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Best stroller for beach /sand: If you’re planning a trip to the breach, you will need a stroller with adequate wheels. If you do not wish to spend the day at the beach pushing, pulling, and dragging the stroller, you’ll need a stroller that will simply glide on the sand.
Introduction
On a beautiful, sunny day, hitting the beach is fun, but having to struggle with your little one’s stroller on the sand takes the fun out of the entire experience. If you wish to avoid dragging the stroller for most of the time on the beach, you’ll need a great stroller that will just glide on the sand.
Strollers are available in various types, some are good for all kinds of terrain, some are best for use on sidewalks.
Some beaches are better suited for stroller use as they have long boardwalks that makes it easy to walk or run with your baby. However, if you wish to take the stroller on the sand, you need better quality wheels. Pushing a stroller with small plastic wheels on sand can be hard work, especially on the sand. You need bigger sized wheels, that you find on all-terrain and jogging strollers.
- Large air-filled tires, such as those on jogging strollers, are better suited for the beach.Most jogging strollers are better suited for the sand because of their big tires, however, there are a few “regular” strollers as well that can do the job of carting the kids to the beach. In general, strollers with bigger wheels work better on beaches (especially uneven beach).
- Avoid regular/umbrella strollers for beach-use; you will struggle to push them through the sand as the wheels are too small, and the tires aren’t filled with air.
- A three-wheel stroller is better suited for use on sand, compared to a 4-wheel design that is more suited to smoother surfaces. Having a stroller with wheels that lock in place is good for the beach; it helps the stroller move smoothly through sand (swivel wheels actually bogs you down)
- You can also use a beach cart or a wagon to carry your baby to the beach. However, some of these may not come with a canopy/shade cover.
- The Stroller needs to have a good canopy (shade cover). In case your stroller has a small canopy, you may consider using a bigger-sized canopy for your stroller, or you can use a small beach tent meant for toddlers and kids.
Best Strollers for Sand (At a Glance)
Lot of parents love going to the beach and would prefer to own a stroller that would work smoothly around town and also on the beach. A good beach stroller doesn’t have to be very expensive; there are affordable options available as well, while some are versatile enough to be used on any surface so you really get your money’s worth.
Here are some good choices.
- Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller (Budget-Friendly): Budget-friendly jogger glides smoothly over sand, priced under 100 bucks.
- Revolution Flex 3.0 Jogging Stroller (Made for Jogging): Highly rated for use on any terrain, including sandy beaches, parents love how smooth it rides.
- 7S Stroller Wagon by Keenz (Beach Wagon): Keenz offers a separate set of all-terrain wheels (you need to buy it separately) for their stroller wagons for use on sand, snow. The wagon is a two-seater and features four wheels.
- Zoom 360 Ultralight Jogging Stroller (Lightweight): Weighs just 25 pounds, bigger sized wheels are sturdy enough to handle the beach.
- Cameleon 3 Plus by Bugaboo (Reversible Steering): This 4-wheel stroller allows you to reverse it so that the two big rear wheels become the front wheels for easier pushing.
- Entourage Stroller by Austlen Baby (Best Investment). Offers set of beach wheels (sold separately) for its Entourage stroller; they simply snap on with one simple click. This is a 4-wheel stroller.
Strollers for Beach / Sand Dune: Reviews
Joggers with all-terrain tires are better suited for beach vacation. Remember, you need to lock the front wheel in place when pushing the stroller on the sand.
Here are strollers that you can use to move around your kids at the beach; these won’t get stuck in a sand trap.
Keenz Stroller Wagon
Keenz offers a set of all-terrain wheels (sold separately) for their stroller wagons. These wheels can glide over any terrain including sand, snow, and whatever else gets in the way. The wagon has two seats.
Revolution Flex 3.0 Jogging Stroller
Built for any terrain. Parents love this stroller because it’s sturdy enough for any surface, be it a sandy beach or hiking trail.
