mountain buggy terrain

By Published On: July 21st, 2011

After struggling with an inexpensive, poorly-made jogging stroller for over […]

After struggling with an inexpensive, poorly-made jogging stroller for over two years with our first daughter, we knew that with the birth of our second daughter we were going to get a stroller that both my husband and I would love.
We knew we wanted a stroller that was easy to maneuver on both city sidewalks and on dirt trails, and because we disliked the stationary front wheel on our previous stroller, our new stroller had to have a front wheel that rotated. The mountain buggy terrain delivered on both counts and more!
mountain-buggy-terrain-stroller-2010-flint-marble-MB1T121We were so excited to get our new stroller and immediately put it together. The instruction manual could definitely use more detailed directions on assembly. There were not enough instructions on how to attach the canopy and the pictures were small and a little hard to make out. We were also a little disappointed that there wasn’t a tire pump included. We managed to figure it all out though and both agreed that it was the most attractive jogger we’d ever seen.
After testing it out both walking and jogging on both sidewalks and trails, we are extremely satisfied with the terrain and highly recommend it!
The best thing about the Terrain is how easy it is to push. It is extremely well-designed and can even be pushed with one hand without a problem. Although it performed perfectly on the sidewalk, it really had a chance to shine on the trails. It was going over roots that were two inches in height without a hitch. The Terrain is also easy to steer and takes curves very smoothly. The rotating front wheel is definitely a plus and makes turning effortless.
Another great feature is the shocks. There was minimal bouncing and our older daughter even fell asleep on the trail during a run and didn’t wake up until we got her out of the stroller back at home.
The hand brake is very helpful in slowing down on a hill and preventing the stroller from going out of control. Since the handle is adjustable, the terrain works for people of any height. We weren’t constantly kicking the frame of the stroller like we’ve done with strollers with fixed handle heights.
The terrain has plenty of pockets (two) for drinks and a nice storage compartment that has a zippable cover to keep your belongings secure while on particularly bumpy runs. It would be nice, though, if the stroller had a child tray for snacks and drinks during walks.
The canopy is nice and big with a neat pull-down sun visor that was very useful and provided a lot of sun protection for our daughter. Having a peek-a-boo window that you can velcro open makes it easy to keep a close eye on your passenger.
Since we have a newborn, we also got the car seat attachment and the carrycot. Although the carrycot is beautifully made and seems to be comfortable, the car seat attachment is more convenient because we can transfer our daughter directly from the stroller to the car without waking her up if she’s asleep. Another option for an infant is simply reclining the seat all the way, which is very easy to do.
There are very few things to dislike about the terrain, but, if you live in an apartment building with stairs like we do, it’s kind of heavy (29 pounds) and bulky to carry up the stairs while also carrying a child. It would be ideal for someone with a garage to roll the Terrain right into. It’s also too big to fit in the trunk of our compact car without removing the wheels first. It’s hard to complain too much though, because the weight seems to be due to its high-quality frame that makes it so sturdy and durable.
All in all, we are more than satisfied with the terrain and truly believe it’s the best jogging stroller on the market.
Price: $500
To buy: mountainbuggy.com