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.

[Cintacmrs123]

My top tip get a national trust pass great days out fresh air and always somewhere to change a nappy or sit for a feed

[Lulabellx1]

Non-Tester - our dog gets us out and about. Come rain or shine... he still needs walking and therefore, we get our exercise and fresh air too. There has been many occasion we have been out with him and I have thought, if it wasn't for him... we would have been hauled up indoors all day! x

[Sleepysausage]

Non Tester ....
We involve our daughter in all our outdoor activities, even if it means one of us takingbit easier to accommodate her. We use a carrier for walks as a pushchair usually isn't practical ' off road '. The pushchair is useful for running though.

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

Photos from run today.

I've been using the buggy with the running wheel and the stroller wheels. With the single, fixed running wheel, it's much easier to control/steer when running than walking for some reason. It sometimes feels like the buggy actually wants you to run and makes you move a little faster if you try to walk.
I'd definitely recommend getting the stroller attachment if you're going to use the buggy for everyday walking as it makes it so easy to manipulate.

[xxmissbrightsidexx]

Non-tester..
We dont drive & we do try to walk most places instead of taking the bus. If we have to be somewhere we often take detours to the park or the beach, also a favourite of the kids is to play i-spy when out & about, they love being outdoors x

[FPATEL]

Non Tester

I've found kids are as enthusiastic as I am so I try to encourage them to get out in the garden as much as possible, whether it's playing on the jungle gym or helping me brush up leaves. Trips to the park are promised as treats which the kids love and so they are will be eager to please. Walk to wherever possible, and again, as a treat they are told they can take their bikes/scooters.

[MetalMidget]

Non-tester here, and pregnant with our first, so no children yet for a couple of months! However, I'm already planning on getting a bike trailer ready for as soon as he's old enough (followed by balance bike and tagalong!) - I'm a keen mountain biker, so I'm hoping that getting him out in the forest and seeing his parents on bikes will make him keen to try himself! Interested to hear the testers' opinions on how the trailer handles rougher terrain. :)

[PurpleCrazyHorse]

Non-tester

Tip for getting the children active is to walk to/from school (even better if we're late as DD has to jog to keep up!). We also detour home via the park or shop (for bread/milk).

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

Another busy weekend with the Thule. We've found ourselves using it for things I wouldn't initially have thought of - it gets much more use in stroller mode than I would have anticipated.

We went out to a big country park at the weekend. DS loves to roam about at the moment so ordinarily I'd have just packed our carrier in case he got tired, but brought the Thule just because it we're testing it. Much to my surprise DS insisted on jumping straight in the Thule when we arrived, and was happily pushed around enabling us to go on a long stroll. Because of the great storage we had our picnic etc packed in the back so DH and I didn't have to carry anything at all, a real bonus on a hot day! The Thule happily handled rough ground so we didn't have to stick to the main trails. DS did enjoy wandering round a lot as well, but being able to keep a few toys in the seat area means it was easy to lure him back in when we needed to move on.

Yesterday I took took the Thule out in bike mode on local roads for the first time. I was definitely a bit nervous about negotiating London traffic with the trailer, but all went well. I plotted our routes to keep to back streets as much as possible but inevitably had to deal with busy roads as well. The flag was helpful to make sure we were seen but ideally I'd like the Thule to be a bit more 'hi-vis' for cycling in traffic - although i was able to attach a couple of bike lights to the handlebar to help make us more easily seen. Generally cars were good at giving us a wide berth and I am pretty good at riding defensively anyway so I soon got over my initial jitters.

The hardest thing is that it takes a moment to pick up momentum and it was tough moving off from a standing start at traffic lights when we were on a slight incline. The other challenge is that the combined length of the bike and trailer can make crossing roads difficult - we crossed a couple of big roads on foot but there isn't really enough space on pedestrian islands in the middle of roads for this to work.

Not having used a bike-mounted child seat I don't know how the experience compares - I instinctively felt nervous about DS being out of my sight in the trailer when in traffic, but I also felt it was very secure and that he was well protected.

DS mostly really enjoyed the ride - he was having a moan at one point, I think because he had dropped a toy out of reach! But he was keen to get back in again for our return journey. And I enjoyed being able use the bike rather than the car for local trips of a couple of miles, we will definitely be doing this more regularly!

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

Took the Thule out with the bike at the weekend. DH and I both had a go with it at the forest park. I had a little wobble setting off initially, just getting used to pulling the extra weight, but once I got going it was surprisingly easy. I really enjoyed it. I think I'll have to practice on cycle tracks or at the forest park quite a bit before I build up the confidence to take it out on the road, but that's me, not the Thule. It coped very well with the uneven terrain and there were no complaints from our passenger.
DH enjoyed being able to get out and be active with DD2. The Thule means we can go out on bikes as a family. DD1 (5) wants to ride her own bike now, so we'll be able to all go out for a ride along the cycle path when she gets a little better at it - hopefully some good rides to be had over the summer!

