Thule Cougar feedback thread – chance to win a Sapling Elite Child Carrier for non-testers NOW CLOSED

[AnnMumsnet]

This thread is for the 5 lucky MNers selected to try the Thule Cougar combined Child Jogger, Stroller and Bike Trailer with their little one(s). Read on to find out how they are finding it!

You can see the Cougar in action in the video below

Here's what Thule has to say, "Our motto at Thule is 'Bring Your Life' and this is epitomised by the Chariot range, years ago new parents were expected to curtail or even abandon their active lifestyles outdoor lifestyles, the Chariot enables you to carry on but to bring your whole family with you, whether you’re into cycling, running, camping, or festivals, a Chariot can handle it, over all terrain, in all weathers. Packed with clever design touches, exceeding all U.K. safety standards and engineered to the level you'd expect from Thule, it’s you and your child’s ticket to the great outdoors".

The SRP for the Cougar including bike kit is £699.99 for the double and £599.99 for the single. The Jogging kit is £84.99 and the Strolling kit is £74.99.

Non testers – Thule would love to hear your top tips for getting active with your young children - share them on this thread and you will be entered into a prize draw where one winner will win a Thule Sapling Elite Child Carrier in dark shadow/slate worth RRP £220.00 – they say “Thule’s Sapling Elite child carrier safely and comfortably carries your precious cargo while on the trail and effortlessly transitions between parents with simple torso and hipbelt adjustments. And with premium features like a child viewing mirror, removable backpack and roomy hipbelt pockets, you and your child will never want to leave the trail.”

Testers – we are asking for feedback at least three times please on the thread – please share your first impressions of the Chariot and then some feedback on your challenges and then some overall thoughts towards the end of May.

First impressions
Please say why you applied for this product test, who you are trying the Chariot with.
What were your first impressions when it arrived? What did you use it for first?

Challenges
Please share the challenges you’re undertaking, who they are with and how the Chariot coped with each one: we’d love to see photos too!

Final thoughts
Overall, please give your summary of the Thule Cougar combined Child Jogger, Stroller and Bike Trailer – did it live up to your expectations? How did your LO feel about it? Did you get any comments from other parents about it? What was the best thing about it? Anything you’d like to improve? Would you recommend it to others?

Thanks
MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply. Please note Thule may well use your photos on their website, on social media as well as possibly elsewhere.

Part II of the report on our weekend - we spent two days in the New Forest cycling round the many off-road trails. The chariot was brilliant, handling puddles, potholes and cattle grids without any problem. DH did most of the towing - we must get a second bike attachment so it is easier to chop and change. DS was quite happy and even snoozed a bit.

We saw a few people with hired bike trailers and the Thule looks so much more robust and high quality.

Once again we made the most of the quick change between bike trailer and stroller - we cycled to a wildlife park and the stroller was really easy to push over bumpy and muddy terrain.

Everywhere we go someone asks us about the Thule - I think I need to start carrying information leaflets

Non-tester.
My 2yo DD loves following arrows and so a quick few minutes for me to set up a trail in the garden/park etc and she runs around, following the paper/stick arrows and picking them up as she goes. I'm now trying to teach her to lay a trail for me

Hello - you'll note I have highlighted the testers posts in a lovely other colour now on this thread! [snazzy!]

I have also added the feedback prompt for the challenges feedback to the OP. Look forward to seeing how our testers are getting on with all the running, cycling and strolling around town!

Non Tester
I have 4 children of various ages and they don't always want to do the same thing. As a result of this, my children have created activity charts. At the start of each week they get to choose what activities to add to the chart. This can range from riding scooters to school, collecting leaves, playing hide and seek, making giant bubbles, digging for worms, making dens etc. Bigger activities include hill walking, visiting castles and forts, rock climbing, cycling etc to enjoy the outdoors and be active and healthy. Each activity is worth points. The more things they do, the bigger the reward at the weekend. The kids feel empowered to do more as they have picked the activities, and have fun completing the tasks. I'm happy knowing that even the smallest activity results in them being active and reaping the benefits of plenty of fresh air. We also enjoy geocaching. The excitement of finding the next cache can result in the kids running, jumping, climbing, crawling, searching towns, countryside, various locations for the hidden treasure. Again, the kids are being active but view it as fun and not a chore. Happy kids......happy mum!

Non tester.
My friends and I often meet for a walk instead of coffees which inevitabley lead to cakes!
The babies get fresh air and we burn calories, it's win win. It suits all of us whether using a buggy or a sling.

Non-tester.
My top tips for keeping active with the kids is just getting out as much as possible even when it's raining I take my little girl out to jump in puddles and when it's sunny I'll take her to large open spaces such as our local glen or playing fields where she can have a good run about off her reins. We walk everywhere (as don't drive!) my little ones in her pushchair but we let her out to have a walk and run about at the park etc. Also just letting them spend time out in the garden is great for them and the fresh air and a bit of sun does them the world of good. When in the house my little girls constantly on the move climbing and running around. She loves to dance too so we put the music videos on and she has a good boogie 😊

Thanks for the advice on helmets - we have decided to have a re-think once she has grown out of the infant insert.

