REASONS TO BUY
Easy fold/unfold
Hand brake
Moves over everything
REASONS TO AVOID
Very long
Heavy
Expensive
BOB Alterrain Pro Review
Great option if you regularly take adventures off the beaten path or enjoy jogging with your errands
Credit: Matt Lighthart
RELATED: The Best Full-Size Strollers
The Skinny
The BOB Alterrain Pro is an excellent jogging stroller, but its size and price might make it less appealing as a favorite full-size stroller. The Alterrain scored well in most metrics we tested, including being easy to push and turn, easy to use and set up, and with exceptional quality and features for comfort. It is a sleek-looking jogger with a longer wheelbase and a good contender for those who run regularly. Because the Alterrain is one of the heaviest and biggest in the review, it might not be as good as a stand-in for your full-size stroller since managing it in a tight space could be challenging. It also has smaller storage, and the 10lb basket limit could be a deal-breaker if you hope to shop. Overall, we like the Alterrain, no doubt; however, it makes a better jogger than an everyday errand runner, and we think that some competing joggers make better double-duty options.
Editor's Note: We tested 18 full-size stroller or jogging crossover options to help parents find the best choice for their needs in March 2024.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product
BOB Alterrain Pro | |||||
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| Awards |  | |  | | |
| Price | $700 List Check Price at Amazon | $700 List $699.99 at Amazon | $650 List $449.95 at Amazon | $650 List $598.73 at Amazon | $350 List $349.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Sharp looking jogger that is easy to push over just about anything | A quality choice that uses thoughtful design to create an easy-to-use option, but it has a higher price and a larger fold | This jogger is a dual-purpose choice with better storage and easy maneuverability over most surfaces | While it performs well on flat surfaces, this high-quality option struggles off-road if those are your goals | A budget-friendly expandable stroller with good storage but limited other features and a heavier weight |
| Rating Categories | BOB Alterrain Pro | UPPAbaby Cruz v2 | Thule Urban Glide 2 | Cybex Balios S Lux | Evenflo Pivot Xpand |
| Ease of Use (40%) | |||||
| Maneuverability (25%) | |||||
| Transport/Storing (15%) | |||||
| Quality (10%) | |||||
| Kid's Comfort (10%) | |||||
| Specs | BOB Alterrain Pro | UPPAbaby Cruz v2 | Thule Urban Glide 2 | Cybex Balios S Lux | Evenflo Pivot Xpand |
| Weight | 33.5 | 25.0 | 26.2 | 25.3 | 30.0 |
| BGL Folded Dims. | 25.4"W x 17.3"H x 39.5"L | 22.9"W x 16.5"H x 33"L | 27.2"W x 15.5"H x 36.5"L | 24"W x 16"H x 31"L | 26.7"W x 19.23"H x 32.7"L |
| Capacity Limits | Minimum: 8 weeks (walking) 8 months (jogging) Maximum: 75 lbs/44 in |
Minimum: 3 months Maximum: 50 lbs |
Minimum: 6 months Maximum: 49 lbs/ 44 in |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lbs |
Minimum: Birth Maximum: 55 lbs/43" |
| Mfr. Max Allowable Total Storage Weight | 10 | 30 | 14 | 24 | 11 |
| Car Seat Compatibility | Britax B-Safe 35, B-Safe 35 Elite, B-Safe Ultra, Endeavours Chicco KeyFit 30, KeyFit 30 Zip, KeyFit Zip Air, KeyFit Magic, Fit2 Graco All SnugRide models, SnugRide Click Connect models, SnugRide SnugLock models Peg Perego Primo Viaggio 4-35 , Primo Viaggio 4-35 Nido |
Chicco KeyFit 35, KeyFit 30, KeyFit 30 Zip, KeyFit 30 Zip Air, Fit2, Fit2 LE, Fit2 Air Cybex Aton, Aton 2, Aton Q, Aton M Clek Liing Maxi-Cosi Mico Max 30, Mico NXT, Mico AP, Mico Max Plus Nuna PIPA, PIPA lite, PIPA lite lx, PIPA lite r, PIPA rx, PIPA lite rx, PIPA urbn UPPAbaby Mesa |
BOB Unity Britax Affinity Unity, B-Safe, B-Safe 35, B-Safe 35 Elite, Chaperone, Unity, Unity ISOFIX Compatible Chicco KeyFit, KeyFit 30, KeyFit Plus Combi Shuttle 33 Evenflo Discovery 5 Graco SafeSeat, SnugRide, SnugRide Click Connect, SnugRide Click Connect 30, SnugRide Click Connect 35, SnugRide Click Connect LX 35, SnugRide Click Connect 40 Maxi-Cosi CabrioFix, Citi, Pebble Nuna Pipa Peg Perego Primo Viaggio SIP 30/30, Primo Viaggio 4-35 Safety 1st Comfy Carry Elite, onBoard, onBoard Air Safe-n-Sound Unity, Unity Neos UPPAbaby Mesa |
Cybex (All) Maxi Cosi Mico 30, Maxi Cosi Mico Max, Maxi Cosi Coral XP Nuna Pipa lite |
Chicco KeyFit/KeyFit 30 Evenflo SafeMax, LiteMax Graco all with SnugRide, SnugLock 30/35 Peg-Perego Primo Viaggio 4/35 |
