The BOB Sport Utility Stroller is the SUV of baby strollers. This stroller is designed for your running, off-road, and bumpy trail excursions and handles it all with ease due to the state of the art suspension system that adjusts to the size and weight of your child. BOB Strollers are synonymous with outdoor freedom and mobility with kids and they have been developing their line of high performance strollers for over 7 years. We recently put the 2007/2008 Sport Utility Stroller to the test on our local gravel roads and unpaved walking trails here in New Hampshire.

MySprout Review
Rating:

BOB Sport Utility Stroller
Manufacturer: BOB Trailers
MSRP: $279.00

Specifications
Tires: 16″ x 2″
Wheel Base: 29in (73.6cm)
Overall Length: 51in (129.5cm)
Handle Bar Height: 41in (104.1cm)
Width: 23in (58.4cm)
Frame: High strength aluminum alloy
Weight: 23lbs
Max weight capacity: 70lbs (32kg)
Hub: Quick release, high impact polymer with sealed cartridge bearings
Rims: High impact composite polymer
Spokes: High impact composite polymer
Brake: Caliper type hand brake and foot-activated rear wheel parking brake
Recommended age: BOB recommends that your child should be at least 8 weeks old before riding in a BOB stroller.

Features
Tough, durable, lightweight design of a mountain bike that can go anywhere and over any surface; 16-inch knobby tires for maximum traction; state-of-the-art suspension system with two adjustable shock absorber positions for bigger and smaller kids; tough, welded frame, durable fabric and quality construction; fully extendable sun canopy for extra shade; 5-point safety harness; front wheel bicycle style hand brake on handle bar; seat back pocket; wrist safety strap; parking brake; Low Bay pocket below seat; front wheel fender; two mesh seat pockets on either side of seat for snacks, tissues, etc.; fast, two-step fold-up design and quick-release wheels for easy portability; ultra padded seat reclines up to 70° (from vertical) - a 25° increase over previous models.

Testers
Six month old passenger pushed by mom, dad and grandma over the course of three months. Used on paved bike trails, unpaved walking trails, dirt roads, in both dry and snowy conditions.

Assembly
Assembled with ease within 15 minutes. Frame comes already assembled and the rest goes together like a bicycle - snap in the wheels, adjust the seat and you’re good to go. No extra tools required.

Ease of Use
The BOB Sport Utility model feels very much like a mountain bike. The 16″ knobby tires are quite substantial yet the whole stroller is very lightweight, easy to push and maneuver. The Sport Utility has a fixed wheel design (the front wheel is stationary and does not swivel) which is better for running and bumpy terrain, but it does make it harder to turn in tight spaces. Handlebar is nicely foam padded and a good average height although there is no feature to adjust the height up or down. Window on top of sun canopy makes it easy to peek in on passenger. The Sport Utility took the bumps, slippery surfaces and gravel conditions with ease and felt very stable.

Comfort
All BOB strollers have the same seat and child harness configuration which includes a 5-point safety harness and a padded, reclining seat. We did our testing with a fairly young passenger (6 months) and the reclining seat was a big plus in this case since it allowed our passenger to sleep more peacefully. The huge sun canopy was also a big plus since it provided excellent coverage over the entire seat area from sun or wind and also made it easier for snoozing. The ride of the Sport Utility is very smooth thanks to the suspension system that includes adjustable shock absorbers which we set to accommodate our lightweight baby tester.

The one aspect of the child seat and harness we felt did not work as well is the child strap adjustments which work much better for larger, older children than for babies. BOB recommends that a baby be at least 8 weeks old before riding in one of their strollers but we can tell you that you would have a very hard time getting the straps to adjust small enough to work with a baby that small. In addition to our 6 month old tester, we also tried out the Sport Utility with a 3 month old baby to see how it would work. We were able to safely strap her in by pulling the straps down as far as they would go, but this was also helped by the fact that she was wearing a bulky fleece jacket. We also recommend that if you are using the Sport Utility with a baby passenger you give them some extra head/neck support with a head support pillow. As your child grows however, the straps and adjustment will become less of an issue and any child older than 6 months can ride comfortably in the Sport Utility in our opinion. Since this stroller has a weight limit of 70 lbs, you will get years of comfortable use. Note that BOB also recommends that children be at least 8 months old before doing any jogging or off-road use.

BOB also makes a Infant Car Seat Adapter which makes it possible to use your stroller with a newborn and would work well for any baby less than 6 months in our opinion.

Portability
BOB strollers advertise that fact that they have one of the easiest folding systems on the market. We found getting the Sport Utility in and out of the car was pretty painless thanks to the quick two-step folding feature that is easy to manage by any mom or dad (or grandparent). The stroller essentially folds in half allowing you to lift it up into the car keeping all the wheels on. You can also remove the quick-release wheels (just like a bicycle) if you need more compact portability. We often would remove just the front wheel when packing it up with lots of other gear in the back of the car. Keep in mind however that the BOB Sport Utility Stroller is NOT an ultra-compact, tiny, fit-in-the-trunk-of-your-Mini, kind of stroller.

Storage
The one main storage compartment on this stroller is under the seat where there is plenty of room for extras like jacket, sweater, camera, snacks, etc. This under seat area is also easy to access unlike some other stroller models where the seat blocks access to the under compartment. There is also a flat mesh pocket on the back of the seat and two small mesh pockets on either side of the child seat area - we used these quite a bit for easy tissue access during the winter months. BOB also makes a Handlebar Console accessory that we highly recommend. Without it, there is no convenient place to put water bottles or small items you might want to keep on hand like cell phone, wallet, or keys.

Safety
The BOB has several safety features we liked. The overall stability and alignment of the stroller is excellent and we also liked that the safety strap is attached to the base of the frame rather than the handlebar which prevents the stroller tilting back if you were to stumble.

Accessories
BOB makes a range of stroller accessories that work well with the the Sport Utility. Although we did not test all of these, we would recommend looking into the Handlebar Console and the Infant Car Seat adapter which makes it possible to use the stroller with a newborn. If you are using your stroller during winter months or in colder weather like we did, the BOB Warm Fuzzy fleece seat liner is a big help in keeping your little passenger warm and happy.

Pros
Excellent traction, stability and smooth ride for bumpy or off-road adventures. Very lightweight and easy to push. Good portability for an all-terrain style stroller. We especially liked the big sun canopy, the reclining seat, the front wheel fender (kept snow and water from spraying up) and the adjustable shock absorbers.

Cons
Child safety straps difficult to fit to babies or very young/small children. No handlebar storage or place to store small items without purchasing the Handlebar Console accessory.

Compare
The BOB Sport Utility Stroller is identical to the BOB Revolution Stroller  from the wheels up. It has the same basic frame, seat and handlebar design but the Revolution has a smaller swivel wheel on the front. BOB also makes a Sport Utility Stroller D’Lux model which has aluminum wheels instead of the polymer.

Special Offer

Categories: Jogging Strollers, MySprout Reviews
Tags: all terrain strollers, BOB, Jogging Strollers