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The Nuna Pipa Car Seat isn’t going to be your forever car seat by any means, but it will get you and your infant through the first few months of his or her life with ease. Of course, eventually, you will have to switch over to a car seat designed for older babies or toddlers, but you can use this one from 4-32 lbs, and it has plenty of safety and comfort features to keep them at ease.
With an adapter, the Nuna Pipa booster seat can be used with some BOB strollers and any other stroller that the adapter works with. The infant seat also comes with the appropriate base and features a simple five-second install in your vehicle. It has Nuna’s True Lock system which makes installation easy for most parents, both new and more experienced.
And in most cases, you can fit at least two Nuna Pipas comfortably across the back seat of your car. Also, to give you a piece of mind, this rear-facing car seat like all the other brands and models undergo a crash test, meaning your baby can be safe on the road in case something happens.
The car seat is pretty easy to install and adding any vehicle seat belt is a breeze for every parent, even for inexperienced ones. If you are also looking for a stroller that could be compatible with Nuna Pipa, Nuna Tavo would be an excellent choice and you can read more about it here!
Although the car seat is made for growing babies, there is a comfortable newborn insert that can be used for younger or smaller babies and it can just as easily be taken out as your child grows. Since you’ll need to take the car seat in and out of your car most of the time with your infant still in it, you can use the ergonomic carrying handle that’s smooth and easy to carry by the hand or cradle with your arm.
For safety, the Nuna Pipa has added side impact protection, and a stability leg with a crumple zone meant to absorb harsh impacts.
Where to Buy the Nuna Pipa: You can find the Nuna Pipa in select stores (not everywhere), but I’ve had the best experience ordering via PishPoshBaby here. NOTE: Nuna products are NOT currently sold on Amazon.
Contents
Features
- This is a rear-facing cat seat made for children from 4-32 lbs as a maximum weight limit and the maximum height is 28 inches.
- The Nuna Pipa comes with a part mesh dream drape that stretches over the front of the car seat to help your infant sleep during long car rides.
- It is made of merino wool and lyocell fiber, making it soft and pleasant to be seated in.
- It also has a five-point harness for your child’s safety, as well as side-impact and leg impact protection.
- It’s aircraft certified to travel wherever you and your baby might need to go.
- The car seat itself weighs less than eight lbs which makes it the lightest infant car seat.
- It has a recline angle and also has base anchors making the base installation quite easy.
Pros
- It has a comfortable and soft newborn insert that can be taken out as your baby grows.
- You can use it with some Nuna strollers with the car seat adapter as well as some BOB strollers.
- If you need to take it in a taxi from time to time or while traveling, you can secure it with the belt and without the base.
- The installation can be done in just a few seconds, whether you use the base or not, which can be one of the more taxing things when it comes to infant car seats.
Cons
- The canopy zipper can feel a little flimsy and may even break off after frequent use.
- Some parents may feel that the dream cape is too short and doesn’t cover enough space to help your infant sleep.
- Although there’s extra leg support, the piece of the car seat near the legs tends to shake on long car rides.
Nuna Pipa Recalls?
There are no recent, or current recalls on the Nuna Pipa Car Seat.
Further Reading:
How Others Compare | Nuna Pipa Alternatives
Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat
The Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat is known as one of the premier car seats from Graco overall. Mostly because of its combination of safety, comfort, and affordability.
It’s designed for babies from 4-35 pounds and should be rear-facing at all times. But thanks to its sturdy base, installation is simple enough, and there’s even a bubble level indicator to let you know when your child is in the seat at the right angle.
It has a five-point front-adjust harness that’s easy to tighten or loosen as your baby grows and it has built-in energy-absorbing foam or also known as memory foam, to help keep your child safe in the event of a crash.
Since it’s a Click Connect product, that means the SnugRide can safely and securely click into place on all Graco Click Connect strollers. This gives you a secure travel system whenever you need it with a car seat you already trust. You can buy the car seat on the manufacturer’s site and Amazon or in-store at Walmart and Target.
Pros
- It’s a compact car that can easily fit in most cars’ back seats but isn’t too tight for most babies to be comfortable in it.
- The car seat can be used with all other Click Connect strollers within the Graco brand.
- It’s an affordable infant car seat when compared to other similar infant car seats.
- It’s easy to carry giving the fact that its weight is only 7.7 lbs, and since the carry handle is designed ergonomically to provide you ease.
Cons
- The head cushion insert may not keep your child’s head supported enough, especially if they fall asleep during car rides.
- Adjusting the sun canopy can be difficult.
- The fabric, while soft and comfortable, might feel hot against your baby’s skin over long periods of time.
Has This Item Been Recalled?
In 2014, the Graco SnugRide Click Connect 35 Infant Car Seat was recalled for a faulty front buckle.
Further Reading:
Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air+ Infant Car Seat
One of the biggest selling points for the Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air+ Infant Car Seat is its safety, which is easily at the top of the run compared to other similar car seats. The car seat featured Safety 1st’s own Air Protect + technology cushion system to keep infants safe as well as GCell HX foam with hexagonal shapes.
