BOB Revolution Flex 3.0 Combo Review

Roger Malinowski and Philip Novotny began the Beast of Burden Company, (BOB) in 1994 with Yak bike trailers. Located in San Luis Obispo, California, the bicycle pro and airline mechanic saw a need for a new type of stroller after having babies of their own which prompted the creation of the BOB Sport Utility Jogging Stroller. The men continued to advance their stroller designs and in 2005 were the first company to put a locking swivel wheel on a jogging stroller. BOB was acquired by the Britax company in 2011.

Performance Comparison

Ease of Attaching Car Seat

The Flex 3.0 can be combined with a variety of infant car seat brands with the purchase of an adapter.

The adapters are largely frames you need to assemble using a screwdriver before connecting to the stroller frame. Once connected to the stroller, the carrier clicks onto the adapter and requires a second step of strap connection to finish the combination.

It is this second step that hurt the Flex's 3.0 performance in this metric. We worry parents will intentionally skip the second step or forget making the combination potentially dangerous for little ones. That being said, if a jogging stroller is what you want and you don't want to invest in a different stroller for the first 9 months of your baby's life, then the adapters work well, but please follow directions.

Weight and Folded Size

The Flex 3.0 is a bulky and heavy stroller for a car seat stroller combination. While about average for a jogging stroller at 28.1 lbs with the car seat adapter attached, this could be prohibitively large for a new mother to lift. Folded, it measures 14,748 cubic inches, which isn't small and could be problematic.

Maneuverability

The Flex 3.0 is a breeze to push and turn with large rubber tires and a lockable swivel front wheel that makes tight turns with ease and can traverse almost any surface smoothly.

The 3.0 has adjustable suspension and handlebar making it somewhat customizable for pusher and passenger which can affect how challenging it is to move in small spaces or over bumps in the road.

Ease of Use

The 3.0 received top marks for ease of use in this review with no other being easier to use.

Fold and Unfold

The BOB fold has more steps than some of the competition but it is isn't hard to accomplish. It has 3 steps and includes frame release levers, a pull handle, and manual lock. The stroller does not self-stand or have a carry strap.

Brakes

The Flex 3.0 has single action brakes with a center brake pedal on the back above the rear axle. The pedal is an easy to use rocker-style pedal that is friendly on feet. In our testing, we had difficulties with the brakes on our 3.0 that they didn't want to completely engage with the teeth on the brakes not fully engaging with the slots on the wheel. We had to jiggle the stroller a little to get the brakes to properly engage. We haven't experienced this with BOB brakes in the past.

Storage

The 3.0 has an under-seat basket that holds up to 10 lbs, and fit our large diaper bag inside with access from the back and sides. It also has inside passenger pockets, back seat pockets, and pockets on the back of the canopy including a zippered pocket for phones or keys.

Sunshade

The new 3.0 canopy is still large like a traditional BOB sunshade but it has a smaller peek-a-boo window to make room for mesh ventilation. It also has upgrade closures with silent magnets instead of Velcro. The window is still large and easy to see through.

Ease of Setup

Set up for the 3.0 is simple with very little to add or do. It took about 4:30 minutes to assemble and the tools you need come in the box.

Quality

The Flex 3.0 is a high-quality option that looks and feels sturdy with attention to detail and an impressive overall fit and finish. We like the materials BOB uses and the frame is stable with few rattles or flexing.

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