Thule Urban Glide 3 all-terrain pushchair review

• 10 of the best all-terrain pushchairs

The one-handed fold, easy-to-use brake, huge seat and super cosy bassinet are all features to shout about. This pushchair is perfect for parents who want to get outdoors, running or walking, and take their little one with them. Yes, the price point is higher than many other 3-wheelers on the market, but with the Urban Glide 3 you get what you pay for. It is built to last, super easy to use and absolutely of the highest quality.

What were your first impressions of the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

When the Urban Glide 3 rocked up on my doorstep, I could tell it was going to be a substantial piece of kit, purely by the size of the boxes it arrived in. All setup and ready to roll, the Urban Glide 3 absolutely has a presence — honestly, it was far bigger and more substantial than I expected. That being said, every inch of the pushchair was clearly well thought out and the superb build quality was evident from the get-go, really living up to the Thule brand name.

How easy is it to build?

It didn't take me long to get the Urban Glide 3 ready for its first outing. The main pushchair arrived neatly in one box, with minimal single-use packaging. As I was using the pushchair with my 3-month-old baby, I set the pushchair up with the collapsible carrycot (£249).

The pushchair pops up easily and the front wheel is already in-situ. The rugged-looking rear wheels popped on in a jiffy, and the bassinet unfolded via a handy sliding lever on its base. All-in-all, the set-up was very quick (around 15 minutes) and very intuitive. The manual is easy to follow and very visual, which was perfect seeing as I only had limited time to set the pushchair up between baby’s naps!

How does the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair compare to the Urban Glide 2?

Thule has made lots of changes to this new and updated Urban Glide model. The pushchair is actually almost 0.5kg heavier than the Urban Glide 2 but this is hardly noticeable, aside from when you're lifting the pushchair in and out of the car. This increased weight is a small price to pay for the enlarged shopping basket capacity and the brand-new, super-smooth brake system.

The front footrest and bumper above the front swivel wheel have also been redesigned. The rubber bumper means that the plastic isn’t scuffing on the ground when you fold the pushchair – a small but very useful feature that we didn’t know we needed until we used the pushchair on a regular basis.

On the previous model, all of the buttons and levers that operated any of the functions were blue. On this model, those buttons and levers are now a discrete grey colour which is far more aesthetically pleasing if you are using the pushchair for day-to-day life as well as for running and hiking.

On top of all of the above changes, the fabrics of the Urban Glide 3 have changed considerably from the Urban Glide 2 model. The new fabrics are sleek and smooth and perfect for wiping clean — inevitable when there is a toddler in the seat or you are walking off the beaten track!

What do you think of the Thule Urban Glide carrycot?

Although it needs to be bought separately at a cost of £250, the bassinet absolutely earned its keep for us. It was extra large, spacious and packed with features such as mesh breathable windows and a sun canopy that's incredibly easy to put up and down.

The mattress is made from breathable, natural fibres and it's so comfortable that we ended up also using it in the house for our baby’s naps. There are air vents in the hard base of the carrycot to allow a safe space for baby to sleep. There aren’t many 3-wheel all-terrain pushchairs that can be used with a full-sized carrycot so this was a huge draw for us. Our baby used the carrycot from 2 weeks old and is now 3 months old. She still has bundles of room in the carrycot and will no doubt stay in there for a long while.

By far the most nifty feature of the carrycot has to be the fact that it is 100% collapsible by just sliding the grey button on the base. The hard base of the carrycot makes it super easy to carry and move from car to car and car to house. It clips back up in a jiffy and clicks on and off the chassis with the use of the grey palm levers.

How do you fold the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

The folding mechanism is located underneath the calf rest of the pushchair and it is a simple pull-and-twist barrel lever. So many pushchairs that we have used have promised a ‘one-handed fold’ and this one really is achievable with one hand at the same time as holding your toddler on your hip. If you are using the pushchair with the bassinet, you need to remove that from the frame before folding. But with the seat unit in place, it is an all-in-one fold.

What is the Thule Urban Glide 3 like when it's folded?

Here’s our bugbear with the Urban Glide 3 — to put it simply, it’s huge when folded (88cm x 58cm x 31cm to be exact). Whilst the overall package might be quite flat and removing the wheels did help out a little, the pushchair still takes up a lot of space when folded. Parents with smaller cars may need to get creative when travelling with it. I drive a VW multivan and the boot is average depth. I managed just fine but I would definitely check measurements if you plan to transport the Urban Glide 3 in your car regularly.

How good is it to push and steer?

You will struggle to find contenders out there that will rival the smooth push of the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair. We used it as our main everyday pushchair as we tend to go off the beaten track quite a lot. On pavements and indoors, it pushes like butter. You can steer it on a sixpence with just one finger — no exaggeration. On rougher terrain, the 16-inch rear wheels come into play and drive the pushchair over rocks, tree roots and uneven grass with ease.

