1. Ignore brands and the 
price tags altogether.
What matters is a material and construction. Three large fixed wheels, a simple but sturdy construction (one piece aluminum frame, less plastic joints) and quality (thick, waterproof) fabrics.
Such strollers tend to cost more but are worth spending on. Remember: a fancy brand name is just a name, but the roomy seat, big wheels and a large shopping basket is a real stuff that matters.
Think in a direction of the best that you can afford. A proper jogging stroller is an important purchase. It’s going to be your best friend for years – so savings should not really dominate your choice.
2. Match the purpose.
Figure out what you will be using a stroller for: an off-road jogging stroller for spending the whole day out or a city runner for jogging just somewhere near home?
The real life demands a shopping basket, even if you buy a jogging stroller for jogging only you would appreciate a shopping basket (never buy without) and a reclining seat to be able to jog anytime – be your child awake or going to nap.
If you live by the sea, a fixed wheel jogger is preferable over a swivel. Same goes for snowy roads. Avoid a swivel front wheel if you’re a serious runner, as well if you might want to go off-road or rollerblade with the stroller.
3. What matters and what’s not.
The conventional wisdom says – cup holders and build in mp3 players matter less than an aluminum frame, large wheels and a deep, roomy seat. A seat size matters more than an impressive weight capacity. A seat size matters more than an impressive weight capacity, so what’s the matter is a stroller can hold up to 70lbs, but its seat is already short for 2 years old?
What does not really matter is a stroller’s capacity to hold up to 70lbs, but its seat’s height for a 2 years old kid is important.
Few things to look for:
Avoid complex folding, plastic joints and multi-position automatic reclining (a simple strap works better). Avoid noisy, cheap materials – these will annoy you every single day.
If choosing between sizes – take bigger. Same goes for the sun canopy.
The stroller’s weight is not an issue, because a jogging stroller is actually made for riding a child rather than lifting it – so a stroller can be bulky, but it will supply your kid with an extra comfort. Bigger strollers are loved by even 4-5 years old, because they serve as a shelter for them.
Think less on how you will navigate crowded areas (it happens less often than a need for a child to sleep) and more on whether the stroller is good for sleeping and packing it up for empty-handed walking.
4. Test drive it
Would you buy a car in an online store? Well, perhaps. I would recommend having a test drive. Main question here is: how comfortable it is for a sleep.
Second: how much room there is for legs and a head (taking into consideration that you will use the stroller for a couple of years) and children do grow very fast. Try out how easy it rides (a proper jogging stroller should be led by just light touch of the fingers). Look if the handle height suits you. Try to actually run with it – would you be able to do it comfortably at your usual speed.
5. Buy and enjoy
To me a proper jogging stroller is a synonym to the freedom, as it makes me free to go just anywhere together with my child. I can run, hike, rollerblade and stroll a mall. It can be packed up with all necessary things for the whole day outdoor. It can take a full shopping bag on board on my way back. It’s a little riding home for my child and, at the end of the day it’s a wonderful fitness machine.
It’s not easy to choose one. Just to get an idea of what a proper jogging stroller looks like, check my top 5 jogging stroller list.
Elena Filatova is an owner of a blog www.walkingmama.net. – a blog for the new moms on getting back in shape with the stroller. Topics covered: weight lose walking, strollnetics fitness for moms, rollerblading pushing baby stroller and much more.
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