Jogging strollers on sandy beach

[wendylk]

So we are expecting baby #2 in July. We spend a lot of time at the beach during the summer and are trying to figure out the best way to transport the newborn down to the beach and a good place to keep him safe and sand free. I always see people with jogging strollers on the beach and was just wondering if you are actually able to push these through dry sand or not? I have tried other strollers and end up pulling them backwards (way too much work!). If anyone has experience with this, let me know. Any other suggestions are greatly appreciated.

 

[monorailsilver]

I have never taken a jogging stroller on the beach but I have taken the wagon (kids wagon) onto the beach & it moved just fine. I am thinking because the wheels are rubber & not the plastic rubber that is on normal strollers.

 

[CleveRocks]

Finally, a question I have THE authoritative answer to.

A jogging stroller is the best thing for transporting baby on the beach and keeping sleeping baby sand-free and shaded on the beach.

I live at the beach.

I have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. That should be enough of a resume, but I'll babble on a little bit, anyway ....

We moved here to the beach about 2 years before our first child was born. The only wheeled baby vehicle we ever saw on the beach was a jogging stroller. So when we had a baby, we decided, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

The two things that make a jogging stroller a good beach vehicle:

• the front wheel doesn't swivel or turn, it stays straight, so it never gets bogged down in the sand when turning (when you've dragged a traditional stroller backwards, you were making the same thing happen, because a tradtional stroller's back wheels don't turn!)

• the wheels are large, and are covered by air-filled rubber tires, so they are able to effortlessly roll over the sand and through the sand, rather than getting bogged down in it.

Living at the beach and loving the beach all year 'round, and wanting to expose our kids to the beach nearly from birth, we quickly learned to love our jogging stroller.

And who knew that about 5 years later we would actually take up jogging??? Coincidence??? Hmmm ....

 

[PrincessasMommy]

Finally, a question I have THE authoritative answer to.

A jogging stroller is the best thing for transporting baby on the beach and keeping sleeping baby sand-free and shaded on the beach.

I live at the beach.

I have a 7 year old and a 4 year old. That should be enough of a resume, but I'll babble on a little bit, anyway ....

We moved here to the beach about 2 years before our first child was born. The only wheeled baby vehicle we ever saw on the beach was a jogging stroller. So when we had a baby, we decided, "When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

The two things that make a jogging stroller a good beach vehicle:

• the front wheel doesn't swivel or turn, it stays straight, so it never gets bogged down in the sand when turning (when you've dragged a traditional stroller backwards, you were making the same thing happen, because a tradtional stroller's back wheels don't turn!)

• the wheels are large, and are covered by air-filled rubber tires, so they are able to effortlessly roll over the sand and through the sand, rather than getting bogged down in it.

Living at the beach and loving the beach all year 'round, and wanting to expose our kids to the beach nearly from birth, we quickly learned to love our jogging stroller.

And who knew that about 5 years later we would actually take up jogging??? Coincidence??? Hmmm ....

I just wanted to confirm for you that pp does have the answer! We have a double jogger with the stationary front wheel and it has vacationed with us on beaches in Florida and Mexico and kept our youngest sand free, shaded and comfortable many times so far and although we don't jog and do have an everyday stroller, this is our "vacation stroller" for that exact purpose!

 

[wendylk]

Thank you so much for those replies. That is exactly what I needed to know. Eric, we will be right down the beach from you a little ways. My parents have a place in Diamond Beach, NJ, right at the end of Wildwood Crest.

So, I should look for a jogger with a stationary front wheel. Any other specific suggestions on brands or models? I know that typically jogging strollers are not appropriate for newborns, but since we will definitely not be jogging with it, I assume it will be ok? Do they make any with a full or almost full incline?

 

[CleveRocks]

Thank you so much for those replies. That is exactly what I needed to know. Eric, we will be right down the beach from you a little ways. My parents have a place in Diamond Beach, NJ, right at the end of Wildwood Crest.

So, I should look for a jogger with a stationary front wheel. Any other specific suggestions on brands or models? I know that typically jogging strollers are not appropriate for newborns, but since we will definitely not be jogging with it, I assume it will be ok? Do they make any with a full or almost full incline?

We bought our jogging stroller in 2000, and I haven't looked at any others since then, so I have no clue what's currently available.

I would imagine they ALL have a stationary front wheel, for the pupose of jogging -- I would think any other configuration could lead to too many problems at speed.

Ours doesn't lie flat, it probably goes just past 45 degrees. Never stopped wither of our little ones from sleeping, I can assure you of that. The manufacturers should have stuff on the tags about minimum ages.

GOOD LUCK!

 

[Princess Roo]

We have the Jeep All-terrain stroller and LOVE it. We started using it when DS was 6 or 8 weeks old and he still loves it. Most of my neighbors have it, too, so it's funny when we all go out walking together with our different "model years" of the same thing!
http://www.toysrus.com/sm-jeep-liberty-limited-urban-terrain-stroller-olive-green--pi-2266110.html
Maybe one of the PP's could confirm that this would work for you. (We've never used it on the beach.) The benefit is that the front wheel can be locked or unlocked depending whether you are jogging or not, so it gives you more flexibility if you aren't truly a "jogger". It reclines almost all of the way, too.
One negative, though - it doesn't fold up very small AT ALL!

 

[NHDisneyKid]

I have the BOB Revolution jogging stroller...quite the piece of equipment! What I loved about the BOB is that the front wheel can be locked in place, OR you can release it so that it swivels. The swivel is so convenient when you're around town or trying to navigate narrow areas. But you could also keep it locked when on the sand. You can also buy a carseat adapter to use if you want, since the seat doesn't fully recline for an infant.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

We live a couple of blocks from the beach, and the jogging stroller is the only stroller we take to the beach. Yes, you can definitely push it on sand! It's easier on packed sand than on looser sand, but it can be used on both. We can walk to the beach from our house, though. I'm not sure about packing up a jogging stroller in the car. Ours doesn't collapse down, but maybe newer models do Ours was given to us by one of DH's friends who has older kids, so it's probably 10 years-old. That might be a consideration if you need to use the car to get to the beach.

 

[NotUrsula]

If you want compact in a jogger, your best bet is probably a Kelty Joyrider. It has modified umbrella-style handles and folds the smallest of any jogger on the US market.

 

[nuttylawprofessor]

Mountain Buggies and Kool Strides work particularly well on the NJ beaches IMHO. Gotta love that sugary fine sand.