My Review of the Croozer for 2

Lexia Napping in the Croozer

I’ve been eyeing up the Croozer for 2 since I starting thinking about having a second child. Running is something I really enjoy, but since returning back to work after maternity leave, I have found it almost impossible to leave my daughter behind to get out for a run. 

After months of denial (“I’ll find time to run by myself eventually”), I’ve finally accepted my new reality - if I’m going to run with any regularity at all, I will need to take my daughter with me. 

With a new baby on the way, and a great deal on the Croozer at my local SportChek, I decided now was the time as any to invest in this chariot. My hope is that I’ll maximize my investment by running with it throughout this pregnancy as well as when Lexia’s little sibling joins us.  Here’s What I love About the Croozer: 

Easy to Control - Easy to Push 

Overall, I got what I was looking for. The Croozer makes running with children possible and pragmatic. Even with one 26 pound child on one side, and nothing to counter the balance on the other, the stroller was balanced and even-keeled. The wheels are great to keep moving over bumps and mixed terrain. I can even control it with one hand on straightaways. 

Fun and Comfortable for Baby 

The side-by-side seating was a big selling feature for me.  I imagine that if I were a child accompanying mom for a run, I would much rather share the view with my sibling, rather than be isolated and/or staring at the back of their head. My daughter enjoyed the ride and quickly fell asleep in the comfortable bucket seat.

Adaptable

I think it’s fabulous that this works perfectly with one child but will soon accommodate two.  With the purchase of the infant sling attachment, a child can ride in this as young as one month old, yet the bucket seats are spacious and the Croozer boats a combined weight limit of 100 pounds. I believe it’s possible that my family will be using the Croozer in one form or another (be it a stroller for two, or a bike trailer for our youngest) for many years to come.  

Built-in Protection

I live in cold climate where crisp weather is the norm.  The Croozer cabin keeps kids out of the sun and has a built in plastic layer for wind, snow and rain. 

Here’s what I don’t love about the Croozer:  

Big and Bulky 

I knew this going in, but the sheer volume of this stroller truly does require serious consideration before purchase.  The Croozer doesn’t fit through either my front or back door.  While the wheels pop off easily to thin out the overall width, there is a large metal bumper at the front of the stroller that prevents it from fitting through a standard door. 

Not being able to bring the fully constructed stroller into my house is a big sacrifice. It means I have to coordinate getting two children ready and plopping them into a stroller outside my home without leaving anyone unattended.  If my children fall asleep on our outing, I have to risk waking them up to lift them out of the stroller and bring them inside. 

I think the manufacturer should consider adding hinges to the bumper so that users can  pull the two sides upwards to better fit through small spaces. They could also put mini wheels on the bottom of the cabin (picture something like suitcase wheels) so that one could still push their kids through a doorway even if they must remove the outer wheels.

Can’t See Your Kids

If any stroller ever needed a peek-a-boo window, it’s this one.  We’re talking about putting two small children side-by-side with open access to each other (one of whom may be as young as one month old).

In order to get a good gage on what your children are doing, you really need to stop pushing and walk around to the side of the stroller. That’s a real cramp in one’s running style! 

Not Great For Tall Folks 

I’m only 5”7, but even I kicked the back bumper a couple of times during my first few runs. Now that I’ve found my Croozer-flow, it only seems to happen occasionally on my walking breaks, but I’m not sure how well this would work for a taller person. 

My husband is 6”4. There’s not a stroller in the world that would convince him to run, but it would be nice if we found one with a push bar high enough that he felt comfortable walking with it. This isn’t that stroller. While the push bar is the perfect height for me, it would be great if it was adjustable so that people of different sizes could customize it to suit their stride. 

Overall, I’m very happy with my Croozer. It’s got me out running again - money well spent!