Nick - Blaze Trails member, dad and keen long distance runner - has been putting the Out’n’About Nipper Sport V5 off-road pushchair through its paces along the muddy trails of North Yorkshire with his one year-old fellow buggy running enthusiast Rowan. Read below for their honest review!
This is the third installment of our reviews of the Out’n’About off-road pushchair range. Check out our reviews of the Nipper Single V5 pushchair and the Nipper Double V5 pushchair.
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And don’t forget, you can always get a whopping 10% discount off any off-road pushchair and accessories across the Out’n’About website by shopping at our affiliate link:
So, here’s let’s hear it from Nick and Rowan…
As a runner, when we had children I was really keen to keep running, but to involve our sons in our running adventures…
They are no strangers to turning up at fell running start lines on the North York Moors and love nothing more than a sprint finish with me and their mum. We also really love being a part of our local junior Parkrun community every Sunday morning. It is really important to us that they see us doing what we love, and being able to take them out on runs with us is one of our favourite activities for the whole family.
We bought a basic running buggy with our first son which we have tested to the limit over the last three years, but it is heavy and difficult to maneuver and often struggles on rough terrain. When we heard about the Out n About Nipper Sport we were keen to give it a go to see if it lived up to its reputation.
Unboxing and putting the pushchair together
There was a lot of excitement in our house the day a giant box with three big wheels in it arrived (and not just from me).
The pushchair was easy to put together with user friendly instructions, and once I had managed to prise the front wheel out of Rowan’s steel-like grasp we were set up and good to go in less than ten minutes.
Our three year old who has refused to sit in a pushchair for at least a year was actually desperate to get in and go for a run but had to be bribed into taking his bike instead!
Where we tested it
Living in a rural part of North Yorkshire we have found this pushchair to be just as good for rural walks as for running as it handles really well on rugged terrain and in mud. We have tested it on forest and farm tracks, the odd gnarly and muddy mountain bike track as well as some tamer runs on tarmac at our local Parkrun.
Favourite features
This buggy feels more stable and streamlined than any other buggy I have used, and really gives the sense of cutting through the air. The length of the buggy’s wheelbase gives it great stability so even on rough terrain it doesn’t feel like it is going to tip over.
The large wheels give both a smooth ride for your child and also means you don’t have to worry too much about picking the smoothest line when running on footpaths, bridlepaths and forest roads, which really sets it apart from similar buggies on the market that sell themselves as specifically for running.
The front wheel is permanently fixed in position - this makes it a bit less manoeuvrable at low speed than a buggy with a front wheel that moves, but really comes into it’s own when you start jogging a bit quicker.
Our old running buggy does have a front wheel that you can unlock and lock into place, but for the most part and usually when running we will keep it in a fixed position, so having a fixed front wheel on the Nipper Sport definitely doesn’t detract from its ability to handle well when running.
Build quality
In my view the Nipper Sport V5 is very well made, features such as the tightening nut on one of the side clips is a great addition and for an added sense of security and confidence that this buggy is up to the task on bumpy ground. The build quality is exceptional.
Touches such as the magnetic strip to secure the viewing window on the top of the hood are really well thought out. This means it can easily be lifted and dropped back into position with one hand, so you can concentrate on running.
The zip pockets on the side of the hood are brilliant for securing essentials when running and means they can be easily accessed when needed. There is also a storage net under the buggy as with all of the OutnAbout range which has good capacity to fit in additional layers, water and emergency snacks!
There is plenty of height adjustment in the handle too so that it can be set to the right height for you without compromising posture. The handle is also nice and padded so comfortable even on longer runs and there is also a safety wrist strap to ensure you and the buggy keep running together!
The five point safety strap for your child comes up higher than a standard buggy, clipping just below the chest with padded shoulders - similar to a car seat, meaning your child is much more secure than they would be in a standard pushchair and that they’re not sliding around as you run. There is also a safety bar which is easy to take on and off and adds that extra bit of security.
The rain cover which comes as standard is also excellent and easy to take on and off and store in the net storage if needed.
Some of the cons
The front brake works well and is great for controlling speed when running downhill. The one small criticism of this would be that being able to flip the brake lever around on the handle would be good. It is positioned to be used with your left hand, however I would naturally use my right hand for this.
It's not a huge problem and doesn’t detract from the quality of the brake, but just takes a bit of getting used to if you are used to using your right hand.
In terms of packing the pushchair up for travel, this is a long pushchair when folded. We can fit it width ways into the boot of our Skoda Octavia estate without taking off the front wheel. If your boot is smaller you’ll need to be taking the wheel off, easily done with a bike style quick release, but something to be aware of.
Overall impression
This is in my view an excellent running buggy and unrivaled in the current market.
It is lightweight but well made and you can run at speed on rough terrain feeling confident that your child is safe and secure and able to enjoy the experience (so secure Rowan is getting into the habit of a mid run snooze!)
We are now using it as our only single buggy as it does the trick for running and walking and suits our needs for where we live.
We have all had great fun running together as a family with the Nipper Sport V5 and are looking forward to many more running adventures ahead!
To celebrate our brilliant fathers and those in the roles of fathers this Fathers Day, OutnAbout are offering the Blaze Trails Community a fantastic 15% off the Nipper Sport / Sport bundle range from 13th-17th June. Shop here and make sure you share your running adventures with us!
*Please note that you should only start running with a child in a pushchair when they have good head and neck control and can sit independently, usually after 6 months. The seat should always be fully upright when running and the child should be strapped in.*
