Imaginext Dragon World Fortress

The Imaginext Dragon World Fortress playset is perfect for the little dragon slayer in your family.  The playset is a tall and towering fortress that reveals a world of imaginative play with surprise features and a full range of accessories. Stocked with interactive features, this toy kept our young testers busy and happy for hours!  The two knights that are included can be placed on the multiple activation disks and twisted to reveal great actions and special features such as opening the front door, moving the dragon’s head, or opening of the hidden staircase.  Your little one can also fire canons at the dragon and roll boulders down the dragon’s tail.  Our testers really love the variety of sound and light effects on the fortress.  There is lightning, thunder, and fierce dragon sounds.  All perfect for a little boy!  (Not to say our little girl testers didn’t love it as well!) The fortress includes two knights with helmets, shields and weapons, two flags, two boulders, one bed and 3 AA batteries.  It is designed for children 3-8 years old and retails for $54.99.  

SHOP Imaginext Dragon World Fortress

Precious Places Swan Palace

The Precious Places Swan Palace is a magical playset for your little princess.  Our little princess testers were busy for hours with this magical palace that is filled with interactive features, lights and music.  It includes a princess and her prince that each having their own thrones that transforms into a banquet room with the turn of one of the figures on the activation disk.  There is a hidden bed for a princess nap and a mirrored dressing room to get ready for the ball.  The second floor of the playset was a big hit with our testers because the princess and prince can waltz to the music at their own ball.  When the figures are places on the activation disks (there is even room for an additional couple that is sold separately), a giant heart lights up and a variety of dancing music plays.  Plus, there is a treasure room on the second floor for the princess to keep an eye on her treasure complete with more lights and magical sound effects.  The playset has a handy carry handle and the back portion (the banquet hall/throne room) folds up for travel.  With all its interactive features that promote imaginative play, this Palace was a big hit with all our testers!  Swan Palace comes with the Swan Palace Princess (Sirina), a prince, three pieces of headgear for the princess, one piece of headgear for the prince, one scepter, two flag toppers and two swans. The Palace is for children 3 and up and retails for $49.99. 

SHOP Precious Places Swan Palace

First, I love the two color combinations that the SmartZip Sleepers are available in.  Pair anything with chocolate brown and I’m on board!  (And not just because “chocolate” is in the name!) The sleepers are available in chocolate brown and blue (Blue Me Away) and chocolate brown and pink (Made Me Blush).  They are made of 100% cotton and feel very soft to the touch.

Second, I love that it is a zipper sleeper.  Most sleepers have those little annoying snaps that can make a new, tired mom go mad.  With a newborn sleeper sporting an average of 9 snaps, it tends to get tricky during middle of the night changes when you are deliriously tired. So, zippers are good!

Third, I love that it unzips from the bottom (the main feature!).  With a 4 week old baby, I am up feeding and changing my son up to 4 times during the night.  With standard sleepers, I am either forced to deal with snaps or with unzipping a sleeper from the top exposing my son to the cold air-conditioned air.  Not so with the SmartZip Sleeper!  I can unzip from the bottom and have my son’s diaper changed in record time without getting him mostly undressed.

Overall, the SmartZip Sleeper is a very smart product!  It is available in two fun color combinations and allows for quicker and easier nighttime diaper changes. 

To check out the SmartZip Sleeper for yourself, visit:  http://www.helloworldclothing.com

This innovative company creates one-of-a-kind ultra personalized baby blankets that truly say a lot about you and your baby.  Each blanket is one-of-a-kind, embroidered with your own copy along all four luxurious satin edges.  You create a blanket that is perfect for the new little one by not only choosing the text but by choosing from 32 blanket styles and colors, 27 fonts and 50+ thread colors. These high quality, personalized blankets are not only great for your baby but will make a fabulous and memorable gift for that special mom-to-be.  What says more than a gift that is that is so thoughtful that you took the time to personalize it for that special baby?

Since I just had my third baby, I had to pick out one of these fabulous blankets for my new bundle of joy.  Ordering was so easy!  After agonizing over which style of blanket to choose (there are so many great ones from 100% cotton cable-knit woven to cashmere), I chose the “Fit for Royalty” blanket in Nantucket Sky Blue to match my new prince’s room.  After choosing a font fit for royalty in chocolate brown, it was time to write the text.  Being indecisive with my “new baby brain”, I was thankful that their website provided an entire section of ideas for the text.  I was so pleased with the amount of text that I was allowed on each side of the blanket to really personalize it for my son.  I decided to include his name, all the birth stats, his parents’ names, and his big sister and brother’s names.  I was super excited to see the end product! 

