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TFK Joggster Twist
Trends for Kids (TFK) has been popular in Europe since it was founded in 1997. Until recently, this German-based company's high quality, innovative and versatile products were not available in the US. Sold in more than 15 countries, TFK recently made its way across the pond and made its US debut in November 2008. With its high quality German design, great features and sporty looks, the TFK stroller may soon be a major US favorite.
The Joggster Twist is TFK's sporty single stroller for the modern sport-minded parents. This fabulous all-terrain stroller has some outstanding features that could possibly make it the sport stroller for you.
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The first things we noticed about the Joggster Twist were how great and sporty it looked as well as how large the seat was. The Joggster Twist sports a large, roomy seat that accommodates even our larger kids. With a high weight capacity of 55 lbs, we found that even our 5 and 6 year olds could jump in for a ride. The quality and construction of the stroller is so good that we think the stroller could accommodate even more weight with ease. We found that the seat has a very tall seat back (25 inches from seat to canopy) that accommodates even taller children without their heads brushing the canopy.
There is padded 5-point, adjustable harness for safety and a foot rest that not only flips up for folding but slides up the frame for the comfort of taller and shorter riders. The seat also features 3 strengthening plates (which absorb shock and provide back/lumbar support) that were designed by doctors to make sure the spine of the child is in a healthy position. The seat is padded with 3 recline positions, including almost flat. In order to recline the seat, there is a zipper system that requires mom or dad to unzip a zipper on each side. If we could make one change, it would be that they change the zipper feature to a one-handed bar recline that would be easier for parents to do.
The seat fabric is durable, water resistant, non-fade fabric which is both non-abrasive and easily removable and washable. There is an adjustable and removable bumper bar but no cup holders or snack trays for either mom or baby. (Remember, Europeans don't eat and drink on the go.)
We love that the Joggster Twist sports an adjustable handle bar (up and down but not telescoping) that is great for taller and shorter parents. It's easy to operate with two push buttons on the sides and can be set at any position including all the way up for taller parents and all the way down so that other siblings can "help" push the stroller. The handle bar on the stroller is also nicely padded and comfortable to hold.
The Joggster Twist has a decent size canopy that isn't the largest or the smallest on the market but has a very large peek-a-boo UV protected window (with cover). There is also an optional zip on UV sun cover accessory if you are looking for more sun protection. A fantastic feature of the canopy is the detachable mosquito net that rolls up into the front of the canopy so that you always have it with you. No more forgetting the mosquito net or realizing you can't find it while out and about! This mosquito net reaches all the way to the footrest, completely enclosing your child.
This stroller is stocked with storage! Underneath the seat, is a rather large basket that we had no problem fitting a medium size diaper bag or many baby essentials in. Besides the basket underneath, there is a zipper pocket on the back of the seat for mom essentials, two zipper pockets on the sides of the canopy and a two zipper pouches on the each side of the seat for extra storage.
The large (12 1/2 inch rear and 10 inch front) air-filled tires charge through all kinds of different terrain. Grass, playground mulch, rocky road - no problem! We found it can be used for bumpy roads, hiking, running, and just walking around the city. When running with this stroller we barely have to push it as it glides along the pavement. With its fabulous suspension system and rear shock absorbers, the Joggster Twist also provides a very smooth ride for baby. Even though the tires are air-filled, TFK failed to provide a tire pump with the stroller though.
While the Joggster Twist is not for the serious marathon runner, we found that with the sturdy frame, lockable front wheel, and the air-filled tires, we had no problem taking it for light jogs. The stroller also has a strap that you can attach to your wrist in case you are going down hill to prevent you from losing control of the stroller.
The front swivel wheel provides amazing maneuverability and locks straight for use on rougher terrain. The front swivel wheel is what differentiates the Joggster Twist from the Joggster III which has a fixed front wheel. Even with the stroller fully loaded, we had no problem maneuvering this stroller even one-handed. There is a convenient and easy to use hand-operated disc brake, located on the handlebar, which allows parents to slow the stroller while in motion or lock the wheels when the stroller is parked. We love that you don't have to use your foot or scuff your shoes to lock this stroller.
The Joggster Twist basically folds in half into a compact fold, making transporting this stroller good regarding the size. There are a couple steps to folding the stroller but we found that they are easy and quick to do. There is a manual locking strap on the side to lock the stroller closed for transporting. Since the "lock" is a strap with a hole at the end that hooks on a metal knob on the frame, we did find that the strap doesn't always stay. We would suggest a more sturdy (and automatic) lock for this stroller so that we don't have to worry about it unlocking on us when we lift it in and out of our trunks.
Weighing in at 28 lbs, we found the stroller weight average to a bit heavy for an all-terrain stroller. With such a sturdy stroller, we expected this weight though. We didn't have too much trouble lifting it in and out of our trunk and found popping off the front tire gave it a bit more compact of a fold. Note: Since the rear wheels have the disc brake system, the rear wheels do not just pop off in a jiffy.
There are a few great accessories sold separately that work great with the Joggster Twist. The bassinet/carrycot is great to turn the stroller into a pram for newborns. The universal car seat adapter sold separately turns the stroller into a travel system. Also available is a rain cover, UV sun cover, fleece foot muff, travel bag and rain and sun covers for the bassinet.
This sporty stroller comes in a variety of colors, including as blue, black, and red. With its very sturdy construction, adjustable handle, fabulous maneuverability, very roomy seat and lots of storage, the TFK Joggster Twist is a great option for sports-minded parents.
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