I posted a photo a week or so ago on my Instagram highlighting my newest baby gadget, the Uppababy Vista Stroller. I had a ton of you guys asking questions and wanting to know why I decided to go with this travel system over all of the others, so I thought I’d put together a little blog post explaining how I knew the Uppababy Vista was 100% right for our family. And while all of my product reviews are totally honest, I want to mention that this particular post is in NO way affiliated with Uppababy. I saved up and paid for this thing with my own money. I’m just real-life obsessed. And it’s so dang pretty.
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So I should start by saying that my little sister, Kelsey, is the only reason that I’ve researched and studied baby gadgets. She’s mildly obsessed and is always sending me links to products that she’s fascinated with that she thinks I should have. In fact, I’ve gotten several things so far and I’m pretty sure she suggested all of them. The Uppababy Vista is no exception to the Kelsey Sanchez obsession list. I’ve been hearing about this stroller for years… yes, YEARS. Knowing how expensive this thing is, I always laughed her off because this was an ‘in your dreams’ type of scenerio.
Fast forward to a year or so later when we found out that we were pregnant. It didn’t take Kelsey long to remind me of the benefits of a great Travel system and urge me to ‘do my research’. You know, I’m ALWAYS listening to my little sister’s advice (HAH!). I spent several hours reading blogs and scouring mom sites for reviews of the best strollers. I read about Britax, Nuna, Graco, Baby Jogger, Bugaboo, and of course Uppababy (plus tons more). The price points vary a ton with Nuna and Bugaboo being way up there and Britax and Graco being super affordable. I even went to a couple of stores to try out some of the strollers that I’d read about online, but I’ll get into my experience with that later.
First things first, I made a list of the 3 things that were most important to me when it comes to a stroller system and carseat. No, Safety isn’t on the list because that’s a no-brainer. I wasn’t even giving a second look to brands that didn’t have a top notch safety rating. So here’s what I came up with:
Versatility/Longevity: I put these together because they go together in my head. I wanted a system that would grow with my baby and be something that I could use for years and years to come even if new tiny humans are added to my crew.
Ease of Use: Maybe I’m a total #millennial but I need something that has all the bells and whistles but not too many actual bells and whistles. Does that make sense? I want it to be able to DO all of things but I certainly don’t want those things to be difficult to do. No one has time to be fidgeting with buttons and latches while traipsing around Walt Disney World (for some reason all of my thoughts go back to strolling around WDW… I have a problem).
Dependability: I wanted to find not only a dependable, well-made stroller, but a company who is consistent as well. I needed to know that if something breaks, that company will have my back.
BONUS POINTS FOR STYLE: Come On, guys. Have you met me?
So while exploring my first must have, Versatility & Longevity, I was super surprised to find that SO many strollers had the ability to switch out the seats. In fact his has become a pretty standard feature. I knew that I wanted a stroller frame that could clip in the carseat, toddler seat, and bassinet. And I knew that being able to switch the toddler seat from inward to outward facing was a huge plus. I found plenty of options that allowed you to switch between a carseat and a toddler seat but wanting a bassinet as well really narrowed down the results. Then finding a bassinet that was long term sleep-approved was an even more difficult task.
Why do I want a bassinet? And more importantly why does it need to be over-night sleep approved? I’ll tell you why. I hate pack n plays. I remember having to lug around the portable crib/pack n play anytime we went ANYWHERE over night. They’re bulky and they’re just another ‘THING’. We travel a lot. Not to far off places, but we’re home in Louisiana at least once a month for a weekend or so. I wanted something that could double as a stroller attachment AND a fantastic overnight sleeping solution.
Lastly, I’m adamant about making smart purchasing decisions for our future and this meant thinking about the possibility of future kids. While we don’t have plans to pop any more out real soon, I want to know that if it were to happen, I wouldn’t have to turn around and find ANOTHER stroller that works. I need to be able to fit two kids in one stroller and 3 would be even better (since Keith thinks he wants at least a basketball team). And ya’ll, I HATE those double wide strollers… I’d like to be able to fit through a doorway.
Uppababy solves all of these problems and then some. The stroller itself comes with a bassinet and toddler seat. If you purchase the coordinating carseat (called the MESA) the system works together seamlessly. Each of the pieces pop in and out of the frame by connecting to a latch on each side. If you’re wondering how reliable these latches are, Uppababy totally rocks in the safety department. The latch even has a little green/red lock thingy that tells you if you’re latched in correctly. All 3 of the attachments latch on the SAME latches so no carrying around adaptors. Although, if you’re set on using a different carseat or already have one, they make adapters for all other major carseat brands! They can all be front or rear facing as well.
The bassinet is totally sleep approved for overnight and travel. All you have to do is unzip the underneath part (totally easy) and put down the sunshade and bam… baby bassinet. The mattress pad is so soft and if you stick your face in it (like you’re trying to suffocate yourself) you can breathe through it! Trust me, I made everyone try! Plus, they make this super transportable bassinet stand for keeping next to your bed. I haven’t 100% decided, but I’m thinking the baby may use this all the time even when we’re at home.