Not to worry, Fill In The Blankie didn’t let me down!  First, the packaging was beautiful!  The blanket came folded neatly and tied with satin ribbon with the company’s information card pinned nicely to it with a diaper pin.  It was a great presentation for a gift. Once I opened up the blanket, I was thoroughly impressed.  The blanket that I had “designed” was gorgeous!  So gorgeous that I can’t bear to even use it with my new prince on an everyday basis!  I decided this blanket was going to be a keepsake and hung it on the wall in my baby’s room with blanket clips.  Now, every time someone visits our son’s nursery, they rave about the beautiful personalized blanket that features our son’s birth information.  I have to agree with the blanket’s style name “Fit for Royalty” because this is one blanket that is perfect for a prince! 

Now that I have found Fill In The Blankie and seen the high quality of these ultra personalized blankets, I will be ordering them again for the special moms-to-be in my life.  These blankets also make fabulous Baptism, birthday and adoption gifts!  I am so impressed with these blankets that I might just have to order another one for my son’s baptism that I actually use this time. 

These unique blankets start at just $39 and ship within 3-7 business days.  To check out Fill in the Blankie, visit:  http://www.fillintheblankie.com

I found a company that I am so excited about their gorgeous announcements that I had to share with our Baby Gizmo readers.  The Nesting Shoppe not only has a beautiful website, but offers unique, custom birth announcements, baby shower invitations personalized stationery and holiday cards as well as birthday party invitations, baptism and christening cards. 

I went straight to the birth announcements section of the website and was thrilled to see all the classic, timeless, modern and elegant designs.  The designs are all inspired by nature including birds, nests, twigs, trees, flowers, branches, berries and leaves.  There are so many gorgeous designs to choose from that I am having a hard time narrowing it down to one design.  And a great touch is that the announcement designs can be customized by changing colors and fonts to reflect my own personal style. Plus, what I love is that it’s an eco-friendly company printing all the cards on premium, 100% recycled card stock.

Nesting Shoppe was started by designer, author and photographer, Jessie Preza, so that customers across the nation can announce the special things in life…like pregnancies, save-the-dates, babies and good old-fashioned, hand-written correspondence on personalized stationary, all printed on beautiful, recycled papers.  The Nesting Shoppe does such gorgeous, high quality work that they have even designed for celebrities like Charlie & Brooke Sheen, Trista & Ryan Sutter, Scott & Kelley Wolf, Nancy O’Dell and Victoria Recano. 

I suggest you check out Nesting Shoppe’s designs to announce the important things in your life by visiting their website at:  http://www.nestingshoppe.com  Now just to decide what design will fit Sutton the best!

Nesting Shoppe is offering Baby Gizmo readers 15% off!  Just enter code GIZMO15 at checkout!  Code is good until August 15, 2009!

Reviewed by Hollie Schultz

Below are a few examples from their website:

One of their new additions is the Mutsy Growup, a flexible seat reducer with base, which is otherwise known to us as a booster chair. This modern booster seat is made of a flexible molded soft plastic that is set on a hard white plastic base. With the attached harnesses, the Growup easily straps to any stable, four-leg dining chair.

Since the seat is soft (reminds us of the Bumbo seat plastic) it is much more comfortable for little bums than the hard plastic of other booster chairs. Unlike the Bumbo, Mutsy designed this booster with safety in mind by adding a 3-point harness on the chair to keep your little one safely seated, as well as having the ability to securely attach to a “grown-up” chair with harnesses.

Cleaning the Growup is a breeze since there are minimal creases for the food to hide in. There is a space between the child’s legs (where the harness comes out of the base) that can trap food and allow it to end up between the seat and the base. Since the comfy seat can be lifted partly away from the base, the food can easily be cleaned out though.

The Growup doesn’t fold but since it only weighs 3.75 lbs and is already compact, it is great for travel. It is perfect for grandma’s house (it’s much better than the phone book that grandma wants to use) or even as a full-time booster seat at your kitchen table. Since the Growup is more a booster chair to give your toddler a boost up to the family table rather than a high chair, it does not have a tray. We generally prefer trays for our babies so we think this booster is ideal for two to four years old. The Growup helps all those big-kid-wannabes sit comfortably at the table with the rest of the family.

