Before I had my first baby I thought stroller is a stroller, what’s the big deal about it? During pregnancy we were moving from the US to Italy, so we had an excellent opportunity to pick something on either continent, but everywhere I searched online there was one stroller that was always coming up as the most recommended one: Uppababy Vista.
Why Is Uppababy Vista So Popular?
Once I got into stroller research I noticed that in the US most people have Uppababy strollers (vs in Europe it’s Bugaboo and Babyzen Yoyo). Every American TV series and movie with babies features Uppababy Vista (you’ll notice it super quickly once you know the design).
I remember walking around Boston and literally every single mom with a baby had this stroller (and 90% of them had the green Emmett version). Not surprisingly, every new mom is thinking: this must be the best travel stroller on the market.
There’s one big con though: price. Uppababy Vista costs about $1000. We didn’t want to deal with any car seat adapters, so we also got the Uppababy Mesa carseat. Total came down to $1280 – not cheap.
Why is UPPAbaby Vista So Expensive?
Uppababy Vista is a luxury stroller and comes with various accessories – baby bassinet for a newborn (something Americans aren’t fully getting as most keep their babies in car seats during newborn stages, which is pretty bad for the baby – and wouldn’t fly in Europe), rain covers and bug nets for the bassinet and seat.
Many compare it with Mockingbird stroller, but even though I don’t recommend Vista overall I must say that Mockingbird doesn’t even come close to Vista. I did a full review explaining why.
The stroller is of good quality, you can easily see it and the warranty is very extended. I also used their customer service three times and I must say it’s flawless within the US.
However, the company is somehow questionable since last year’s weird recall of their Uppababy Knox car seat. They recalled it just after a month very quietly not to lose any reputation (now it’s back again redesigned).
One note about Uppababy car seats – especially Uppababy Mesa (models Henry & Jordan), thanks to its innovative use of Merino wool, are the first car seats to pass federal safety standards without the use of toxic flame retardants. It’s great news because US baby products are loaded with these toxic chemicals unnecessarily. You can read why it matters so much in another post I researched a lot.
Both myself and my husband were originally very happy with our Uppababy Vista stroller, but within 3 months I became incredibly annoyed with this stroller and my husband gave up on it after 5 months.
We barely used our Vista anymore and once I realized that buying Uppababy Vista as a double stroller was an even bigger mistake I sold it fairly quickly.
Don’t get me wrong – Uppababy Vista is NOT a bad stroller, but I definitely don’t recommend it as a double (unless you have twins) and to me, it was incredibly impractical. Below I’ll tell you what I loved about this and what I hated – a very unfiltered review!
Uppababy Vista vs Cruz
Uppababy Cruz is cheaper for a reason. It can only fit one child (no expansion option) and doesn’t come with a bassinet like Vista does.
Vista is meant to hold one more kid and the back wheels are bigger because of that, but otherwise, they look pretty comparable. Unless you’re going on very muddy mountain hikes you really don’t need the giant Vista back wheels – they’re more of a pain in the butt in reality (read more in weight & size).
I was able to see and try them both side by side as close friends had the Cruz when we had the Vista. If you’re planning just one kid then you might as well get the Cruz and buy an extra Uppababy Bassinet separately – it will save you about $150ish.
Pros & Minor Cons of Uppababy Vista v2 Stroller
Maneuverability & Design
The design of Uppababy Vista is fantastic. At first sight, you can see how sturdy the stroller is and how smoothly it rides with wheel suspension.
The handlebar is amazing! Extendable, sturdy, never gets stuck and it’s covered with waterproof leather.
Not counting the footrest on the seat (read more on that in the Traveling with Uppababy Vista section below).
It’s an all-terrain stroller that lasted us for cobblestones, uneven sidewalks, and mountain hikes, it didn’t fail in those aspects. I would say it runs just as smoothly as Baby Jogger City Mini GT2 that’s meant for off-roading.
The brake system is good enough. It has a green & red indicator that informs parents if the brake is engaged or released.
Quite often it doesn’t lock or unlock, but that’s a common issue with all strollers I ever tried (and I tried a lot!) so complaining about it would be unfair. Overall, I must say this is very impressive.
Weight & Size
This is where our issues with Vista started. Uppababy Vista is 27 lbs with just one seat (a bit more with a bassinet). The stroller is quite heavy.
While it’s easy and smooth to push it around and you don’t feel the weight, once you have to lift the stroller it’s a pain in the butt for just one child.
You might think “why would I have to lift the stroller?” at first, but trust me – on many occasions, especially in Europe. Most apartments have a few steps to get to the elevator, not all buses have easy access, not to mention you need to fold it and lift it to simply even put it in the trunk of the car.
I wasn’t able to lift the stroller myself once the baby was over 6 months, I had to back up which wasn’t always possible and sometimes there was no one around to help.
