Thule Urban Glide 3 Review: They See Me Rollin’

What You Need To Know

Introduction to the Thule Urban Glide 3

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: As we prepped to become parents, my wife and I did a deep dive into strollers for our baby. We wanted the best but quickly became overwhelmed with how many options there were. I had friends ask me about running strollers, and my brain couldn’t even comprehend another thing to think about. It was obvious the stroller we ended up with wouldn’t cut it for running, but at least I had over half a year to figure it out (they say not to run with a newborn). As my baby grew, my time to get out and run dwindled, and the solution was to go for runs with her. It worked out that I was able to try the Thule Urban Glide 3, and as much as I don’t want to spoil things, wow, this stroller is next-level nice.

What we like about the Thule Urban Glide 3

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: After opening the box, I only had to put together four pieces to get the stroller going. I connected the canopy, popped on both the back wheels, and was done. More things in life should be this simple.

I wanted to see how our baby would like the stroller, so we put her in and secured her with the padded 5-point harness, and it’s like she is rocking a 6-figure sports car. The Urban Glide 3 is incredibly smooth, thanks to the 16-inch air-filled tires and shocks. This is way smoother than our Nuna everyday stroller. The canopy can extend super far to block the sun, even if it’s early morning or evening. The canopy also has a section that can be unzipped for ventilation, as well as a plastic peephole to check on your child without having to disturb them.

My recommendation is to go for a run without your child to get accustomed to running with a stroller. Also, the front wheel can lock into place so that it stays straight, but I had to tweak it a few times because it was slowly veering off to the left. For runs where you’re going to turn more often, though, it’s better to leave the wheel unlocked.

The Urban Glide 3 has a leg rest that can be popped up for comfort, which also lets you recline the stroller a bit further. It also has a mesh pocket on the back and a cargo basket underneath with a separate zip pocket. I love how easy the stroller is to fold. You just have to grab the handle under the leg rest and twist it to get started. When putting it in the trunk, I also popped off the back wheels to help save space when we took it on vacation.

Moving on, the price for the Urban Glide 3 is $650, or you can spend $850 for the double stroller version. It’s a nice chunk of change, but what baby-related thing isn’t? There’s a reason Shark Tank features so many products for kids. Parents are willing to spend top dollar for convenience and safety!

Now, let’s talk about how it performs during a run. The Urban Glide 3 is smooooooth. Seriously, as long as there aren’t potholes, big rocks, or branches, it really does feel like it’s gliding in the street. On paved streets, it feels effortless to push and get up to a nice running pace. When going downhill, it gains speed very quickly. You can use a wrist strap as well as the twist break to slow things down. The uphills got tougher as our daughter grew, but that’s because I’m pushing more weight. I preferred to push the stroller with one hand, which didn’t feel awkward with my form. Right now, we use it for 3-5 mile runs, but that’s just because our baby is one, and she isn’t ready to sit there for more than an hour. Still, it amazes me how well she’s currently doing on a run.

What we don’t like about the Thule Urban Glide 3

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: Even though it packs up well for its size, the stroller is going to take up a large chunk of smaller vehicles. During a trip to the beach, we managed to get the Urban Glide 3 and our other stroller in the trunk of the SUV, but space was tight for everything else.

This isn’t a problem per se, but the Urban Glide 3 is longer than a normal stroller. Even though you can get a bassinet, I wouldn’t use this as a primary stroller for out and about. It would be too long (123 cm/48.4 in from front wheel to handlebar) for restaurants or places where it can get tight. Also, the child can’t sit as upright — they’re locked in a more reclined position.

Thule Urban Glide 3 Conclusion

WIDE-FOOT JARRETT: My wife and I have both used the Urban Glide 3 to run, and we are in love with it. More importantly, our baby hasn’t complained or been miserable when being taken on a running joyride. Thule has done a phenomenal job with the Urban Glide 3, and it shows in all the details they put into it. If you’re in the market for a running stroller, I’m not sure it can get much better than this.

You can pick up the Thule Urban Glide 3 for $649 from REI using the button below.