73 of 73 people found the following review helpful:
Good stroller, but a very rough ride on brick sidewalks
There are a lot of things to love about this stroller. For me, the best thing is that it's one of the few strollers designed for tall people. The handle extends to a reasonable length for a 6'4" person. There is no through-axle, but instead an arch that gives plenty of space for your feet when walking. On other strollers I'd end up kicking the stroller when walking...
There are a lot of things to love about this stroller. For me, the best thing is that it's one of the few strollers designed for tall people. The handle extends to a reasonable length for a 6'4" person. There is no through-axle, but instead an arch that gives plenty of space for your feet when walking. On other strollers I'd end up kicking the stroller when walking.
Another major point in favor of the Vista is that it allows for the baby to be rear-facing, even in the seat. This way you can talk to the little guy or girl while walking with them, and apparently research has shown this interaction to be important. I'm not sure it will ever make a difference in their development, in all honesty, but it's just really nice to be able to see and interact your kid while you're walking with them.
Unfortunately, there is one major design flaw in this stroller that causes me to knock off a couple stars: the front "suspension" is terribly designed. The spring is far too heavy, and it takes me putting my (considerable) weight on the stroller to even begin to compress the front springs. Given that the wheels are made of very hard foam, the result is that the ride is extremely harsh when the stroller is in rear-facing mode such that the baby's weight (not to mention head) is over the front wheels. This isn't a big deal on smooth surfaces, but my poor kid gets bounced around quite a bit on the brick sidewalks where we live. So much so that he was grabbing the sides of the stroller. It's so bad that I have to avoid certain streets where we live. I certainly expected better engineering from such an expensive stroller.
Another design desision which I question is the fact that even at the most upright setting, the baby is declined at a 45 degree angle, making it hard for him/her to see out.
Another reason I can't give this a better rating is that the construction is a rather low-quality in areas. For example, both our wheels wobble. In fact, the fit and finish on most of the stroller is a lacking, with rivets and attachments loose and a lot of play in everything. For example, the seat frame is in two halves, with the two aluminum parts attached to a plastic center bracket with cheap rivets. Those have come loose, and now the seat is starting to "recline" a bit on its own. All in all, a very disappointing experience to have with a stroller that cost this much. My personal guess is that when you buy this stroller, most of your money is going into paying Massachusetts taxes, as this company made the poor decision to base themselves in one of the most expensive states in the country in which to do business. (I know, I live here, too, unfortunately.)
UPDATE: After six months of use, the stroller continues to fall apart. The wheels have developed flat spots (so much for foam being more robust), and are getting more wobbly. The frame is becoming somewhat loose. Nothing that affects safety, I don't believe, but it's very frustrating to pay this much for a product so cheaply made. This is a lot of expensive aluminum held together with very cheap plastic. Our baby seems to be mostly happy with the stroller, but often strains to try to see out given the recline of the seat. Had we to do this over again, we'd go with another brand, probably the Bugaboo.
FINAL UPDATE: I've noticed that most of the reviews here, especially the glowing ones, are from parents who don't even mention how their baby reacts to the stroller. Some haven't even had their kid yet! It's all about them; they love the cupholder, or the look, or the convience of the folding. Folks, the stroller is for the kid, not you. It's great that you like it, and important as well, but the most important thing is that it works for your child. Please consider things like how it rides and the seating position, while you're also worrying about the cupholders and color.
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Well we went to 4 different stores and tried every stroller possible.
Our Top Three Picks for tall people:
(1) UppaBaby Vista
(2) Bugaboo Chameleon
(3) Peg Perego Skate
All 3 have handles long enough for a 6'6'' guy. But, the Uppababy handles actually were about an inch or so higher all the way across and it had a curved bar at the bottom so your feet wouldn't kick it as you pushed. The other two had straight bars on the bottom that were very easy to kick.
Of the three brands, Uppababy was the only one that had solid all terrain tires instead of air filled.
