The Mockingbird stroller has officially hit the streets, and I’ve spent the last 3 weeks putting it through its paces. What makes this stroller stand out? For one, it’s a beautiful, high-quality chariot worthy of any mortal spawn. And two, it’s being sold direct-to-consumer for $350 – $395.
A direct-to-consumer stroller? Brillant! (Or WTF does that mean?)
Before we jump into all the different ways I tried to abuse it tested it out, here’s a brief business lesson: direct-to-consumer basically means the manufacturer sells directly to you, reducing costs by cutting out the middle-man. Think Warby Parker, Casper Mattress, Dollar Shave Club or Glossier. It’s a great opportunity to purchase a higher quality product for a fraction of the cost since you’re buying it before mark-up. Yeet! (Did I do it right?)
Bringing high-quality strollers to the people.
The base cost of the Mockingbird stroller is $395, which is a damn steal of a deal. Now I know $395 isn’t nothing, and there are plenty of great strollers out there that cost less, but considering the quality of what you’re getting, it’s well worth the cost.
What makes the Mockingbird stroller a boss?
I did not go easy on this puppy. From moderate trails to beaches and regular city sidewalks, I put miles on this stroller with very few complaints. It’s a great stroller for someone who is moderately active and lives in a city or suburban area with mostly paved sidewalks. It handles bumps and curbs as well as anything, but isn’t really designed for rough dirt paths or excessive off-roading.
It fit in the back of our Subaru Forester, though even folded up it takes up a fair amount of space (as most strollers of this size would do). It’s also super customizable, with different options for fabrics and colors, and has a ton of accessories if you want to get fancy.
Will the Mockingbird stroller work well for tall people?
We tested it with someone 6 feet tall and someone 6’4″. Both liked the ride and said it felt comfortable. Neither kicked the basket at the bottom when they were in full stride. The 6’4″ tester did say that a telescoping handle (like what an UPPABaby Vista has) would be nice but didn’t think it was worth the extra $575.
Will it work for multiple stages of childhood?
As long as you opt for either the car seat adaptor (which is said to work with most infant car seats), the carriage accessory (a bassinet), or the infant insert, this stroller can be used from infancy through toddlerhood.
What about an option to make it a double?
The double can be purchased as a bundle (base and two seats) for $495, or the second seat can be added at a later date for $120.
Originally, Mockingbird only made a single stroller but most people now opt for the single-to-double since its release. If you don’t think you’ll need the flexibility the double offers you can still buy the single option and it’s $45 less than the single-to-double.
Things I Love
- Made of high-quality materials, doesn’t feel cheap
- Smooth ride
- Can easily flip the seat to face you or to face out
- Giant basket underneath – can fit two cats or one three year old (do not try this at home.)
- Sunshade is huge, easily attaches/detaches, keeps kid cool – totally amazing
- Simple to fold
- Light and easy to put in the car
- Sunshade and peek-a-boo window covers connect with magnets instead of Velcro
- Flip flop friendly brake
- Nice details like the zip away footrest for dumping out crumbs and dirt and the interior pocket in the basket below.
The magnet closure for the sun shade and the peek-a-boo window are silent and hold securely.
The folding mechanism is in the middle of the handlebar makes one-handed pushing tricky sometimes but that’s a very small tradeoff for the easy fold.
How does the Mockingbird compare to the UPPAbaby Vista?
Both of these are great strollers with an option to add an additional seat, but there are some differences. For the sake of simplicity, here’s how the two compare on a few key factors based off the single seat option with the latest models. All info is from their respective sites.
Price: Mockingbird starts at $395 and the UPPAbaby Vista V2 starts at $969.99.
Weight: the Mockingbird comes in around 26.5 pounds and the Vista weighs 27 pounds. This includes the frame, seat, basket, canopy, etc.
What comes in the box: the Mockingbird comes with the frame, seat, bumper bar, wheels, canopy, and a sun shade. The UPPAbaby Vista V2 comes with frame, bassinet, seat, bumper bar, basket, wheels, bug and rain shield.
Car seat adaptability: Mockingbird has a $30 car seat adaptor connects with Britax, Cybex, Evenflo, Chicco, Graco, Maxi-Cosi, UPPAbaby and Nuna. The Vista has a $45 car seat adaptor connects with Chicco, Clek, Cybex, Maxi-Cosi and Nuna. The UPPAbaby Mesa connects without an adapter.
Where it’s manufactured?: Both are made in China.
Would I Recommend the Mockingbird Stroller?
Overall I’m super pleased with this stroller. It feels and looks like it should cost more than it does, and absolutely fit into our wild, chaotic, outdoorsy life. For families who have space to store it (like a garage or hallway where they can just park it at the end of the day), I’d absolutely recommend it.
Do you have a question that wasn’t addressed in the review? Ask away and we will try to help!
If you’d like to buy one, you can find them on the Mockingbird site.
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