Graco Jogging Stroller Review: Accurate Insights After a Year of Use

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The Graco FastAction™ Fold Jogger Click Connect™ Stroller was one of my first big purchases as an expecting mom. (Okay, well I didn’t buy it, but I put it on my registry and I am spoiled enough that someone else bought it for me!) I did a lot of research and even googled “Graco jogging stroller review” to help me decide if this was the best option for my price range and purpose.

I got the whole travel system-meaning I opted to get the car seat to go with the stroller. I chose the Gotham color because I liked how gender-neutral it could be and I liked the reference to Batman. (If you don’t know, Gotham is the city where Batman resides and buying a Batman stroller just made me feel cool!)

I chose Graco because it is a known, trusted, and reputable brand. I also liked Graco because the price was very “middle of the road”. I had many friends spring for a more expensive brand that could do more things, but what I wanted (at least at the time) was a single passenger stroller that I could go on a run with.

A Graco Jogging Stroller Review:

Pros of the Graco Fast Fold Jogger Action Quick Connect

Ease of Packing Up

One of the main features (it’s even in the name) is the “fast-fold”. I have to agree with Graco on this one, it really is a fast-fold! I find it very easy and intuitive to quickly close down when we are done with a run or walk. You simply pull up on the strap in the middle of the seat and the whole stroller collapses. That’s a really great feature when you already have your baby in the car and are wanting to get going.

Single Rider Options

One of the reasons why I bought the whole travel system is that you can connect the car seat straight into the stroller. This ease was a key feature for our family because it allowed me to easily move from the car to the stroller. When baby is sleeping, it’s really nice to not have to get them unbuckled from the car seat and into the stroller. Additionally, the little peanuts just seem way safer in the car seat, as opposed to in a big stroller seat.

When my baby became a toddler we had a smooth transition to riding directly in the stroller, no car seat. It was an easy change and my toddler liked the move. (See the next point for more details on that.)

Baby Facing vs Toddler Facing

I liked that when your baby is little enough to still be in the car seat, they are facing me. When you have a little baby (6 months or less) they really aren’t as interested in the rest of the world, but they sure are interested in seeing their caregiver. It’s a good setup so I can watch my baby the whole walk!

Likewise, I appreciate that once babies turn into toddlers, they are safe to sit in the main part of the stroller and face forward. Once kids are old enough to sit in the stroller (according to the Graco product description the car seat holds children from 4-35 lbs and up to 32 inches) then they are forward-facing. By the time my little one was ready for the forward-facing stroller based on her size, she was much more interested in looking around.

Basically, I think it makes loads of sense to have your baby facing you and your toddler facing out. The setup was right for my first little one.

The Smooth Jog

I was honestly impressed with how easily I could move through jagged sidewalks and even go off-roading a little bit with the Graco jogger. In fact, I practiced running my first 5k after baby with baby in tow. It was really fun to have a permanent running buddy along with me! I also took her with me on the first 5k and it went beautifully! (I finished toward the top of my age bracket and the muddy path didn’t slow us down!)

The three-wheel system really does seem to work well for the increased mobility and option to run. (It makes a big difference because my big 2-child stroller is way too big of a hunk to run with!)

The Canopies

I love that both the stroller and the car seat have little sun canopies to keep my littles skin nice and healthy! The ability to cover them from the sun also provided a nice little space that got a bit darker for a napping baby in the car seat.

If you want full coverage, I recommend this awesome car seat cover that can be a nursing cover (although it wasn’t my favorite nursing cover).

Good Storage

I really appreciate the amount of storage this stroller possesses. I could shove my whole backpack/diaper bag in and have a water bottle for both me and my little one. It’s certainly an advantage when you want to go on longer walks/runs to have all your gear stored under the baby.

If you are looking for a great backpack/diaper bag, I love this gray one. It’s functional and roomy!

The Price

I think the price (currently in the mid $200s) is fairly reasonable. Generally my go-to strategy is to get the best bang for my buck. I want to get something that is good quality and functional, but I don’t want to pay top dollar for (what I consider) unnecessary bells and whistles. If that’s your mentality, then I highly suggest this stroller!

If you are willing to shell out the cash, I would look into buying the Baby Jogger City Select Travel System. It’s impressive because it can go from one child to two and it’s high quality. One of my best friends has this one, and she loves it!

Cons of the Graco Fast Fold Jogger Action Quick Connect

No Option for Additional Kids

Admittedly, my Graco Fast-Fold Jogger Action Quick Connect is out of commission for now because I have two children that are under three and definitely still want their own spot in the stroller. If you plan to have kids back to back, I would recommend a stroller that can quickly convert from one to two kids. I got some really good use out of my Graco, but it just doesn’t work with two littles. I will say that I plan to use it again when my older kids are grown and I only have one baby left!

As I mentioned above, the Baby Jogger City Select Travel System is capable of being a one-baby stroller, but can easily convert to carry around two.

The “Smartphone” Holder

The smartphone holder that is specifically designed to hold your smartphone right in front of you between the drink holder is simply way too small. The idea of the smartphone holder is a great one, it just doesn’t fit any normal phone anymore. I’m sure that when it was first designed, the typical smartphone wasn’t the size of your face, so I can hardly blame the company. However, it is kind of annoying that there is a space that can’t really be utilized for anything else and doesn’t work for what it was designed to do.

The Questionnable Front Wheel Lock

The majority of the time my jogger was smooth and easy to run or walk with. But every so often, especially at the beginning of a walk, the front wheel would get spun around and into the lock position. It didn’t happen all the time, but enough that I was annoyed by it.

To Buy or Not to Buy:

I like the Graco Fast Action Jogger if you are serious about trying to go on runs with your baby. I also think it’s really great for the price you pay. If you are looking for good quality without the high price tag, this is a great option! If you want premium and something that grows with your family, I’d check out the Baby Jogger City Select Travel System.