This handy booster chair comes in four bright, fun colors: Aqua blue, Raspberry Purple, Apple Green and Mandarin Orange. Retailing at $49, the Growup can give your child a place at the table that they can be excited about.

SHOP Mutsy Grow Up Booster Seat

I thought that this simplicity would be boring after a while. However, my son got it for Christmas, and seven months later it is still his favorite toy. He is only ten months old, but he loves to stand up in front of the mirror and dance to the music. The songs are adorable, and very catchy. Even my four year old loves to sing them. She also loves making faces, and dancing in the mirror. There are two modes, but the other mode just plays short musical tones. Neither of my kids likes this mode very much, but they play with it in song mode daily.

The only problem is this toy tips and slides easily. The base is relatively large, but the plastic legs just are not heavy enough to keep it from tipping. Also, when my son was first learning to pull up his weight would sometimes push the toy out from under him. He also likes to put his foot on one of the legs and tries to climb it. As you can imagine, this sends both him and the toy to the ground. I have it pushed against a wall on a play carpet. That seems to keep it pretty stable.

The toy is expensive at just under $50.00. Additionally, it requires 3 AA batteries. I think I’ve had to change them once in the last six months. It is quite a bit of money, but if you are looking for a big birthday or Christmas gift for a child under two this would be great. It doesn’t look as fun as some of the other activity tables, but it has more potential to be interesting in different ways as your child grows. The large mirror, and flashing lights will turn your little one into a star.   Reviewed by Elisabeth

SHOP Fisher Price Little Superstar Sing-Along Stage

Trends for Kids (TFK) has been popular in Europe since it was founded in 1997. Sold in more than 15 countries, TFK made its way across the pond to make its US debut in November 2008. With its high quality German design, great features and sporty looks, the TFK stroller may soon be a major US favorite.

The Buggster S stroller may look familiar because Valco Baby distributed the basic Buggster in the US a few years back. Now that TFK is in the US, Valco Baby no longer distributes the stroller for TFK. The Buggster S is an upgraded version of the basic Buggster featuring a 3 wheel suspension system and a foot rest, two features that the basic Buggster did not have.

The first thing we noticed about the Buggster S was how large and wide the seat was. The seat on the Buggster S is very wide and roomy, making for a comfortable ride for even an older child. The seat is one of the widest seats we have seen on a single stroller and our testers fit easily with plenty of room to spare! The Buggster S has a recommended weight capacity of 55 lbs, so even our older toddlers and kids can jump in for a ride. There is an adjustable, non-padded 5-point harness for safety that can be adjusted for our smaller riders as well as the larger ones. There is a flip-up footrest for the comfort of our older riders as well.

The seat is well padded with a removable AIRGO breathable seat insert to help with air circulation. The seat has a 2 position recline that reclines about half way back but still great for our riders to snooze. In order to recline the seat, there is a zipper system that requires mom or dad to unzip a zipper on each side. If we could make one change, it would be that they change the zipper feature to a one-handed bar recline that would be easier for parent to do with a child in the seat. Since the seat doesn’t recline flat, it is only recommended for babies 6+ months. Fortunately, there is a carrycot sold separately for newborns as well as a car seat adapter for use with the Maxi Cosi Mico Infant Car Seat. A car seat adapter for use with Graco and Peg Perego Infant Car Seats will be available soon.

The seat fabric is durable and easily removable and washable. There is an adjustable (2 positions) and removable bumper bar but no cup holders or snack trays for either mom or baby. (Remember, Europeans don’t eat and drink on the go.)

The Buggster S has a sun canopy that isn’t the biggest on the market but not the smallest either. It provides adequate shade for your baby but we’d like it a more if it was larger and shaded our little rider’s legs. TFK does offer a UV Sun Cover as an additional accessory which is great to add for more sun protection. There is a rather large basket (for a lightweight stroller) underneath that accommodates a medium to large size diaper bag and is easy to access from the sides or rear of the stroller.

The handles are high, and even though they not adjustable, we found that they are ergonomically designed and are plenty high for our taller husbands and mama friends.

