Baby Jogger ATS and Switchback
By James Sharp

As anyone with children know, getting and exercising -- or even just enjoying the great outdoors -- can be a difficult task. Gone is much of the spontaneity and ease that running, walking and cycling were before children. Baby Jogger knows this and has been making parents' lives easier since 1984. Since then they have introduced strollers for two kids and bicycle trailers. We've been spending quality family time with two of their latest offerings, to see how well they hold up to the abuse... er... use that we've put them through. First up is their new ATS followed by the intriguing Switchback.

ATS
Switchback

ATS
TS stands for All Terrain Swivel. At first glance it looks like most of the other Baby Jogger three-wheeled strollers, but it's not quite the same. It does have a lot in common, though. Like all Baby Jogger strollers, it has multiple storage compartments, quick release wheels, a multi-position sun shade, rear wheel parking brake, reclining seat and an adjustable 5-point harness. Unlike most of the other strollers, though, the front wheel swivels (the 'S' in ATS)... or not, if locked. This way the stroller can maneuver with ease, or, if the front wheel is locked, it will go straight and steady like a good jogging stroller should.

The second standout feature is the suspension. The ATS features Baby Jogger's Air Glide suspension to help smooth out the bumps for the kid going for the ride. The helps when cutting across the grass, or on smoother trails (the 'AT' part of ATS). Though it's not adjustable, the suspension does work and has enough travel that heavier kids don't bottom it out, while still isolating smaller children from the worst bumps.

There are different height attachment points for the shoulder straps and changing the strap height is child's play. In fact, the straps in general are easy to use and easy to adjust. There are included shoulder pads for the shoulder straps that make being tied down a little nicer. While I never tipped the ATS over, the 5-point harness looks like it would do a good job of holding the child in place.

The adjustable sun shade has three positions: partly extended, fully extended and tilted forward. In the tilted forward position, the back of the sunshade is open. All of the positions are solid enough that, once in place, the sunshade doesn't move on it's own, even over the rougher, unpaved, terrain that the ATS was designed for.

The ATS folds quickly and easily and the rear wheels come off with the push of a button. The front wheel is a standard quick release skewer. The stroller also has a strap to hold it in the folded mode making loading and unloading the ATS from a vehicle a simple matter.

There are some areas that could use some refining, though. There is quite a bit of storage, especially under the seat, but getting larger items into that storage area is a tight squeeze. It's almost like the stroller is taunting you saying, "if you could get that package in there, I've got plenty of room to carry it!" If Baby Jogger made the mesh sides of the storage area elastic, or adjustable -- think drawstring -- it would help to make the cargo capacity more useful. The other item I missed was a hand brake. Though I am not sure how they could incorporate one with the swivel front wheel, I did miss it from other jogger/strollers I've used.

Summary:If you are looking for a stroller/jogger that is ruggedly made, has all the bells and whistles and is very maneuverable, look no further. The ATS easily fits in the trunk of just about any car and has room for all the stuff that parents seem to carry with and for their children -- diapers, toys, food, clothes... the list goes on and on, and that's just for a walk! The stroller rolls with ease over all but the worst terrain with nary a complaint. Baby Jogger's ATS retails for $299.99.

Switchback
The Switchback is Baby Jogger's newest bicycle trailer/stroller. Though it is a bicycle trailer, it still has many of the features that most of Baby Jogger's products have like storage, quick release wheels, adjustablity, padded 5-point harnesses, rear wheel parking brake, hand brake for the front wheel, etc. In addition to all of these standard features, it also changes from trailer to stroller very, very quickly, with the removal of only one part -- the front wheel. The hitch arm stows out of the way in front, and the front wheel forks separate and stow as well. The rear storage compartment has one main pocket with two smaller zippered pockets to help organize your gear. The wheels are all quick release. The front is a standard quick release skewer while the rear wheels, like the ATS, come off with the push of a button.

One feature that sets the Switchback apart from any other trailer that we have reviewed is the use of zippers to close up all openings, including the front mesh panel, front clear plastic panel and side windows. Normally, these parts are held closed with hook-and-loop fasteners that tend to wear out over time -- or get clogged with lint and dirt -- and lose their fastening ability. Zippers, especially the larger, industrial zippers Baby Jogger uses are less likely to wear out with repeated use. Unlike Velcro, zippers won't snag your gloves when you open and close the doors and windows. My three-year-old son even climbed up onto the front mesh to take a peak at his little sister and it didn't pop any seams, stretch beyond its limit, or damage the door in any way. If you want to test the strength of anything, let a three-year-old have at it. I turn my back for one minute...

There is no suspension on the Switchback, but with pneumatic tires, I was able to air down to provide some cushion for my small passengers. The hitch itself does not interfere with disc brakes and installs via the quick release skewer. When not in use the hitch arm folds up out of the way. Because everything stays on the Switchback -- hitch arm, wheel forks and front brake, while the front wheel can stow in the rear storage pocket -- it can go from trailer mode to stroller mode on the go. Bike to town, lock the bikes up, convert the trailer to a stroller and off you go window shopping, to the park, or anywhere else. It's this flexibility -- particularly being this flexible without having to buy additional parts, or having to constantly remove and replace pieces -- that elevate the Switchback above it's peers.

Like Baby Jogger's other strollers, the Switchback folds easily and quickly. Grab the handles on either side of the trailer and pull up. The trailer folds as you lift. Like the ATS there is a strap to hold the trailer in the folded position, facilitating putting the trailer in a trunk or storing it folded.

I found the Switchback to very stable when used as either a trailer or stroller. There was plenty of room for my two kids -- but Baby Jogger, have you thought about putting a divider in so that the kids can't touch, hit, lean on, or take things from each other? The shoulder straps and waist belts are easy to adjust. There is a firm floor allowing children to crawl in without difficulty. Though the weight of two children plus the trailers weight is apparent, the Switchback didn't really affect my bike's handling -- just be sure to allow for more distance /time to slow down because there is that extra weight back there.

I really only have two minor complaints. The first is that this trailer is wide. It is only about an inch wider than most doors and gates, though. There has to be a way for Baby Jogger's engineers to get the rear tires 1 to 2 inches closer together. That would make life much easier on the parents. As is, I usually removed one rear wheel when I needed to go through a door or gate. My second complaint is that the hooks that attach the shoulder straps to the waist belt seem to be shaped to make it difficult to undo them. I understand having a catch to prevent little fingers from releasing the straps, but the hooks are shaped in such a way that they hang up unless great care is given. It's a minor complaint, but something that should be easily addressed.

Summary: There are other trailers out there. There are other strollers out there. There are even other trailers that double as strollers. The Switchback is the best homologation that I've seen to date. It's not cheap -- $579.99 -- but it is truly a two-in-one product. Also, unlike other manufacturers, it comes with everything you need for both the trailer mode and the stroller mode, so there are no hidden costs down the road. The quality is as good as I've seen -- the Switchback will hold up to years of abuse, easily outlasting your child's desire to ride in it. If you are looking for a trailer/jogging stroller, you owe it to yourself to check out the Switchback.

James Sharp is a contributing editor for GearReview.com; more of his ramblings and a look at upcoming reviews can be found at his blog -- Lactic Acid Threshold.

For more information, contact:
Baby Jogger
E-mail: sales@babyjogger.com
www.babyjogger.com