January 24, 2018 Mike Volpe

The BOB Revolution Flex vs Thule Urban Glide 2 Stroller 2018

The BOB Revolution Flex vs the Thule Urban Glide 2 Stroller

BOB’s best-selling stroller, the Revolution Flex has been considered the leading jogging stroller on the market for a very long time. Only in the past few years have other companies caught up, and one stroller that’s giving BOBs a run for their money is the Thule Urban Glide 2. We’re also excited about some of Thule’s 2018 updates to this model! These two strollers have been neck and neck for a while, and Thule is definitely proving themselves to offer some of the best joggers on the US market.

What’s often overlooked is the fact that these strollers are for very different lifestyles. The BOB Revolution Stroller tends to be the more rugged outdoorsman’s stroller, and the Thule is a bit more optimized for an urban environment.

First, let’s discuss Thule Urban Glide 2 2018. Of the two, it’s lighter by quite a margin. Although they’re technically only a pound from one another, the Urban Glide 2 feels significantly lighter when lifted. This could be the result of few factors: its longer profile when folded distributes the weight across a longer frame, the fact that its suspension system is much less complicated and less centralized, or, potentially, the weight of one of these strollers was misquoted.

(ASIDE TIME! Did the stroller have air in its tires when weighed? Did it have its wheels on? I’ve seen car seats weighed without their canopies, so I always wonder what companies do to make their products appear lighter than they are. That’s why we always suggest taking a stroller out for a test drive before buying.)

Anyway, the Thule Urban Glide 2 performs really well on city streets and in city apartments because of its weight. The light weight is especially attractive to anyone lifting their stroller up the steps to their building, or in and out of their trunk frequently. But its weight also directly impacts its ability to handle rougher terrain. Bouncier suspension can cause the stroller to get away from you, making the handling more erratic. That said, the Thule Urban Glide 2 has a bunch of wonderful features, from a covered basket (to avoid prying eyes and dirt flying from your wheels), an included handbrake, and a new and improved sleek design. They also improved their stroller lock, making it more effective and durable when closed.

The BOB Revolution Flex Stroller is still a giant in the industry. Its acronym stands for Beast of Burden, and it definitely fits that description. The stroller feels heavier than the Thule Urban Glide 2, but that weight is what steadies it when going on the roughest of terrains, as well as helping it trudge through sand. It has an incredibly centralized suspension system that gives it a smooth ride on those terrains. That’ll also help it stay smooth at top speed. You’re also able to adjust its suspension depending on the weight of your child.

The basket on the BOB Revolution is deeper and fits a bit more stuff, but it is open to the elements. The BOB Revolution features a flip-flop friendly foot brake while the Thule has both a foot brake and hand brake. The BOB is also a bit smaller when folded, which makes it the winner in terms of trunk space.

Something that flies under the radar about the BOB Revolution is that BOB recently allowed this stroller seat to become completely upright. Most jogging strollers keep their seats at an angle due to the possibility of stopping short while jogging. This helps with the whiplash on kiddo as you stop. But once you have a kid nearing 2 years old, they tend to prefer sitting upright. So, after BOB realized consumers were using this stroller for everyday life and not just jogging, they gave your curious toddler the option to sit up.

That said, when using these strollers from birth, the car seat adapters are quite different. The Thule Urban Glide 2 uses a universal adapter. If you’re curious about adapters, check here for an explanation. The BOB Revolution Flex Stroller has car seat specific adapters and only works with the Peg Perego, Chicco, and Britax car seats. Without a car seat, both are 6 months plus, and you shouldn’t jog with a child until that point anyway so it naturally works out. But we always recommend a quick check with your pediatrician before embarking on jogs with your baby. Two in tow? Both the Urban Glide 2 and the Revolution Flex are available as double strollers.

Mike is a Gear Guru at both our Boston and Brookline locations!