This adds top-tier protection around the torso and together, the system makes for overall protection for your little one while they’re securely buckled in the car seat. Since the Onboard is designed for infants from 4-35 pounds, there’s also an infant insert to keep younger and smaller babies comfortable and safe at all times.
And although it’s for infants and not toddlers, there are multiple different positions for the harness and buckle to accommodate your growing baby. It also includes LATCH connectors and LATCH storage in the in-car base. You can buy it on Amazon or in-store at Buy Buy Baby and Target.
Pros
- The safety features and reinforced frame are hard to compare to, even for other similar top car seats.
- It’s relatively easy to install it.
- Overall, the car seat is also durable.
- The shoulder strap is easy to adjust, which is especially important as your infant grows.
Cons
- Compared to other similar infant car seats, it’s on the heavier side.
- The canopy doesn’t offer as much coverage as it probably should.
- It’s also a little bulky, and because of this, there are some strollers or shopping carts that it doesn’t properly fit in.
Has This Item Been Recalled?
The Safety 1st Onboard 35 Air+ Infant Car Seat is not part of the 2012 recall on some Safety 1st Car Seats.
Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat
The Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat has the popular Britax patented SafeCell Impact Protection, impact-absorbing isofix base, and steel frame.
When you put it all together, it makes for a safe and sturdy car seat that can protect your child in the event of most crashes and give you real peace of mind. It also has a SafeCenter rigid LATCH for easy LATCH installation that’s even more simple than using a similar system with other car seats.
The car seat’s clicks and the go system make the sit possible to easily go from car seat base to the corresponding stroller and back again, all while keeping your infant safety buckled in the car seat. And to ensure that your child’s seat is installed at the right angle every time, there are auto-level indicators on the side to help you out. It also has built-in lock-offs, unlike some similar car seats.
These ensure that when you install it with a seat belt, there’s no danger of the base becoming loose. The car seat is designed for babies from 4-35 pounds, and you can find it on Amazon or in-store at Target.
Pros
- It’s easy to take the car seat in and out of the car each time.
- It’s also easy to adjust the shoulder straps to ensure that the car seat continues to fit your growing baby safely.
- As an infant car seat, the Britax B-Safe 35 is also affordable for most families.
- You can take the different sections of fabric off the car seat when you need to wash them.
Cons
- It’s a little on the narrow side, so larger babies may not be as comfortable in the car seat.
- The fabric isn’t very breathable, so it can get uncomfortable for little ones after long periods of time.
- It’s also on the heavier side, even with being narrow.
Has This Item Been Recalled?
The Britax B-Safe 35 Infant Car Seat is part of a 2017 recall from a faulty chest clip choking hazard.
Both B-Safe 35 and Elite are great options but we have given the B-Safe 35 a slight edge because it's the budget friendlier option of the two and you might end up paying more than you should for the Elite Car Seat for the equal safety, protection, and comfort levels.
FAQs
Answer: Yes, the Pipa comes standard with a base included. However, a little parent hack is to purchase an extra base, either for the “other car” or as needed. The base tends to be the most time-consuming piece to install in any car.
Answer: 7.7 pounds, which is much lighter than most car seats.
Answer: It comes with an infant insert included as well as a “low birth weight” pillow for additional snugness (good for up to 11 pounds).
Answer: YES, they do now. Initially, they shipped before receiving approval but now all Nuna Pipa models have approval from the FAA.
Answer: Most infant car seats are good for about 5-7 years from the data of the manufacturer, including the Nuna Pipa. You can read more about car seat longevity if interested.
Answer: Very easy. In fact, it was specifically designed for easier installation than most conventional car seats.
Final Thoughts: Is the Nuna Pipa a Good Car Seat?
The Nuna Pipa isn’t going to be the only car seat you’ll ever need. And, at the end of the day, it might not even last you as long as it’s supposed to, depending on your child’s growth and development rate. But it will get you started off on the right foot. It can be installed in literal seconds, which is more than you can say for most other competing car seats.
Some others might boast a quick and easy install, but nothing quite compares to the ease of install that the Nuna Pipa offers. That’s definitely a deciding factor in the purchase of a car seat for most families.
It also has a built-in “dream drape” to pull over the front and allow your baby to fall asleep more easily while also giving you a clear view of them in the car seat. And overall, there are a ton of little features like these that make the Nuna Pipa worth every penny. We believe that in this article we have covered anything that is essential to know about Nuna Pipa, however, if we have still missed something, you can read it in the owner’s manual which covers everything in detail.
Bottom Line: I REALLY loved this car seat. Nuna is doing some GREAT things disrupting the old car seat industry. The Pipa is safe, easy to install, well built, and features a unique elegant minimalist style. Reminder: I purchased our Pipa directly from PishPoshBaby here (they are one of the few online retailers actually carrying the new 2019 version!).
