Having a baby can be an expensive business! And one of the priciest items you’ll need to buy is a stroller. There are hundreds of strollers to choose from in a wide variety of styles and at different price points, so picking the right one for your family can be a challenge.
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Because my full-time job is being mom to 2 precious daughters, and I know a thing or two about strollers. Besides personal experience, I get feedback from other moms who use these strollers every day and put all that research into our unbiased stroller buying guides
- Kyli
If you want a regular stroller that’s suitable for a newborn baby right through to toddlerhood, which you can use for shopping trips, strolls around your neighborhood, and outings to the park, you might want to consider buying a convertible stroller.
In this guide, we take a look at two popular stroller brands and compare their convertible strollers head-to-head. Both Joolz and UPPAbaby’s products come out at a similar price point, but some notable differences between them might sway your decision.
Table of Contents
Joolz: Ergonomically designed, maneuverable, and compact
Joolz is a premium brand Dutch company that makes children’s gear, including a range of extremely well-designed and stylish strollers.
The company markets its products in over 30 countries worldwide. The company places the emphasis firmly on celebrating the good things in life, specifically your children and the time you spend together as a family. Joolz uses intuitive designs for their to achieve superior handling and a super-compact fold, making traveling by car a pleasure, not an ordeal.
Environmentally focused, Joolz plants a tree for every customer’s child in their “Joolz Birth Forest” in Columbia. As the tree grows, your child grows too, and the earth becomes that little bit greener.
UPPAbaby: Great style, practicality, and pleasure
UPPAbaby is a U.S. company that’s been making children’s gear for over 30 years.
Like Joolz, UPPAbaby markets its strollers as high-end products with a price tag to match. That said, UPPAbaby has a great reputation for manufacturing strollers that are practical, lightweight, and super-easy to use.
All of UPPAbaby’s strollers are extremely well-made and robust. If you buy a stroller from this company, it should last you through several children without letting you down.
Joolz Geo and Geo2 vs. UPPAbaby Vista
In this guide, we compare three very popular convertible strollers head-to-head: the Joolz Geo and Geo2 and the UPPAbaby Vista.
These convertible strollers typically come in at around the same price range. However, there are a few differences between the two that may sway your decision one way or the other.
Joolz Geo and Geo2
- Premium stroller set that accommodates children from birth to 50 pounds
- Features a baby bassinet and convertible seat; also includes extra-large storage basket and all-terrain wheels
- Has the option to expand to a double stroller to accommodate a second child or twins
The Geo2 is an updated version of the original Joolz Geo. The design and look of the stroller have been refreshed with a sleek chassis and nice leather-look handles and fastenings. The wheels are now solid with puncture-proof tires, and there’s a larger sun canopy with transparent ventilation so that you can keep an eye on your child.
The upper seat has been upgraded to provide more comfort, and the five-way harness has a magnetic buckle for easier fastening.
So, the Geo2 is a stylish single or double stroller that has plenty of plus points, including the leatherette trim and distinctive embossed logo detail.
The Geo2 is easy to use and store, it’s spacious and lightweight, super-maneuverable, and you can use the upper seat as a highchair too. Additionally, it will serve your family from birth until around three years, with a maximum weight capacity in the toddler seat of 33 pounds.
The Geo2, when used as a double, is a tandem style stroller rather than a side-by-side, and both children ride facing forward.
UPPAbaby Vista
- Includes bassinet, full size front or rear facing toddler seat with multi-position recline, toddler seat rain and bug shields, and bassinet bug shield and storage bag
- Compatible with MESA Infant Car Seat - direct attachment, no adapters necessary; Compatible with select Chicco and Maxi-Cosi infant car seats when using adaptors (car seats and adaptors sold...
- Longer bassinet mattress pad with ventilation for added breathability
The UPPAbaby Vista is a convertible stroller. The package you get when you buy this stroller includes a bassinet for a newborn baby and a toddler seat for an older sibling.
Like all UPPAbaby’s strollers, the Vista is made using top quality fabrics and materials. The ultimate in convertibility, the Vista can accommodate three children at once in various configurations!
If you enjoy shopping with your children, you’ll love the huge underseat basket boasted by the Vista.
Joolz Geo and Geo2 vs. UPPAbaby Vista: Head-to-Head
So, both these strollers can be converted to carry more than one child, and they are both extremely well-made. But how do they compare head-to-head?
