Thursday, April 22, 2010

I Heart Bob.

So, as many of you know, I really wanted a double jogger for my birthday this year. My husband and I discussed it and I wasn't sure if he would be on board or not, but he at least knew my plight and I left it up to him! We tested out some different joggers and such and read several (numerous? hundreds?) of reviews online to try to figure out which option would be best.

So, on Monday, as I pulled in our driveway, I noticed a huge box in our entryway with the words BOB plastered across the front. I shrieked. I jumped up and down (um, while buckled in). I turned around and exclaimed to a startled Cub, "WE HAVE A JOGGER!!" I squealed into the garage and immediately called my husband. He said he was going to have it shipped to work, but the company he ordered it from required that his shipping and mailing address be the same. I asked him if I could open it, even though my birthday isn't until next week. He said yes. So I DID.

It was love at first sight, basically.

So, I decided I would do a mini product review on my use of the jogger thus far. Now. I know I've only owned it for a few days. And, honestly, the online reviews where customers had only owned their jogger for a few days were the reviews that I passed over. I want to hear about LONGEVITY, people! So, if you discontinue reading this right now, that's fine. We can still be friends. But, I figured I'd write about my experiences so far and continue to write about it as I use it more (and as I add another baby!). So, here you go!

The BOB Revolution Duallie
a la Katie

Before I begin, I feel the need to mention that this stroller does not come cheap. This particular model can cost anywhere from $450-$600 (remember, this is a double, not a single). Yep, you may peel your face off the screen now. I mention this only because I've read product reviews on other blogs where the blogger will write about "the cutest little umbrella stroller!" or "the most darling bedding!" and fail to mention that that cute little stroller was three hundred bucks or that the darling bedding was the equivalent of what most of us pay on our monthly mortgage ... and then said reviewers act like it's no big deal. Well, for most of us, spending money IS a big deal. And some of us can't (or won't, or shouldn't) spend that kind of money on baby gear. That's why this jogger was such a big deal to us and why we researched it so extensively--we're typically in the frugal camp when it comes to stuff for the Cub. His travel system was one of the cheapest out there. His swing was the cheapest (and smallest). His changing table was a re-furbished dresser I found for forty bucks at an antique store.

You get the point. We don't think you have to plunk down a huge chunk of change to get something that works.

Um, even though the most of the knobs fell off the dresser.

(The drawers still worked fine!)

BUT. The Inevitable But. We knew this would serve not one but two children and given our busy lives (trips to visit family, walks every morning, etc.), we knew this thing would get a ton of wear and tear. So, we were willing to check out every option, regardless of the price tag. And this topped our list. This was a birthday gift from my parents, my husband's parents, and my husband, combined. After only a few days of use, I can understand why the cost is so high--this is a seriously good jogger. The functionality is amazing and the design is flawless. Judge if you may, or leave a comment on why your cheaper jogger is just as good--that's fine by me. I'm extremely happy with our choice in a jogger, so I hope you are happy with your choice, too!

So. Now that we've cleared that up! Here are some pics I took when I brought the jogger to the zoo. You know. Because posts are cooler with pictures.

1) Stow-n-Go

This jogger folds easily and is a very reasonable weight, especially considering it's a double jogger! It isn't any heavier than our single travel system. The way it folds is accordion-ish, and even at seven months pregnant I'm able to hoist it into our car with ease (not much grace, but ease). The wheels come off very easily (seriously, it only takes seconds), which is great, and I've found that removing the front wheel makes it the easiest to store in our car. Here it is in the back of our CR-V.


When we've reached our destination, I quickly reattach the front wheel and unfold the jogger in a snap. I couldn't be more pleased with how easy this is. I don't have a ton of time to wrangle a jogger and figure out wheels that are tricky to attach or remove! When I need to stash suitcases and such in the back of our car, then I will remove the rear tires as well (again, crazy easy to do--simply unlock and remove!).

