Delta Children isn’t a very well-known brand for baby gear. However, they have partnered with some notable brands for various collections, including with Jeep for a line of strollers. The Jeep Hydro Sport Plus is one of the strollers in this line.
If you are thinking of getting the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus for off-road jogging or hiking with your baby, here’s my review and what you need to know before buying.
Also read: Best All-Terrain Strollers
Quick Verdict:
Considering the price, it isn’t surprising that the suspension system or brakes on the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus aren’t as good as off-road joggers by more expensive brands like Thule or BOB. However, the Jeep Hydro is more affordable while still being capable of handling fairly tough terrain. It also folds down more compact than other off-road joggers. Potential deal breakers are that the stroller doesn’t have one-handed folding and has a low weight capacity.
Main Pros:
- Good suspension system for smooth ride on bumpy roads and paths
- Folds more compact than other off-road joggers
- Probably the most affordable off-road jogger you’ll find
Main Cons:
- Two-handed folding and opening
- Braking system requires you to step on both sides to lock
- No fully upright sitting position
- Low weight capacity (50lbs)
- Limited storage
Get the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus Stroller Here
Jeep Hydro Sport Plus Stroller Main Features Overview:
- 12” front wheel
- 16” back wheels
- Air-filled tires
- 29lbs
- 50lbs capacity
- Foot brake
- Door Pass Through: 23.7”
- Lockable front wheel
- Folded dimensions: 17.5″L x 14.9″W x 30.5″H
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Jeep Hydro Sport Plus Stroller Full Review
Handling
The Jeep Hydro Sport Plus has large air-filled tires. The front wheel is 12” and the back wheels are 16”. The size of these alone makes it easier for the stroller to go over bumps. You can lock the front wheel in place for jogging.
In addition to the wheel design, the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus stroller also has a built-in suspension system. The brand doesn’t give any info about exactly what suspension system they use. However, it’s definitely not as good as the mountain bike suspensions used by Thule and BOB.
Your baby will have a smooth ride on:
- Grass
- Bumpy sidewalks
- A bit of mud
- Some hiking trails
However, the stroller definitely doesn’t handle gravel very well. Your baby (and your arms) will get some jolts. The same goes for any difficult hiking trails with lots of roots sticking out. You can still use the stroller on this tougher terrain but the ride just won’t be smooth.
Note: Delta Children has some other Jeep jogging strollers. The Classic version does not have suspension systems!
Brakes
IMO, one of the biggest downsides about the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus is the braking system. With most joggers, you step down on a bar between the wheels to lock both in place. This is not the case with the Hydro Sport Plus.
To lock the rear wheels, you have to press down on TWO levers located above each wheel. If the grooves aren’t in the right position, you’ll have to move the wheels a bit forward to position them. To unlock, you have to flip both of these levers back up.
This two-step process is slightly annoying and you’ll probably end up being lazy sometimes and only locking one wheel. It also isn’t the most “flip-flop friendly” braking system since the brake levers are fairly small.
There is a lever above each wheel that you have to step on to lock!
Handlebar
After pushing two children up and down hills, I can testify how important it is to have multiple handlebar height settings. It saves your wrist a lot of strain when you can put the handlebar in a lower position for the uphill and upper position for the downhill. Obviously, the feature is also nice for users who are different heights.
Luckily, this is one feature that the Jeep stroller gets right: there are plenty of handlebar positions. Changing the position is quick and easy: just push the little buttons on the side of the handlebar and lock into position.
Folding Method
This is another downside of the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus stroller. For starters, it requires two hands to fold. The seat also needs to be in a fully reclined position before you can fold it.
Bear in mind that a lot of joggers have two-handed folding. However, those ones usually fold with the fabric facing inwards. The Hydro Sport Plus folds with the fabric outwards. If your vehicle trunk is dirty (mine always is), then the stroller seat area with get dirty.
The folded stroller is compact and it self-stands, but the fabric is outwards
Size and Weight of the Stroller
When assembled, the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus stroller is 46.7″ (length) x 23.7″ (width) x 42.4″ (height). A standard door width is usually 28-32 inches, so the stroller will have no problem going through doorways.
When folded, the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus is 17.5” x 14.9” x 30.5”. Yes, this is very bulky and it might be tricky to fit in your car. However, this is actually a lot smaller than most other jogging strollers – especially ones which can handle going off road.
The back wheels are quick-release. You can just pop them off to fit the stroller into smaller car trunks.
Comfort for Your Child
Overall, the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus is comfortable for babies and little children. In addition to the smooth ride, there is enough room in the seat area. The canopy is waterproof and has a fold-out UPF 50+ canopy. There’s enough padding on the 5-point safety harness and it’s easy to adjust the seat position.
But there are some issues:
- No fully upright seating position: Even in the most upright position, the stroller seat won’t be at 90 degrees.
- No mesh ventilation: Some off-road joggers have mesh panels on the side for ventilation. This one does not.
- Sun shade doesn’t cover entire seat: The sun shade on the Hydro Sport Plus is really small.
Age Range
The Jeep Hydro Sport Plus stroller can be used with infants (with the car seat adapter) and up to 50lbs or 42 inches height. That means you’ll probably be able to use the stroller until your child is 4 or even 5 years old.
Car Seat Compatibility
The Jeep Hydro Sport Plus comes with adapters for the following car seats (it’s nice that you don’t have to buy the adapters separately):
- Graco SnugRide Click Connect Infant Car Seat
- Evenflo Embrace Select Infant Car Seat
- Evenflo Nurture Infant Car Seat
- Chicco Keyfit 30 Infant Car Seat
- Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat
Note about Stroller Weight Limit
Compared to other joggers, a 50lb weight limit is actually very low. This might not seem to matter since most kids won’t reach 50lbs until they are way too old for strollers. However, a low weight limit is a sign that the stroller isn’t as tough or durable.
Storage and Extras
The Jeep Hydro Sport Plus has a removable “parent tray” on the handlebars which has two cup holders and a phone holder. There is also a fairly large basket at the bottom. But each of these has a weight limit of just 3lbs!
Three pounds might be okay for the parent tray. But 3lbs for the basket??? This low weight limit means you can’t use the Jeep stroller for things like grocery runs.
The child snack tray is a nice extra though. It is removable and can be swung open – which makes getting your child in/out of the stroller a lot easier.
Warranty
The warranty on the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus stroller is only 90 days. If you go online and register your stroller, the warranty is extended to 2 years. So don’t forget to do this after buying!
Unfortunately, the extended warranty is only available in these states: AR, CO, DE, DC, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, MD, MI, MS, MO, NE, NV, NH, NY, NC, PA, RI, SD, TN, UT, WV.
The Bottom Line?
If you can afford to pay more, I’d recommend getting the Thule Urban Glide 2.0 stroller or BOB Flex Revolution 3.0. Both have better suspension, folding and braking systems. If budget is your primary concern though, the Jeep Hydro Sport Plus is still a really good jogger which will let you go on tough terrain.
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