My BOB Stroller: Worth Every Penny…Both Times

My son Nehe loves the BOB stroller! Credit: Dara Pierre-Louis

I have a personal relationship with my stroller, the BOB Revolution SE. Bob and I have been through a lot together. My first Bob was wrongfully kidnapped from my front porch. My second Bob is about to be passed on as I upgrade to the Bob Revolution SE Duallie (Bob’s two-seat version). I was first turned on to the Bob by a flamboyantly awesome employee at a trendy LA baby shop. I was wanting to buy the Orbit system (Kourtney Kardashian had it, after all), but after discussing my active lifestyle, he put me on to the BOB Revolution with its optional fixed wheel, and I am eternally grateful.

When I want to go for a run or push my stroller on the beach, I can lock the front wheel for maximum pushing power. When I want to wander around the shopping malls or stroll to the park or wind down a hiking trail, I can unlock the front wheel for superior navigation. It easily folds up and down, and fits in the back of my car so that I can take it anywhere.

The Bob costs a hefty penny (over $300), but you get what you pay for—it’s like the Cadillac of strollers. In the interim between my first Bob being stolen and purchasing my second, I borrowed a few friends’ other strollers. Compared to the Bob, everything else felt extremely difficult to push whether running or walking. And, really, who wants to have TWO strollers, a jogging stroller with an always fixed wheel and another stroller that navigates easily for shopping and strolling? The fact that the Bob is a two-in-one really helps make it worth the money! 

If you’re going for a Bob, be sure to spend the extra on the needed accessories: the car seat attachment, the snack bar attachment and the handlebar console. The add-ons are a downside of the Bob, for sure, but these are great items to put on a registry. Another negative is the tires—they are bicycle tires with an inner tube, so you do need to monitor the air. If they go completely flat, a bike shop can fix it for around $12. But each time I have to air up my tires or replace an inner tube, I fondly remember all the places we have been since our last fill up.

If money is tight, remember that you can’t run with your baby in a stroller until they are 6 months old. I’m waiting until my second hits the 6-month mark before purchasing my Duallie, setting aside a little money every month to buy it new. In the meantime, I’m keeping my eye out for a secondhand one in excellent condition. That’s the other great thing about the Bob: resale value. When you’re done with it, these strollers are in such high demand that you will have no problem selling it on Craigslist for 60 percent of what you paid for it. What other kind of stroller can give you back 60 percent of the cost as well as thousands of great runs, hikes, airport trips and shopping excursions? (Unless it’s kidnapped, then that’s a total loss and yes, I am still ANGRY, so you should probably invest in a stroller lock, too!)

If you’re pregnant, skip the baby clothes, the wipe warmers and all that other unnecessary junk, and put your pennies into a Bob. No one I have ever recommended it to has ever regretted the purchase!

What baby item would you spare no expense to buy? Do you love your Bob stroller like I do? —Dara