And to miraculously solve the last problem, Uppababy goes above and beyond. This is where they REALLY stood out to me. You can fit up to 3 kiddos on this thing. If you have twins or another baby within a couple years of your first, no need to find a new travel system. The Vista has a adaptor that lets you add another seat. You can ride with two carseats, two toddler seats, and even two bassinets. OR you can mix and match. Maybe you have a 2 year old and a newborn, no problem. Just latch in the rumble seat (thats what the additional toddler seat is called) and your carseat!
Bonus… They have a little skateboard attachment for a third child! You know how you always used to ride on the back of the stroller by standing on the axels? Yea… that’s seriously frowned upon now. But no worries because the VISTA is safe and perfect for the older sibling! If you want to see more about how you can have up to 3 kids on the Vista, here is the link to explain it all!
The second must have, Ease of Use, meant going out and trying some of these strollers. On our first trip, to Target, Keith and I played with several options that had the bassinet, toddler seat, and carseat options. We may or may not have left the stroller section in shambles. While some were easier than others, we found that getting the pieces to latch on the Britax and Graco strollers was not a piece of cake. In fact, it took two of use to try and unlatch it. I’m not calling a random stranger over to help me with my stroller when I’m alone, people. I need something that is super easy.
There were several that I honestly couldn’t even figure out. I don’t want to have to read a manual to my parents every time they take our kid without us. I honestly felt like I was going to end up breaking something. Now, we’re total newbies, so I’m not saying that with a little work, you couldn’t figure these out. But it was too much for me.
Then we took a trip to our local Babyland store to try out the more expensive options. The Nuna was beautiful and so easy to use and they did just come out with a double option, but I didn’t love how the second seat sat so low in the basket. The Vista? Well, I’m sure you’ve figured out by now that it was AMAZING. The pieces came in and out of the stroller like BUTTERRRRRRRR!!! All of the latches were sturdy but totally easy to use. PLUS, with the exception of the toddler seat, they unlatch with ONE HAND. There is a fancy button on the top (again, easy to press) and with that and a slight tug, you’ve pulled the carseat out of the stroller with one hand behind your back!
Folding the stroller up is no different. The two little levers near the handle press easily and the stroller folds up nice and tight. It’s still not super small when folded (none of the ones we looked at were) and it weighs about 25 lbs. But the sturdiness was much more important to me than the weight. I plan on just pulling it out of my trunk and popping it open right there. Keith was AMAZED at how different the the ease of use on the target strollers was to the Vista.
Plus, he loved the 0% turn radius on this thing… I mean, it’s just so good!
And the handlebar adjust to the height of the person using it, so my dad doesn’t have to hunch over every time he pushes the baby. And it takes less than a second to adjust just by pulling the button under the middle of the handlebar and giving it an easy push or pull.
Dependability was super important to me. If I was planning to use this system for several children in the future, I needed something that I could count on to still be in working order in 5 or so years. While carseats have expiration dates, the Vista doesn’t. So I can keep on using this baby for years and years to come. Uppababy has been around for a while and they’re not going anywhere. I registered my products with them and they are covered in the event that some factory piece malfunctions. They also have all of the replacement parts and add-ons available right there on the website so you can easily go in and order your parts.
They only have a few models which was another big selling point for me. Brands like Britax and Graco have so many different stroller models and each are made differently. Uppababy streamlines their products and upgrades their current models instead of creating entirely new ones. And when they do make an upgrade, they make the parts and the adaptors so that your old Vista can do every thing that the new ones can. If your toddler tears up their seat, you can grab a new one. You can even replace just the seat and canopy fabric if you want to switch out the color or have worn out your old one.
One HUGE selling point that I love is their travel guarantee. If you purchase their travel bag ($150) and check your stroller into a flight, if the stroller if the stroller is damaged during travel, they’re replace it for FREE. This is great if you fly at all because those baggage boys can be so rough on suitcases and strollers. What happens if you get home and your stroller is broken… and you know the airline isn’t EVER responsible.
For the bonus round, STYLE. This stroller is SO FIIINNNEEE. I know that’s a stupid way to describe a stroller, but it’s so sleek and gorgeous. I’m in love with my white Vista. I went for simplicity with the white, but they also have so many other colors to choose from. The tan leather handle bar and toddler seat bar cover is the icing on the cake.
The quality of all of the materials are unbeatable. Everything is easily cleanable and even some of it is machine washable. I did a little research before purchasing the white to be sure that it wasn’t going to be brown after one outing. Uppababy recommends ‘buggy love’ as a cleaner. They have an on the go spray cleaner and a cleaner for soaking the pieces if they really need a good wash. I’ve heard nothing but fantastic reviews on the durability of the fabrics.
So I know that was a super long post. But I hope you feel super informed about the Uppababy Vista stroller and why I think it’s a solid investment. I waited until the end to give out the prices since they might scare some of you away, but I can tell you that I saved up for a few months and I’m so thrilled with my decision and I know this stroller is going to be the BEST option for our family. The Vista stroller itself with the bassinet and toddler seat runs around $899. And the Mesa Carseat with base is an additional $299. All in all with taxes and everything, we ended up spending around $1300 but it was so worth it! Even Keith, who wasn’t thrilled with my idea at first, was totally sold once he compared the less expensive models with the Vista in person.
It’s totally an investment piece, but this is the stroller I hope to use for years to come and babies to come. I’d love to hear about it if you guys have tried this or other strollers. What are your thoughts?