The Uppababy had a separate bassinet, whereas the other two you convert the bassinet into the toddler seat.
The Chameleon and the Uppababy were quite easy to fold down. I felt the Chameleon was a little lighter for lifting from ground to trunk. The Skate was not too hard to fold, but there were several buttons so it took more steps than either of the other two.
I would have been happy with any of the three brands and think for tall people, any one of them would work. But ultimately, my husband just loved the extra handle space and the curved bar at the bottom on the Uppa enough to make that one by far his favorite and at 6'6'' - every extra inch on that handle bar is valuable!
Other Contenders for tall people:
(4) Quinny Buzz
I loved the buzz and it might have been my top choice if I had not been shopping with my husband. I loved the great maneuverability, the lightness of the frame, the texture of the fabric and the colors. The downsides - the handle was not as long as the three above, but it was long and I believe it would work for someone 6'4'' or shorter. It didn't have as nice a basket as the others. I did like its breaking mechanism. Overall, I thought it was zippy and easy to use and fun.
(5) Orbit
We ruled out the Orbit because I felt it was too heavy and would be hard for me to move in and out of the car, but it also had long handles. My DH thought it's breaking mechanism looked cheap, but admired the technology of its seat turning system. It looked very easy to move from the stroller to the car seat and back - if weight was not an issue for you. This would be a nifty stroller for someone with good upper body strength.
(6) Stokke Xplory
As for the Stokke - I thought it would be the tallest, but it actually wasn't. We found it hard to fold (neither shop attendant could get it closed) and it was bulky when folded. The seat material seemed cheap and like it would be difficult to keep clean. On the plus side - it would be nice to have the baby up that high and close to you. I liked the idea of the Stokke, but thought the execution was cheap.
Unfortunately, NONE of the lighter weight strollers had long enough handles and enough foot room for my husband. Very disappointing. In any case we are going for the Uppababy Vista. It was by far the best option available in the 4 stores we went through!
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I did a LOT of research before getting my stroller. I had decided to get the Cameleon, because I had tested the 2008 Vista and didn't like it as much as the Cameleon. I actually went into the store to purchase the Bugaboo but came out with the Vista! I saw the 2009 Vista and fell in love with it, after 90 minutes of trying them both, asking millions of questions and thinking it over and over... I decided to get this one, it was a very close call. It has a lot of the benefits of the Bugaboo, it handles just as well, but I chose it over the Bug for these reasons:
1. It's a much better value, you get a separate bassinet (I was going to purchase an extra Cameleon frame for $135 to be able to switch without swaping fabrics), and several accesories. You don't need snow tires (bugaboo's are $89) because the front tires are bigger and more rugged.
2. It's not so common, at least where I live eeeveryone has a Bugaboo. Other accesories aren't as expensive (i.e. the travel bag is $60 vs. the $160 Bugaboo travel bag)
3. The company is known for their amazing customer service. And they're very environmentally conscious.
4. With the new Rumble seat coming out next spring, it can turn into a double stroller, which means I'll get a lot more use out of it and may even be able to skip purchasing another stroller when baby #2 comes along.
5. The seat is higher, so farther from fumes, pets, and closer to table level and mom (no bending over).
6. The canopy is wonderful, really covers the sun from any angle with the pull out sun hood. Tha Bug's is pretty crappy, hence the need for $30 parasol.
7. More user friendly, you can recline the seat with one hand, and open the bumper bar from one side. And although I don't find the fold of the Cameleon hard, this one is easier (my DH was annoyed about the 2 part fold of the Bug).
Now, what I like better about the Cameleon is that is has more suspension, and that the seat can come to a fully upright position, and fully flat.
