Chicco Activ3

Chicco’s Activ3 Jogging Stroller is perfect for active families who spend a lot of time outdoors. It can grow with your child from infancy to age 5! We loved using the Activ3 to walk with our newborn son in his KeyFit Car Seat. Now that he’s old enough to ride in the stroller’s seat, he likes facing forward to see the world. Because of its versatility, the Activ3 could be the only stroller a family needs.
One of Activ3 Jogging Stroller’s best features is that it can be used as a travel system with a Chicco KeyFit 30 Car Seat. The car seat is sold separately, and we love our ours! Installing the car seat in the stroller is so simple. You just set it inside the bumper bar and listen to hear it click; the click indicates that the seat is securely locked in place. You can pull the car seat’s sunshade forward, and then the Activ3 Stroller’s sun shade completely covers the rest of the car seat. This was great for outings when we wanted to protect our son from the sun, the breeze and even strangers.
No tools are required to assemble the Active3; however you will need to cut several zip-ties, so you’ll need strong scissors. Assembly took me about 20 minutes, but I’m very thorough, so it may take other parents less time. The owner’s manual is illustrated and clearly written in English and Spanish. Directions were easy to follow and gave cautions about possible problems.
The Activ3 Jogging Stroller handles really well. It provides and smooth ride and can tackle curbs and bumps easily. Our son rides very comfortably in the Activ3. With only one hand, you can adjust the backrest to four positions; the lowest is nearly horizontal for napping, and the highest allows sitting up straight. We like how the parking brake and swivel lock are hand-operated and can be adjusted with a single hand. The well-padded handle bar can be easily adjusted to four height positions. The bumper bar is removable so our son will have a little more space when he’s older, and I imagine this will be important when he’s 4 years old.
The shade canopy is one of my favorite aspects of the Activ3 Jogging Stroller. It is starts out pretty big, and then you can unzip an extender section to make it huge! When fully extended, it comes all the way down to the bumper bar. Our son loves this on sunny and windy days. There is a peekaboo window in the top of the canopy, so I can check on him without raising the canopy.
The Activ3 has room for carrying essentials. There is a parent tray attached near the handle. It has two cup holders and a center section that we use for our house key and other essentials. Chicco cautions against hot liquids and placing more than 1 pound in the parent tray. The under seat storage basket is not huge, but it adequately holds an extra blanket and our gear.
The Activ3 Jogging Stroller has a sturdy, well-constructed, lightweight aluminum frame. It’s equipped with a five-point safety harness that can be adjusted to three positions as children grow. The brake holds firms and can be engaged/released with just your right hand. The hand brake is nice so you won’t accidentally kick it while running. A safety strap is attached for jogging and velcros nicely around the handle when not in use. The front wheel can be locked in the forward position, so it won’t swivel while jogging; this helps prevent the stroller from tipping over and makes it easier on the runner pushing the stroller. The Activ3 even has adjustable rear suspension, so you can have a smoother ride while walking with soft suspension and a stable ride when jogging with rigid suspension. The fabric is durable, wipeable and water-repellant. One nice feature is how the seat fabric can be completely removed for cleaning. The fabric can be hand-washed in cold water and air-dried.
The Activ3 Jogging Stroller has a large footprint when opened. After a little practice, the stroller is easy to open and close with one hand; this is really important when I am holding our son and trying to juggle gear. When folded, the Activ3 can stand freely on its wheels. It requires a large trunk space, and the front wheel can be folded to make it more compact. The wheels can be removed for more compact, long-term storage. Though it’s large, the Activ3 is comparable to the size of other jogging strollers.
The Activ3 Jogging Stroller can be used from infancy to age 5, so this is an investment that will last. It’s important to consider your child’s age when using the Activ3, and Chicco gives the following guidelines:

• Newborn-6 Months: Use Chicco’s KeyFit Car Seat with the stroller for walking.
• 6-12 Months: Use the stroller seat for walking.
• 12 Months-5 Years (or 50 pounds): Use the stroller seat for walking, jogging or off-road use.

It’s important that your child has adequate neck strength to ride in the stroller seat and during jogging. Because every child develops differently, consult your pediatrician if needed.
More information about the Activ3 Jogging Stroller may be found on Chicco’s website, including three how-to videos that cover folding the stroller, installing the bumper bar and removing the fabric for cleaning.
We love the Activ3 and look forward to using it for years to come.
Price: $299
To buy: babiesrus.com