Baby Trend Navigator Double Jogger Stroller Review
When it comes to choosing products and gear for baby, there are so many factors to consider. How long will I be able to use this for my child? Does this have all the features I want AND all the features I need? How reliable is this product versus similar or more expensive products? Will it provide me with limitless energy in lieu of sleep and sustenance while my baby is going through their first three years on this planet? Okay, maybe the last one is a bit of a stretch, but you get the idea.
First and foremost among the complicated buying decisions though is purchasing a stroller. Strollers give you your mobility back while keeping your baby safe, happy, and largely sheltered from the world while you grocery shop, catch up on your jogging/walking, or visit with friends and family at the park. This is also how you are going to transport your little one around at those numerous family and social gatherings where children are welcome, so it’s got to meet a lot of different criteria.
Fortunately, there is an ideal stroller that covers a majority family types and parent/baby needs: Baby Trend Navigator Double Jogger Stroller. Let’s take a look at all the features of this excellent and well-designed stroller, and identify some pros and cons. Hopefully, it will help you make an informed decision about what you want in a stroller for your baby.
Features
Carries Two Baby Trend infant Car Seats
Parents of an only child or with children too old for a stroller, you are probably having second thoughts about that second seat right now. Most likely, you are asking why you should buy a double stroller for my one child? Here are just a few of the advantages:
- haul a tremendous amount of stuff like jackets, umbrellas, rain boots, etc. for baby or another child.
- you and a friend or fellow mom of an infant/toddler can take one stroller to the park instead of two. Togetherness for the win!
- Rather than lug the diaper bag, toys, games, picnic blankets, cushions, and all the other paraphernalia needed for an outing at the park, you can load it into your stroller and roll it to where you want to hang out with baby and friends/family for however long you want to stay.
These may seem like scenarios that aren’t common to most new families, but you would be surprised how helpful that extra cargo room can be. Oh, best of all, you can easily pop your baby’s car seat right into this stroller, even if it is not a Baby Trend model. That means transfer from the car to the stroller is literally a snap, and when baby did not have a good car ride it is essential to keep that transition time as brief as possible.
Locking Front Swivel Wheels
You may not be aware that you need this feature, but you need this feature. When you are steering a double stroller while walking long distances, having front wheels that keep you moving straight in one direction are absolutely essential. Fixed wheels are not the best option for every scenario where you would use a stroller either though, so the fact that you can snap them in place and just as easily let them swivel freely for maneuvering in tight spaces like at church or school functions for your older children/family members.
Pneumatic Bicycle Tires
Many people don’t appreciate the smooth ride and shock absorption of pneumatic tires until they ride around in something that doesn’t have them, or push a stroller that doesn’t have them. Bone-jarring doesn’t even begin to describe the experience. Fortunately, in addition to swiveling and locking front wheels, the Navigator features four pneumatic tires that can be topped up with a bicycle pump or air compressor in seconds. You and your child can then enjoy your walks over bricks, cobblestones, or uneven pavement in comfort and safety, knowing that the bulk to the bumpy ride will be absorbed by the stroller’s tire and suspension.
Parent Tray With Full-Size Cup Holders
If you don’t currently drink coffee or consumer caffeine in some form, you may want to consider starting once you hit the stroller phase of parenting in order to remain sane. That means you need cup holders, and this stroller has two. They are not kiddie cup holders either, but can hold most adult-size beverage receptacles with ease. Those full size cup holders also prove very useful if you need to keep that uncaffeinated smoothie/protein shake/blended wheatgrass/kombucha stable while you are out and about, too.
MP3 Speakers
So this stroller comes with a pretty sweet stereo setup, too. Just plug a stereo AUX cable into your smartphone or tablet, and you can take you and your kids’ favorite tunes on the go with you. This is a big advantage for parents who are actually jogging or running while using this stroller too, since wearing headphones or earbuds while pushing a stroller makes it harder to hear traffic moving around you while you are on the go. It’s also nice to have when you are at the park or on the beach and a little music to keep everyone happy is the best answer to everyone’s crankiness and tiredness.
Covered Storage Compartment
Rain happens, and even when you plan for it with raincoats, umbrellas, and rain boots, having a covered storage area for items that need to stay dry like paper towels, smartphones, or extra baby clothes. Best of all, it’s always within easy reach.
Trigger Folding Design
After studying many strollers of various designs over the years and hearing feedback from parents and families, trigger folding designs are absolutely the way to go. The trigger folding system on this jogging stroller makes loading, unloading, and setup extremely simple, and it also cuts down on that oh so important car-to-stroller transition time, too. If you’ve never used a trigger folding system for any of your portable baby gear, you have no idea what you are missing. This stroller has it, and you want it. That’s a guarantee.
Retractable Sunshade covered, Padded, Multi-Reclining Seats
Obviously, for the first year or two you will be keeping your little one in the car seat and popping that into the stroller when you go out. However, babies don’t keep, and toddlers can never walk that far on their own before their little feet get tired. The Navigator offers two very comfortable padded seats for your little ones that are fully adjustable for their comfort, and best of all the retractable sunshade makes napping on the go a breeze. Better still, each seat can accommodate a child of up to 50 lbs., so this stroller is built to grow with your kids and extend your stroller’s usefulness. This is definitely one of the most comfortable joggers on the market, and it maintains an elegant balance between both comfort and convenience that few strollers achieve.
Storage Space
This stroller provides a ridiculous amount of storage space. In addition to the covered storage compartment by the handlebars, there are also two capacious storage pockets that open just behind the stroller seats. There isn’t much that won’t fit in those cargo pockets, and the Navigator keeps them off the ground and relatively dry even in inclement weather. Honestly, the best overall feature of this stroller is how easy it is to keep your hands free and weight off your shoulders and back thanks to the copious amounts of storage space.
Pros and Cons (TLDR segment)
Pros
- Holds up to two infant car seats
- Front swivel wheels can be locked for long distance travel
- Parent tray has adult-size cupholders
- Stereo MP3 speakers with AUX -in port
- Covered storage compartment
- Large capacity storage pockets behind stroller seats
- Trigger folding system for easy stow-and-go
- Comfortable padded seats have retractable covers and recline to multiple positions
Cons
- Stroller only fits through double doors
- Carrying weight is quite hefty (around 40 lbs.)
- Wide turn radius when front wheels are locked
- Front wheels have to be manually locked (can’t be locked or unlocked from handlebars
- Pneumatic tires have to be refilled regularly during the change of seasons’
- Stroller may not fit in the cargo compartments/trunks of most sedans/compact cars even when folded.
- Single child families may find this stroller to be a bit too much for their needs.
Final Verdict
All in all, this is a premium quality stroller that provides any and all features any family could need to transport their little ones in comfort and safety. It’s got tons of storage space, easily accommodates car seats, retractable sun shades, and pneumatic tires. It’s really a complete package where every possible or want has been considered and attended to with careful planning and design. If you are in the market for a double stroller, or you want a high quality jogger that is going to have an extended lifespan with your infants, toddlers, and young children, the Baby Trend Navigator is an excellent choice that will maintain its value and utility for years to come.