friends? Don’t you need to buy two strollers to meet these very different needs? Well, the good news is that you can have the best of both worlds with a stroller from the Mountain Buggy and Phil & Teds range.
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
Mountain Buggy and Phil & Teds fall under the same company umbrella. And both labels include jogging and all-terrain strollers that can double as regular buggies too.
In this article, we compare the Mountain Buggy Terrain stroller with the Phil & Teds Sport stroller. Both are rugged, well-made, and functional vehicles, but some notable differences between them could sway your decision.
First of all, let’s introduce these two premium stroller manufacturers.
Table of Contents
Mountain Buggy: Engineered for the mountains, designed for the city
Mountain Buggy first launched an all-terrain stroller in 1992, filling a gap in the marketplace and propelling the brand to the forefront of the then very narrow recreational stroller niche.
The first Mountain Buggy stroller was designed by a New Zealand dad who wanted to enjoy navigating the area’s mountain trails with his baby in tow. The all-terrain platform crafted by this pioneering parent has evolved over the years into a design that is characterized by clean lines and functional style.
Whether you have a newborn baby or a toddler, if you love off-road hiking on rough trails or pounding the smooth city sidewalks, Mountain Buggy has you covered.
Mountain Buggy Terrain Stroller
- outstanding maneuverability and kerb pop
- superior one hand fast fold
- compact stand fold with hidden automatic frame lock
In this guide, we focus our attention on the Mountain Buggy Terrain stroller.
This supremely versatile, multi-purpose stroller is perfect for jogging, shopping, or hiking off-piste. And at a relatively light 29 pounds, it’s ideal for running with too.
When you’re jogging or navigating across uneven ground, the Terrain’s three-position swivel front wheel locks for extra control and stability. The Terrain has a one-hand squeeze brake system for extra safety when you’re moving downhill, and the shock-absorbers provide a smooth ride for your passenger and an easy push for you.
The Terrain is suitable for a newborn with its reclining seat, carrycot, and multi-brand infant car seat compatibility.
Check out this video of the Mountain Buggy Terrain:
What we like
- Travel system compatible
- Air-filled tires and high-tech rear suspension for a smooth ride
- Large storage basket
- Adjustable sun canopy with pop-out mesh visor and peek-a-boo window.
- Freestanding, one-step fold
- Slowing brake on the handlebar
What we don’t like
- No air pump or rain cover included
- Seat fabric tends to bunch up around the upper seat when the seat back is upright
Phil & Teds: High-performance, innovation, award-winning
New Zealand company, Phil & Teds has been creating award-winning strollers for over 20 years and now has more than 1,000 stores in over 40 countries worldwide.
Today, Phil & Teds have three premier stroller and children’s gear brands, including Mountain Buggy and Mokopuna. The company strives to give parents the freedom they need to escape the nursery and head for the great outdoors, enabling moms and dads to live their life without limits.
Phil&Teds Sport Stroller
- ONE HAND FOLD - quick and easy, convenient and compact, and frame lock with easy release
- AUTO STOP & AIR FILLED TIRES - 12" air filled tires for cushioned ride with swivel or locking front wheel and handle bar mounted Auto Stop braking system
- CAR SEAT ADAPTABLE - Can take one or two infant car seats (with adapters sold separately) and has 26 riding options spanning birth to toddler and accommodating one or two children
For comparison with the Terrain, we look over Phil & Teds Sport stroller.
The Sport is designed for convenience when traveling with its simple, one-hand fold and frame lock. Like the Terrain, the Sport has three air-filled tires for a cushioned, smooth ride and push, and the front swivel wheel is lockable.
A highlight that you won’t find on other jogging strollers is the innovative auto-stop braking system that prevents the stroller from rolling away should you lose your grip on the handlebar.
The Sport can take one or two infant car seats and has no fewer than 26 riding options for one or two children, from newborn to toddlerhood.
The Sport weighs in slightly lighter than the Terrain at 27.9 pounds.
Click below to see a video of the Phil & Teds Sport in action.
What we like
- Compatible with a travel system and carrycot
- Large storage basket
- Easy, one-handed fold and free-standing capability
- Generous sun canopy with extra pop-out visor
- One-step braking mechanism and auto-stop feature
- Super-comfy ventilated main seat
What we don’t like
- Storage basket could be larger
- When used in doubles mode, the rumble seat is very close to the main seat
- You can’t fold the stroller with the rumble seat attached
Mountain Buggy Terrain Stroller vs. Phil&Teds Sport: Features that matter
Now, let’s compare these two great strollers head-to-head.
The seat
The Terrain gives you seating options from newborn right through to six years! Now that’s impressive, but given that this stroller sits at the top end of the price point, longevity is a significant consideration for many parents.
The Terrain and the Sport both have many recline positions that you achieve via a one-handed, double-strap system. The seats can recline flat for a newborn or be placed more upright for an older child. In both the Terrain and the Sport, your passenger is held securely and comfortably in the seat by an easily-adjusted, padded five-point safety harness. The central buckle on the harness is covered by a smart over-buckle to prevent a curious toddler from escaping!
The Terrain’s roomy seat can take a large child, and the canopy slides up the frame to accommodate a tall youngster. The stroller’s total capacity is a whopping 77 pounds so that older kids can travel too.
