Customer Reviews

UPPAbaby G-Lite Stroller, Red Denny

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I went into a local stroller store with my heart set on buying the Maclaren volo and ended up walking out with this stroller instead. The reasons I was going to get the Volo were
1. Lightweight--I needed a stroller to take on the subway that I might actually be able to carry up and down the stairs if i had too. Our other stroller (City Mini) is fantastic but just too heavy for me to do that alone.
2. Mesh sides. I wanted something that would be cool for summer since often I carry him in a Mei Tai but in the summer it just gets too hot. I planned on getting a universal seat liner for the winter to insulate hiis back a bit.
3. Easily steerable with one hand.

The reasons I ended up with the G Lite are
1. I picked up both strollers and this really did feel lighter--not by much but every bit helps. Ultimately with all the accessories I
2. This has a cushy seat liner that is meshy and looks cool but is also a little padded. BUT you can remove it and there is a full mesh only seat underneath, perfect for really hot days. WIth this I don't need to worry about his butt getting too cold in winter and don't need to buy an extra piece (which only adds to the price) and I can have it be even cooler on very hot days. Additionally the seat pad is included in the weight so the stroller only gets lighter if you remove it, while the Volo would just get heavier if you added one on.
3. The sun hood is not as big as with the Volo BUT it is pivotable so you can tilt it forward, the Maclaren can't do that. Because of the way the back apron on the hood is set up it is easier to peek in on your baby in the stroller--I really hated that it was so hard to see him when he was in the Maclaren. The sun hood doesn't seem like it is water resistant like the Maclaren but since I have to keep the raincover on us all the time for walking around the city it isn't a big deal.
4. I think it is easier to steer and turns more easily.
5. The basket is more accessible, though not quite as deep.
6. It folds so so so so much easier. I always get really frustrated with Maclarens and folding, I just can't seem to do it easily.
7. I like that this can stand on it's own since our apartment isn't that big.
8. It comes with a cup holder.
9. The rain hood has a mesh panel in front of their face so you can flip the vinyl up there and some fresh air can get in. I'm not a fan of vinyl stroller covers since you are basically enclosing your child in the very stuff we are trying to keep out of their toys, but they are a necessity. When it is only lightly raining I always debate about whether to use it or not. Since this sun hood really isn't water resistant it isn't really a debate with this stroller, but the lift up flap makes me feel like there is a little more ventilation going on in there. There are also holes in the rain hood which I think are odd and I'm guessing are going to be annoying in a rain storm, but my son isn't made of sugar and I'd rather him get some fresh air and get a little damp from time to time.
10. The rain hood is lighter weight than the Volo's and since I carry it on the stroller all the time this makes the stroller even lighter still.
11. Price. At my local store this stroller was 99 dollars and the rain hood 20 so all together it was $120. The Maclaren is then $10 more (it came with a rain hood, but not all do). But since I also was planning on buying a seat liner for winter it is actually a more significant amount.
12. construction. After looking at the Uppa Baby the MAclaren fabric seems kind of cheap or flimsier. On an old Volo that we inherited and were replacing (because it was falling apart) the seat fabric was falling off the hooks that attach it to the frame. I would hook it back on and find it falling off again an hour or so later. The Uppa Baby seat wraps around the frame so it seems sturdier.
13. Posture. In the G Lite the baby sits more forward in the stroller than in the Maclaren. But in the Maclaren he seemed more slouchy and hunched over. His posture was better in this stroller and it seems to have better support.
14. The brakes. I hate engaging the Maclaren brakes, these are much easier. That is a much more safer option since I use them more frequently when it isn't a pain.

And then as I pushed it home I discovered
15. Because the frame is structured so the babies weight is more toward the front of the stroller it doesn't seem to tip backward as easily. The diaper bag I had on the handle bars stayed easily with my son in the stroller and there was no threatening to tip. In our old Volo that was absolutely not true. As I was pushing it I could feel it was back heavy and might tip if I let go. I don't really recommend putting a diaper bag that heavy on the handlebars but it is nice to know this can accommodate a little more weight.

Weighing the stroller with the sun cover, rain cover, cup holder, seat liner, and maclaren organizer it weighs 10 pounds. The Volo with all these things would weigh at least 11.

Everyone is different and will feel differently about these two very similar strollers, so I really recommend checking them out in person--you might change your mind too!