Not to mention both us and our friends who purchased the Cruz gave up those strollers and started calling them ‘monster trucks’, because in most places in Europe, these strollers are simply too wide to even get through the door. Or elevators for a fact.
I still remember trying to get to our hotel room in Rome and having to remove the seat, fold it, then fold the stroller while holding the baby, just to get into the elevator and then carry it all through the door as well. Not to mention having to leave the baby in another aisle of the supermarket or not being able to go through check-out because it’s too narrow to fit my monster truck.
I’m also yet to find a car that’s not a mini-van or SUV that would fit Vista. Even when folded it’s huge with only one seat (25.7″ x 17.3″ x 33″ (WxLxH)). We rented various cars around the world and every single time we had a regular 5-door car we had to remove the bigger back wheels of the Vista to fit it in the trunk. Otherwise, the trunk wouldn’t close as it was too big.
While removing the wheels is an easy process, if it’s rainy, snowy, or muddy outside it’s not something you want to do every single time.
Folding & Traveling with Uppababy Vista
Uppababy Vista folds super easily. Literally, one click and ta-da!
Although… traveling by plane with Uppababy Vista was a nightmare. Don’t ever gate-check your Vista!
I was naive thinking we don’t need a second travel stroller when most people told me that, but you really do. REALLY, you will thank me later š
We only took Vista with us on 4 flights (because we had to) and guess what – 2 out of these 4 times the stroller arrived broken! Gate-checked strollers get thrown around, but I quickly realized that’s the design flaw of the footrest.
P.S. Some airlines will not even allow you to take big strollers like Vista for a gate check and you have to give it away at the counter. For instance, American Airlines only allows strollers up to 20 lbs to be gate-checked.
The stroller folds into one piece with the bassinet, car seat or seat, but the footrest of the seat isn’t strong enough to hold a simple pull or side hit. Even when we wrapped it in this very environmentally unfriendly plastic wraps it arrived broken two times!
We had to deal with making a claim with the airline, then re-ordering the parts of the stroller from Uppababy directly and while they sent a new frame instantly and major airlines (AKA not cheap ones – those aren’t responsible for damages if you read the fine print) will refund you, when we got to Italy it wasn’t possible to send us a new frame because Uppababy only operated in the UK in Europe.
We were riding with a broken footrest for a while until we went back to the US to pick it up. If a whole stroller frame got damaged we would have to purchase another stroller basically.
That said, I highly recommend buying a stroller that operates everywhere – Bugaboo, Cybex, Stokke, Baby Jogger, just to name a few.
Storage Spaces
One thing I miss from Vista is the basket. The bottom basket is huge and holds up to 30 lbs. It’s the best of the best if you ask me – durable, accessible, and convenient.
We used to load a huge pile of shopping in there, our cat, diaper bag – all of it fit at the same time.
Uppababy Bassinet
The bassinet was super handy for us. As I was giving birth in another country we had no crib there and the baby slept with us in the bassinet next to the bed. We just rolled him around the house (no need for the bassinet stands that are sold separately).
Uppababy bassinet had zip-able breathable mesh parts which were fantastic during the summer. The inner liner and boot cover are easy to remove as well.
It had enough space and we used it a lot until my baby refused to lie down without seeing anything and we had to move him to a reclined seat at just 4 months.
Seat Compartment, Recline & Canopy
The seat, minus the footrest as I mentioned above, is sturdy and the canopy is unbeatable. The canopy can cover the whole baby, made of UPF 50+ material, it’s easily foldable and most importantly – doesn’t get onto the child’s head (which is a common issue with many competing strollers). It also features a peek-a-boo window you can close.
It comes with a bumper bar and you can purchase an extra snack tray for it as well. Removing and adding seats/attachments is quick and easy – never gets stuck.
The harness is highly adjustable to fit the kiddo comfortably. There are three shoulder height positions and several crotch strap positions.
The recline isn’t flat. While in a bassinet your baby lies flat, and the seat is profiled despite its 6 recline positions. This means, even if you recline it to its maximum, which many people claim is flat – it’s not.
See the photo below to see what I mean, but baby’s but will always be down and their legs up when reclined.
The toddler seat be front or rear-facing which proved to be very hand and it has the capacity to hold a kid up to 50 lbs – which is a lot!
This brings me to the final reason why we got rid of the Uppababy Stroller and why I wouldn’t recommend it overall, despite many amazing features...
Uppababy Vista as a Double Stroller
The main reason why I picked Vista over Cybex Priam was an opportunity for expansion. We planned on having a second kid soon after (which didn’t happen that soon due to postpartum issues), so not having to buy another stroller was an important factor for me.
I was wrong.
Uppababy Vista simply doesn’t work well for two kids of different ages for various reasons I didn’t even consider when buying the stroller. It also sucks for twins older than 1 if I’m honest (my cousin and another friend both had twins, hence why I know).
I considered three expandable strollers: Uppababy Vista, Silvercross and Joolz Day.
