UPPAbaby Mesa Max Infant Car Seat/Base with Load Leg and Robust Infant Insert Included/Innovative Safety Features + Simple Installation/Direct Stroller Attachment/Noa (Navy Mélange)

Love the new uppababy car seat! We had the old version for our last two kids and decided to pay extra for the extended visor. When it arrived I was impressed with how comfy it was and how it was just as easy to use as the previous car seats (the biggest reason I choose uppababy is the ease of use). The visor is the perfect length and I enjoy how much quieter it is than the older version. I also noticed the handle bar is much quieter and easier to maneuver than the older version. The first part of the base was easy to click in and attach to the car. However, the rebound bar took awhile to figure out and it takes up a significant amount of floor space with it needing to be at a specific angle. This makes it difficult to put in other cars if they don’t enough floor space to have a seated passenger in the front with the car seat in the back. It’s also impossible for kids to climb out from the side of the vehicle with the base installed even if the car seat isn’t in. Uppababy should make a base without the bar for those who don’t find it necessary or simply don’t have the space for it. Otherwise the car seat is great! My newborn absolutely loves it and falls asleep quickly during car rides.

I love this car seat! Features makes it easy to install the base with the retractable flex latch, or with the seat belt. You can even install the car seat without the base!Benefits of the Mesa Max base is that it reduces forward and backward sway because of the option to use the stabilization leg, and has a higher base platform against the seat of the car. The car seat it self is sleek, durable, and makes you feel at ease that your baby is protected. Love that the overhead cover has a greater range of covering the baby. Also easy to connect and disconnect the car seat from the base and from an UPPAbaby stroller if you have one.

In the process of returning this carseat/stroller. I purchased the Mesa Max for my second child as we wanted what we thought was a quality infant car seat & stroller. (Had a Graco Modes- 2019- no frills, but ended up being a better purchase than this).From a design perspective- this is a beautiful stroller. We purchased the navy color seat/bonnet, and also purchased the stroller with leather handles. Saw both in store at a Bambi Baby store, and thought it was great- but when it arrived, and it was time to put baby in it- I was so disappointed----1. My infant hated being in this car seat. The SIP head protectors always seemed to make him uncomfortable, and made it hard for us to actually get him in the seat. He also cried ALOT in this seat.2. Removing one of the infant pads created a C shape to his spine, tucking the chin into the chest (can cause SIDS). I'm seeing this on alot of other reviews now. On a plus side- I recently received additional padding from UppaBaby to prevent this (so, at least they stand behind their product). This piece was sent I believe to all registered carseats (so make sure whatever product you DO purchase ALWAYS register it with the manufacturer).3. The bonnet DOES offer significant coverage BUT the material is SO thin, that I was concerned on very hot sunny days, my baby was not getting enough coverage from the sun. Also ZERO protection from rain if you get caught outside unexpectedly.4. We purchased the Uppa Baby CRUZ stroller base to be paired with the Mesa Max. While the Cruz is BEAUTIFUL (leather handles) and DOES have a smooth ride over bumpy sidewalks and streets... there are several issues here. (1) It is HEAVY- getting it in and out of a car trunk is a workout. Really tough to do postpartum and "fourth trimester." (2) When closing it, balance is all on the front two wheels, instead of the back two wheels- which is super problematic as all the weight as it's being closed, distributes unevenly to the front causing the person to close it to bend over even further to close it (Again, terrible experience for postpartum and "fourth trimester" moms). The Cruz fell over on the ground SO many times for me before until I figured out how to close it. Even then, it's still an issue. I also always feel I'm going to scratch the leather handles on the ground. My old stroller, while not pretty, DID allow me to close it while almost fully upright- just unlock at the handles, do a throw motion down, and the stroller closed in a standing position. Maybe this isn't a big deal for some- but just think about how many times one does this motion over the course of a 2 to 3 year period. The ease of closure makes a difference.5. No accessories included. Everything is extra. Our old Graco stroller came with a plastic console with two cup holders (perfect for freeing your hands of keys, pacifiers, or a bottle), AND a center storage with lid. I missed this feature alot- as the CRUZ, and many 2024 brands do not have this feature. (Nor do Uppa Baby posh accessories have something as useful). For parents, having a place to put things down is essential- as your hands are always literally and figuratively full. Dumping my cell phone or car keys in the lower basket as just a HASSLE, wind up getting lost at the bottom of a full basket... and again, forcing a postpartum mom to bend down.6. On a positive note, I DID purchase the skateboard accessory for my 5 year old, and she LOVES it. (Careful to buy the right one, I accidentally bought one for the Versa, not the Cruz. One size DOES NOT fit all.). But buyer beware- the only comfortable way to push your older kid on this and not kick the skateboard is to push on the side and use only one hand. Not terribly practical.. but this I didn't mind. Again my five year old felt so cool being pushed on this, and included.I really wish I had encountered a review like this ahead of my purchase. I hope UppaBaby sees this and takes these design issues/ usage issues into consideration on future models. It's a shame, as the car seat and stroller are beautiful. You can't go through a posh neighborhood without seeing at least one... but for me, beauty does not mean functional.Currently researching something new.

I bought this for my daughter for her first baby and she found it was easy to install and place baby in!

Yes I’ve read this is heavy compared to other but it’s very durable. The canopy comes down much lower and the padding makes baby secure and comfortable.

Love this seat and the safety it offers. Very versatile

You buy a lot of things for your first baby and it’s a learning process throughout. Unfortunately I regret this seat more than any other purchase. I was between this and the Pipa, but I went with this one so I could use it with our stroller without an adapter and so I could travel without a base. I’ve used it without our stroller twice because he hates it so much, and ended up carrying him both times. I wouldn’t dare travel with this seat unless I wanted to torture the other travelers.I get maybe 5 minutes in this seat before the screaming starts and it does not stop until we take him out. No pacifier or distraction can help. We’ll be replacing it this month, he’s 3 months old and 18 pounds. I thought maybe he just hated car seats until we got a convertible for my husband’s vehicle and we had our first peaceful car ride in months. He played, smiled, even fell asleep. I don’t have another infant seat to compare to but this one just seems off. It’s easy to install, it feels nice, it looks nice, it has all the safety features you want.That being said my baby looks crunched up in this seat. There’s a severe curve in the seat itself, it causes his chin to tuck into his chest, and the headrest is huge. The seat also seems to squish him in on the sides and contribute to his discomfort. It’s hot because it’s so enclosed. He’s very obviously hated this seat since I had to pull out the infant insert when he was 3 weeks old. I love our stroller from UB but this seat really misses the mark.

My favorite thing about this car seat is how long the canopy is. Newborns can’t wear sunscreen at first or be in direct sunlight so this was perfect. But my hospital did make me take off the extra padding on the straps when we went home.