We also took the Thule for a walk on the coastal path. I had to plan the route carefully, because parts of the path are totally unsuitable for a buggy - too narrow or steep - but there's a lovely section near us that goes through the fields. Again, the Thule coped very well with the uneven terrain and was easy to manoeuvre. I know that no other buggy I've used would've coped with it. It has meant we could explore much further with DD2, who we'd otherwise end up carrying part of the way. On the way back I had to come up a very steep hill. Fortunately the Thule is light enough and easy to push that this wasn't a problem and I was able to push it myself and didn't have to get DH to take over. (I'm loving the Thule and don't like letting him get his hands on my new toy!)

[PaulineFowlersGrowler]

Non tester- my best tip is to just get out whatever the weather. Invest in some good quality waterproofs for wet days, and I find a flask of hot chocolate goes down a treat when it cold.

[Zephyroux1]

Non tester

Find similar outdoorsy friends with little ones so that you can all meet up together for outdoor fun, we have done this and it's been great as its a real motivator to get going if we're going to meet xxx

[Cerealchanger]

Non tester
My top tip would be to ignore the complaining - they'll love it once they're out there. And to get decent waterproofs and kit. And we have special 'rainy day biscuits' that can always be found in my bag.

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

Had the Thule out again this week - as soon as DS saw it he was squealing "Buggy! Yay! Buggy!" - which isn't the reaction I get when I get his stroller out, believe me!

We went for a run to the shopping centre a couple of miles away, switched to the stroller wheels for shopping then took the train home. Such an easy way to sneak a bit of exercise into the day. Because DS likes riding in it, it is also much easier to get him in and out which made me more inclined to stop of for a quick play in the park without dreading they thought of trying to wrangle him back into a pushchair.

The clip on 'console' with space for a drinks bottle and a zip pocket to keep purse/keys etc handy is a really useful addition.

[VilootShesCute]

Go to the beach. My two love it and spend hours throwing stones onto water and playing in the sand. Also national trust properties are a good excuse for whole family to go out together.

[AnnMumsnet]

Final thoughts
Overall, testers - 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?

[Bubbinsmakesthree]

I'm such a big fan of the Thule, it has been brilliant to test and so grateful to have had the opportunity. I would definitely recommend it to any active parents and in fact we even made a sale as some fellow parkrunners were so impressed they bought one themselves!

The real genius is the ability to switch modes mid-journey - having the flexibility to cycle or run to the shops, park etc then convert to a stroller has opened up loads of new opportunities and really expanded our horizons in terms of local trips out. I honestly thought the stroller wheels were a bit of a gimmick before we used it but they are just superb. I also love the storage which is so convenient and useful. And DS much prefers it to our regular stroller.

The only things I miss about our BOB running buggy is the easy 'unfold and go' (the Thule does take a little more set up if you take the wheels off for storage) and the hand brake for control when running downhill. But the trade offs are well worth it.

My one gripe about the otherwise faultless design is getting the handlebar off, which we need to do to get it in the car - try as I might this is always a struggle of twisting and yanking. Would love to hear whether fellow testers have got a technique for this?

But otherwise I absolutely love it, I only wish we had it when DS was younger as we missed out on lots of potential adventures!

[TheJunctionBaby]

non-tester here. We lived abroad without a car for many years and had 4 children so we learned to walk EVERYWHERE - even in -30 degree temperatures and knee high snow. It definitely taught us endurance! Now back in the UK we like to map out local walks and set off as a family for a few hours. I love running so my kids come to support me on race days and this has inspired them to come on some of my training runs too. The key is to make it a family affair and part of your everyday life, not some special thing that you do only occasionally.

[Elianna]

Non-tester
My top tip is to never let your child know they're doing exercise, just do an activity and make it fun. I take them to the park and chase them around or cycle, we also go swimming, which they love. Nature trails are also a super fun way of getting fit and learning about nature and all its hidden treasures. And if all else fails pop on some music and dance around the house.

[mountaingirl01]

It has been amazing having this opportunity to use the Thule Chariot. We have been able to do so much more as a family since getting it, and I have been able to get out more during the day which has been great. Having it has also meant that my husband has been able to exercise on getting in from work whilst still spending time with baby and giving me some time to myself. It definitely has lived up to our expectations and baby absolutely loves it.
We have had SO many comments from other parents and get a lot of interest every time we go out. We have also been able to speak to other parents/families with it as an initial talking point which has been nice! We have made new friends.

Design wise, I think the Thule is great. The only faults I can find are (as someone else has mentioned) the handlebar is very tricky to remove, and the overall Chariot is huge for fitting in a car. We have a large car and yet on weekends away we do find it hard to find the space!

We now use the Thule everyday in some capacity and have had so much enjoyment from it. Thankyou for giving us this opportunity!

[mountaingirl01]

Some photos

[misty71]

We aways make sure we have adventure outings at weekends sometimes allowing the children to plan this depending on the weather. Most evenings they do dress up & homemade tents which they love.

[StillNoFuckingEyeDeer]

This product test has been amazing. I'm so grateful for the opportunity. Thank you Thule and Mumsnet.

