I mentioned the other day that I love Fall. I love to be surrounded by the colors, sights and sounds of fall. The vibrant reds, oranges and yellows are stunning, the falling leaves swirling overhead and the crunch they make under the wheels of my super-cool Baby Jogger Switchback Hybrid. LOL.
I love to be outdoors, especially in the fall. I really enjoy bike riding but with a one year old and a two year old, it’s a little more difficult. We purchased a Wee Ride from Toys R Us. It was great, light, economical but it was small and hardly held my two little ones at the age of 1 and 2. There was not enough leg room, the ceiling was too low, it wasn’t wide enough…but oh, how my little ones loved the rides! We live near several really great trails for biking so we’re pretty fortunate.
Our Wee Ride. Economical but very small. Best for one young (1-2 years) rider.
We sold the Wee Ride on Kijiji and began looking in earnest for something that would suit our needs.
The Baby Boutique had our perfect solution! The
Switchback Hybrid is made by Baby Jogger, the original designer and manufacturer of all terrain three wheeled jogging strollers. They know how to make them!
As a stroller this gets an A+++. It pushes like a
dream and it is roomy with room to grow! My little ones are actually fairly tall for their ages (DH is 6’8”) and they have loads of leg room. On a recent visit to the zoo , I had my nephews (see below) in the stroller and they fit well. There is plenty of head room and leg room as well. Though I am sure that Baby Jogger didn’t design it for this, I did have Chloe and John in the stroller and actually fit Jaiden in the front on the floor on a blanket! (two x 2 1/2 year olds and a 1 year old). Sadly, I didn’t take a picture of that but they were all quite happy.
Testing Crew: Toby ( 6 in Nov), Aaron (4 in Nov), Chloe (3 in Jan), John (12 months) and Baby Lucas (7 months). I don’t recall what the age limitations were on this stroller but we had several combinations of the above in the stroller with great success.
The interior has a full 2 person seat and both have five point completely adjustable harnesses. Because of the neat way they are designed, if you are using it in stroller mode and your little one is too old to fuss with the 5pt harness, you can simply pull them through the holes in the seat and tuck them round back to just use the lap belt! I found with the 5 pt harness that my nephew did well in it as well and he was only 7 months. I do find the shoulder strap hooks to be a little tricky to click on and off but overall am very happy with the harness system and seat design. There is also a little mesh pocket on either side on the interior. Handy for littles sippy cups, snacks or other essentials.
The handle is sturdy and has an adjustable height which is fantastic for my DH who is 6’ 8”. Though our other stroller does have an adjustable handle, his stride is still too long, but with this, it not only has comforable handles but enables him to continue his regular (big) stride). I was able to hook my diaper bag onto the handle (above) just fine. It also has a front break which is pretty neat too. The wrist strap is great for those who jog and it also makes a nice strap for walking tots to hold onto so they don’t stray to far (like Chloe at the zoo). I like the clear top which enables me to peek into the top and see what is going on inside. With tots, one never knows! LOL 
Me looking at them looking at me!
It coverts into a bike trailer very simply and easily. The bike trailer was the primary reason for this purchase. To convert it you simply pop off the front wheel and stow it in the back pocket. The front forks fold back and the trailer hitch slides forward. Everything is self-storing and easy to use and assemble!
It’s fairly portable. The back wheels pop off literally at the touch of a button. The entire thing folds down pretty flat by simply pulling two handles and is held closed by a velcro strap. That being said, it still is quite wide. We have a larger car and it fits great in our trunk.
Lots of side windows with both screen and zippered rain coverings. It should be nice and warm in winter, yet lots of ventilation for summer! If you look closely you can see John-John peeking out at you 🙂
As a stroller, this is the most amazing all terrain stroller I have ever tried!! On trails, the sidewalk etc…simply amazing. The only complaint I have about it in this mode is simply that the main back brake is terribly inconvenient to reach. If you have anything at all in the back pocket then you can’t even see the brake and you really have to reach around with your foot to locate it. It’s very annoying. Had it been placed on either side closer to the wheel, it would have been much easier to access and engage.
Toby, Chloe & Toby, Baby Lucas
As a bike trailer, I am very happy with it. My only complaint in this mode is that the trailer is heavy when going up hills. With the Wee Ride, I could hardly tell it was behind the bike. With the hybrid, it is fine around the neighborhood or on flat trails however, on any sort on incline, it is a little difficult with two little ones in the trailer. A better work out I suppose. If the choice is heavy to pull with a roomy interior vs light to pull and small, I would definitely go with heavy but roomy. It would be great if Baby Jogger could find a way to make it a little more lightweight.
Overall, I would definitely recommend this stroller. Though a bit pricey, it is worth it in my opinion. I know that there are cheaper models but in my experience, when it comes to strollers, you often get what you pay for. If you jog, walk a lot, like to bike, have toddler or older little ones then this is for you. If you are looking for quality that will last and still retain a decent resale value, buy a
Swtichback Hybrid.
Though the retail price for this stroller is $899.00 for a limited time Beautiful Calling readers can purchase it for $569.00 (527.77 USD).
This is an excellent review. I think moms who are looking for a fresh and fun way to have a day out with their kids should definitely take your advice, and get one of these.
Recent blog:=- Hello world!
This design is incredible! You obviously know how to keep a reader amused. Between your wit and your videos, I was almost moved to start my own blog (well, almost…HaHa!) Fantastic job. I really loved what you had to say, and more than that, how you presented it. Too cool!
Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after reading through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyways, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!
Hi: I like a lot your review. I saw this trailer in Amazon at a nice price, and I just want to know if the jogging wheel is included or you have to pay an extra charge for this.
Hi
if someone could tell me, how much weight this trailer (Baby Jogger Switchback Hybrid Jogger).
Thanks
According to Amazon, the shipping weight is 24 pounds: http://www.amazon.ca/Baby-Jogger-Switchback-Trailer-Hybrid/dp/B000PGWQMY
Though if you are asking about passenger weight – my manual says 100 pounds combined passenger weight. By the way, we are still using and LOVING our trailer. While the little girl and boy in this post have grown up to ride their own bikes now, my littlest man is two and enjoys his rides so much. I love all the windows so he can really enjoy the scenery when we go out!!
i was wondering if anyone knew if the baby jogger switchback hybrid would attach to a bmx bike?
I’m not certain but I will take a photo of the actual connection and perhaps that will better help you? There is a piece that you install on your bike and then it makes putting the trailer on and off quite simple and fast! It’s been several years and a few children later that I am still using and loving this trailer!