Thankfully, my friend had Joolz and I wasn’t impressed with the lack of a storage bag once you put the second seat how low the baby was sitting (it literally bumped a sidewalk curb on the butt) and how close to your feet the lower seat was. It was a big NO from me.
Silvercross strollers had the most possible configurations, but they were even more expensive than Vista – almost $2000 (although once you need to purchase adapters and another seat or bassinet for Vista it comes down to roughly the same)! Regretfully, I can say now that it’s the only expandable stroller with a logical configuration.
These days there are also Evenflo & Mockingbird strollers that are super affordable, but I noticed it has the same issue with the leg rest as Vista, so I expect it to break easily (and the latter got actually recalled for breaking not long after I said that originally).
When I first looked at Vista’s configurations as a double, or even triple with a piggyback board, I thought it was amazing with so many possibilities. However, now I know they make no sense.
Plus, the stroller folds as a double only when both seats are facing front. Which is a huge pain in the butt.
With a baby and a toddler, first of all, you’re unable to have the bassinet with the younger baby close to you. Who on earth wants to keep the newborn under the toddler with limited access to the bassinet?!
The only option to put the newborn at the top is to keep him in a car seat, while your toddler rides the bottom seat. Keeping a newborn in a car seat is bad for him – that’s one thing, and second… if you have a bigger or fatter toddler you’re also screwed with this configuration because they’ll grow out of the stroller entirely way too soon.
Keep in mind that although both seats look very similar, but they’re not at all! The seat you’re allowed to have on the bottom part is called a Rumble Seat. It’s not the same seat as a toddler seat that cannot be placed on the bottom part of the stroller.
The Rumble Seat is smaller, more narrow and has a weight capacity of up to 35 lbs (not 50 lbs like the Toddler Seat). This basically means that at a certain point, the older kid will be forced to always ride up top, closer to you, since most kids reach this weight around 2.5 years.
The worst part though is that there’s next to no leg room for the child sitting up top. It looks all nice in the photo, but in reality, it’s like 2 inches which causes a child older than 2 to have to put their feet on top of the canopy of the lower seat – pretty horrible.
So even with twins once they reach this weight I guess the stroller is useless as well, as it can’t be used as a double anymore.
With my older son, this wouldn’t fly at all. He wants to be able to get in and out of the stroller freely and isn’t happy when facing me instead of looking around, so I’d lose the ability to ever have a younger sibling facing me and end up with an unhappy toddler. All of this was a deal-breaker for me.
I was able to find a better expandable tandem stroller after all – Cybex Gazelle S. With this stroller there’s actually no need for the bassinet because Cybex Cloud Q car seat reclines flat, so it does no harm to the baby’s spine.
However, I’ll be real: once I tried the ZOE Twin I realized quite quickly that side-by-side strollers are MUCH easier to push and have more sense for two kids. Ever since both kids got older and the youngest was almost 11 months we’ve been using Evenflo Pivot Stroller Wagon before switching to Larkdale Coupe.
Additional Accessories – Uppababy Mesa
Uppababy Mesa car seat is a great piece of equipment, especially the new non-toxic models of Henry & Jordan.
The problem with car seats and attaching them to strollers is that most simply don’t fit without adapters, and even with adapters it’s not always possible. Uppababy Mesa fits really mostly into Uppababy strollers.
UPPAbaby VISTA doesnāt require any adapters for MESA infant car seat.
On the other hand, Uppababy Vista can fit other popular car seats with adapters, but truth to be told – some of the adapters for Vista are incredibly giant and annoying and can’t be used in a double seater option.
Don’t get me wrong – Mesa is a lightweight non-toxic car seat with good side protection for the head. The included base also worked great!
There were only two things I wasn’t happy with: the canopy and the material (although the material got upgraded).
The canopy on Uppababy Mesa was way too small. Wish it could be expanded more.
The second fault was the material of which the seat was made (I had a model that’s no longer for sale and it was polyester). If you buy the non-toxic Merino wool model you won’t have that issue. It made my baby sweaty non-stop! It was seriously ridiculous that within 5 minutes of him being there, he was covered in sweat. When we swapped to another car seat this problem disappeared.
Uppababy Vista Stroller Review Verdict
To sum up, I don’t think Uppababy Vista v2 is a bad stroller. But, considering the price to me it wasn’t worth it and it simply wasn’t practical.
Beautifully detailed and helpful review! The “why is it so expensive” question is one that often circulates among my mom groups. A lot of friends have been able to get them used for a tenth of the price, which is nice, but sometimes it’s worth it to splurge on a really nice baby item that can make your life easier. And as parents of young kids, we sure all need things to make life easier! š
Such an interesting read – my cousin was just looking at this stroller so sending her way!
I had no idea what went into getting and using a stroller! So much to take into consideration.
My sister is researching strollers for her first baby, sending her this post!
I have twins what you recommend for me? does Uppababy has double strollers?