2) Safety

This jogger has a five-point harness, which is pretty standard on any good jogger or stroller. Gotta keep the kiddos safe! Cub isn't a huge fan of the five-point harness when we're out walking, so I only buckle him around the waist. I know, danger danger, but when I begin jogging again (when I am no longer the size of a house), I will definitely buckle him in with the complete harness. For now, around the waist works just fine. The harness has red loops for you to pull to tighten, and the shoulder straps are padded. Lovely!


The tires are pretty much all-terrain tires. This model is not the most rugged of the BOB models and is designed for some trail use but primarily for suburban use (sidewalks, grass, gravel). They make for a smooth ride with the Cub, which is great. Also, as you can see in the picture below, there is a foot brake that is easy to lock (it is the black bar resting on the lower silver bar between the two black wheels). Lift it with your foot to unlock, step on it to lock. Ta-da!


3) Maneuverability

Look! I'm pregnant! With a hat!


And look! I can steer the jogger with one hand while I hold my Starbucks with the other hand! (SERIOUSLY, how ridiculous, I know). But, honestly. This thing steers like a dream. The front wheel swivels or locks, so the swivel is great for walks while the locked wheel is great for jogs. Also, our zoo has a bunch of indoor exhibits, and this jogger fit through every door just fine, except for the chimp house. We had to open the other door, too, for the chimp house. And the chimps weren't even there! Boo! Other than that, it fit perfectly. This was an extra perk for me--I wasn't expecting to be able to fit through doors with a double jogger!

4) Storage and Features

There are two mesh pockets on the back of the seats and a larger basket underneath the jogger. The basket is large enough to hold a small diaper bag, a coat, and a few shopping bags. And, while there are no cup holders, the mesh seat pockets are perfect for water bottles and the like. I take a water bottle with me on our morning walks and the pockets have served the purpose of holding it for me! The pockets are the length and height of the seat, so they are large enough to carry books, small toys, water bottles, or snacks.


Okay, this picture is from the day I got the jogger, hence a cute Cub with no pants ... and the fact that we are now inside my living room. Anyway. I wanted to show you the canopies over each seat. They can tighten to provide a little shade, or they extend (as shown in this picture) to almost completely cover the seat in case of rain or bright sunshine. Sweet!

So far ...

I'm obviously in the honeymoon phase with this jogger. It has exceeded my expectations when it comes to maneuverability, size, weight, and foldability. So, for now I give it a bazillion stars out of five. :) We take it for a walk every morning and I'm exhausted by the time we're through--I realize that I'm going faster because the ride is so smooth! So, it's love. But, I promise that I will continue to update on my experience with the jogger as I grow larger and as we add Naomi to the mix. There is a car seat adapter you can purchase, and I might do that, but we'll see once she gets here!

Have a lovely day!

6 comments:

  1. I'm currently in the market for a double jogger! Thanks for posting your opinion...

    Do the seats recline separately?? That's the thing I'm looking for considering I have a toddler who sits up and a newborn that needs to lay down.

    I'm big on cup holders for the toddler...juice and snacks go a long way for a 2 year old. It seems most joggers don't have this feature...which is odd. BUT...I did see where you can buy clip on cup holders at Babies R Us. Score!

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  2. Hey friend! Yes, both seats recline separately (that was a huge plus for us, too) and each seat has two small mesh pockets to stash drinks. If you look at the last picture, you can kind of see one of the pockets in the empty seat next to Cub. Good luck!!

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  3. YAY!! I told John and he says he is disappointed that there is no DVD player. :)

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  4. You should be a saleswoman for BOB! Now I want one! It sounds like a good buy overall and you'll obviously be using it all the time with 2 kiddos to haul around...yay for you!

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  5. Looks like a hit! And Cub looks like he enjoys it as well. Now we need a little Naomi to put in the other side!!! :)

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  6. Not sure if it works on the Duallie, but we got a little handle bar adapter for the Revolution that straps on and provides cup holders and an extra pocket for cell phone, keys, etc.!

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