Seating options
The UPPAbaby Vista is designed to carry up to three children, from a newborn baby right through to a toddler. That means you only need to buy one stroller and still have room onboard for your growing family.
Unlike the Geo2, the toddler seat on the Vista is reversible, so you can have your child facing you or looking out on the world. Also, the seat has six recline positions, making it perfect for napping. If you want to, you can tip the whole seat back when it’s reclined. However, like the Geo2, the Vista’s seat can only be used for babies when they are strong enough to hold their heads up independently.
The Vista’s seat is built to take a child that weighs up to 50 pounds. Also, the seat has a longer than average backrest, so it can comfortably accommodate tall children. There’s an adjustable leg rest, a bumper bar, and a toddler-proof five-point harness for additional comfort and safety.
If you have a new baby, you can still use the Vista, but you’ll need to put your infant in the bassinet where they can lie flat.
The Geo2 has a very generous upper seat that will easily fit a tall toddler. That said, the harness straps don’t give you much wriggle room when you’re fastening them. The magnetic fixtures are easy and hassle-free to operate and are very secure once locked. Also, while the regular seat isn’t reversible, the bassinet option is rear-facing.
The upper tandem seat of the Geo2 is set at table height. That means the stroller can double as a high-chair in restaurants and coffee shops. The seat height also means that you won’t need to bend awkwardly over the stroller when you’re attending to your child. Also, curious children will love the high seat thanks to the excellent vantage point it gives them.
And, the higher the stroller seat, the greater the gap between the seat and the lower cot, giving plenty of room for your baby.
Bassinet
Newborn babies can be carried in the UPPAbaby Vista stroller in the bassinet, which is designed to take infants up to 20 pounds and under 25 inches long. The bassinet has a breathable mattress pad and air vents to keep your baby comfortable on warm days. There’s also a zippered rear panel on the bassinet canopy that you can open for additional ventilation.
The same goes for the Geo2. It is sold with a bassinet option which has a nice canopy with an optional mesh panel that can be exposed for additional ventilation. Also, the Geo2 has a large storage basket that sits underneath the converted stroller when it’s in pram mode. The basket has a drop-down side for easy access, which is a nice intuitive design touch.
Canopy
A trademark of UPPAbaby’s stroller range is their wonderfully large canopies. The Vista’s canopy has two panels that extend for extra coverage, and there’s also a long, pop-out sun visor with UPF 50+ material for superior sun protection. When at full size, the canopy will shade the whole child, including their torso and legs. Tall children are catered for too, as the canopy’s height can be adjusted to suit.
A Vista’s canopy has a handy peek-a-boo window allows you to watch your child as you stroll, and the silent, magnetic closures mean that you won’t wake a sleeping child when you take a peek. The peek-a-boo window is mesh, offering additional ventilation on warm days.
All these features will be significant for parents who live in areas that experience very hot, sunny summers.
The Geo2 also has a generous UPF 50+ canopy that extends for extra coverage. However, it doesn’t cover the passenger’s legs, which do remain exposed to the sun.
Ride quality
As you would expect from an UPPAbaby stroller, the Vista gives a superb ride thanks to its four-wheel, shock-absorbing suspension system and solid, polyurethane wheels. Whether you’re pushing over a flat sidewalk, over gravel, curbs, or grass, the Vista is a silky-smooth push anyone can manage with just one hand.
The Vista’s two front wheels swivel, but you can also lock them for easier handling on rough ground.
The Geo2 gives a super-smooth ride, gliding over uneven sidewalks with silent ease. The stroller has four-wheel suspension and large, thick rear wheels that handle bumpy surfaces competently enough.
Handling
Although the Vista is easy to push, it is on the wide side, so one-handed steering could be a challenge when maneuvering around tight corners. Also, the Vista is pretty broad once you’ve expanded it to double mode. That can make steering more difficult, especially through narrow aisles or on a crowded sidewalk or busy trail.
UPPAbaby thoughtfully designed the Vista so that you don’t kick the chassis while pushing, even if you have long legs and a long stride length. Compare that with the Geo2, which some users have complained covers your feet, making it tricky to keep your balance when boarding trains and buses.
The Geo2 is a very lightweight stroller that is easy to push on the flat and uphill too. As a pram and double stroller, the Geo2 fits easily into store aisles, around corners, and through most standard-width doors.