This is a double stroller š
Very recognizable, we love our Vista here in the US but a couple of months ago we traveled to Europe and had to completely disassemble the stroller to fit through the scanner at Airport security. Luckily taking of the wheels is pretty easy, it has a click system. Then in Europe, we needed to rent a big SUV for everything to fit. Finally, walking up and down stairs was a hell indeed. But now that we’re back in the US, I am fully in love again.
Yes and even elevators are a no-go in Europe. But even in the US, Vista never fit in my car unless I removed wheels and put nothing else in the trunk haha.
It fits in my Lexus UX (smallest Lexus they sell) just fine. Not sure what car you have, but I haven’t found this to be true.
Agree. Fits in our Toyota Camry and Audi Comvertible trunks.
In the US there are lots of options for used Uppababy and no one has the Cybex Gazelle S stroller!
We are adding a 2nd baby and the double configuration for Uppababy isn’t going to be great, but the new Cybex Gazelle S stroller is out of the budget.
It’s simply because Uppababy has been around for a while and also because many parents buy it for one kid planning for the future and then they realize they need a different one, because the older kid doesn’t fit in the seat weight-wise anymore. Gazelle just came out at the end of last year, so no one resells it just yet. I’d think next year there will be some when some families will be done with doubles.
Best blog on the street for a new mum hands down! I was planning to buy the Vista but changed my mind looking at your review. I live in NY with no car and plan to travel around Europe on flights:
1) would you suggest buying the yo-yo as only stroller with a bassinet for the newborn phase? I seem to understand you mainly used that in the end
2) planning to have 2 kids with 2 yrs age gap, I see the cybex gazelle s is your stroller of choice a) do you recommend using the fully reclinabile car seat rather than buying a bassinet for newborn? b) can the car seat still be fully reclined when on top facing you with the toddler seat on bottom facing the street once you have 2 kids? c) can you have a bassinet on top + toddler seat on bottom facing the street when used for 2 kids?
Thanks a lot for all the precious info!
Hi Silvia,
1) I got my Yoyo when my firstborn was a few days short of 3 months and we went straight to the seat. Frankly, in his case the bassinet wouldn’t have worked at all, because he was refusing to lie down past 3 months (he wanted to sit) and was a huge baby so any bassinet was way too small for him š On the other hand, my good friend had a small child that was completely fine lying down and she used it up to like 8 months. I must say that mine was a special case and I’d probably get a bassinet (if my second child was the first one I’d have surely got one).
2) We ended up keeping 3 strollers: Babyzen Yoyo (obviously) because once the older stops using the stroller entirely then we go back to it exclusively due to convenience; then we have the Cybex – it was perfect for the very baby stage and uneven pavements, unpaved road and so easy in an out with the car seat due to its travel system, but we also have Zoe Twin (full review coming next week) which we use for road trips to save on trunk space, big places like zoos or fairs and so on. Toddler prefers to sit next to his little brother to show him the world now.
a) I chose car seat because I wanted the baby on the top and we had to get around Mexico in a car nonstop. I’ll write a full Cloud Q review (it is an amazing car seat for style, safety and comfort, although won’t lie – it is heavy) and worked great when temperatures were mild (spring time). Now, full disclosure – obviously you cannot plan on when your second child will be born exactly (I tried haha, got a year pushback :P) but at the moment it’s over 100F here daily and there’s no way I’m rolling with the baby in a car seat because the poor guy would melt, so this is why we use ZOE the most. On the other hand That said, if I was living back in NYC or any walkable-only place I’d pick the bassinet. My kids were never in big snowsuits because they weren’t newborns in the winter, but if you wanted to use the carseat in the winter snowsuit wouldn’t work with the straps.
b) Yes, the car seat can be fully reclined, you just need to put it on the stroller first before the toddler seat or push the sunshade of it down (I really need to do a video because it’s a common question). It’s a tight fit but it works and clicks perfectly š
c) No, this setup won’t work with the bassinet, only with the car seat. The only stroller that allows such configuration is Silvercross Wave, but it’s a giant monster in length to allow such configuration and distribute weight and as a result, it’s hard to push and quite wobbly. My friend who had it quickly swapped it for a different one. For its price tag you would be better off with a Bugaboo Donkey 3.
Nevertheless, don’t make my mistake and don’t get an unnecessarily big stroller before the second one is born and you know the character of the toddler (mine wouldn’t sit on top and wants in and out, but friend’s kid has no issue sitting up top for example or mine loves sitting next to the baby but another friend’s toddler keeps throwing things at the baby nonstop if they’re sitting next to each other). Especially when you’re pregnant with a toddler you don’t want to add another heavier item and all these strollers are super easy to sell if you need to.
Thank you for your answer! So in your opinion what is the best stroller to start with for my first baby who will be born this November in NY (for the city, not for travelling)?
