UPPAbaby Mesa Max Review

UPPAbaby is an American company with over a decade of combined experience in juvenile products. UPPAbaby is inspired by everyday family life to create easy-to-use, safe, light, and fun gear. UPPAbaby aims to improve products without losing convenience, usability, or style. The company offers car seats and some of our favorite strollers, including full-size, lightweight, and top-ranked double strollers.

Performance Comparison

Crash Testing

The Max earned a better-than-average score for crash test analysis by the skin of its teeth, earning better results than about half of the competition.

While all the seats in this review are considered safe and comply with federal guidelines, we seek standout seats that perform better than the competition. We ran this test a little faster than the federal standard with a more modern sled and compared the resulting sensor data from the HIC (head sensor) and chest clip sensors side-by-side with the other seats. The HIC result is one of the best (lowest) in the group, with only a handful performing better. The chest clip sensor result was less impressive, with a result higher than the average (again, lower is better). It's this result that brought down its overall crash test analysis score. Overall, it is the better-scoring UPPAbaby in this review and still came close to the average. However, this is not the best choice if your goal is the best crash test results.

Ease of Installation LATCH

The Max earned an impressive score for ease of installation using the LATCH method. The Max offers push-style connectors, easy tightening, an anti-rebound bar, and load leg.

The LATCH connectors on the Max are push-style attached to a retractable strap. The retractable strap is amazing, prevents the possibility of twisting the strap, and reduces any real need for manual tightening. If you think it isn't tight enough after retraction, you need to put a little pressure on each side independently to finish the process. There is a color change indicator when it is tight enough, which is hugely reassuring.

The recline is easy to adjust, and the bubble indicator has a wide tolerance for installation, making this portion easier. The load leg is also easy to install with a press of a button and pulling on the leg. The manual claims it slides out independently, but we didn't experience that. However, it is easy to pull out and fit easily in place.

To remove when found it easiest to pull out some straps before pulling the release tab on the LATCH connectors. They then retracted from the anchor points on their own, and we had to guide them into the storage cubbies.

Recline Adjustment

It has four recline positions and is easy to adjust during installation, with a wide center lever you lift with four fingers.

Ease of Installation - Belt

Installing the Max with the vehicle belt is one of the hardest methods for this seat, and it earned a just above-average score in this metric compared to the competition. The belt pathway is color-coded, with a built-in lock-off but no tensioner.

The belt pathway is clear, and crossing the vehicle belt over the designated area was easy. The holes for threading are on the smaller side, but they aren't challenging to use. Tightening the belt is easy, but we had some trouble getting the belt to stay in place to close the lock-off.

Pushing the lock-off closed isn't fun, and there isn't enough space to use your palm, leaving you with fingers that might lack strength to close it correctly. The base has a color-changed indicator for when it is tight enough, and while we find this reassuring, we could barely get the final shift from a thin line of red to full green, which required some knee pressure on the base.

Unlike some of the competition, this base has an easy load leg, and we like the feeling of being fully installed with a stable foundation that doesn't budge. This is one of the most stable and is nearly impossible to budge, even pushing on it with two hands. However, it felt like a workout to get it done, and it isn't one you'd want to keep repeating.

Ease of Installation - w/o the Base

The Max utilizes the European belt pathway with color-coded indicators to help guide you. It has a line-level indicator on the sticker decal on the side, but the line is thin and harder to see at a distance, which is how you are supposed to use it. It is the second easiest installation method for this seat and was one of the higher-scoring seats for this metric.

The slots for both portions of the belt are easy to thread. You need to put in one side at a time, but the pathway is easy to see and access. It is a somewhat smaller seat, and when we tightened it, it stayed in place instead of the front flipping up somewhat like many competitors do.

You need to move the handle down after threading, and we pinched our finger in the process, so be aware and move slowly. The back portion where the shoulder belt goes is a concave indent with a clip, and it shifts somewhat when you tighten it, but not enough to be a problem. Overall, it is straightforward, not complicated, and sturdy when installed.

Ease of Use

The Max is one of the easier options to use daily, with only a handful of options in our testing offering easier-to-use features. UPPAbaby has put some thought into creating a parent-friendly design for this car seat.

Buckle

We had to use a little more force than usual to press the button, which was somewhat small compared to the competition. The prongs need to be pulled out while pressing the button, which makes it somewhat of a thumb workout. The prongs push in with a click but require a little more oompf than we are used to.

The chest clip button is easy to press, even if it is a little odd. Larger thumbs might have to use just the end and be more precise than with other clips. The sides slid apart without any trouble.