There are three 6 1/2 inch, wide wheels that give the Buggster S great maneuverability. If you prefer four wheels, there is a double front wheel accessory sold separately. The stroller glides along effortlessly and the lightness of the frame allows us to easily push it with one hand, even with a larger toddler aboard. The stroller turns easily and even though it’s not an all-terrain stroller, the spring loaded wheels giving the stroller great suspension, allows it to handle bumpy roads, brick streets and small rocks with ease. A great feature of the wheels is that the front swivel wheel can also lock straight with the turn of the large dial under the footrest to handle bumpy terrains even easier. There is also a one-step parking brake that securely locks both back wheels at once.

The Buggster S has a two-step, two-handed folding system (three steps if you include locking the stroller) that ends in a flat, rather compact fold. The folding process is easy and quick once you get the hang of it. There is a manual lock on the side of the stroller to keep the stroller closed while transporting. Unfolding the stroller also has a couple steps but is easy to do.

Weighing in at 15.4 lbs, the Buggster S is lightweight and easy to transport. This sporty stroller comes in blue, black, red, mandarine, pebble, mud, olive, and navy.

Retailing at an expensive $349, with its fabulously wide seat, great maneuverability, sturdy construction, and the ability to work with a carrycot or an infant car seat, we recommend you check out the TFK Buggster S.

To watch our full video review of the TFK Buggster S click the video below:

SHOP TFK Buggster S

The Joggster Twist is TFK’s sporty single stroller for the modern sport-minded parents. This fabulous all-terrain stroller has some outstanding features that could possibly make it the sport stroller for you.

The first things we noticed about the Joggster Twist were how great and sporty it looked as well as how large the seat was. The Joggster Twist sports a large, roomy seat that accommodates even our larger kids. With a high weight capacity of 55 lbs, we found that even our 5 and 6 year olds could jump in for a ride. The quality and construction of the stroller is so good that we think the stroller could accommodate even more weight with ease. We found that the seat has a very tall seat back (25 inches from seat to canopy) that accommodates even taller children without their heads brushing the canopy.

There is padded 5-point, adjustable harness for safety and a foot rest that not only flips up for folding but slides up the frame for the comfort of taller and shorter riders. The seat also features 3 strengthening plates (which absorb shock and provide back/lumbar support) that were designed by doctors to make sure the spine of the child is in a healthy position. The seat is padded with 3 recline positions, including almost flat. In order to recline the seat, there is a zipper system that requires mom or dad to unzip a zipper on each side. If we could make one change, it would be that they change the zipper feature to a one-handed bar recline that would be easier for parents to do.

The seat fabric is durable, water resistant, non-fade fabric which is both non-abrasive and easily removable and washable. There is an adjustable and removable bumper bar but no cup holders or snack trays for either mom or baby. (Remember, Europeans don’t eat and drink on the go.)

We love that the Joggster Twist sports an adjustable handle bar (up and down but not telescoping) that is great for taller and shorter parents. It’s easy to operate with two push buttons on the sides and can be set at any position including all the way up for taller parents and all the way down so that other siblings can “help” push the stroller. The handle bar on the stroller is also nicely padded and comfortable to hold.

The Joggster Twist has a decent size canopy that isn’t the largest or the smallest on the market but has a very large peek-a-boo UV protected window (with cover). There is also an optional zip on UV sun cover accessory if you are looking for more sun protection. A fantastic feature of the canopy is the detachable mosquito net that rolls up into the front of the canopy so that you always have it with you. No more forgetting the mosquito net or realizing you can’t find it while out and about! This mosquito net reaches all the way to the footrest, completely enclosing your child.

This stroller is stocked with storage! Underneath the seat, is a rather large basket that we had no problem fitting a medium size diaper bag or many baby essentials in. Besides the basket underneath, there is a zipper pocket on the back of the seat for mom essentials, two zipper pockets on the sides of the canopy and a two zipper pouches on the each side of the seat for extra storage.

The large (12 1/2 inch rear and 10 inch front) air-filled tires charge through all kinds of different terrain. Grass, playground mulch, rocky road – no problem! We found it can be used for bumpy roads, hiking, running, and just walking around the city. When running with this stroller we barely have to push it as it glides along the pavement. With its fabulous suspension system and rear shock absorbers, the Joggster Twist also provides a very smooth ride for baby. Even though the tires are air-filled, TFK failed to provide a tire pump with the stroller though.

While the Joggster Twist is not for the serious marathon runner, we found that with the sturdy frame, lockable front wheel, and the air-filled tires, we had no problem taking it for light jogs. The stroller also has a strap that you can attach to your wrist in case you are going down hill to prevent you from losing control of the stroller.