Cybex Priam for sure. If you get a newborn cocoon (I actually used to have it) then you can skip the bassinet (if cost matters), because this seat is flat flat (not angled) and with a cocoon it works perfectly.
This is probably thee best review I’ve ever seen for this stroller. I have 3kids. My oldest is almost 11 but I’ve got a 3yr old and a 6month old.. when I was pregnant with the baby we looked into double strollers. I loved the fact I could move the seats in different ways if I needed to. We found a used older model one in amazing condition..it had barely been used, we were sooo excited. Then..the excitement ended pretty quickly. A lot of the points you made, I felt the same. Until i had the baby and realized how much it wasn’t going to work out.
My absolute favorite part of the UPPAbaby is that it is literally thee smoothest riding stroller I’ve ever used. It’s easy to push over all types of surfaces!! I love that, as my husband works alot so I’m usually on outings by myself.
I am now in an annoying new search for a double stroller. So far, graco modes duo and the contours options elite V2 are my top choices. I’m currently not working so price point is a huge factor for us right now.
Thank you!
Don’t get Graco – it’s the least smooth ride I’m afraid.
Regarding Contours Elite v2 – it’s a good one, but it is LONG (in order to fit the bassinet), which makes the steering more complex and putting it up the curb. Although between those two I’d get it over Graco for sure.
Thank you so much for that feed back. I’m so disappointed about the Graco though. I was really rooting for that one because of the sit/stand/seat feature. I’ll take your word for it though since I can’t find the stroller anywhere in store, I’m unable to test it before buying. That contours one is nice! Would you still recommend if I got an older version contours elite so that I can buy used if I’m not able to find a used V2 at a decent price.
I know, I really wanted sit and stand feature too :/
I don’t know how badly are you set on those options only, but how much does your 3-year old weigh though? The seat limit on Contour is 40 and the older version is heavier and since your baby is over 6 months bassinet isn’t needed. In that case, I’d probably just got for Babyjogger City Select. Especially since it could convert back to single once your toddler is done with a stroller or for very short trips that he/she could just walk.
My toddler weighs about 27lbs and is 3yrs old. Really. The baby jogger? I tested that one in store.. I did like the wheels/ride on that one.. but I felt like it had the least amount of leg room. Did you feel that way? It felt like less leg room than my 2014 uppababy. I didn’t do much research on that stroller like I did with the other 2brands. I’ll have to revisit my choices again. Thank you. I can’t believe it’s so difficult and stressful to find a stroller. Thank you so much for your input. This really helps
It’s definitely less amount of room because it’s a “standard length size” to accommodate the seats – it’s not as long as those you mentioned. I’d suggest you try it at the store (although stores have smooth floors) but with two kids and a diaper bag inside, then you’ll see the difference in pushing and manuvering. But it makes it easier to fold, store, and most important push because it’s not so long. The longer the stroller is the harder to push. Quite frankly, this is why we swapped to side by side for longer trips because with a 27lbs 2-year-old and 20lbs 6-month-old pushing the not side by side is already hard, anything longer than Cybex Gazelle (which is the same length as Babyjogger) would be a nightmare for me personally and up the curb would require either another person or stopping, locking and lifting, then unlocking and continuing the trip (unless my older sits up top which he hates because cannot get in and out by himself and my kids cannot sit facing each other because the baby would get kicked in the face).
Hi!!! Since you live in Italy, did u ever used the Gazelle S in double mode and taking small European elevators? How did that go? Did it fit at all? I’m afraid that Bassinet+infant seat is too long to fit. I went to a shop and measured 2 different configurations with the bassinet:
A) bassinet on top, infant seat below, facing me. Total length was around 122 cm. This is the “shortest” and the one that might fit in the elevator in my building. Important to say this is considered a “large” elevator for Spanish standards.
B) bassinet below, infant seat on top facing me. Total length was 133 cm aprox. This is impossible to fit as the elevator is 124 cm long.
Downside on the first configuration is I don’t like the idea of having a toddler facing the bassinet with almost no visibility.
Any other configuration that worked for you and using European lifts? Thanks
I haven’t used Gazelle S in Europe yet and probably not planning on doing so, because I already know it won’t fit, haha! That’s why I’m bringing Babyzen Yoyo everywhere and we decided that now we’ll just buy another Yoyo, because double strollers are just too much of an issue in many places. Almost all lifts or worse – even doors in Italy, Poland, Malta, Slovenia wouldn’t even fit a single configuration Uppababy and after I had to remove the baby, seat and fold the stroller to fit at a few places (including the pediatrician’s office once) I decided I’m never doing it again and only bringing double out in the US or Mexico.
I’m not sure about Spain as I haven’t been back since I had my babies, but in Italy and Poland, many people leave strollers downstairs in the apartment complex because they’re not fitting into lifts.