So challenge no.1 completed (running on our pot hole ridden country roads) and on to challenges 2 and 3...

Another of our challenges was to take the thule out on a family climbing/bouldering trip. So far since having baby we have only been out together once, and that is because although pre baby we thought it would be simple using a sling we hadn't thought through what we would do with her once there (bouldering/spotting in a sling not really being a safe option). So with my husband off work yesterday ahead of a long working weekend and we thought we would take advantage of a the sunny day and spend some time together as a family.
We took baby in the Thule up to Newstones which is an outcrop of rock along from the Roaches in Staffordshire. There is a brief walk in consisting of a (very) rutted track with heather either side. At first I felt ridiculous pushing a buggy up this, but the Thule held up well. It was too wide for much of the path, but brushed past the heather without getting stuck, and the wheels went pretty well on the very uneven ground. It wasn't easy or ideal, but baby loved it and I was amazed at how stable the Thule remained - at no time worrying that baby was about to be capsized. The difficulty in the walk in was entirely made up for by the joy of having somewhere for baby to sit whilst we were at the crag. She came out to play and then when the wind got too much had a snooze inside daddy's down jacket protected from the elements cocooned safely inside the Thule.

When baby started to get bored of watching us clamber up rocks I set out on one of my other challenges - trail running.
Having attempted the rutted track up to the crag, I knew that it would be impossible to run on any small trail, however the wide track at the top of the Roaches seemed a viable option and it was, once there. The Thule runs very well over uneven ground (and baby LOVES it) but unfortunately is just that little bit too big for doing any proper trail running. To be fair, this would perhaps be taking the concept a little far. I imagine any bigger/flatter trails would be much easier.

Pictures of the afternoon..

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Oh and I failed to mention - The storage space inside the Thule is incredible!

My best tip for getting the children moving is to go on adventures! Take appropriate clothing and footwear, a packed lunch and head to new exciting places. We often go on 'Gruffalo hunts'. Just the mention of it gets them excited!

I am absolutely loving reading the feedback and seeing the pictures of this amazing product! I have been wanting to get into cycling with my 3yo in a child seat and getting a backpack carrier to take him with me on long hikes that make his little legs a bit tired sometimes.

I haven't stopped being active since having my son. Nor let his autism get in the way of enjoying the great outdoors! I have a karrimor backpack and pack everything I could possible need for a day out and put reigns on my son and off we go! I put him in wellies and waterproof overtrousers so he is free to jump in puddles, play around in mud and roll around on the grass and play in sand. I let him lead the way on walks in the forest, for example. And always get out when the weather is nice - and even when it isn't so nice!

I think having a genuine enjoyment of being active can influence your children and including them in everything will make them more likely to do those activities in future.

Teach your children the games you used to play when you were kids like elastic twist, hopscotch, skipping etc.

Non tester - get silly!! Ours tend to love any kind of physical activity if parent's are up for it too and have smiles on faces!

non-tester. i love to get my children out into the veggie patch. they love digging around in the mud and we get to grow some yummy healthy food

I get my daughter dancing round the living room with me to Zumba work outs she thinks it's great fun and is oblivious to the fact it's exercise!

Show them good practice from the start. A walk to the local shops instead of a drive every other day makes a big difference. encourage outdoor games from little sports to just exploring.

Non Tester. I have a pass to our local arboretum and we go for a long walk there twice a week. They love seeing the trees change with the seasons.

Non tester.
Show them by example and be as active in different contexts as you can

Non tester.

We are city based and although people often think that means you'll be stuck indoors, it has meant that we have a much more active lifestyle than if we were stuck in the country with no public transport. We don't have a car so the dc are used to walking loads, and the tube/bus/train network means we can get out to visit new open spaces easily.

Tester here with an update from our challenges. I'll post some pics later on.

Well, I officially love the Thule. It's been amazing for us as a family and we use it all the time. Ds loves to sit in it and he's so chilled out. He relaxes and enjoys the ride. It's a complete contrast to our buggy where he's wriggling and squirming trying to get out. I think he likes being closer to the floor and there's been times where he's climbed in it just for a sit down! He also has more room and can play with his ball or other toys which makes a big difference.

We've been using the thule as a pram for everyday things like a walk to the shops or park and have had some admiring glances. I bumped into a friend when using it who told me I looked like I was super sporty as I was using the jogging wheel and we were having a little run down to the park.

My DS goes to nursery in a city centre, but luckily for us, it backs onto a beautiful park. I've been using the Thule to take DS on a stroll or a jog after nursery and it's been lovely. We go and feed the ducks, and it's lovely because the Thule is so light and easy to use and we can go over any surface easily. I used to avoid open grassy areas with my old buggy, now we just go where we want. This has really been positive for us as we used to just get in the car and go home. The Thule has certainly changed our options and with that, our mentality.

We've also been out on bike rides. We live near cycle paths that take us up into the mountain and down into a little park. I'm not someone who uses a bike daily, it's used for little trips like this so the thule has been perfect. It was so easy to attach to the bike and the instructions were really clear. With the flag flying we were ready to go. Ds loved being driven along, he hated our previous bike seat but loves the Thule. I think because we've used the Thule so much, he is used to it and he's so comfortable, plus he's warm and cosy. We've relished the opportunity to up our activity levels. We got caught in a light shower and it was great knowing that DS was protected in the rain. I also love the sun shade and it's great for a sunglasses refused like DS.