The front swivel wheel provides amazing maneuverability and locks straight for use on rougher terrain. The front swivel wheel is what differentiates the Joggster Twist from the Joggster III which has a fixed front wheel. Even with the stroller fully loaded, we had no problem maneuvering this stroller even one-handed. There is a convenient and easy to use hand-operated disc brake, located on the handlebar, which allows parents to slow the stroller while in motion or lock the wheels when the stroller is parked. We love that you don’t have to use your foot or scuff your shoes to lock this stroller.

The Joggster Twist basically folds in half into a compact fold, making transporting this stroller good regarding the size. There are a couple steps to folding the stroller but we found that they are easy and quick to do. There is a manual locking strap on the side to lock the stroller closed for transporting. Since the “lock” is a strap with a hole at the end that hooks on a metal knob on the frame, we did find that the strap doesn’t always stay. We would suggest a more sturdy (and automatic) lock for this stroller so that we don’t have to worry about it unlocking on us when we lift it in and out of our trunks.

Weighing in at 28 lbs, we found the stroller weight average to a bit heavy for an all-terrain stroller. With such a sturdy stroller, we expected this weight though. We didn’t have too much trouble lifting it in and out of our trunk and found popping off the front tire gave it a bit more compact of a fold. Note: Since the rear wheels have the disc brake system, the rear wheels do not just pop off in a jiffy.

There are a few great accessories sold separately that work great with the Joggster Twist. The bassinet/carrycot is great to turn the stroller into a pram for newborns. The universal car seat adapter sold separately turns the stroller into a travel system. Also available is a rain cover, UV sun cover, fleece foot muff, travel bag and rain and sun covers for the bassinet.

This sporty stroller comes in a variety of colors, including as blue, black, and red. With its very sturdy construction, adjustable handle, fabulous maneuverability, very roomy seat and lots of storage, the TFK Joggster Twist is a great option for sports-minded parents.

To watch our full video review of the TFK Joggster Twist, click the video below:

SHOP all TFK Strollers

The Jeep Traveler Tandem has two roomy seats, each complete with a padded, 5-point harness that is also adjustable for a growing child.  The front seat has two positions, upright and partially reclined, a weight capacity of 40 lbs and has a drink holder, plus a cute little play steering wheel for your little rider.  We also like that the front seat doesn’t have a baby bar all the way across allowing our older toddlers to get in and out of the seat on their own very easily. 

The rear seat has a 40 lb limit and four recline positions including completely flat.  If using the seat in the full recline position, the manufacturer recommends always using the safety boot to turn the seat into a bassinet-type environment.  By following the directions, we found assembling the attached safety boot into position easy to do. 

The rear seat also accepts a wide variety of infant car seats with no additional adapters to turn the stroller into a travel system.  All you have to do is set the infant car seat in the fully reclined seat (with the safety boot) and secure the car seat with the attached safety seats.  The stroller accepts over 21 different infant car seats, so just check to make sure your particular one is one the list. 

There are two independent canopies on the Jeep Traveler Tandem. The back canopy is very large to completely shade the rear rider but is missing the peek-a-boo window we are used to seeing.  The front canopy is smaller but can be rotated to block the angle of the sun.  Each canopy also has a pop-out sun visor to block a bit more sun. 

We love that there is a telescoping handle with three positions to accommodate parents of differing height.   The Jeep Tandem features two baskets underneath.  There is a large, easily accessible basket under the rear seat with a lower and load design that allows you to access the basket even when the seat is fully reclined.  There is a medium size basket under the front seat that can be accessed through a hole in the front of the basket or between the two seats, which could prove to be tricky with a rear rider aboard.  Even though there is no parent console, there is a detachable cup holder on the handlebar for mom. 

Folding the stroller is rather easy to do but there are a few steps. The fold consists of: 1) lowering the rear basket 2) folding the front canopy all the way forward while pushing the back canopy all the way back past the handlebar 3) adjusting the rear seat all the way forward past the upright position 4) sliding the safety lock at the top of the handlebar to the left while squeezing the folding trigger to unlock the handlebar 5) as you push down on the handlebar with one hand and then forward, you grab one of the side handles of the stroller frame and simultaneously pull towards you.  After you do these steps, the stroller folds down and locks automatically with a side lock.  There is even a more compact folded position by lifting the footrest up on the stroller after it is folded.  Sounds like a lot of steps?  It really isn’t once you get the hang of it.  Plus, these steps are definitely worth it considering how compact the stroller folds down.  This stroller is advertised as the Traveler Tandem “No SUV Required – ultra compact fold” and they are right.  This compact folded stroller fit into every small sedan trunk we tried because not every mom has a minivan, SUV or even the room the spare.  Another great feature of the folded stroller is that you can pull the stroller by the handlebar behind you like luggage. 

