Burley Solstice Review
September 14, 2016
88 The Good
- Huge underseat basket
- Easy front wheel swivel lock
- One-handed folding
The Bad
- Reclined seat position
- No handbrake
- Handlebar doesn’t fit small hand
The Burley Solstice is designed to be your only jogging stroller you’ll need until Junior is old enough to keep up on foot. It’s tough enough to hit the trails but also works well in more typical settings like supermarket aisles. Compared to its most obvious competitor, the BOB Revolution PRO, the Solstice is sleeker and less expensive, with a few handy design features all its own.
Design
The Solstice is equal parts sleek and sturdy, with a few great design features of its own. The swiveling front wheel locks and unlocks quickly and easily with a big knob on top, which makes you wonder why other strollers use little hidden buttons. The adjustable handlebar telescopes, which means it moves in and out (longer/shorter) more than up or down, so even tall people won’t find themselves kicking the frame. There’s a runaway wrist strap on one side, out of the way, and the rear brakes are foot-activated.
Performance
The Solstice rolls smoothly on pavement and operates well on trails, too. The rear suspension isn’t adjustable, but it good enough for light trails. One of the best features is the truing mechanism on the front wheel to make sure it rolls straight.
Comfort
The seat is pretty reclined even at its most upright, but our official tester still gave it two thumbs up for comfort before falling asleep. There’s also a little platform over the front wheel to serve as a kind-of-seat for another (larger) passenger, like the BOB. For sunny days, the canopy is large is enough to cover the whole passenger. Joggers with small hands may find the handlebar uncomfortable: it has a wide, oblong cross-section instead of round. The big plastic handle for the folding mechanism is also right in the middle.
Quality
The Solstice was one of the burliest strollers in the test. Everything about it feels sturdy but not over-engineered. The waterproof fabrics can withstand Pacific Northwest downpours for months, and the list of available extras includes a handlebar console ($40), snack bowl ($30), car seat adapter ($55) and rain cover ($55).
Convenience
This is where the Solstice shines, starting with the five-point harness which makes it extra easy to get passengers in and out. Burley calls it Spring Integrated Technology (S.I.T.). It keeps the straps out of the way and untangled, like magic, until you need to click them closed. Then there’s the folding mechanism, which you can actually do with one hand from start to finish—and as a bonus, the stroller stands up when folded. To top it off, the underseat storage is big enough to fit grocery bags or even a balance bike.
Runner, cyclist, father, writer—Julian Smith is a guy with a lot in tow, and a lot to say about the best running strollers and trailers for active parents wth kids.
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