Uppababy Vista vs Concord Neo?

[Smicha]

My first baby is due in October and I've started looking at travel systems to give me enough time to fully research and select one. The two winners for me and DH are the Uppababy Vista and the Concord Neo.

Both are pretty similar, but where the Uppababy wins is on storage space, window in the hood and ability to add a rumble seat if we have another little one in the next few years.

The Neo wins on ease of use, carrycot that can be strapped into the car, insert in the buggy for smaller babies and the fact that the package includes a car seat (the Concord air), umbrella and buggy bag.

Aside from general reviews of the two, my specific questions to you experts are...

Is the ability to add a rumble seat so important? What is the best way of transporting two if you have a toddler and a newborn? (DH seems convinced we'll want another in quick succession!!!)

Has anyone used the Concord air car seat? I can't find a lot about it online, can't even find which cars it fits into.

Thanks for your views!

The Vista is superb but to use the Rumble seat you need to have a very specific child ie one who doesn't nap at all - often the earliest is 2 for a child not to nap - and under 18kgs - a tall toddler (not even overweight) could be 18kgs before 3. You could equally have a very slight child but they may nap until they are 4. The rumble seat is far too upright for a child to nap in. You also can only use the Vista with a car seat and Rumble seat for the first 3 months. So although the Vista is probably the best top end, value for money pushchair on the market, don't buy it because of the Rumble seat because two children close together are more likely to need two seats. If two children close together are an option look at the iCandy Peach, Oyster Max or Jane Twone.

I have looked repeatedly at the Vista for newborn and toddler but just can't see a way to make it work comfortably for longer periods of time, though as Tiggy says it's fantastic single and the basket alone would probably sell it to me for one child!

I remain unconvinced that buying something for one child on spec. that it will also work for two, especially with an unspecified age gap, is for me though. There are too many compromises in my book. With the vista the compromise lies with both children when the second one is born. The newborn can't lie flat with the rumble seat on so you either use car seat or a wedge in the main seat, the toddler can't nap comfortably as above. Plus the toddler HAS to face you... some would take issue with that.

IMO the iCandy Peach is the only thing that is a real single and a real double. I am waiting impatiently to find out about the Twone (and possibly the Oyster Max). Personally I would go for the the thing you get on with best for one child and worry about subsequent ones later. If you chose well for your first it's usually possible to resell for a good chunk of the money you initially spent. To note on that front Concord does not seem to be a brand that holds its value particularly well but I'm not sure why, have not heard any specifically bad things about them.

Thanks for the advice. I didn't think there was much point trying to plan for two at this stage - DH is being a bit optimistic...!!

We like the Concord overall, but I hadn't thought about resale and value. Good point. We looked at the iCandy Peach and just didn't like it as much as these two - although it was really good, it seemed a bit style over function.

Lots of thinking for us to do!

I would suggest the Vista will hold its value better than the Concord. Plus I wouldn't buy a parasol - an all over cover is more practical than constantly adjusting a parasol as you walk, and there are some stunning changing bags out there if you want to have fun looking for one :)