As a new father, one of the challenges you’ll immediately be confronted with is the selection of baby gear. There’s furniture; there’s clothes; there’s toys; an there’s a whole lot of other stuff that invariably your mate will want to select (especially during the nesting stage). And while leaving the selection of these goods in her hands is highly recommended, one specific item you most definitely should play a part in purchasing is the child carrier, because let’s face it: the last thing you want to be doing is pushing a pink polka-dotted stroller down the street. Enter Chariot child carriers. These aren’t your typical strollers –Chariot’s aren’t about the latest styles in fabric, they’re about function, and function they do.
As active runners, stroller selection came down to finding one that would allow my wife and I to maintain being active. I ended up opting for the Chariot Cougar (my significant other felt the CX didn’t warrant the extra cost over the Cougar), but if I had my way I’d have opted for the CX simply because I liked some of its minor features. Both the Chariot Cougar and CX are sold as a chassis (which is what’s pictured) and feature a modular add-on system, allowing the CX to traverse the most varied of terrains. There’s a stroller option for everyday use (I have it but rarely use it), there’s a running attachment (which I use almost exclusively), there’s a hiking option (don’t have it), there’s a bike attachment and there’s a ski option (both of which I’ll be adding). For everyday use, you can swap between the stroller and running options in about 30 seconds with no tools, and you can fold it up equally as fast for easy transport.
But what makes the Chariot so great is when you’re actually using it, the Chariot is about as close to running without a stroller as you’re going to get. It glides exceptionally well and is easily manageable with a single hand. For the child, there’s a suspension system offering what I surmise to be a superbly plush ride. It’s fully enclosed with side vent, and depending on the climate, various stages of the body shell can be pulled back, offering the ability to use it in a variety of climates. I’ve used mine in temperatures ranging from 90 degrees to 30 degrees, and my son’s happily endured it all.
In the end, the Chariot has been one of the baby purchases that I’m most happy with. If you’re currently in the market for a stroller, I can’t recommend it enough. For more info on the Chariot, visit their website ChariotCarriers.com.
