Kelty Speedster Swivel-Deluxe & Deuce Jogging Strollers

Kelty has been a go-to brand for quality outdoor goods since 1952.  Over the past sixty years, they’ve grown from their well-known camping gear to includes, which burst onto the scene with child carriers and has since introduced a line of jogging strollers.  With a focus on designing products that withstand the elements and are easily transported, Kelty is well poised to bring us great performance strollers that excel in both look and function.  The Speedster Swivel-Deluxe and its double stroller counterpart, the Speedster Swivel-Deuce, don’t disappoint.

PROS:

–       Lightweight – With aluminum frames engineered by pros who have spent years on camping backpacks, these jogging strollers weigh in at just 23 lbs 10 oz for the single Deluxe and 29 lbs 2 oz for the double Deuce.  When pushing one or two kids around, stroller weight does matter, so this is definitely a plus!

–       Narrow footprint – This PRO is specific to the Deluxe, which is noticeably narrower than most jogging strollers out there (more on the Deuce below).  With a smaller footprint, you can feel sporty, rather than feel like you’re pushing a large load while jogging or just strolling.

–       Comfort for your child – With fully padded seats that recline to a comfortable napping position and a harness system that’s borrowed from their child carriers, these strollers provide a great ride for its passengers.  The shoulder harness wraps from the front of the child to the back so that it stays in place unlike the padding on many other strollers that tend to slip.  The air-filled tires smooth out bumps in the road, though the Kelty strollers don’t have the suspension that is built in to many other jogging strollers.

–       Accommodates growing children – The Deluxe has a generous max weight limit of 70 lbs, while the Deuce can hold up to 100 lbs.  The 5-point harness system – both shoulder straps and crotch strap – can be lengthened considerably to restrain taller children.

–       Great sun/wind protection – The canopy is large and provides generous coverage for your children, not only keeping them sheltered from sun and wind, but also providing a great environment for napping.  One thing to note is that there is a single canopy for the Deuce.  Therefore, you’ll need to hope that both kids have similar requests for sun or shade.

–       Multiple handle positions to suit various heights – These strollers have more handle positions than any other stroller I’ve seen.  I counted 8 positions from 34 to 45 inches so both you and your partner should be happy, even if you’re on opposite ends of the height spectrum.

–       Locking front swivel wheel – Want to go for a serious run?  Just lock the wheel.  Going for a stroll around the city?  Unlock it so that you have full maneuverability with a swiveling front wheel.

–       Generous storage – For the Deluxe, you not only have a large, easily accessed storage basket under the seat, but you also have a mesh pouch for a water bottle as well as a separate pouch on the seat back for storing personal items.  For the Deuce, these spaces are doubled!  Also, both come with a key fob, which will keep you from having to ever fumble for your keys again as you pull up to your front door.

–       A bike bell! – This may seem like a small detail to get excited about, but having a quick way to alert others that you’re coming through is not only great for safety, but it will also make you smile as it brings back childhood memories of riding your bike.  Your kids will enjoy this feature as well!

–       Lifetime warranty – Kelty covers their products against any defects in materials or workmanship, which just goes to show how much confidence they have in their level of quality.

CONS:

–       Not for infants – Because both strollers don’t accept infant car seats and cannot be fully reclined, you’ll have to wait before strapping your new baby in.  At approximately 6 months, babies should have the needed muscle strength to sit upright and hold their heads up.  If you’re using these strollers to jog or go off road, wait until your child is at least 8 months old.

–       Unfolding the stroller can be tricky – To unfold and set up the stroller, you’ll need to push two locking clips into place.  At least to start, these clips are quite difficult to engage, but they may get easier over time.  Just be prepared to exert some energy at the start.

–       When in the folded position, the canopy can obscure your view – This will be especially evident for those of shorter stature as it becomes difficult to see over the canopy when it’s folded.  This is the trade-off for having great coverage when the canopy is deployed.

–       Not the easiest to store – To really fold these up tightly, you’ll need to remove the wheels, which isn’t too bad given that even the back wheels are quick release.  However, neither model stands when folded so you’ll have to lay these strollers down for storing, which will require a bit more space.

–       The Deuce is wide – You probably don’t expect much different given that the Deuce is a tandem double stroller.  However, before you buy this as a primary stroller, you should realize that the width may preclude you from entering certain buildings whose door frames may be more narrow than the Deuce.

Overall, the Kelty Speedster Swivel Deluxe and Deuce are really great strollers for either jogging or just getting around town.  Your kids will ride in comfort, while you transport them in style and with ease.

By Michelle Lee

Michelle enjoys reviewing the latest and greatest baby and toddler products to hit the market. With two little ones of her own, she has firsthand, in-depth experience with a wide array of juvenile products as well as ready help from her junior reviewers in testing everything from strollers to toys. Her background in User Research, Engineering and Product Design lend to an appreciation for well-designed products that are solidly constructed and created with the end consumer in mind.