I’m a big hiker and love the outdoors. Before my husband and I had our firstborn seven months ago, we regularly road-tripped to national parks—Yellowstone, Zion, you name it. Needless to say, I’m beyond excited to get out and about with the baby this summer.
Photograph: Tyler Shane
In my day-to-day, my baby and I take walks around the neighborhood in a stroller/car-seat combo (see our guide to The Best Strollers). There are a lot of perks to it, but it’s not exactly the smoothest ride. As we roll over pebbles and sidewalk cracks, the impact sends my babe’s chubby cheeks bouncing. That’s why I’ve been loving the Thule Chariot Cross 2.
Built to handle the outdoors, Thule’s sturdy and efficient Swedish design makes for a smooth ride, no matter what kind of ground you’re on. But it’s not just for walking. With the simple insertion of a hitch arm, the Chariot hooks up to your bike and becomes a smooth-wheelin’ buggy. I couldn’t believe how light and easy to navigate the Cross 2 was as a stroller and bike trailer. For active families like mine, the Cross 2 makes adventure more accessible and manageable.
Note: You can purchase the Cross 2 in a jogging bundle or with an add-on cross-country ski kit. Kansas City isn’t exactly renowned for its cross-country ski trails, and I prefer biking to jogging, so I tested the Cross 2 by walking and biking.
Strolling and Off-Roading
You can still buy the original Chariot Cross, but the Cross 2 incorporates user-friendly upgrades, including an updated cargo bag, improved folding hinge mechanism, new hitch attachment with one-handed operation, and an easier transition between bike and stroller.
It took me about 15 to 20 minutes to set up the Cross 2. Because Thule is a Swedish company, most of the instructions were given in the form of pictures, which can feel a little vague. It’s manageable, nonetheless.
Right away, as I strolled around my neighborhood, I was impressed with how easy the Cross 2 was to maneuver, despite being fairly large and bulky otherwise (just over 3 feet in height and width). It has an aerodynamic design that allows for plenty of legroom for the kiddo, and it’s outfitted with two 20-inch back wheels that are sturdy enough to navigate rough terrain. The two front wheels are smaller, about 8 inches in diameter, and with the tug of a lever can be flipped up when transitioning to bike mode. (I dive more into bike mode below.) As I went for a walk with the babe in my older neighborhood, cracked sidewalks and awkward bumps in the road were suddenly manageable with the Thule. I quickly found myself off-roading at parks and through fields.
