UPPAbaby - MINU (2018 Model)

Happy to share! I made the mistake of getting a full-sized stroller (Mockingbird) with my first and that was NOT travel friendly 😅 I sold it and we have been exclusively use “compact” strollers as primary since my son was about 1 and a half or maybe younger. We currently have used versions of the Minu v1 and the Babyzen YoYo. I strongly dislike the YoYo… the fold is two steps, requires two hands, and is too complicated for grandparents to do. The harness also detaches into 5 separate pieces which drives me crazy when trying to buckle. The Minu v1 is amazing as an everyday stroller. So sturdy, so easy to use. That said, now that we are expecting our second, I’m thinking about selling BOTH of our current strollers and putting that money towards a Minu v3 or Joolz Aer+, so that we have a more compact stroller that I actually enjoy using (unlike the YoYo). I do not think non-parent facing is a deal-breaker at all, and I think for travel you’ll be fine with just car seat. I would definitely look for strollers that fold with the car seat adapters and where you don’t need to remove the seat in order to use it with a car seat. That way once your baby is over 6 months (or younger if you are parked somewhere), baby can stretch out for a nap… but again, we did many car seat naps 🙂 I’m sorry I don’t know much about the other options you mention, but I think the Minu v3 is INCREDIBLE! I wouldn’t worry too much about finding a true “travel system” if you mean buying the car seat + stroller from the same brand. I thought I needed this too in the beginning, but it’s not necessary and might limit your options too much! just make sure the stroller works with a car seat (usually through adapters with easy click in and out) and can fold with the adapters on. Both the Minu (v2 and v3) and Joolz Aer+ can do that. My infant car seat is a Nuna Pipa.

mom of one with a second on the way -- If it markets itself as newborn ready, I think that recline should be fine. the "flat" idea is just so they dont slide around. don't get the metro+, unless they've made improvements I haven't seen to the canopy -- you'll want lots of shade for your newborn. i LOVE my original Minu (and would love the V2 even more), but the Joolz Aer is slightly more travel-friendly if that is important to you. It is small enough to bring into the airplane cabin if you're concerned about gate checking and is lighter/smaller. And you are smart to prioritize one-hand fold, that is crucial! And the reason I do NOT like the YoYo.

Thoughts about the uppababy MINUs - Minu v1 I think this is the only version that has a collapsible bassinet option. I do not think you can buy this version from uppababy anymore or the bassinet accessory. I’ve seen these floating around Facebook marketplace sometimes. - Minu v2: uppababy just stopped making Minu v2s but all the accessories are still available at their website, and lots of Minu v2s are still in stock in most retailers and goodbuygear. I previously had a Minu v2 and I absolutely loved it. You can get car seat adapters so it can be compatible with uppababy’s car seat and bassinet attachment (which is safe sleep approved), and then at 3mo you can start using the regular seat. The only thing is you need to uninstall the fabric seat to use the bassinet with the adapters, but I didn’t need the fabric seat at the time anyways. -Minu v3: uppababy just released this version, it is about the size of the bugaboo butterfly now so it can go on the overhead compartment of the plane. It has sturdier wheels than the butterfly and is “newborn friendly.” Unfortunately uppababy decided not to make the traditional bassinet compatible with this stroller, but the seat almost lies flat so it’s “not necessary.” It does have car seat adapters though so that is helpful. None of the minus have reversible seats. But the Minu v2 has the bassinet that you can have facing toward you. Note on the YOYOs: I have less experience with the yo-yo, but i briefly used the newborn attachment and I really found it handy. It was nice to have a super compact stroller in tight spaces where I could potentially lay my little one for a nap in a friends house or restaurant. The yo-yo also has a bassinet shell that can be used, and car seat adapters for the nuna. However I think you have to use one adapter/set at a time (you can’t keep the newborn attachment on under and attach the car seat on top. ) The yo-yo2 and 3 frame is the same, but the yoyo3 fabric seat has a much better shade coverage. If you get the full stroller and a newborn pack separately, definitely get the yoyo3 and not a yoyo2. Alternatively you can get the yoyo2 and separately buy a yoyo3 color pack.

We've brought our Minu V1 on many many flights. The key was to carry it on in the UB backpack. We didn't break it down at the gate or try to stroll it down the jetbridge. We usually travel with a carseat anyway so we use the carseat on its cart as a "stroller" in the airport and my husband has the Minu V1 in the backpack the whole time (from airport dropoff to getting on the plane). People have marveled at us taking it out of the backpack when we arrive at our destination and get off the plane.

We use a travel stroller as our main - for almost 5 years now. We have the Uppababy Minu v1 and if I didn’t have 10 other strollers I’d have bought the v2 or v3 when they came out. That being said we’re in and out of our cars a lot. Like 2-3x a day. So easy foldability is key for us. I loved the quality of the Vista and how well it pushed on uneven terrain. But ended up giving it away to a friend who walks everywhere in her daily life. It was too bulky in our garage for only taking to our local playground. I’ll also say I didn’t want to invest in the Vista as a double bc of how annoying it would be to fold and also the reviews of how hard it is to maneuver with your bigger kid in front and baby up top. So generally I advise ppl to get the Cruz instead bc once baby 2 comes along there are better options. And depending on the age gap we ended up using a single stroller and baby carrier more often than our double.