We are expecting our first child in Dec 2021, we bought Chicco Bravo Travel System during Walmart sale for 500cad. During my research I came across Gazelle S, super liked it for its features & big tires impressed me. I live in Toronto, so bigger wheels was somethig I would have preferred but price point for Gazelle was still hig for us. SnuggleBugz came out with their āas-isā sale where we found Gazelle S and UB Cruz listed for 750cad, which was quite a steal. Ended up buying Gazelle S, because they threw in the bassinet for 100cad, so total price came to 800cad tax included which was super good (actual retail price is 1300cad plus taxes). Later upon researching more I begin to realise that Gazelle does have smaller seat, which might generally get outsized when child is 2.5yr old. I am totally confused if i was wrong or right in picking up Gazalle S, although price was a steal (non-returnable), I have to buy car seat too for Gazelle. I still have the packaged Chicco Bravo Travel System (returnable), wondering if I should sell Gazelle to keep Bravo, I paid only 500cad tax included for Bravo during sale.
I don’t think “the best stroller” exists, as everyone has different needs and lifestyles when the baby comes. Personally, once my first child was able to sit upright I stopped using full-size strollers and used mostly my Babyzen Yoyo. The rest was too bulky, too heavy for city strolling, too much of a pain to bring to cafes or carry up and down the stairs (because we all know that many places are not very stroller or wheelchair-friendly) and all I need is a small diaper bag – but I often see people bringing half of their household in giant wagons because they say they need it all. That said, it depends.
I definitely wouldn’t purchase Gazelle S for just one child. It worked great for 2 under 2 for the beginning though. The seat is on the smaller size, because the stroller is compact, but my currently 2.5 year old who’s as tall as 4 year olds still fits. He hates the footrests though and always did even as a baby, so he never puts his feet on it and it makes the seat better for bigger kids.
In regards to Chicco Bravo Travel System personally, I wouldn’t buy any stroller that has a car seat stuffed into the seat “as a travel system” because it’s pretty annoying. You want to be able to check on the baby easily. Now, if you live in the city I assume you want to take walks with a child and as I explained in this post infants shouldn’t be stuffed in a car seat for extended periods of time, so a bassinet is essential.
P.S. If you want to save money I recommend just going with a convertible seat and leave it in the car. Basically skipping infant car seats. Again, depends on the age of the size of the child because some can still squeeze into the infant seat at 15m, but both of my kids were out of infant seats around 7 months (and even this is a stretch if a baby is on a chunkier side like my second).
Thank you so much for this review! We are expecting our first and would like (God willing to have a second) within couple of years, and I was seriously looking at Uppababy Vista as it made the most sense. After reading your review I see that it doesn’t make sense. I haven’t decided at this point if I want to get a double stroller… But if I just want to go with a single one, but still like the idea of good maneuverability and bassinet option- would you say Cruz would be good? I know that Bugaboo and Nuna also have similar options. So many options, my head is literally exploding lol!!!
Cruz is a good option, but my personal favorite single stroller is Cybex Priam (or Mios if you don’t care for off-roading). It’s seriously unbeatable.
Thank you!
Hereās an idea with a second child – newborn – baby wear!!!
I think the vista is incredibly expensive and overrated. Do not understand why so many families have thus.
Why spend all that money on a stroller when there are plenty of other second hand options!
People have more money then sense!
I agree about the Vista but in terms of babywear, it’s not always an option for some people. In my case it was impossible at first for example and if you have giant kids like mine you definitely don’t want to babywear them for too long š
I used the Uppababy for my first two who were just over a year apart, and now looking at getting and now looking at getting the V2. We don’t use a car or go flying though for environmental reasons, the Uppa is for us a heavy duty pram/buggy in place of a car!
You mentioned moving abroad while pregnant. Did you buy in the stroller in US or Europe? Did you fly with it while pregnant and no baby yet? I like that it can be an overnight sleeping situation the first couple months. We’re expats too.
I bought the stroller in the US which honestly was a super dumb move because then your warranty is in the US and Vista service or even spare parts weren’t available in most spots in Europe apart from the UK. So when the seat broke I had to pick it up from the US and rode with a broken one until my visit. Not to mention car seat comparability since I didn’t know that our Uppababy car seat was illegal in Europe (and the fact that Europe has MUCH better car seats).
If you’re expats I highly recommend getting a brand that’s more international so you can fix things or buy replacements when it breaks – eg. Bugaboo, Babyzen, Stokke, Cybex, Nuna. You can find those in most places. They have bassinets too š
I flew with the stroller twice without the baby (once to bring it to Italy, then to fly to Poland for birth which is another story haha). From the US we had to pay a “special luggage fee” – I don’t remember how much it was but comparable to an extra suitcase fee approx. $200 (and that’s when they broke it). Then from Italy to Poland I didn’t get charged for the special luggage fee as the check-in guy was having a nice day and said it’s obvious you’re about to have a baby so he let us go.