I've just had it for 2 days but I'm loving almost every aspect of it, it handles amazingly both indoors and out. We have terrible sidewalks and pavement, and it does great. I took it to Whole Foods and it fit through the tiny tiny checkout aisles easier than my Graco because it's easier to maneuver. It trully can be pushed with one hand and turns on a dime! Crowded aisles at the grocery store were no problem. It is a little less wide than the 2008 (just a tad wider than the Bug), and I walked with friends and their strollers today and we all fit perfectly on the sidewalk without bumping into each other. Also the fabrics are much nicer now and the seat is so comfy my 9 month old took a 90 minute nap in it today, in the other stroller he couldn't sleep more than 20-30 minutes. Of course the basket is great and easily accesible, I fit my diaper bag, everyone's coat and still have room to spare.
It takes up less space than my Graco in the trunk, and since it stands when folded I don't have to bend over. It's also lighter than a lot of other Bugaboo-ish strollers and other full size strollers. Really, for all it has, 24 lb is a very decent weight (it's only like 2 lb heavier than the Cameleon).
Now what I don't like, and the reason I'm not giving it 5 stars:
1. The seat recline: It doesn't come to fully upright and my baby hates this. I've read a lot of reviews for the previous model and this one is a common issue, I cannot believe they didn't think of improving this for the 2009. At the store it didn't seem so bad, but now my baby looks really reclined to me, and since the bottom of the seat is also at an angle it's hardo for him to pull himself up using the bumper bar. I was actually awake half the night wondering if I made the right choice because of this. I hope my baby get's used to it soon, or I'll have to put a pillow or something behind him. This is the main issue I have with the stroller.
2. The ride is bumpier than I expected (although it is way way better than our Graco and my friends' Pliko P3's). I wish it had more suspension and the wheels were less rigid to absorb more shock.
3. This is a minor issue but the rain cover doesn't fit the bassinet, they should make a cover for the bassinet. I'm thinking of buying the Mutsy one, I think it should fit the Vista bassinet. Oh, and as with every high end stroller the cup holder is extra ($25).
I do, overall love this stroller and I hate myself for not getting it sooner (but then of course I wouldn't have the 2009!)
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I have the 2008 model in the plum color. (I told my husband that purple is a unisex color because it is a mix of blue and red. The plum color is not a girly kind of purple and it hides dirt well.) I bought it while I was pregnant with my son. I have used the stroller seat with my daughter to take walks in the neighborhood for almost a year. I love the all-terrain wheels and shock absorbers because where I live, the sidewalks are sporadic. It is very easy to push and steer, even my 80+ year old mother can push it with ease. It does squeak sometimes and I have tried silicon spray, but can't seem to find the right spot. I do wish the stroller came with a warm bunting for cold weather walks.
I got the Peg Perego car seat adapter and it is very strong and secure. I feel very safe with my son in it. I stop at a store, unfold the stroller frame, snap the car seat in, and off I go! The under basket is very roomy. Huge, actually, and you can access it from the front as well as from the back.
I also have the piggyback attachment, which my now just 3 year old daughter loves and we use mostly in the mall. It is somewhat difficult to attach and sometimes detaches when the ground is uneven and no one is riding on it, i.e. there is no weight from the child holding it down. The stroller can be folded with the piggyback in position, but there is a trick it which you will just have to figure out on your own, because I just can't explain it. The piggy back is not enough for long mall excursions, however. My daughter gets tired of standing and holding on. She has, on occasion, been seen sitting in the underbasket. I know this is not an intended use, but she is petite (under 30 pounds) and sometimes you just need to get the kids out of the mall and back to the car in a timely fashion. I wish UPPABABY made a tandem like the Kolcraft Contours, only with the option of getting a taller seat for a toddler/infant combination instead of two twins.
The bassinet is nice, but small. I must admit that my son slept in it nightly for almost 3 months. I am sure that is not a good thing, but he loved it in there. We have those nasty asian mosquitoes here now and can't keep them out of the house in the summer, so I was thankful to have the bug net to cover the bassinet. It was so easy to slip on and off without waking the baby. I didn't like the black color and artificial feel of the material inside the basinet and I am glad to see that they now have a natural fiber lining inside. I would have loved to take my son for walks using the UPPABABY as a pram, but as I said before, the area where I live is VERY hilly and with no harness inside my son would slide around, or even out. I wish the pram came with a harness like the European strollers such as Emmaljunga do. (I had a very used Emmaljunga with my daughter and loved it.) UPPABABY did put harness attachment rings in the pram, however. I wonder what they were thinking? Unless you or someone you know travels to Europe, it is impossible to find new pram harnesses here in the USA.