The option to lock the front single wheel also meant that there was never anywhere that we couldn’t go. One of our regular walks takes us over open fields and through woodland and there was never a moment when we felt there was a struggle to push, nor did we ever feel baby was jiggled about on the rough terrain. The excellent suspension and large air wheels are superb at absorbing the bumps from the rougher terrain. We live in a rural village with varied surfaces including gravel, cobbles and pavements with large kerbs — all of which were easy to handle and our little passenger never woke once whilst we were strolling during nap times.

How well does the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair work on public transport?

Whilst using the Urban Glide 3, we took a trip on the train, just a few stops up the track to Edale to walk on Kinder Scout. Although the pushchair is effortless to manoeuvre, it is long and wide, so it wasn't the easiest to fit onto a busy train. I ended up removing my baby from the seat and my husband folded the pushchair to try and make it easier to fit down the gangway and through the doors. All in all, it wasn't easy to travel with and it’s not something we would recommend doing again. The pushchair did however redeem itself by joining us on a glorious hike up Kinder Scout so that we could enjoy the great outdoors with baby joining us.

What’s the chassis like?

Thule are renowned for their ability to make products that are built to last. The Urban Glide 3 certainly gave us the impression that it would serve us for multiple children. The powder-coated matt black chassis was super durable and after being lugged up and down mountains, through the woods and in and out of the car on a day-to-day basis, it still remains as good as new with very few scratches or signs of wear. There is the odd scuff on the nose of the pushchair above the front single wheel, but this is to be expected and these are only noticeable on close inspection. The chassis is super sleek to look at and is definitely a head-turner. Even though the pushchair is as light as a feather to steer and handle, the chassis is quite heavy and cumbersome to lift. It’s definitely not something you would want to be lifting post-c-section.

What do you think of the seat unit on the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

The hammock-style seat unit on the Thule Urban Glide 3 is extremely roomy. The actual seat weight limit for the seat unit is 22kg — to put this into perspective, my average height 6-year-old weighs 20.5kg and she was able to ride in the seat of the pushchair with ease, and it still remained easy to push and manoeuvre. The tall and wide seat has a really comfortable padded harness which is easily adjusted via simple sliders to suit babies and children of all sizes.

The seat recline is operated by a strap adjustment on the back of the seat. It is easy to use by just pulling the toggle, but it does require two hands to operate smoothly. If you pull the toggle quite tightly, you can achieve a really upright position, which toddlers and younger children will love. The seat lies almost flat, on a very slight incline, making it super comfortable for babies from 6 months and young children to nap in. We loved the added features such as the elasticated cup holders in the seat — great for tucking away snacks for your little one to enjoy whilst you are on the go. The smooth fabrics were very comfortable against the baby's skin and the seat liner (additional extra) really made the seat super comfy so that we could be out walking all day.

How do you rate the buggy handle on the Thule Urban Glide 3?

The handlebar has a unique shape, with the handbrake barrel in the centre. We used the handbrake more than we anticipated and it was excellent when walking downhill to enable us to steady the pushchair and stop it from running away from us.. The grey buttons on either side of the handlebar are pressed in simultaneously to adjust the height.

The handlebar sits in your palm really comfortably and is covered in dense foam for a firm grip. Although the handlebar looks very smart, I couldn't help but think that perhaps a leather-covered handle might fit in with the sleek aesthetic of this pushchair a bit better?

What’s the hood like?

The hood was our all-time favourite feature of the Urban Glide 3. We have never seen a larger extendable hood. It completely covers the seat when fully extended and even has ventilated mesh windows to allow air to get through to baby, along with the UPF 50 sun protection factor, which was perfect for the mini heatwave we experienced in July. There is also a transparent waterproof viewing window which we used to check in on baby without waking them — the cover for the peekaboo window also closes and opens without the use of velcro, which meant there was no waking the baby with the sound of ripping velcro as with our other all-terrain pushchair!

What are the wheels like on the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

For an all-terrain pushchair, the wheels were everything we expected and more. All 3 wheels are air filled, making the pushchair super light to handle. Although this does carry the risk of punctures, thankfully this is something that we never encountered. The tyres are tough and durable and on top of performing brilliantly, the stylish silver and black rims definitely add to the sleek and stylish aesthetic.

The grey, rubber-covered spring-loaded buttons in the centre of each rear wheel make them easy to pop on and off. We removed the wheels each time we took the pushchair in the car, it really is very simple and quick to do. The front wheel was easy to lock in place by twisting the padlock lever located behind the footplate. We also had a play with the tensioner which allows you to alter the tracking of the front wheel, just in case you run on a regular basis. We just used the pushchair for weekend park runs and it performed brilliantly and always had other parents asking to try it out!

How good are the brakes?

A reliable brake system is a must for a running or all-terrain stroller. The footbrake on the Thule Urban Glide 3 is located next to the right-hand rear wheel, and it never skipped a beat. It was easy to slip on and off in a hurry and it always felt safe and secure. The handbrake and wrist tether also came in very handy for walking on undulating terrains. It gave us that peace of mind that the pushchair would never escape our grip and the ability to control the speed of the pushchair when walking downhill made walks every bit more enjoyable.