I purchased this in preparation of our up-coming airline and Disney trip and like it thus far. Three things that really make this stroller stand out are: 1) Lightweight 2) Nice/functional sun canopy 3) Useable/accessible basket (I got rid of my Maclaren over the pathetic basket). This stroller is easy to fold and re-open and the stand up feature and shoulder carry strap are a plus. The fold on this stroller doesn't achieve a complete flat fold like a Maclaren, but it is not far off. My husband is 6'5" and I am 5'5" and we both find it easy to push without kicking the back wheels too. This didn't happen for my husband with my former Maclaren Techo. This stroller doesn't recline, but I am okay with that since my kids have never slept in a stroller. Overall, I am happy with my purchase and my up-coming trip will really put it to the test. My only wishes would be 1) built to handle more weight than 40 pound child 2)Optional snap on and tilt to one side so child could exit snack tray. 3)larger wheels to handle all terrain.

Update --- stroller handled airline travel well and was great at Disney. I had the stroller basket packed with snacks, clothes and towels and it did great! One signficant problem I had was the seat fabric bunching up and getting trapped around the locking mechanism when folding the stroller which resulted in ripping the top and bottom of the seat in addition to putting a hold dead center where the locking mechanism was. I called UppaBaby customer service and they were FANTASTIC! I took pictures of the damage and scanned my stroller receipt and emailed it to them. I had a replacement stroller in three days! Now that is customer service!

I got this stroller for a international trip back to the USA with my 2 1/2 year old. I needed a light umbrella stroller but didn't want to give up and get ones of those cheap 10 dollar ones. I LOVE this stroller. It is super light. It is really easy to fold up on my own and quickly when I am in line for security. The back basket was SO easy to get to. I have tried to get into the backs of a Mclaren stroller before it was much harder. This was a great buy and worth it for our trip. I love that the padding is removable for washing or for hot days. I have noticed that since my trip my stroller doesn't stand on its own as well either.

We absolutely love this stroller, except for one thing: the stand does not stand up (please excuse the pun) to airplane travel. We have had two now, and both stands no longer work. They must get crushed under the weight of other items that are gate-checked. We continue to love the stroller for everything else however, so are making do with it not standing up on its own (though that was a wonderful feature). A bit more sturdieness in that department would go a long way.

This stroller's strong point is that it is light weight. If you are looking at this stroller, then probably you're also considering the similarly lightweight MacLaren Volvo.

I have owned both strollers and strongly prefer the MacLaren for the following reasons:

--the Uppababy is very hard to maneuver. Its wheels do not turn easily. Steering this stroller is far more difficult than the MacLaren.

--the Uppababy stand becomes warped easily; ours no longer works

--our Uppababy sometimes collapses for no apparent reason when my child is sitting in it (perhaps to do with the fact that he is on the upper range of the allowable weight)

--the seat of the Uppababy is more shallow, providing less comfort and privacy to the child inside.

--and quite irritating, it's very easy for your foot to hit the brakes when walking along. Unlike the MacLaren brakes, which take a bit of effort to engage, the Uppababy brakes flip down at the mere touch of your foot. So I find that I can barely walk a few blocks without inadvertently hitting them.

Nina

I have an UppaBaby Vista for everyday and love it, so I got the G-Lite for shorter trips, mainly travel. I love how light it is, and easy to carry with the carry-strap. It's easy to fold and carry up and down stairs. However, we've realized that we now need to buy another stroller for travel, because the G-Lite doesn't have recline.

The 7 lb weight is simply amazing, but the stroller doesn't look cheap. It looks high-tech with its aluminum frame and bright colors. The sunshade is great, really covering the baby. And the fold, while two handed, is easy to do while holding the baby on my hip. Also, thank you, Uppa, for adding a cupholder to this model.

This stroller, however, sacrifices some features for its lightness. You will not have a tray (not a problem for us), or any cushy strap-covers or pillows. Also, for us, the big problem is that it doesn't recline. We should have thought more about the G-Luxe, but we figured we'd use the Vista for day-long journeys. Rather, when you travel and can't pack the Vista (or don't want to lug it in and out of the subway), the G-Luxe would have been a better choice. Also, like all umbrella strollers, you shouldn't take your child out while the diaper bag is slung on the handles, as it will fall over.

You see, we just took the G-Lite to NYC for the day. It was great, with its kickstand, to fold up on the subway. Slung over my shoulder, it was easy to carry up the narrow stairs at some of the stations. We could fold it up at restaurants. The underside basket is a little small but we were able to store a small bag down there. However, the problem came in that my child could not nap in this stroller. We had him all around Germany in a Teutonia, which reclines all the way like a bed, and he just took naps in it. So we thought we'd have no problem on vacation in New York. But with this stroller, he either lolled forward, or his head lay on the folding mechanism. He slept very poorly and was in a terrible mood as a result. We are now looking at other umbrella strollers with recline, like the Mac Quest and Uppa G-Luxe for our travel stroller. Meanwhile, we will definitely keep the G-Lite in our trunks for quick mall jaunts.