Which brings me to customer service. The stroller I first received was defective. The various attachments did not snap in and out easily. In fact, once the basinet was in place, it was almost impossible to get it out. You had to twist the frame slightly to get the stroller attachment in and it only would go in one direction. The car seat attachment rubbed against the stroller frame. I realized that all of this was caused by defective stroller frame. One side was actually higher than the other and it was slightly twisted or warped. When the stroller was folded this was obvious. I called customer service. I think they only have two people in customer service. Anyway, the woman that I spoke to didn't think there should have been anything wrong with my stroller. She was telling me that it was normal to have to tug a little to get the attachments out. Hey, but what I was doing was more than just "tugging." In the video reviews for this stroller the user was easily snapping the different attachments in and out. I took pictures and the customer rep sent them to the UPPABABY engineers for review. In the end, they RELUCTANTLY replaced my stroller frame. And you know what? All the attachments snap in and out like a dream. Except that the bassinet doesn't reverse. I was under the impression that it did. With my Emmaljunga I used to switch it around depending on the sun, wind, etc.
And the cupholder stinks. At least the one they sent me. I don't currently have any issues about the lack of a child cupholder or snack tray because my three year old doesn't snack in the stroller when she is in it by herself and my son isn't old enough yet to know or care. I understand that there is a soft attachment which takes care of this from another stroller company which work well on the safety bar.
Overall the UPPABABY VISTA is a good, quality stroller at an excellent price, considering all that you get with it. I like the improvements and additions they have made to the 2009 model and wish I had it instead of the 2008 model I have. But I have thoroughly enjoyed this stroller for nearly a year and hope to use it for several more years to come. I think it is durable enough to do that and get passed along for years like the Emmaljunga I used to have. But I really, really HATE the parent cup holder attachment.
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This review is from: UPPAbaby Vista Stroller, Green Carlin (Baby Product)
We bought the UPPAbaby Vista 2009 after using the Baby Trend Snap n Go for our infant. After he outgrew the Graco car seat we had to look for a new stroller. Much research later, I decided on the UPPAbaby.
After using it for many miles of walking (in paved parks, over rutted sidewalks, over grassy hills) here is what we've found.
Pros:
- So easy to push and goes over variety of terrain with ease. I often push one handed (unless going up a very steep hill) I was also considering the Bumbleride Flyer 2009, but the wheels would definitely have been challenged on some of the terrain I've been over.
- Good sunshade (see things that could be improved)
- Awesome basket. I often walk to the grocery store to buy food and the basket is great.
- Love the ability to face both ways (very important to me). My son is 8 months old and I like having him face me most of the time (unless we're going somewhere really interesting with a great view)
- easy to adjust handle. My husband likes the handle on the tallest setting, I like mine on the shortest. My husband likes to push the stroller!
- Seat looks comfortable, sides are nicely padded for sleeping baby
- Ability to fold with the seat on facing forward
Cons:
- Seat is not upright. I knew this going in though. The seat recline at it's most vertical is probably 30 degrees from vertical still.
- Seat does not flatten out completely for sleeping baby. However my baby falls asleep in the stroller FAST and stays that way, so he seems to like it.
- Cupholder stinks and other options seem to interfere with folding, There are two pockets in the basket though that I put water bottles or bottles for the baby in and it does great that way.
- The 5 point harness sucks according to my husband. The bottom part of the harness that goes through the legs is too far back and my husband says its like strangling the baby's bits (son) or giving him a wedgie. The harness should be more like a car seat one and it should be further forward.
- It would be nice if the canopy could be raised. While my baby fits the stroller perfectly, I wonder if he gets very tall how long he'll be able to use the stroller.