THANK YOU! I am almost done with my first trimester with my first, and I am starting to research strollers. My mother in law has offered to buy us whatever stroller we want – but some are so expensive I feel like I can’t even consider it. My really good friend had the Vista and spoke really highly of it, but I wasn’t a fan of the size and I also (like you) had doubts about the configuration working. The more I research it seems to make the most sense (for us) to get a single stroller that’s small enough for travel, and when baby #2 happens to maybe think about getting a double side by side.
Wow, lots of rest info! Thank you! Iām having twins and need a super durable stroller (we live in the mountains) and would also like to be able to put the car seats in the stroller for grocery shopping or quick trips that I just need to move babies easily. Do you think this is still a good option for that? Do you have any other suggestions?
Well… yes and no. My good friend was happy with her Vista and twins for about 1.5 years. Another friend was unhappy with the Vista and twins because of the bassinet setup. If you get Vista you will need to buy a new stroller later because of the weight limit on the rumble seat, but even if there wasn’t a limit I wouldn’t push two kids over 1 on a tandem stroller… it’s a LOT of weight. You also won’t be able to see the lower bassinet unless the sunshade is down. If you can afford it Bugaboo Donkey 5 Twin is MUCH better.
I almost bought a vista but after reading your post I definitely would have regretted it. Iām under 5 ft and canāt imagine lugging that thing up and down through subway stairs downtown Toronto or maneuvering through tight crowded streetcars. I loved the babyzen yoyo when I saw it in store. My biggest concern is using it during the winter months here in Toronto as it snows for many months here and Iām forced to go out to walk my dog. What is your advice?
They sell footmuffs for Yoyo for the winter – we have one and it works great and folds with the stroller too.
Respectfully, I think this reviewer might be using the wrong tool for the job? The Vista is a “luxury minivan” of a stroller — and like a minivan it would be a huge pain for air travel and for running around non-ADA compatible cities in Europe / Asia.
I love the Vista, because it’s the right tool if you are a car-free parent in a US city, running actual urban errands. Two words: GIANT basket. It can hold two full bags of groceries and all the baby gear — or a 40 lb toddler if needed! Source: I use the Vista every day for about 6+ hours per day as a SAHM in Boston. The Yoyo would be the wrong tool for that. We also use our stroller(s) as our “car.” If you are using a car for most errands and stroller for leisurely walks, the Vista seems like overkill.
I think yours is the only review Iāve come across that isnāt head over heels for the Vista yet!
We have a 13 month old and she will be 20 months when our se one is born. We have a Priam, a silver cross jet and I really wanted to want the Vista. We looked at one in store and was overall impressed. the shopping basket is to die for! And it gets very hot to baby wear in the summer here. We were both impressed. But my husband couldnāt get over the fact that the lie flat position is so awkward looking.
We are debating selling the Priam and getting the Vista (we off road a lot too) and just overlooking the recline issue. Or just sticking with it and wearing the newborn. Or maybe we can add a second travel stroller. What would you recommend?
I thought so too, but privately a lot of people tell me that they basically never used it because it was too bulky (unless they had twins, but twins is another story) – online you will see a lot of glorifying reviews because lots are sponsored or gifted š
I totally get the babywearing issue as I feel the same way. I think it depends on what you need the stroller for and how often and early after the second baby is born you’re planning on venturing outside for extended periods of time. If you want a stroller with lots of shopping space then I will actually say (and this is speaking from experience of using, owning and testing million strollers now – get a stroller wagon vs double stroller). Also, keep in mind that even if you test the stroller with a double set up at the store it’s not the same as using the stroller with two kids on and things inside shopping basket. You’ll ultimately be pushing around 50+lbs and while Vista rides smoothly it is long and maneuvering it is not going to be same as driving a single Priam effortlessly.
The shopping basket is great for sure, but the recline is odd indeed, as the seat is profiled – your child will be lying down with knees up. When my second was born my older was just a month older than yours is going to be – 21 months. We tried every set up out there and I will say this: double tandem isn’t practical. We switched to a buggy board with a seat for the older one and so did our friends with 2 under 2. Unfortunately, Cybex buggy board that would fit your Priam doesn’t have a seat (we tried that board) so for us it didn’t work and we switched out of Cybex stroller.
The setup we’ve used the most is a single stroller set up with a buggy board with a seat. For traveling, when we know we’ll be exploring all day we have a secondary travel stroller. Honestly, I wish they released Babyzen Yoyo Connect when my second was born because that would have been out set up for travel and buggy board for short daily ventures. Also keep in mind that many kids switch out of a stroller by 2-2.5 years – they want to walk, use balance bike, ride a scooter, you name it – and you’ll be stuck with a giant heavy stroller in this case unless you’re planning on having a third child quickly š
Loved my Uppababy for the first 2.5 yeard. The brake failed completely after 2.5 years; wouldnāt engage at all, it was locked in green mode. The Uppababy Australia customer service was appalling. I have upgraded our pram with each new baby, and Iām not sure Iāll go back to Uppababy when I think about their after-market customer service.
