Vista, Should I Keep It?

[grace_given17]

So I decided on an Uppababy Cruz after thinking about the Bugaboo Fox/Donkey, Silvercross Whatevers, and some Nuna Acronyms.

Our main goals were to have bassinet compatibility, low weight and ease of use. Uppababy has the travel protection if you buy their bags, so that was major since we travel a ton. I liked Uppababy because eventually I figured out how to fold them and their stuff worked. Our Nordstrom location also didn't have the Bugaboo Donkey or a sales person who could fold any of the others, so Uppababy it is.

Anyways, I just ordered the Cruz as I've been trying to order components as I find deals. We've had the bassinet stand and the travel bags for a month or so, but I figured I'd wait on having to store the stroller unless I found a deal. Bergdorfs had it for 15% off plus a gift card and it was in my preferred color, so yay! I ordered and....got the Vista.

I didn't realize it until I opened the box and the color was wrong. Then noticed the model was wrong. However it comes with the bassinet which I was going to order anyways and it's only about 3-4 pounds heavier than the Cruz. Plus we are planning on 2 kids, so it may work. I didn't realize that the 2 seats on the Vista aren't the same. One is for up to 50 pounds and the other only goes to 35 pounds. At this point in time who knows if we can use it that way, but when we planned on the Cruz, we figured we'd go with the one we want today versus trying to plan far into the future.

I feel like most people would just keep it and consider themselves lucky, and I probably will do the same. Does anyone here regret their Vista for a single child? I'm torn on keeping the Vista because when I saw it in store, it seemed massive, but when I compare it online to the Cruz they seem a lot closer in size.

Thoughts? I don't know why this is such a hang up for me, but I've really not enjoyed shopping for strollers for some reason!



Edit: Plot twist. Huge shoutout to @toolinks-Bed844 for pointing out the warranty issue at hand. I contacted Uppababy and they 100% will not warranty a stroller without proof of purchase.

 

[kjs000]

@grace_given17 I will say that people constantly underestimate just how big, and developed a kid is at 35 pounds, at the point you are pushing the limits, both kids will be walking well and your stroller use will be less common, and more a way to hurry up the kids and keep them together.

If you've not enjoyed shopping for strollers, I'd quit while I was ahead. Kismet or something.

As for color you probably aren't going to have a ton of photos of the exterior of your stroller.

 

[_epoh_]

@kjs000 I agree. My first is HUGE. 99 percentile, he was fitting in 4T comfortably at 2 years. Was 33 lbs at he’s 2 year check up. And at 2 years he pretty much refused to use the stroller anymore. We have the vista and I bought the second seat while pregnant and we’ve literally never used it… I primarily baby wear the baby anyways (almost 9 months) and the few times we’ve needed to put baby in the stroller because it’s a long day and we need the storage (like the zoo) my toddler will eventually climb in the basket. Lol. Even if I’m still baby wearing the baby, he won’t sit in the seat, just climbs in the basket like our dog.

Anyways, my toddler is 2 years 9 months now and yesterday he ran the entire walk into town and back (which is fairly uphill) and it’s a little over a mile each way.

 

[grace_given17]

@_epoh_ Thanks for putting 35 pounds into perspective because I had no clue! Even if my baby isn’t in the 99th percentile, they might be 35 pounds at say 2 and a half-ish. It really makes you stop and realize that this phase doesn’t last long.

Between the two families, we tend to be big humans so I don’t think this thing is going to last too long.

That’s hilarious that your kid climbs in the basket! Every Vista review says the basket holds a lot, but being able to tote a kid in the basket is next level.

 

[_epoh_]

@grace_given17 Definitely. I’d agree that it’s not a great double stroller because I’d assume most kids don’t want to be in a stroller at 3ish even if they do fit… We did a 2 year exactly year gap and even with that small gap we didn’t get to use it as a double.

I was nervous about the basket because it’s a 30lb limit but my neighbor with 3 kids said her kids will climb in together and it’s held up. We’ve actually had a lot of instances where our 35 lb dog and our 35 lb toddler are in the basket together

It’s a great stroller! I just think unless you’re having twins or Irish twins, you probably won’t need a double stroller unless you have a chill toddler that doesn’t like walking. But I feel like everyone we know has a toddler that just wants to run.

 

[cln]

@_epoh_ Agree, my kiddo is freshly 2 and is already 40 lbs and walks miles.

But he’s still only 2, even though he looks 4, so some days he absolutely does not want to walk and I have a bad back (from baby wearing my first with undiagnosed scoliosis ) so toting my also 99% baby is not fun - even if it’s only occasionally. I had a stroller that could convert to a double but the weight capacity on the lower seat was only going to be 35 so I sold it and bought a used bugaboo donkey for a bit more than I sold my original stroller.

If you have a feeling you’ll have big kiddos (my husband and I are very tall - both over 6 ft - and still the shortest in our families) then I would consider that!