Harness Tightening/Loosening

Extra padding and fabric around the head and shoulder strap area can be problematic if you aren't paying attention. The tightening strap secures with a button on the end, so it isn't free-floating or available for little ones to play with. It also prevents it from getting trapped between the carrier and the vehicle seat. There is a little more resistance compared to others in the group, but it isn't significant enough to be a negative.

The release button is hard to press down and a bit of a workout for the finger. There is an odd mesh over the button that wasn't a hindrance to use but did make us wonder what it was there for.

Harness Adjustment

This seat has only one crotch position but virtually infinite shoulder trap height options. The mechanism is just a pull or push; there is nothing to pinch or move to make it happen, so you can do it when you realize there is a need.

Carrier to Base Connection

This base is an open area with fewer contours to guide the carrier into place. You can see where the carrier connects to the base, which is a bonus and reassuring if you are nervous. The lever to remove the carrier is low on the back of the carrier, and you have to lean further in than most of the competition. When you squeeze the release lever and use it to help lift the carrier in combination with the main handle, the carrier tilts somewhat forward. This isn't a deal breaker and doesn't seem to bother the passenger.

Handle

The handle has four possible positions; all are allowable in the car when driving. The release button is near the joint and easy to press. There is an anti-rebound position. It does not conflict with the canopy, and both move independently of the other.

Canopy

The canopy is easy to open and close; it feels very solid and not at all flimsy. It is so smooth moving it was a standout in the group. Something you might not appreciate until you experience a terrible canopy. This canopy doesn't rotate on the same joint as the handle, making both much easier to use. This design seems to help the canopy move unencumbered and prevents the handle from interfering with the canopy as much as competitors.

LATCH and Manual Storage

The strap on the LATCH connectors retracts for easy storage. The connectors go right into the storage compartment almost on their own, but you can use the orange tab to help guide if it needs an assist. Once it locks in place, you need to press the orange button to release it. The user manual is located on the top of the base in the center, just past the lock-off. It is easy to access and free from the mess zone, but you won't have it if you travel without the base.

Comfort/Quality

This UPPAbaby stands out for comfort and quality, with one of the highest scores in this metric. With attention to detail and comfort for little ones, we think UPPAbaby has created a higher-quality seat with nicer materials than the average option in this review.

Fabric and Padding

The breathable material on this seat is nice, but much like other breathable options we've seen, it is a bit rougher on sensitive skin. The material on the bottom and sides is smoother and more skin-friendly, so it's a bummer it is wasted on areas less likely to encounter bare skin. It would have scored higher if the fabric were more thoughtfully placed. On the upside, there is ample padding in the seat, with softer cushion and then supportive foam underneath it. The harness has both shoulder and crotch pads to prevent rubbing.

Handle and Canopy

The handle is more oval than round, and it is nice for resting it on a forearm, but it is less ergonomic for gripping. The middle of the handle has a button that can get in the way, but it isn't uncomfortable to grip off to the side of it.

The canopy is on its own pivot and doesn't interfere with the handle or vice versa. It has good seat coverage, but the fabric is thin and see-through with a UPF 25+ rating.

Shell

The outer shell of the Max is smooth, with no hard edges or nooks for grime to hide. We think it will be easy to keep clean even if liquid messes arise.

Weight/Size

The Max is slightly heavier than the average seat at 10.6 lbs. This gave it a score for weight slightly higher than the average. It isn't prohibitively heavy, with some seats weighing more, but it might be if you plan to lug it around. Alternatively, UPPAbaby makes several award-winning strollers that would pair with this seat.

Should You Buy the UPPAbaby Mesa Max?

The Mesa Max is a great choice if you want the best quality and comfort. It offers some of the best padding and soft fabric in the bunch, and we think it is a great match for award-winning UPPAbaby strollers. This Mesa has a load leg, easy to use design, and is easy to install using LATCH. If your goal is comfort or you Love UPPAbaby, this is the infant seat for you. However, if your goals are the best crash test results or all-around seats, there are others to put on your shortlist.

What Other Infant Car Seats Should You Consider?

If you want a great all-around option that performs well, the Chicco Keyfit 35 is one to consider. This seat has better-than-average crash test analysis results, is super easy to use, and installs without too much effort. If your goal is the absolute best crash test results or overall highest score and the price is not a problem, then the Clek Liing is one to look at. This seat has the best crash test analysis and LATCH installation results with rigid LATCH connectors and a load leg.

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