UPPABaby Minu V2 Full Review

It has been almost a year since I purchased the UPPABaby Minu V2. I made a post and a video about my initial thoughts when it arrived, and since then, I have taken this mighty little stroller on two international trips, so it is high time for an updated review post. Read on to hear more about my thoughts and experiences with the Minu.

Why I bought it

As I laid out in my previous post, my four-year-old had not used a stroller in two years, but with some big trips coming, I knew I needed one. I wanted something that could withstand cobblestones and rough terrain, had adequate storage capacity, and was large enough to fit my tall child for at least a few years. After extensive research detailed in this travel stroller comparison post, I finally chose the UPPABaby Minu V2.

Where I took it

We were lucky enough to have two big travel opportunities in 2022. First, we spent a couple of weeks in Tuscany, Italy, where we found some great kid-friendly off-the-beaten-path adventures, and then we closed out the year by spending Christmas in Munich. Over the course of both of these trips, I got to test the Minu on cobblestones, dirt, rolling up and down hills, in the sun, and the rain. We maneuvered through crowds, traveled on airplanes, trains, and rental cars, and now I’m here to share all this Minu experience with you!

The Ride/Comfort

The first thing most people consider when purchasing a stroller is comfort. How smoothly does it roll, how easy is it to push, and will my child be comfortable? Of course, the UPPABaby Minu V2 is a travel stroller, so it will not be as smooth as its full-sized counterpart, the Vista, but I was impressed with it. We pushed our stroller around small cobblestone streets in Tuscan villages, through rain-soaked Christmas markets, and even unexpectantly ended up on a dirt path, and the Minu held up.

Of course, there are some bumps around cobbles, but I did not experience any of the harsh jerking I feared. Furthermore, I found maneuvering easy as long as I had both hands on the handlebar. This was problematic as I tried to sip mulled wine and push, but that’s a personal problem. The handlebar is not adjustable, but that is a trade-off for a compact stroller. However, I am 5’8, and I did not find the fixed handle height uncomfortable.

Fold

The fold is essential for a travel stroller. One of my main concerns was finding a stroller with an easy fold, so I could easily store the stroller in small cafes and for easy transportation. I am happy to report that the UPPABaby Minu V2 stroller is very easy to fold, even with one hand, as advertised. You can even fold it with items in the lower basket which was great. The carry strap also made it easy to transport after folding.

We took the stroller inside the cabin of two of our flights, once as-is and once in the travel bag, and had no problem storing it in the overhead bin. However, both of these flights were large airplanes. You may possibly have an issue on a smaller plane. The small fold also made it easy to store in the back of a small rental car along with all our other bags.

Recline

Again, this is a travel stroller, so no, it does not have a lay-flat recline, but I was impressed with how far it does recline. The mechanism was also effortless. You can lay it back with one hand and easily adjust it to an upright position, even if you are dealing with a child in meltdown mode trying to make it as difficult as possible.

My daughter does not regularly nap anymore, but she fell asleep once in the stroller, and the recline was perfectly adequate. However, since it was not a complete lay-flat recline, she did slide a bit, but we clipped her in the harness to keep her in place.

Size

My daughter is a tall four-year-old, so size was critical for me. I didn’t want to spend the money buying a stroller only to find that she was too big or she would outgrow it soon. The 17in seatback on the Minu was plenty tall enough, and she still has space to grow.

The stroller also includes an impressively large extendable canopy with a peek-a-boo window. This definitely comes in handy on hot sunny days. The zipper function, which folds away the middle portion creating a smaller canopy, was also convenient for times we didn’t want the full coverage.

Storage

The storage spaces on the UPPABaby Minu v2 are impressive for such a small stroller. The lower basket was sizeable enough to store snacks, water bottles, travel purchases, etc. Plus, there is a convenient large pocket in the back of the seat for quickly stashing anything you may want to access. More importantly, it was possible to fold the stroller with items in the storage areas.

Accessories

I purchased my Minu right after it was released, so many of the accessories were not yet available. However, they offer various accessories, including a snack tray, cup holder, parent organizer, rain cover, basket cover, and travel bag.

If you are going to travel with your stroller, and I cannot stress this enough, get the official travel bag and register the warranty. If damage occurs to your stroller inside the travel bag UPPABaby’s amazing customer service team will help you as long as both the stroller and travel bag are registered. I know this from experience.

Other than the travel bag, the rain cover was the only accessory I needed, and kicked myself for not remembering to purchase before our trip to Munich. We bought a universal rain cover at a baby store there, but it was not the same. I had the official UPPABaby cover for my Vista, and it fit like a glove, but this one was too loose at the bottom and just kept getting stuck in the wheels and ended up torn within a day. So, moral of the story, remember to get the real one if you need it.

My Takeaway

Overall, I think I made the correct decision in selecting the UPPABaby Minu V2, and I cannot recommend it enough. It is easy to use, comfortable, has spacious storage capabilities, and is tall enough for at least a couple more trips.