Updated Review:
Below you will find my initial stellar review, but now that we've had it for a while, I am really dissapointed (and apparently I can't change my actual star rating). Not only has the latch that opens the stroller broken off, but now we can't get it to stay open, rendering it completely useless. I'm going to try to contact Uppa baby about their guarantee, but we'll see...

First Review:
We really liked our stroller that came with our carseat and how easily they fit together, but as our son approached a year, we realized it would be nice to have something lighter and easier to transport. We went to a local store and tried out the Combis and the Maclarens. The Combi was cute, but both my husband and I (he's 6 ft., I'm 5 ft.) kept stubbing our toes on it. The Maclaren Volo straps were strange and hard to use and it didn't fit our son right. So, having read about this stroller in several magazines, I decided to make a leap of faith and purchase it online without having tried it.

We have been so happy with it so far! It is darling and bright. It folds up small and stands up on it's own! It is sooo light and the shoulder strap is easy to use. Neither of us has stubbed a toe yet, there is plenty of storage below, and it seems really durable!

My one concern was that it didn't recline, but on our recent trip to Disneyland, our son had no troubles falling sound asleep in it! I am really happy with this product and I highly recommend it!

Bought this 'cause wifey had back problems (It's super light!) The first model we had went like this: One wheel was not rolling right- Called Uppa Baby - they sent a new one in a day. Then the footrest strap broke. Called Uppa Baby - Apparently not a replaceable item -They sent us the updated stroller!!! A new stroller!!! With new features!!! The updates to the new model were exactly what my wife and I had been complaining about on the older model. The canopy is fixed now. It used to slide up and down. The locking mechanism is better. The suspension on the updated model is soft and absorbs shock very well. We live in NYC and we're pretty cruel to our strollers, the Uppa Baby warranty is the best, and the fact that the customer service was incredible was icing on the cake. I love you Uppa Baby Company! XOXOXO. Definitely buy if you need to go up and down stairs, if you stroll on concrete all the time, it's good for supermarkets and stores. Decent storage basket. Easy to remove liner and wash. Looks great! We are very happy with this product if you could not tell from the review.

The stroller image shown for Jake is for the higher priced g-LUXE model, not g-LITE....this model does not recline, has smaller black wheels, and not fold up footrest for infants. This listing is incorrect, hopefully they will correct it soon to show the actual item you receive.

Like many reviewers, I chose the G-Lite narrowly over the MacLaren Volo. After 3 months of use, I like the stroller quite a bit overall. I would recommend this product, although mine did malfunction, which was really annoying (and potentially dangerous).

APPEARANCE
This looked exactly as I expected based on the photo. It's a very nice-looking product, in my opinion. The only thing that surprised me is that while the fabric is solid black, there is a grid of bright green accent stitching on the stroller seat. It looks fine; just something to note.

FOLDING/UNFOLDING
It's pretty easy to fold (NOT a 1-hand fold, however) and is VERY easy to unfold. It does stand up by itself when folded, which is a nice feature, however it isn't super-stable like that, so if you bump it, it will fall over. ****NOTE: A few weeks ago, the stroller started spontaneously collapsing while I was pushing my baby in it. It turns out that this is a known problem with some G-Lites and G-Luxes sold during the spring/summer of 2011. You can get a replacement through the company. I'm annoyed by this, but at least they are dealing with the problem. They do make you either return or destroy your stroller in order to receive a replacement, which is wasteful, but presumably necessary for liability reasons. Kind of a shame.****

WEIGHT
It's pretty light. I am a petite woman and was able to fold it up and take it on the bus without much difficulty. (Weight was one of the factors that led me to choose the G-Lite over the Volo.)

ON-BOARD STORAGE
The bin underneath is plenty roomy and easy to access. The stroller also comes with a cup holder, which is clipped to the side bar. So I guess it's supposed to hold a cup for the kiddo? Weird. I would have preferred a cup holder near the handlebars, for the adult.

CANOPY
The canopy is awesome. It is highly adjustable and can cover the whole top half of your kid (the kid's legs will still be exposed). The canopy was one of the strong selling points for me and it did not disappoint!

HANDLEBARS
The handlebars are not adjustable. I wish they were... I find them a bit higher than I'd like (I am 5'3"). Also, they are covered in that spongy rubber foam, which can't really be thoroughly cleaned. I just feel like they are bound to get grimy over time. A non-porous material would have been a better choice.

BRAKES
The brakes work very well and are easy to set and release.








This stroller appears solid black in the photo but has some bright green accent stitching in real life. It looks nice, though.