| Min./Max. Handle Height | 32.5"/47.5" | 40"/43" | 30"/46" | 39.5"/43" | 33"/44.7" |
| Wheel Type | Pneumatic | Foam Filled Plastic | Pneumatic | Foam Filled Plastic | Foam Filled Plastic |
| Brake type | Single | Single | Single | Single | Single |
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Our Analysis and Test Results
The Beast of Burden (BOB) company began in 1994 in California with Roger Malinowski and Philip Novotny at the helm. With the combined specialties of a bicycle professional and the airline mechanic, they originally created Yak bike trailers. After fatherhood came calling, the two saw a gap in the market for a rugged stroller suitable for jogging. And with this, the original BOB was created. Today, some BOB products even make our list of strolling favorites. Britax now owns the BOB company.
Performance Comparison
The Alterrain is one of the easier jogging strollers we've tested.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Ease of Use
The Alterrain is easy to use, with features that are thoughtfully placed and designed, and it earned a high score in this metric.
Folding the Alterrain is easy, and despite its size and weight, it isn't too unruly.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Fold and Unfold
The Alterrain is one of the easier to fold and unfold. It requires one hand and uses a slide and twist handle under the leg rest. It stands on its own when folded and locks in place.
The folding handle on the Alterrain is simple, with a push-to-engage design to twist. It only takes one hand but two are preferred to keep control of it folding in half.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The Alterrain can then be rolled like luggage when folded so you don't have to carry it.
The Alterrain storage bin is big enough for our large diaper bag and has a zippered cover, but it has a limit of 10 lbs, which might not be enough but is on par with other high-ranking joggers.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Storage
The storage bin is large and has a zippered cover. It has average access, but the real limitation is the 10 lb limit of the bin. While this is better than some joggers, many full-size options have limits over 20 lbs. For storage of small quick access items like a phone or keys it also has a small zippered pocket on the back of the canopy and two medium mesh pockets on the back of the seat. The passenger has two mesh pockets inside the seat for holding treasures.
The buckle on the Alterrain is stiffer than other BOBs, but it works well and is not challenging.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Harness
The harness is a no-rethread adjustment harness with shoulder straps that slide up and down a strap sewn on the back of the seat.
The Alterrain harness is somewhat utilitarian with exposed straps and adjustment points.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Adjustments are easy to make for size. The buckle is stiff but it makes a satisfying click when in place. All 5 points on the harness are adjustable for length, including the crotch strap.
The brake pedal on the Alterrain is a round bar that is easy to set and release.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Brakes
The Alterrain has two brake styles, a handbrake and a parking brake.
The handbrake slows the stroller while running, especially in downhill situations. The parking brakes are single-action, and the pedal works well, but it takes more pressure than some to ensure it is engaged.
Car Seat Compatibility
With the purchase of adapters, you can pair your Alterrain with some infant car seats from the following brands: Britax, Chicco, Graco, and Peg Perego.
The high-quality Alterrain comes well packed and removing packaging material is a big part of the assembly job.
Credit: Graham Faulknor
Ease of Setup
The Laterrain comes largely assembled, and the remaining components will take 5-10 minutes to add. You don't need tools, it is somewhat intuitive and has clear instructions. It requires adding the wheels and canopy; it might require some tire inflation.
The Alterrain might be longer than some, but it still navigated tight turns without too much trouble, thanks to the swivel front wheel.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Maneuverability
If you want a smooth mover to head off the beaten path or to effortlessly navigate hard surfaces, the Alterrain is a good choice. With quality wheels and tires that are rubber and air-filled, the Alterrain is an easy stroller to push.