Even though it has an ultra compact fold, the stroller is still very heavy!  (Typical for a full-size double stroller) When we weighed the stroller, it weighed in at a heavy 38 lbs!  What does that mean to you?  It is going to take some muscle to get this in and out of your trunk and you will feel the weight when you push it fully loaded.  C-section mamas shouldn’t expect to be lifting this 38 lb behemoth into your trunk for quite a while.  Like most tandem, full-size strollers, you should expect this to be a two-handed push and after pushing it for a while (especially fully loaded), you will feel it in your wrists and arms.  Ever try to turn a 118 lb stroller (38 stroller weight + 80 lb capacity) with one hand?  Doesn’t happen!  With two hands and a bit of energy, we found maneuvering this stroller not to bad though – very standard for a double. 

Even though mom is using a bit of energy with this stroller, with large 8-inch wheels and front wheel suspension, the Jeep Tandem provided a smooth, effortless ride for our children.  There are brakes on the rear wheels that have to be set individually but we found were secure once set. 

This tandem stroller is a very sturdy workhorse stroller that has some great features but can definitely weigh you down. If weight isn’t an issue with you, the Jeep Traveler Tandem with its fabulously compact fold, two baskets, two roomy seats, and the ability to accept an infant car seat in the rear, make this a decent option for a very reasonably priced full size double.

To watch our full video review of the Jeep Traveler Tandem Stroller, click the video below:

SHOP Jeep Traveler Tandem Stroller

A New Luxury Stroller System Worth Looking At

If you are searching for a luxury stroller system and want something fresh and different, as opposed to the overpopulated other brands on the streets, you may want to take a close look at the UPPAbaby Vista.

UPPAbaby is a rather new stroller company based near Boston, Mass., that was launched in September 2006. When we first saw this luxury system, our eyes went straight to the big, beautiful basket on the bottom. A fancy stroller with a big, accessible basket – you have our attention!

The UPPAbabyVista is a stroller system complete with a lightweight chassis, a reversible toddler seat and a beautiful bassinet. With the use of aircraft alloy in the frame and wheels, this stroller is lighter than competitors and weighs in at 24 lbs with the toddler seat. (bassinet is an additional 9 lbs) It has a quick, standing fold that allows us to leave the toddler seat attached, and keeps the frame scratch free since it stands on its wheels when folded.

Speaking of the wheels, we love the UPPAbaby tires. These “no flat” foam rubber wheels are puncture proof and handle all kinds of terrain. The wide, rear tires allow us to glide over rocks, charge through grass and power over mulch at the playground. Sand, rocks, snow – no problem! We haven’t found a terrain we can’t get through with the Uppa Baby and all without worrying about a flat tire. There are rear brakes that lock securely and are easy to apply.

To satisfy the shortest and tallest of moms and dads, it has an adjustable handle that eliminates the “stroller hunch”. It is designed without the standard bar connecting the rear tires that may get in the way of a long stride so we never stub our toe or kick the frame. We love the reversible toddler seat that allows the child to face mom or out at the world. The seat reverses easily and to insure a locked-in fit, there are color indicators on either side that turn from green to red when clicked in properly.

Instead of just the back of the seat reclining like on other strollers, on the Vista the entire seat reclines back easily with a one-hand lever. The seat keeps its wide “v” shape but does recline far enough back to be considered a flat position. We found the seat to comfortably fit newborns up to 4 year olds. Even with an increased weight capacity of 50 lbs for the 2009 model, we do want to mention that the seat back seems a tad short for an extra tall child and you may find that a tall 3 year old may brush their head against the canopy. The seat bottom to top of canopy is only 20 inches.

There is a large canopy that shades the child sufficiently and has a large mesh peek a boo window that allows air to circulate through the stroller when open. They improved and made the canopy even larger on the 2009 model by adding a SPF 50 pop-out sun canopy extension to provide 30% more sun protection. Like we said at the beginning, this stroller has a fabulously, large basket. There is a bar that runs through the middle but nonetheless it still holds loads of stuff and we love it.