Another of our challenges was an inner city bike ride down to Cardiff Bay. We used the main cycle route and this time hired bikes from a local company. They told us that the Thule was a top quality chariot and that we were very lucky to test it (very true!). The thule glided along and the amazing suspension means that the ride is the same on a cycle path as it is on a road. We got down to Cardiff Bay easily and was pleased that the Thule had once again passed our challenge with flying colours.

We've also taken the Thule to the beach, this time as a pram as it was really cold wet and windy, but DS was safe and cosy so we took a Sunday stroll along Ogmore beach. It's been lovely to have the freedom to do what we want and know that DS will enjoy it too. I've loved the opportunity to go for a jog after work and have lost a few lbs. I wouldn't have done this without this product as I never felt I could. I love the freedom it gives us and how it has made us more active as a family. Thank you so so much for letting us test it.

Photo's to follow.....

We turn it into a game on how little we can use the car in a week. Walking to nursery and the shops. Everything needs to be gamified so that the children are encouraged to exercise.
We use Sunday as a family day and go walking with a picnic. Play games of eye spy while the LO is in the carrier.
Most of all have fun!!!!

Took the Thule on another run yesterday. This time I went in the car to the forest park. The buggy folded down to fit in the car pretty easily. It handled really well. I'm enjoying being able to get out and exercise when I have a child with me. Obviously it's not as easy as just going fur a run alone, but it's not nearly as awkward as I thought it would be. We went over tree roots, small stones and holes without any problems. My passenger was very happy and comfortable - she was very excited telling her dad where we'd been and what we'd been up to.
Still loving it.

I haven't updated much but I have been using the Chariot so much, almost every day.

I've been jogging 3 times a week, I've done 2 Parkruns (and had lots of admiring glances and comments at the Chariot!), signed up to a virtual running club and am becoming addicted to it!

I have bought the Thule hydration cage (bottle carrier) and it's fab, it has a quick release lever so would be easy to remove but I haven't yet. It's nice and sturdy, when I put the bottle back in it doesn't swivel round or move at all, it's a good one.

As a jogger the Chariot is great. I've never used another one but have seen there are ones with handbrakes (haven't needed one of these) and I'm still not sure on the fixed wheel steering. I understand it makes it more secure pathwise but I'm finding it awkward to steer for little corrections. As I often run around a large housing estate there are lots of little steering adjustments, not just one long smooth sweeping path. When I am on a long sweeping path it does steer gradually quite well, but for small changes I am lifting the front wheel off the ground and this makes me feel quite disjointed for some reason. I'm not sure what DD makes of it but she's very happy in there and rarely cries out.

One tiny annoyance is that there is a wrist strap that I think is fixed onto the left hand side downward frame. This is great for running and looping around your right wrist but if you want to swap sides it makes it quite short and awkward.
I wish this was removable and perhaps it could fit onto the handlebar so was central. I might be missing something and it might be moveable but this is my only bugbear.

DD really loves the Chariot and I love the fact that I can make her part of my health kick and return to my former (somewhat active) lifestyle; having thought about it more the reason I didn't start running sooner was that we didn't have the kit, and I wasn't confident to use her pushchair, and I have little childcare in place as I am a SAHM with no local family.

On my 'rest days' I sometimes use it to walk the dogs as it has such good handling and my tiny baby DD is starting to get a bit big for the carrier [sob], or to pop into town with my bike. The added bonus is that the storage is great for shopping trips.

Today I completed a new challenge, when I took DD out in the Chariot to a forrested/country park area with DDog.

Firstly as the boot was occupied by DDog I had to dismantle the Chariot and put it in the rear seat next to DD. After a bit of faffing I realised that all 4 wheels and the handlebar would have to come off to fit it in. Again I've got a large estate car so I didn't expect this level of faffery but it all went in and I got the seat belt round it.

On arrival it was again easy to pop back together, DD happily got in as she's really got used to it now, and off we went with DDog leading the way and DD giggling away to herself.

I have never been to the area before but it was recommended for jogging with the stroller so I was hoping for nice smooth paths.
However the only nice smooth road I found turned into a dead end and the only other path ended up a sandy hilly track!
The Chariot handled it fine and I almost felt like I was on a beach.

I then retraced my steps and found a different path that took me through woods (good handling over tree roots and potted track) and up a smooth track up a hill to find beautiful views.

DDog was on a lead the whole time and so I pushed the Chariot one handed: as a stroller it's so easy to steer and handle, even on uneven terrain and bumpy paths. The suspension means I'm not worrying about DD getting shaken around.
The sunshade was handy today as it was very strong sunlight which DD normally moans about when we're out jogging.

Overall I'm besotted with it, as a piece of kit and what it has allowed me to do with DD in tow. I'm nervously anticipating DH doing his challenges with it this weekend as I don't want him to get the bug and start taking it off me!!

Few pics