UPPAbaby MESA vs. Nuna PIPA Infant Car Seats

If you’re thinking of purchasing an UPPAbaby VISTA V2 or CRUZ V2, this question has probably crossed your mind at one point or another. It may even be the topic of dinnertime conversation! UPPAbaby MESA or Nuna PIPA? The Nuna PIPA attaches to UPPAbaby strollers with the use of adapters, whereas the UPPAbaby MESA clicks right onto your frame without an additional purchase necessary.  

[note that car seats are sold separately from strollers to create a travel system]

So, how do you choose the one that is right for you? That’s where we come in!

Key Car Seat Features:

No re-thread harness

Nuna PIPA– No

UPPAbaby MESA – Yes

 

Anti-rebound bar or load leg

Nuna PIPA – No  

UPPAbaby MESA – Handle must be moved forward when in vehicle and acts as anti-rebound device

 

Latch type  

Nuna PIPA – Rigid latches

UPPAbaby MESA – Self-retracting UAS

 

Canopy  

Nuna PIPA – Extra-large dream drape

UPPAbaby MESA – Could be bigger

 

Weight/height limits  

Nuna PIPA & UPPAbaby MESA – Both 4-35 lbs or up to 32” or when head is within 1" of the top of the car seat

[your child has outgrown their seat when they have hit any one of these limits]

 

Car seat weight  

Nuna PIPA – 7.9 lbs

UPPAbaby MESA – 9.9 lbs

 

Can be installed without the base

Nuna PIPA – Yes

UPPAbaby MESA - Yes

If any of these terms have your head spinning, make sure you review this car seat terms glossary that we created to help you out with that!

Nuna PIPA

Pros:

• Quickly installs with 2 rigid latches  
• Huge canopy provides maximum coverage
• Compatible with many different strollers to create a travel system
• One of the lightest infant car seats on the market  
• Stunning leatherette detail on the carry handle for comfort and style

 

Cons:  

• Proper recline level is measured with blue line on car seat being parallel to the ground – this can require use of a towel or pool noodle to adjust to proper angle in your vehicle [no angle adjustment options built into the base]
• No additional anti-rebound system in Canada [there is a load leg on US PIPA car seats only] - please note that all car seats must meet very high anti-rebound rotation standards in Canada with or without additional features 
• Base is long which can lead to incompatibility in some vehicles with shorter seats [20% of base allowed to overhang]
• Manual adjustment of shoulder straps as baby grows

 

uppababy Mesa

Pros:  

• Uses a self-retracting latch system to get a tight install against the vehicle seat back  
• Red/green indicators in multiple spots on base to confirm proper install and angle
• No re-thread harness is easy to make adjustments on the fly  
• Added layer of Side Impact Protection surrounds baby’s head
• Base has height adjustments built in to fit on vehicle seats with a seat with a deeper slope & the use of pool noodles or rolled up towels is allowed when need be [*refer to manual for more details]

Cons:

• Must put the handle forward to act as anti-rebound device every time you get in the vehicle which can be inconvenient 
• Canopy is on the smaller side
• Not compatible with strollers that aren’t UPPAbaby strollers  

 

We hope that helps break down the differences between these 2 infant car seats for you! If you’re leaning towards the Nuna PIPA, make sure you check out this article on the Nuna PIPA vs. PIPA LITE vs. PIPA LITE LX to see what the differences are between models!