First Look: Kona Stroller by UPPAbaby

The Kona Stroller by UPPAbaby is the brand’s first foray into the new mid-size category and it packs a punch: relatively lightweight at 22lbs, the Kona features larger sized wheels for city streets, a ginormous underbasket for Whole Foods runs (holds 30lbs!), a premium seat, and easy fold both forward and parent facing. This stroller is upping the ante for city rides that strike a great balance between size and features. 

In this article, we’ll break down what we loved about the Kona as we go our first look; from building it to testing its features to taking it out onto the street. 

TLDR

The Kona Stroller by UPPAbaby offers a great balance between full-size type features at a more compact and lighter size. At less than 22 lbs, with 30 lbs of storage space, an easy parent-facing and forward-facing fold, this is a top choice for city living.  Wheels and suspension meet the city street like pros, and the seat is large and comfortable. The stroller is also suitable for both a newborn thanks to the recline, car seat adaptability and optional bassinet sold separately, and a toddler with more headroom, a roomy seat, adjustable footrest and easily adjustable harness. All in all, we think this is a great all-in-one city stroller for those who want something more compact yet still robust. 

Table of Contents

• Building the Kona

• Taking it for a Spin

• Diving into the Features

• Our Verdict

Building the Kona

Like all UPPAbaby rides, the Kona is easy to build. The seat is mostly assembled, so you just have to add the wheels and go. The raincover and mosquito net come in a separate box inside the packaging so be sure to take those out and store them in your underbasket or other convenient spot. Watch our Unboxing here. 

Taking it for a Spin

We couldn’t help but test out the stroller immediately both inside the store and out. We folded it and tried all the features, based on intuition rather than study. We will normally do this first, as this is how customers often do it, skipping the video or instructions unless they get stuck. This was smooth sailing. The fold, although different than other strollers in our lineup was super easy to figure out.

Diving into the Features

After getting an overall impression, it was time to dig in:

Wheels

The wheels are nice and big - not as big as the Vista, but still good sized for the city streets. The street felt good: there was nice suspension and it was an easy push. 

Seat

This is a premium seat with a UPF+ canopy with a peekaboo window. That means whether my child is forward or parent facing, you can always check on them easily. The canopy is really large, so if your little one naps on the go, it will be no problem. It’s also can adapt to give more headroom as your little one grows. There are 4 reclines (adjustability is one-handed) the last of which is all the way back and the first, front-of-the-class upright. 

Getting your child into the stroller is easy as well. The magnetic buckle is simple to operate, just squeeze to release and snap it to go. There’s also a nice footrest for added comfort with three positions, that’s also able to be adjusted with one hand. 

One more thing: If you are worried that the Kona Stroller sits a bit low, worry not! There are adapters that you can purchase that can give it a boost if you want baby to be closer to you for extra bonding time. 

Newborn readiness

The seat can recline flat enough for newborn use. On top of that, the UPPAbaby Bassinet can click onto it directly for an overnight sleep ready bassinet solution. You can also click your Aria or Mesa car seat directly onto it. 

Toddler readiness

The backrest is nice and tall for this stroller (21”) and the canopy provides full coverage. As we said, the canopy can also be adjusted to give more headroom for your growing toddler. The stroller is compatible with a snack tray so it’s not only good for napping on the go but also having a bite. 

Fold

The fold is impressive for its simplicity. Pull back the canopy, pull the seat recline lever and fold the seat forward then grab the bar (you’ll know it when you see it) and voila. We love the standing fold, yes, but even better is that it does it no matter whether your seat is forward or parent facing. This is a big deal, as for many models, the parent facing fold is well . .  let’s say it normally leaves a lot to be desired. 

Weight

For a mid-size stroller, this is right in a sweet spot. It’s less than 22lbs and easy enough to carry. There’s a carry strap too that —we’re not going to lie — it’s short, but doable. We’d love if they added another 2 inches to it but . . .

Storage

Storage capacity is another wow with this stroller: 30 lbs. That’s a week's worth of groceries with a 2 gallon jug of milk, a tray of bottled water and a rotisserie chicken (and probably much more than that. Just to say it’s big. 

Certifications

Like all UPPAbaby products, the Kona is GREENGUARD Gold Certified, which means it will not negatively contribute to your indoor air quality. This is a great thing, as your little one is in their ride a lot so you want it to be as safe as possible. 

Travel System

The Kona Stroller can work with the Mesa and Aria infant car seats without any adapters which is pretty cool. It’s also compatible with Cybex, Clek, and Maxi Cosi infant seats with separately sold adapters. [Unsure about your car seat situation? Find out how to pick an infant car seat here]

Other important things we noticed: the fabrics are washable which is key for on the go in the city. There are reflective accents on the fabric for night strolling and a zip pocket for your phone and keys. 

This stroller comes with the toddler seat rain shield, toddler seat bug shield as well as the warranty.  Warranty is also 3 years if you register it right away. After working with UPPAbaby for over 10 years, we can say that warranty claims are few and far between but when they happen, they’re addressed in a flash. 

Stats

 Our Verdict

Our verdict is thumbs waaay up: The Kona Stroller by UPPAbaby is a top choice for an all-in-one city stroller that threads the needle between not-to-heavy and feature-rich. 

Strolling with Babesta

When you’re ready to shop for a stroller, the Kona should be one for your short list, especially if you’re looking for something that’s not too big, yet packs a punch with features. 

With Babesta you can test out all of the strollers you love (each one pre-vetted for a city lifestyle) and learn how to use all the features before you commit. This will help you find the model that fits your vibe to a tee. 

Don’t lose your cool shopping for strollers. Babesta has your back. 

Deciding whether you'd rather a full size, mid size or lightweight stroller? Our article to help you choose. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the Kona Stroller fit in the overhead bin in an airplane?

No, the Kona is too big to meet the dimensions for the overhead bin in the airplane (you could try the Minu V3 for that). It’s meant to be an around town stroller that’s easy enough to take on the subway, carry up a flight of steps, or put in the trunk of a car as well. 

Can the Kona Stroller accommodate two children?

The Kona Stroller is a single stroller only. If you want a double in the UPPA family, we’d suggest you look at the UPPAbaby Vista V3. 

What are the differences between the Kona and the Minu V3?

We will dive deeper into this in a separate article, but in a nutshell, the Minu V3 is a lightweight travel stroller that’s lighter than the Kona and built for walk ups, taxi rides, and airplane travel (it’s overhead bin compliant). However, the Minu can only face forward (not both ways), has less storage space, and has smaller wheels. The Kona is meant as a compact stroller, bigger than a lightweight but smaller than a full size.