The larger rubber tires help the Alterrain move easily over even thicker, longer grass.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
It is a little sporty and more like an SUV than a sports car on flat, hard surfaces. It is easy to push but long and needs a little extra space over shorter options. The suspension is soft and the rear wheels are wider apart than other BOB strollers in this review making it feel somewhat less precise in its movements.
The Alterrain has soft shock absorption that helps both the pusher and provides comfort to the passenger.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Off-road, it continues to excel and outperforms most competitors with the ability to roll over darn near anything (within reason, keep it safe!). However, the softer suspension means kids over 30 lbs might feel more bumps than they would on other joggers with stiffer suspensions. It is also easy to pop up in the front for navigating curbs, but the heavily weighted back end will need some strength to lift it up with a kid on board.
As a jogger, it is no wonder the Alterrain is a beast of stroller and it might not fit in smaller sedan trunk spaces.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Transporting and Storing
No jogger is truly small or lightweight, and the Alterrain is no exception. It weighs 33.50 lb in our tests, making it one of the heaviest in the review. If living is not your strong suit or you have a more petite stature, it could make handling this beast more than you want to tackle.
While it has an easy fold that is less awkward than some bulkier options, it still measures 17,357 cubic inches when folded. The other BOB we tested is almost 3,00 cubic inches smaller, indicating you don't need an absolute unit of a stroller if you want a jogger.
The Alterrain wheels are designed to snap on and take off without too much trouble in case you need to make it smaller for stowing.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
In short, if you plan to transport your stroller via public transportation or in your car frequently, you might want to do some measuring or choose a smaller jogger.
The Alterrain is a high-quality option with attention to detail, like the dense wheel design and thick rubber tires.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Quality
If you love a good quality product, the Alterrain will impress, earning one of the highest scores in this metric. The seat material is a mix between canvas and softer fabric. It has a tight weave and isn't the most skin-friendly but it feels durable and easy to clean. The canopy and footrest are a much coarser canvas material, assuming more wear and tear over time.
The overall fit and finish of the Alterrain are impressive, and it looks like a polished product that was thoughtfully designed.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The pneumatic rubber tires are top-notch with a durable, dense plastic rim that can be locked in place. All three wheels are nicer in size, which makes moving at speeds and over rougher terrain easy. The aluminum frame tubing is an oval shape with minimal left-to-right flex. It has a more finished look than the traditional BOB. The overall fit and finish are sleek and resemble a stealth bomber with no exposed fasteners and everything where it should be.
The Alterrain has a deep seat, a good recline, and a comfortably placed foot rest.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Kid's Comfort
The Alterrain earned a higher-than-average result for kid comfort. It has a lightly padded sling-style seat with an adjustable recline and stationary leg rest. The legrest is also padded and extends down fully to the plastic footrest.
The seatback has a push-button release toggle that allows you to recline the back. It takes one hand to pull and recline but two hands to hold the toggle and pull the straps through to raise it upright. It is easy enough to do, but it feels dated compared to some of the competitions that have a single mechanism you can operate with one hand, up or down.
The Alterrain Pro has a vinyl peek-a-boo window and a mesh window for ventilation.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
The canopy on the Alterrain is large and covers to the knee of most riders. It features UPF50+ and a vinyl peek-a-boo window with mesh ventilation. It isn't the ultimate canopy, but it is pretty darn close. The windows have magnetic covers, which we love. They are both effective and silent.
If your adventures with your baby will take you off-road or moving fast, then the ALterrain might be a good choice, but we suggest considering all of the joggers because there were others that might also work.
Credit: Matt Lighthart
Should You Buy the BOB Alterrain Pro?
The Pro is a high-performing jogger with enough features to make a suitable full-size stroller. This could potentially save you money and limit the number of strollers you need to buy. However, the Alterrain is bigger than our favorite joggers and costs more. If you are a serious runner, the cost is worthwhile, but if you aren't, it could be more stroller than you need.
What Other Full-Size Strollers Should You Consider?
If you want a good cross-over jogger for daily use as a full-size option, our favorite is the Thule Urban Glide 2. This option moves over almost everything and has covered storage for shopping treasures. It folds smaller and is lighter, making it a better option if your space is limited.
Manufacturer Video
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Juliet Spurrier, MD and Wendy Schmitz
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