Unlike most high-end jogging strollers, the Terrain has two neat mesh pockets on either side of the seat that will take snacks, small toys, or a sippy cup. There are a padded bumper bar and a footrest for extra seating support. If you have a newborn, the seat on both the Terrain and the Sport is removable for conversion into a car seat via an adapter you must buy separately.
With the Terrain, you can buy a smaller, face-to-face parent-facing seat that’s perfect for your child when he’s outgrown the carrycot and car seat. The smart design of the seat takes up to 20 pounds in weight and has legs that transform the whole thing into a handy chair that can be used independently of the stroller.
You can use the Sport for a newborn too, with the separately sold carrycot that converts the stroller into a pram.
The Sport’s toddler seat features their state-of-the-art Seat Performance System that uses a contoured seat to support your child and promote better posture. There are seat holes in the back to provide good ventilation on hot days. The seat is generously proportioned to accommodate a large child up to 44 pounds, while the passenger in the double-attachment accessory seat can weigh up to 33 pounds.
The fold
The Terrain and the Sport both have a one-step folding process that’s quick and simple to operate. Although both strollers are quite bulky, you can pop off the wheels to create a more compact package and save space in your car trunk.
The Sport has an automatic frame lock for convenient, self-standing storage.
Canopy
The Terrain and the Sport both have a canopy that’s designed to pivot so that you can follow the sun and keep your passenger shaded from any angle. For additional protection, there’s a flip-out visor. A large peek-a-boo window in the top of the canopy allows you to check on your child. Unfortunately, the window fastens with a Velcro closure, which is noisy to undo and could wake a sleeping child.
Storage
The Terrain’s storage basket is a decent size and will take up to 11 pounds of essentials and shopping. A nice touch is a zippered cover that prevents your things from bouncing out of the basket if you’re running across a stretch of uneven ground. You also get two bottle holders for your water, but these aren’t suitable for hot drinks or containers with open tops because both holders are at an angle.
The Sport has a generous underseat storage basket, but you must bear in mind that the storage basket area is where your second child’s feet will go when you’re using the doubles kit. Also, there are additional pockets on each side of the canopy that will take a few small items, including a water bottle.
Handlebar
Unusually for a jogging stroller, the Terrain and the Sport both have an adjustable handlebar to cater for parents of different heights and can be altered as low as 34 inches or up to 46 inches.
Maneuverability
The Terrain is superbly maneuverable. Also, it has a high-tech suspension system that soaks up any bumps, giving your child a silky-smooth ride. The swivel front wheel has three lock positions to provide you with more control and a very tight turning circle.
The Terrain and the Sport both have a wrist tether that prevents the stroller from getting away from you when you’re running downhill or if you trip and fall.
The Sport is also straightforward to push and maneuver. Even when you have the doubles kit attached, the stroller handles just like a single. Thanks to the Sports’ narrower width, you can push the stroller one-handed along crowded sidewalks with two children on board without feeling like a road hog!
Wheels
Like most all-terrain and jogging strollers, the Terrain has three wheels with air-filled tires. The front wheels are 12 inches in diameter, and the rear wheels are larger at 16 inches. Larger rear tires make the stroller a more comfortable push and a smoother ride, especially over rough terrain. An air pump is an essential item that you don’t get with the Terrain, so you must buy one separately.
The Sport also has three air-filled tires, but they are all the same size at 12 inches in diameter. That means you may find that the push on the Sport becomes harder as your children grow heavier, but the ride they’ll have is super-smooth and cushioned. As with the Terrain, you don’t get an air pump included, although you can buy one as a separate accessory.
Brakes
The Sport and the Terrains’ brake pedal is a one-step mechanism that locks both back wheels securely. You step on the pedal to engage the brake and flip it back up to release it. As you’d expect with a jogger and all-terrain style stroller, the brake is not flip-flop-friendly.
The Sport has an exciting innovation; the auto-stop brake feature. Auto-stop is a braking system that’s linked to the stroller handlebar. If you trip and fall or let go of the handlebar for any reason, the stroller automatically stops! That has to be the most brilliant safety feature on any stroller currently on the market!
Accessories
There are some handy accessories that you can buy to go with the Terrain, including
- Storm cover
- Mesh sun cover with 81% UV filtering capability
- Universal travel bag
- Parent console with extra bottle holders and storage pockets
- Seat liners to extra winter warmth or ventilation in summer
But by far the coolest accessory is the Free Rider Stroller Board and Scooter that allows an older child to join in the fun. Your child can enjoy a ride on the scooter while it’s attached to the stroller or ride free when they’re confident enough to fly solo!
You can get similar accessories to complement the Sport, except the Free Rider Stroller Board and Scooter.
Wrapping it up
If you’re an active parent who enjoys jogging, running or hiking along mountain trails, you’ll need a suitable stroller so that your kids can go too. Mountain Buggy and Phil & Teds make strollers like the Terrain and Sport that fit the bill. And you can use both these well-made, stylish strollers for everyday errands and shopping trips too.
Mostly, the Terrain and Sport are very similar. The Sport is slightly lighter than the Terrain and would suit you perfectly if you have an older child who likes to ride or scoot along with your baby or toddler.
The main feature on the Sport that’s lacking on the Terrain is the innovative auto-brake safety feature that engages if you let go of the stroller. However, the designers behind both these brands are always releasing updated versions of their strollers, so it’s only a matter of time before the Terrain boasts the auto-brake too.