Buyers beware – our Vista stroller frame broke at the welded joints, and UPPAbaby has been incredibly unhelpful in finding a reasonable path forward. The welded joints on a $1000+ stroller should not break – note that we are not using the stroller in any unique way. Ours is the prior model Vista but still only a few years old. UPPAbaby’s only option provided was to pay $250 for a new frame, which is the cost of an entire used Vista with all accessories. They have provided no other options, and the stroller is completely unusable at this point. For all the positive feedback we heard about UPPAbaby prior to deciding to purchase this stroller, we could not be more disappointed!
This is a very honest review as far as the family’s life style is concerned. We absolutely love our UPPAbaby Vista. We do have twins, and we travel and fly with it all the time and it’s fine. I did do all the same research. I purchased the gate check travel protection bag, which is covered for a full replacement if the airline breaks or damages it. However living in Europe things are different. Walk-ups etc. We don’t have that. So we’re good lifting the stroller and seats in and out of the SUV. The babies will grow with this one and only stroller we think. Just make sure it matches your lifestyle, and yes probably best for twins. Great detailed review!
So all in all which stroller do you recommend? I am having a hard time deciding was thinking Nuna just donāt know the models.
I wrote about what I recommend here because it depends on your needs.
I love this thread- very helpful. We have the Uppababy V2 and just had our second baby 20 months after our first. I got the adapters and we have been using with baby on bottom which she doesnāt mind at this stage. I ordered the rumble seat, which is so expensive and feels really silly after a $1000 stroller. I feel like after having 1 kid and you realize how fast you go through stuff, spending $$$ on the rumble seat just feels a bit foolish. But we had a coupon and got it. Thought it would solve all My problems, but it is indeed very small- my toddler will outgrow by 2.5 for sure. Considering returning and just getting the roller board- so would keep current set up with option for him to rideā¦or selling the whole set and getting a travel stroller plus jogging stroller. Iām hesitant to get a side by side – for the same reasons- the need will be short lived. I like that the uppababy can convert back to a single- itās so big but lux to steer. And I donāt see a better option in a jogging stroller.
I have the model before the V2 and have loved it. My kids are 3.5 and 2 and I have used this stroller extensively since my oldest was born. My 3.5 year old doesnāt mind riding up top and she has enough room for her feet. I do wish the rumble seat had a higher weight limit so I could have either of my kids ride in it. My oldest also enjoys the piggyback board which I keep attached so she can either stand on it or sit in the toddler seat.
It didnāt bother me to have the bassinet on the bottom and the toddler seat on the top. We have also used the bassinet with the bassinet stand for both kids to sleep in until they were about 6 months old.
The stroller does take up a lot of room folded up but I have an SUV so it isnāt a problem. It also fit in the back of my sedan. Itās easier to deal with folded than my double BOB stroller.
I absolutely love the button to recline the seats and wish all strollers had that feature. The basket underneath fits my huge diaper bag no problem. Steering while pushing both kids is harder than only using this as a single but it isnāt terrible either. This stroller pushes so much better than some of the cheaper double strollers Iāve tried. The telescoping handlebar is also very convenient as I am 5ā 3ā and my husband is 6ā.
I have no regrets buying this stroller.
Great review! I currently own the vista with my 5th baby & have encountered similar issues to what you described. With my twins we lived in London and went through three strollers trying to find the best āfitā. Itās a process.
Enjoy Italy, we lived there as well for three years when my oldest two were in school still.
What do you think of the mesa stroller mattress, with the space directly behind babies head and neck . Seems very uncomfortable for baby.
Hi! Thank you for this article. Quick question – You mentioned “The worst part though is that thereās next to no leg room for the child sitting up top. It looks all nice in the photo, but in reality, itās like 2 inches which cause a child older than 2 having to put their feet on top of the canopy of the lower…”. Was this the case with the upper adapters on? I was watching a video and it looked like the upper adapters gave some extra leg room? Or, was leg room limited even with the upper adapters?
I wouldn’t even attempt to do it without adapters as then you’d have a sibling sitting on top of the other’s head LOL. This is with the adapters sadly, they do give extra room, but it’s not much.
Great post. Can the toddler seat fully recline when at the top with the rumble seat at the bottom? If so, you could buy the newborn lie-flat insert for the toddler seat and fully recline the newborn, while having your toddler in the rumble seat facing forward at the bottom, right?
Depends. Only if you have a tiny toddler. The rumble seat has capacity of 36″ height and 35lbs and both my kids were 36″ before turning 2 years olds so that was out of the window š
The toddler seat wouldn’t ever be able to recline in a configuration you’re talking about and since your toddler is obviously going to be heavier than your newborn the stroller will be harder to push with a heavier child at the bottom (and why the brand itself say you must have a bigger child at the top seat) :/