I’ve got the original minu which I used HEAVILY as my primary stroller for my now 4 yo. I’ve got a baby due in March and am planning on getting the v3 if it launches in time (otherwise I’ll just use a car seat in a cady for the first few months and revert to our old minu once this kid is big enough). FWIW I had the vista as well but gave it away because we found ourselves only using the minu 

also recommend the minu! we have the first version and have been using it for three years and it is still in great condition. we live in queens and do a lot of walking, the push is smooth and it handles nyc's messed up sidewalk well. we have also taken it out east for apple and pumpkin picking and while it doesnt do amazing on grass and gravel, it works. have also flown with it many times and is great for travel too. plus we live on the second floor of a walk up and its easy to carry up and down while also holding our child.

I have a travel stroller. Most people I know stopped using a full or mid-size stroller by the time their child reached 18 months. They bought a travel stroller. I did a ton of stroller research. I tried a lot of friends strollers. The Yoyo is tricky to close and has a small basket. I don’t like it. The aer also has a tiny basket. I had a Minu, not the strollers fault, someone crushed it by dropping their full size stroller on it at daycare. I replaced it with the Butterfly because my son is tall. I prefer the Minu. It folds even with stuff in the basket that's not the case with most travel strollers. Full and mid size strollers don't fit in boutique or cornerstone aisles. So you'll be leaving it outside. Also remember your 8 month old will be a 2 year old. Not all subway stations have elevators. You can't carry a mid-size stroller by yourself. You want something you can carry with one hand your child's hand in the other.

Between the two. Pick the Yoyo. It's much lighter. The Swiv is heavy.  Although I recommend the Minu instead. You can lift it without help. Even if you don't take the subway much, New York has a lot of stairs. You want to be able to lift your stroller and your baby. The Minu is 7 lbs lighter than the Swiv. That might not seem like much but for strollers that's a huge difference.  Minu has a much bigger basket than the yoyo and other compact strollers like Aer and Butterfly and it still folds relatively small. It even folds when there is stuff in the basket.  It feels sturdier and more balanced when you push it in comparison to other compact strollers. The basinett is sturdy too. You can clip in the Mesa carseat easily.  Most importantly the Minu and Mesa are PFAS free. PFAS is a toxic chemical that is in a shocking amount of baby products.

Like others say Vista is too big for public transit. It's also too big for boutique aisles and small cornerstores. I love the Minu, like others are saying. It's the only stroller you need. If you really are set on a large basket, get a mid-size stroller like the Cruz and when your child is potty trained get a gb-pockit air. It weighs 10 lbs and folds smaller than the Yoyo. You can easily carry it with one hand. That makes it easy to navigate the subway with a toddler. The basket is tiny but by that time you can fit what your child needs in a totebag. 

This. I have the minu for quick easy to use small needs like stores and travel. I love my vista for daily walks around the paved neighborhood and parks. I love my Thule jogging stroller for off roading in grass and gravel and my husband is starting to jog with it too. It is nice around the neighborhood too for daily walks but I loved the ability of the vista for the seat to change direction and to recline flat and to allow carseats

I have a Vista as my daily stroller. I also have the Minu as a travel stroller and a Thule jogging stroller, for off roading park/hiking adventures. About to get a wagon

I had the Nuna mix, love it, but for travel we got the Uppababy Minu and I hated it. So for the next travel I got the bugaboo butterfly which I love! Me personally, I think the bugaboo butterfly would be a perfect blend of that. Maybe the wheels aren’t the hefty kind but the Bugaboo handled Taiwan and Japan very well and it was compatible as a carry on. You can also get an adapter to put an infant car seat.

I had the previous version of the Minu and I hated it. I believe they fixed the part of the Minu that I hated so the new version might be good! The old version would get stuck a lot and the umbrella shade would pop off often and the stroller would be all wonky when I’m opening it on the bridge out of the airplane.

What car seat do you have? Get the Minu if you already have an uppababy car seat. Otherwise I’d get something cheaper. FWIW you can usually get a V2 for 150-200 used.

So I went to the store, set on buying either the butterfly, the yoyo or the minu. Once I saw the products I was somewhat disappointed and bought a regular stroller with fantastic wheels and springs. Great canopy and other useful and comfortable features. We also planned to travel a lot which is why we thought about the one and done travel stroller, but to put in perspective, we go out for walks twice a day. And that's not counting the days we actually have destinations to go to. I cannot imagine going through all the terrain we did with just a travel stroller. My vote is to get a regular stroller, and then look for a travel stroller second hand. (Well actually if you find a good deal, a second hand main stroller is fine too). What I would not cut the budget on is the car seat, get that new.