City strollers and jogging strollers look similar but are built for opposite worlds. Choosing wrong means either a bulky ride that will not fit your trunk or a wobbly one that cannot handle the trail. Here is how to decide.

City strollers These prioritize compact folds, light weight, and tight maneuverability. Smaller wheels and four-wheel steering let you spin around a coffee shop and squeeze through a store aisle. The trade-off is a firmer ride on rough ground and less stability at speed.

Choose a city stroller if most of your miles are on sidewalks, in shops, on transit, or being loaded in and out of a car. The Glydr Urban Lite is our pick here.

Jogging strollers These use large, air-filled tires, real suspension, and a fixed or lockable front wheel for stability. They glide over gravel, grass, and trails, and they are the only safe option for actually running. The trade-off is size: they are heavier, fold bulkier, and steer like a shopping cart in tight spaces.

Choose a jogging stroller if you run, live near trails, or push over rough terrain regularly. The TrailMate All-Terrain handled our test trails best.

The honest middle Most families are mostly-city with occasional trails. If that is you, buy the city stroller and accept the rough patches. Buying a jogging stroller you will run with twice is how you end up with a stroller that never fits your trunk.