 

[_epoh_]

@cln Yep! Honestly he’s too big even for the regular 50 lb limit seat. Just a struggle with big kids I guess. We haven’t had any instances where he refuses to walk but we also aren’t doing crazy long walking days. But he’s also nuts. We’ve had plenty of days where he’ll do 3 miles of hiking after refusing a nap

 

[cln]

@_epoh_ Crazy big kids for the win

 

[zermel]

@grace_given17 I first ordered the vista for my son because we knew we eventually wanted two close in age. I did all my research online because this was Covid lockdown times. When it came, my husband and I both found it to be too big for our liking, so we returned it and went with the Cruz instead, thinking we’ll worry about #2 later. The Cruz was much more manageable.

My son is now 3, and I’m due with #2 any day now. I don’t think we would’ve used the vista as a double had we kept it. We’ve since expanded our arsenal of strollers by adding the minu, bob, and veer wagon. I think if we were to add a double stroller, it would be a bob, as it fits our lifestyle better.

All this to say… I guess it depends on your lifestyle? Where do you plan on taking the stroller mostly? If you want to travel with it, you’ll definitely need to get a second stroller. I don’t even bother with the Cruz for travel (plane or car) because it’s too big.

 

[grace_given17]

@zermel I originally wanted the Bugaboo Donkey or Fox based on online research and then saw them in the store and noped out. Until you see them in person it's hard to see just how big these things are! Of course the UB versions are basically the same, but still. I can't imagine having to make this sort of purchase solely off of the internet!

Unfortunately where we travel, I don't really know the answer. We'll be using the stroller in Europe a lot which isn't particularly stroller friendly, so that aspect doesn't help much with the decision. We likely would just get another stroller eventually that's a bit less bulky so that we're not running people off the pavements.

 

[deepseed386]

@grace_given17 Alternate option you may have not considered- uppababy minu + uppababy vista bassinet (new or from fb marketplace- tons of brand new ones getting sold). The minu v2 car seat adapters work with this bassinet as well as the minu bassinet. I love this stroller (small, maneuverable, one hand driveable most of the time).

When we had our second I wanted a bassinet because the minu doesn’t lie completely flat and this solution has been absolutely perfect. He’s just reaching 20 pounds at 7 months so we are about to retire the bassinet- but in the meantime we’re using it in the house for him to sit up and hang out with a pile of toys that he can’t roll away from himself. He napped so well in the bassinet swaddled as a younger baby and we were able to still get out and do things.

 

[grace_given17]

@deepseed386 Omg. You’re a lifesaver! I had absolutely no idea that you could adapt the Minu!

I think this is the solution we wanted! Due to a situation, we have to travel right away with baby. The time and distance means we should use the bassinet since baby will be so tiny, but we weren’t thrilled about lugging a Vista around. TBH for most of our travel, the Minu would work and it was my favorite pram. I left it in the store thinking it was a shame that we had to buy bigger right away because I loved that thing!

I have some gift cards and perks that makes buying the Minu not too horrible so I think we’ll do that.

Seems like overkill and a lot of hand ringing, but I have a physical disability that makes lifting the Vista difficult. I should be able to get it into our car since the Cruz would have been ok, but it would probably sap my energy. Combing the two and choosing based off of the day and terrain is probably what we needed to do all along.

 

[deepseed386]

@grace_given17 Honestly it is THE perfect solution and the Minu v2 is probably even better. But if you’re traveling you’re probably not going to want the vista bassinet- it’s big and wouldn’t fit on a plane and still takes up a lot of space in my SUV. I believe the minu one fits. And yeah never underestimate how nice it is to have a tiny compact stroller! I just swing that thing into the car while holding the baby and all my crap at the same time.

 

[grace_given17]

@deepseed386 The Vista bassinet is kinda bulky, but better than lugging a travel crib in the very early days (i think?). I did a fit check in my cars and it’s not too bad.

Doing everything one handed isn’t something I really appreciated until now. Definitely a good point!

 

[deepseed386]

@grace_given17 So it’s not technically a safe sleep space unless it’s on their stand (not the stroller). We still brought our bjorn bassinet places too. Traveling with an infant is a total pain.

 

[grace_given17]

@deepseed386 Ohhhh ok thank you for letting me know that it isn’t ok without the stand. Hmm. Well, we have the stand for at home and the their travel crib, so I guess we’ll bring the travel crib, too.

Yes definitely a hassle! I’ve got the travel crib, the travel wash kit for the bottles, the UB travel bags for allll the UB gear. It’s a lot and that’s even before people start telling you that your life is ruined and you should become a recluse for the next 18 years (slight sarcasm).

 

[deepseed386]

@grace_given17 Nah you got this! We didn’t get out much with our first (COVID) but this one is 7m and we’ve already flown, visited family, etc.

 

[grace_given17]

@deepseed386 Nice! It’s really reassuring to hear that other parents are making travel happen. We’re fully prepared to adjust things to be more relaxed and kid friendly, but I had no idea until recently that so many people hated traveling with their kids.

I figured that if I’ve flown all over the world with my dogs and horses, taking kids should be doable.

 

[sandy5363]

@grace_given17 I’d exchange for the Cruz. I’ve heard complaints about the Vista not being the best stroller for 2 bubs, and you have to get the age gap just right. Go for the stroller you want today. The size does make a huge difference.

 

[kbupdike]

@grace_given17 I would keep it. FWIW, we have a stroller incredibly similar to the Vista in weight and features (Cybex Gazelle) and currently only have one child. It is an excellent stroller for one baby. Hopefully it will be excellent for two in the future.