We have all loved the Thule. DD2 is always enthusiastic about going for a run or bike ride. It's great to be able to get some exercise without having to sort out what to do with the children. Now that DD1 has learned to ride her bike it means that we can go on a family bike ride for the first time and I'm really looking forward to enjoying an active summer with the children instead of trying to fit in exercise without them.

We've used the bike trailer, jogger and stroller over a variety of terrains - forest trails, country lanes, pavements and across the fields of the coastal path (and taken it onto the beach). It has coped well with all of them. DD2 has always seemed safe and comfortable.

I haven't run with a buggy before, so can't comment about the lack of a handbrake. However, I do have to agree that removing the handlebar can be tricky. It is a tight squeeze to get it into the boot of my car, but then again, I often struggle to get in a big supermarket shop.

I've had a lot of compliments from people on the Thule. It is a lovely looking bit of kit and I've been able to sing its praises.

I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to get active with their DC. The fact that it's a bike trailer, jogger and stroller in one is fantastic and it's so easy to switch between the different modes.

[DontBuyANewMumCashmere]

I have some remaining challenge updates before my final thoughts. Apologies to MNHQ for tardiness

My remaining challenge was off road cycling.
I cycled around a local reserve area. At some points the paths were narrow and I would have preferred to have DD on the rear bike seat, but it handled very well nevertheless. I was grateful to have DH behind me for a bit of a guide.
At one point a rear tyre jumped up onto a small verge area but the chariot felt solid and heavy and at no point did it feel or look as though it would tip, I just had to make sure I gave my wheels a bit more room.

DH'S challenges, in his own words!

"Riding the bike on the road was fairly comfortable as the chariot runs fairly smoothly on the two large wheels. Initially I was wary of the width of the trailer and the fact that it was not centred on the bike - it sticks out more to the left (kerbside) than to the right - which is good from a safety perspective but I had to ensure I cycled further out in the road than I would normally do to ensure the trailer did not clip the kerb or verge. Once I got used to this it was pretty much plain sailing.
I didn't feel as exposed as I thought I might do beforehand (I think the flag at the rear helped with this) and although I was conscious of the extra weight I was pulling the handling of the bike was not noticeably different. We are hoping to take the chariot on a week-long ride across France at some point which will be a good test."

"Off-road riding through a local park/beauty spot was similar but I was much more aware of the trailer on uneven ground and I felt this slowed me down more. My daughter didn't seem to mind the bumps which is testament to the build of the trailer itself. A light shower posed no problems to her at all - the inside of the trailer was dry at all times with the rain cover down and nothing in the rear pocket was damp. I'd assume it would be the same for heavier rain but haven't had the opportunity to test this."

"Using the chariot as a stroller/pushchair was very comfortable (for both me and my daughter). For shopping there is plenty of space for storage both inside and at the back but the downside of this is that the width of the unit is larger than a normal pushchair and so you have to be a bit more aware of the size of upcoming gaps. The manoeuvrability is excellent though so tight corners weren't a problem as long as you approach them from the right angle. The chariot is a fairly streamlined and sleek design and it drew a number of approving glances and comments when out and about."

Final thoughts:
Overall I have immensely enjoyed using the Cougar Chariot. It has far surpassed my expectations, in fact we're so confident and happy using it and in DD's enjoyment of it that we're hoping to plan a couple of short cycling holidays with it.

DD has become so used to being in it, when I open the garage door she runs over to it and tried to climb in. We use it multiple times a week and I'm confident this won't tail off when the weather worsens, as it's such a protected pod for her.

I have heard a few comments whilst out and about; once when we cycled to a garden cafe and then used it as a stroller inside I heard a lady say "That looks a bit rugged!" which I was initially embarrassed about but on reflection was pretty accurate and it was fairly big for a garden centre cafe!!

Once when I had parked my bike in town and was transforming it into a stroller I saw a dad and his DC walk past, he shot some admiring glances at it and said it was "cool".

The best thing for me was its versatility. I probably would not have bought it for a single purpose but the fact that it so easily transforms its use is brilliant. I tell everyone I could take it skiing but have actually no intention to!
I just think it's so cool and an amazing purchase if you live near countryside and/or enjoy outdoor things.
As a SAHM with a DH who works out of the house for long hours (14 hours a day) I would find it very hard to make time for exercise so being able to take DD with me is wonderful.

I can't think of any improvements; I talked before about the wrist strap being annoyingly on one side but I think if I take the accessory bar off it would be movable.
My cargo hold (large rear pocket) fell down on one ride recently, I think both sides were clipped up properly so perhaps it's worked itself a little loose and could do with a tighten.
Bubbins I also had difficulties taking the handlebar off. I just had to keep yanking it up fractionally on each side. Fortunately I don't have to remove it again so won't need to deal with this.

I would 100% recommended the Thule Cougar, it is versatile, rugged, sturdy, safe, stylish, great design features.

Thank you so much to Mumsnet and Thule for letting me try it out, we've loved using it and it has given me an element of freedom I didn't have before.

[loosechange]

Non tester.

To get active with young children just use your imagination. Park, muddy puddles, a walk with waterproofs if it's wet. Within the house you can do competitions - which child can do x star jumps first/ the best, "assault" courses. Use getting in the habit worked well for us.