How do you rate the basket on the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

The covered basket is the unsung hero of the Urban Glide 3. The basket size is much larger than other all-terrain pushchairs and with the ability to hold 7kg, it rivals many other multi-purpose travel systems too. We loved the smaller zip pocket on the back of the basket and used it for keys and phone whilst we were out and about.

The whole basket also has a zip cover which absolutely saved the day when we were caught in downpours (there were many!) and also stopped our bits and bobs falling out of the basket when we folded the pushchair up. When out and about, the basket was always easily accessible from the back and sides and we were able to keep coats and necessities in it with ease.

What’s in the box?

• Pushchair including seat, hood and wheels

We also tested the cup holder and seat liner which arrived separately in their own boxes. And we tested the carrycot and mattress, which you have to buy separately.

What are the additional accessories that you can buy?

There are many accessories available to complement the Urban Glide 3. Unfortunately, the pushchair does not come with a raincover included in the box and to us this is a necessity given our great British climate. Other accessories include:

• Thule bassinet (£249.99)
• Car seat adapters (£49.99)
• Bumper bar (£34.99)
• Raincover (£49.99)
• Organiser (£59.99)
• Snack tray (£49.99)
• Mesh cover (£34.99)
• Bottle cage (£19.99)
• Footmuff (£139.99)
• Cup holder (£24.99)
• Seat liner (£49.99)
• Changing backpack (£129.99)
• Changing bag (£89.99)
• Seat liner (£39.99)

How did you find the packaging?

Being an outdoor brand we expected the packaging to be minimal in term of single-use plastic and sellotape. Packaging was simple and kept to a minimum but there was still a bit of non-recyclable foam protecting wheel spindles and handlebars, etc. The boxes however were sturdy enough to keep and re-use to store the pushchair in if needed.

What are the sustainability and repair options like for the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

It isn’t made clear in the instructions or accompanying materials just how sustainable the production of the Urban Glide 3 is. We had hoped that the use of recycled materials such as recycled plastics to create the fabrics would have been part and parcel of the pushchair and ethos of the brand. What we can say is that the pushchair will absolutely serve you for many children from birth up to 22kg thanks to its well-thought-out design and build quality.

Maintenance of the pushchair is pretty simple, checking the air levels in the tyres and keeping joints greased and dirt-free. We found the wheels very easy to pop off and spray with the hose after very mucky walks. Spare parts are really easily sourced via the official Thule website and on top of this the pushchair comes complete with a 2-year guarantee.

If you register the Thule product upon purchase, you can use the guarantee to repair damage caused by wear and tear, as long as the product has not been misused. This gave us great peace of mind knowing that the pushchair had longevity and in essence, free repairs for two years!

Now you’ve tested it, what would you have wanted to know before purchasing the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair?

Having used the Urban Glide 3 for the past few months, we would have most definitely wanted to know how heavy it is to lift from place to place and how large it is when folded. Even though the pushchair is exceptionally nimble on even the roughest of terrains, it is in all honestly quite cumbersome to carry and lift.

Who would the Thule Urban Glide 3 pushchair be most useful for?

For families who love to head out on walks and want to explore places off the beaten track, this pushchair is an excellent option. That being said, the sleek lines and super smooth fabrics absolutely do not look out of place on urban streets. This pushchair is definitely suited to families who walk from A to B on a regular basis rather than those who plan to put their pushchair in and out of a car boot or go on public transport on a regular basis.

Is the Thule Urban Glide 3 worth the money?

With a price tag of £749.99, the Urban Glide 3 is super pricey and is right up there with the fashionable and sought after bands such as Bugaboo and Cybex. That’s not forgetting that the bassinet is an additional £249.99 and the essential (but not included) raincover is £49.99. That’s an overall starting price of £1,050 before you purchase any additional accessories – that's more than most people's monthly rent or mortgage!

However, we can’t deny that even if the price is high, you get what you pay for in terms of longevity and quality. Even with the high price, I would argue that families who spend a lot of time outdoors and who plan to use the pushchair as their child grows, or for multiple children, will definitely get their money's worth from the Urban Glide 3.

Where can I buy the Thule Urban Glide 3?

It is available from John Lewis, Mamas & Papas, Natural Baby Shower and Thule.

MadeForMums verdict:

Overall, our experiences and adventures with the Thule Urban Glide 3 have been positive. Our little passenger was always comfortable and happy and the well-designed and very well-built features have withstood walks in forests, fields and on rocky mountain paths. The extra large hood, large seat, air-filled tyres and supersized zip-covered basket were a total winner with us and they suited our outdoor family life brilliantly.

It doesn’t matter who was in the driving seat of the Urban Glide 3, they all commented on how smooth and effortless it was to push, even when fully laden and going over undulating ground. Even on shopping trips, the sleek looks of the pushchair were admired by urban-dwelling parents and the pushchair was certainly not out of place on the city streets. Our advice would be to watch out for the large fold size and wide rear-wheel base if you plan to transport the pushchair on a car or on public transport on a regular basis.