- Also, the canopy spf 50 extension seems kind of gimicky. It's great for shading the baby (and I can't understand anyone buying a stroller with any canopy less than the UPPAbaby has), but it's kind of floppy. Why not just make the canopy able to extend that far?
The five point harness issue is the big one for my husband. He wants to take the seat to Narains in Berkeley and get it modified forward so that the baby's bits don't get strangled.
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Pros:
-Good sturdy stroller.
-Great for "short / tall" couples (it has the easiest handlebar adjustment)
-bassinet and seat are totally separate pieces
-Can fold WITH the seat (in fwd position)
-Rear axle is an arch so it is "no-kick" - great if have long stride
-Includes rain cover and bug cover for seat
-Sun shade incorporated into canopy
-Folds pretty thin
-Stands up folded
-Its a handlebar stroller - so can steer with one hand.
Cons:
-Will need a second stroller for subway / airplne when our daughter is able to sit up
-No rain cover for bassinet. (we got the Maxi Cosi car seat cover - works great
-cupholder is outside the frame. (we got the carry you torino to hold water bottles)
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My baby is 3 months old now and I am so happy that I have this stroller! My little girl has slept in the bassinet on the stroller next to my bed every night since we came home from the hospital and she is now three months old. Target has bassinet sheets and bassinet matress protectors so she always has a clean bed. As a result, I did not have to buy a cosleeper. This stroller works great as a stroller too! It is so smooth and easy to roll, there is no worry about popping a tire because of the way the wheels are made. The super sunshade protects my baby when we are outside. Plus, breaking this stroller down to fit in my car is so easy and fast. My little girl is very comfortable when she lays in the bassinet while being pushed. I have only used the bassinet so far and it has been great. I'm sure the seat will work well too when she is ready for it.
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here is an excerpt from the previous review that has really hit it on the nail for me:
Now what I don't like, and the reason I'm not giving it 5 stars:
1. The seat recline: It doesn't come to fully upright and my baby hates this. I've read a lot of reviews for the previous model and this one is a common issue, I cannot believe they didn't think of improving this for the 2009. At the store it didn't seem so bad, but now my baby looks really reclined to me, and since the bottom of the seat is also at an angle it's hardo for him to pull himself up using the bumper bar. I was actually awake half the night wondering if I made the right choice because of this. I hope my baby get's used to it soon, or I'll have to put a pillow or something behind him. This is the main issue I have with the stroller.
i also bought the stroller a couple of months ago. i absolutely love everything about it... functionality, looks, etc. etc... but the fact that it does not go to an upright position like the bugaboo is really bothering me. to be honest, i dont know if it bothers me more, or what my son might think of it in the future (hes only 5 months right now). i can see how it might get frustrating for him as he gets older. this is the only reason why i am contemplating getting the bugaboo now. but i dont know.. its a really hard decision because i love this stroller soooo much!
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I usually don't write reviews but I just had to share my experience with this stroller. It is light enough that I can take it in and out of my trunk without a problem. It is also very sturdy and visibly well made. Changing between the bassinet and my Graco carseat is a breeze - - the red green indicators let you know that everything is connected correctly. I absolutely love the basket which is big enough to hold my diaper bag, purse, and my shopping bags when I hit the mall. You will not be sorry if you get this stroller, it is well worth the price.
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My wife picked out this stroller and I thought for a stroller that is way too much to spend, but after having the Vista for about a month now, we both love it. Of course there will always be something that could be better with it, but I think this stroller is a great buy.
This thing is so easy to steer you can do it with one hand and that is with a diaper bag (fully loaded) attached to the handle! It is light for its size and looks so cool.
I never knew about their exceptional customer service until we experienced it ourselves. Talk about "no hassles." Quick responses everytime and are willing to do what is needed to make you happy. Service that is rarely seen these days.
This stroller and their customer service impresed me so much that I just had to write a review. Good luck to you!
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