Link: http://www.bobgear.com

The BOB Sport Utility Stroller, complete with state-of-the-art suspension system, tough polymer wheels; folding frame; reclining, padded seat; and several other features no one had ever put on a jogging stroller before. “We wanted the best of a bunch of worlds,” says Roger Malinowski, one of the founders of BOB Gear. “A lightweight, high-quality stroller that you could still take running, hiking, or off road and would still fold up easily and compactly. The fact we could put all of these elements in one stroller is what really attracted people to it.”

Of course, no successful product can be introduced without going through rigorous laboratory testing. Says Roger, “We used our kids. Out on the driveway. They squeaked, burped, cried, hurled, scratched, ripped, kicked, tripped, clawed, and jumped on the prototypes we gave them. It was great. Those kids helped us raise the performance levels and quality of the stroller farther and faster than we may have been able to otherwise.”

Turning on a dime

The next revolutionary BOB innovation - the swiveling front wheel - was introduced in 2005 and became the trademark feature of the Revolution stroller. No longer would mothers have to tip their strollers backwards to make a sharp turn - or a turn of any kind, for that matter. The Revolution’s rotating front wheel allowed them to maneuver their stroller around tight corners, crowded sidewalks, and narrow aisles with ease. With the wheel locked in place, it could also be used for off-road runs or walks.