There is an included bassinet recommended for use up to 4-6 months that gives you that “celebrity pram feature”. The 2009 bassinet is more eco-friendly than previous models with its un-dyed organic soy & cotton lining. The bassinet mattress has a cover that zips off easily for cleaning. There is also a handle on the canopy of the bassinet for easy portability.

It has a big basket and canopy, fabulous adjustable handle, great wide tires, an included bassinet and an easy fold, but we bet you are wondering how it maneuvers. Well, you won’t be disappointed in that feature either because the maneuverability is amazing! The Vista turns on a dime and even with an older child on board strolling through gravel, it’s easy to push.

A new fabulous accessory (sold separately for $129) that is now available for the UPPAbaby Vista will have parents of 2 children rejoicing! So, now when baby #2 comes along, you don’t have to retire your VISTA stroller for a huge double stroller! Yeah!!! The Rumbleseat is a new attachment which allows you to convert your VISTA stroller into a compact rear-facing tandem. This all-aluminum frame seat, complete with 5-point harness, will attach in seconds to all 2009 Uppa Baby Vista Strollers.

The Rumbleseat clips on and off the front of the frame easily with no tools required. The seat does have to be removed when folding the stroller though. It sits low on the frame to allow a toddler to climb in on their own, yet high enough to keep your buckled in toddler from touching the wheels at all. No need for wheel guards with this stroller!

The Rumbleseat rider faces mom (rides backwards) but sits in the front of the stroller so that it doesn’t take any legroom away from the parent pushing the stroller. We were a little worried that the Rumbleseat cannot face forward but we found all our little testers didn’t mind riding backwards at all and liked sitting in the Rumbleseat.

And we love that the seat was designed in such a way that the stroller remains completely stable with the seat attached. Yes, UPPAbaby recommends that you always put your child in the main seat first before putting your toddler in the Rumbleseat. But many of us have those mischievous toddlers who want to climb in on their own when we turn our back without concern if there is another child in the main stroller seat. What happens in this situation on other inline strollers such as one with the initials P&T? The stroller flips over onto the climbing toddler! Pretty dangerous, we think! But not the case with the Rumbleseat and the VISTA! Just as expected, our 32 lb tester full of mischief, raced to get in the Rumbleseat on his own as soon as we set it up. We are happy to report the stroller didn’t budge! Even though we don’t recommend this – he was able to get in the seat on his own without the stroller toppling over on top of him without a child in the main seat. Plus, in those cases that you forget and take the child out of the main seat first, the stroller doesn’t flip over with your rider in the Rumbleseat. Yeah, Uppa Baby!!!

The Rumbleseat comes in black to complement all the Vista color options and is complete with a padded, adjustable, 5-point harness for safety and a great SPF 50+ sun canopy to keep them shaded. It comes with a footrest that sets in the bottom of the basket – so yes, your little rider’s legs will take up some your valuable basket real estate. The basket is large enough that it doesn’t matter much though.

The Rumbleseat has a weight capacity of 35 lbs and since it doesn’t recline is recommended for a baby 6 months+. Since the main toddler seat has a weight capacity of 50 lbs – the entire set-up with Rumbleseat gives the stroller an 85 lb capacity.

There are three seating configurations available with the Rumbleseat: 1) with toddler seat facing backwards (towards mom) with a child 6 months – 50 lbs 2) with toddler seat facing forwards and in the fully reclined position with a newborn up to 6 months and the footrest in the highest position and 3) with an infant car seat attached. The seat cannot be used with the bassinet because there isn’t enough room for the Rumbleseat rider!

One last great feature of the Rumbleseat is that paired with the UPPAbaby Piggyback wheeled board, your Vista Stroller can be turned into a triple stroller!

Keeping in tune with the other high-end strollers, UPPAbaby neglected to give us the cup holders, baby and parent trays we multi-tasking moms long for. If we had to make one change, that would be it. There is a cup holder sold separately specifically for the Vista though.

There are five color choices that are simple, yet divine and are a hit with not only moms but many dads we know as well. Retailing at $669, you get all the fabulous features of a luxury stroller system but at a more manageable price than other brands.

To watch our full video review of the UPPAbaby Vista 2009, click the video below:

SHOP UPPAbaby Vista