Debug Baby Bug Beach Stroller
The Debug Baby Bug Beach Stroller is especially designed for the beach due to its especially designed wheels that make navigating the sand a breeze. The stainless steel caster on the front wheel makes turning easy; the hardware is made of stainless steel to resist corrosion by salt air. More details on website.
Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight
Joovy Zoom 360 Ultralight has a more classic design. Its lightweight, durable and can accommodate kids up to 75 lbs (great for kids over 5 years).
It features big all-terrain tires, has a large canopy and comes with several premium features without being expensive.
Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus
Offers Reversible Steering. You can reverse the stroller so that the two big rear wheels become the front wheels (makes it lot easier to push). You can even turn the stroller into a two-wheeler that you can pull behind you.
These configurations make beach strolling so much easier.
Baby Trend Expedition Jogger Stroller
Budget-Friendly and quite a popular model. Multiple recline positions, 5-pt harness. Parents say the stroller glides smoothly over sand, and its quite cheap, so you can definitely give it a try.
Baby Trend Expedition Double Jogger
If you’re looking for a double stroller for the beach, this is a fantastic option. This is basically a side-by-side stroller. The seats offer multiple recline positions so the kids are comfortable, the seats also include a 5-point safety harness. The canopy is big enough to protect the kids from the harsh sun.
16 inches wheels in the back, 12 inches in the front, great for tackling any terrain actually.
Foot-activated rear brake. Quick, compact fold.
Entourage Stroller
Priced towards the high-end. Austlen Baby Co. offers beach wheels (sold separately) for its Entourage stroller. They are easy to attach (no tools required) — they simply snap on with one simple click. The stroller is a bestseller and parents love its and durability and ample storage space.
Buying Guide
There are many parents who prefer taking their strollers to the beach, as it provides a place to change the baby, and also for the little one to nap.
Unless it’s a jogging stroller, most strollers will struggle to move in the sand because of the resistance. Strollers with larger wheels work best on send, which means most jogging strollers would work fine. For sand, the bigger the tires the better, so make sure to get a true jogger.
Read: Best Jogging Strollers
However, whatever stroller you use, you may have to get some extra help on the softer deeper sand, but once you get past that, the jogging strollers work fine.
- One parent bought a baby jogger that worked like a charm at the beach. But it’s big and may not be great in crowded areas. Maybe you should get separate stroller just for the beach, an all-terrain type of stroller.
- One parent told me that a better option is to buy a cheap stroller (under $50) as the sand and salt will most likely ruin the stroller in the longer run. However, it’s very unlikely that salt will damage the stroller because strollers usually come with rubber tires and aluminum frame. It’s best to rinse the tires of the stroller after a visit to the beach.
Jogging strollers with a front swivel wheel are great for the beach, and see if you can find something without metal wheels/rims as they could rust. Make sure you rinse the wheels after use.
You may also require a bigger storage space in the stroller and space to keep beverages.
Closing Thoughts
All the strollers mentioned here would be able to handle a sandy surface with ease, and they all have their own strengths. But if I had to choose one from the list, I would go with the BOB Revolution Flex Jogging stroller as the best beach stroller. The BOB Revolution Flex has a big canopy, air-filled tires with a great suspension system, locking front wheel, looks great overall, and it’s not very expensive either.
If you’re looking for a double stroller, I would suggest the Baby Trend Expedition Double Jogger.
StrollerBoards is a family managed website with me (Ben) and my wife doing most of the work. We are proud parents of two wonderful kids and love reviewing baby travel gear. We have a firm but friendly “democratic parenting” style and offer several practical solutions backed by extensive research. Our own experience with raising two children prompted us to share our knowledge. Read more.
You should worry about sand getting into parts of the stroller that need to stay lubricated. I personally won’t take my good stroller onto the beach but instead got one of those step 2 type wagons w/the chunky wheels. Works great for the baby including a seat belt to keep them seated and also works to tote other beach gear.