Braking system
The Vista’s one-tap foot-operated brake is practical and easy. to use. You can even operate the brake with flip-flops or barefoot! Also, the brake pedal has clear, red and green indicators, so you can see when the brake is engaged and when it’s off.
The Geo2 also has a flip-flop-friendly pedal brake. However, the lower cot obscures it when you attach it to the stroller. As an extra safety feature, you need to move the stroller back a little way before you can move it forward. That’s perfect if you have a toddler who likes to fiddle with the brake while you’re carrying a baby too.
Handlebar
No matter how tall you are, the Vista’s adjustable handlebar can extend to suit you. The handlebar and included bumper bar both have luxurious, color-coordinated leather coverings.
The Geo2’s handlebar is also height adjustable. And it has a leather-look cover that adds a nice touch of class to an already chic stroller.
Storage basket
UPPAbaby builds their strollers with good-sized storage baskets, and the Vista doesn’t disappoint. The underseat storage bin has a capacity of 30 pounds and will comfortably take a large diaper bag, spare clothing, snacks, and some grocery shopping too. You can access the basket very easily from the front and back of the stroller, so you can quickly grab what you need.
The Vista also has a neat, zip-fastening pocket on the seat back that will take your keys, wallet, and a cell phone.
In comparison, the Geo2 doesn’t have a storage basket included, which is disappointing, especially for a double stroller. You can buy the Joolz Duo Sidepack separately, which you can attach to the side of the stroller, but that’s no substitute for a roomy underseat basket. Also, there is a small, detachable compartment that will take a tablet, which you can sling over your shoulder and use for shopping.
However, when you’re using the Geo2 with the bassinet as a pram, you do get an XXL storage basket, which seems an odd way of doing things when surely you would need more storage when transporting two children.
Travel system
One very important feature of a convertible stroller is car seat compatibility. The Vista can be used as a travel system with the UPPAbaby Mesa, Chicco Keyfit, and Maxi-Cosi car seats. Note that you will need to buy a special adapter if you want to use a car seat that’s not UPPAbaby brand.
The Geo2 is only compatible with the Joolz iZi Go Modular by BeSafe car seat. The car seat is safe, light, and elegant but you do have to buy a separate adapter set.
The fold
A convertible stroller should be easy to fold and must be compact enough to fit comfortably into a car trunk. The Vista delivers on both counts with its one-handed fold, with or without the toddler seat attached. When folded, there’s an automatic lock to prevent the stroller from opening once you’ve collapsed it. Also, the Vista is self-standing when folded, making storage easy and convenient.
The Geo2 has a two-handed folding system. To collapse the stroller, you need to pull adjacent levers simultaneously with both hands, which is a quick and straightforward process and is actually less fiddly than some one-handed folding mechanisms.
Accessories
Another area where UPPAbaby shines is the package of extras that you’ll receive with the Vista. Where some stroller manufacturers expect you to buy accessories separately, UPPAbaby includes them, including two bug shields (for the bassinet and the toddler seat), a rain cover, a storage bag for the bassinet, and a leather-upholstered bumper bar.
Despite the high-end price tag, the Geo2 doesn’t come with a rain cover or a storage basket, both of which you have to purchase separately.
Colors
The Geo2 comes in a pleasing range of colorways, including blue, gray, dark gray, and beige. The collection has a brown leatherette handle and bumper bar, a gray lining, silver chassis, and black wheels.
The Vista has a few more color choice options, including blue marl, blue mélange, green mélange, black, and charcoal gray. Also, UPPAbaby routinely rings the changes with each year’s range of strollers.
Wrapping it up
Both the Joolz Geo2 and the UPPAbaby Vista are high-end, convertible strollers that are best-sellers in the niche.
If you want a stroller that can be used with a bassinet for a newborn or with a toddler seat for an older child, either of these models fits the bill. Both handle smooth and rough surfaces. Both have a simple fold mechanism and collapse into compact parcels that will fit easily into most car trunks and closets.
However, if you want a stroller with plenty of underseat storage, the UPPAbaby Vista delivers more than the Geo2. The Vista comes with more included accessories than the Geo2, which is surprising given their similar price points. If you’re a family that likes to travel and you want a stroller that’s car seat compatible, the Vista offers you more options than the Geo2.
