Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Infant Car Seat Comparison

With a sea of stroller and car seat options to choose from as you shop baby gear, it can feel like a godsend to find one thing that "does it all."

The Doona+ infant car seat / stroller has done just that for years, offering parents an alternative to bulky travel systems. It's an infant car seat that transforms into a stroller as you get in and out of the car with pop-out wheels and rotating carry handle turned handlebar.

Although Doona+ has been a favorite for baby's first year among minimalist parents and frequent travelers, the new Nuna PIPA urbn travel systems are sure to rival in many ways.

Like any other infant car seat, your baby will likely outgrow these portable infant car seats by their first birthday, then transition to a convertible car seat. Although, with the new Nuna PIPA urbn travel systems, you will still get to use your travel system stroller for years to come.

In this article we will compare the Doona+ infant car seat stroller with the new Nuna PIPA urbn infant car seat travel systems.

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Video Comparison

See our video version of the PIPA urbn, including a review of safety features, installation, stroller compatibility and more. Our review of the Doona+ is coming soon and will be posted to this blog post.

Nuna PIPA urbn

Learn about the differences between the PIPA Urbn and six other PIPA models in this Nuna PIPA comparison. 

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Price

The Doona+ ranges in price from $550 for most colors to $650 for limited, special edition colors. The PIPA urbn is $350 to $650 more than the Doona+, since it is only sold as a travel system with either the Nuna MIXX Next, Nuna TRIV Next, or Nuna TRVL. So you are getting both the car seat and stroller in the same box.

• Doona+: $550-650
• MIXX Next and PIPA Urbn: $1200
• TRIV Next and PIPA Urbn: $1100
• TRVL and PIPA Urbn: $900

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Weight

The Doona+ stroller weighs the most out of any infant car seat, but that's because it is also a stroller. You very rarely have to worry about having to carry it since you can simply pop out the wheels and go! However, the weight, at 16.5 pounds, may be a factor to consider for some parents when thinking about having to lift it in and out of your car or if you have stairs you regularly have to go up and down. 

The PIPA urbn is most similar in weight to the Nuna Pipa Lite RX model, weighing just 7 pounds. Easy enough to carry when needed, but also simple to pop on the stroller and go! 

• Doona+: 17.2 pounds
• PIPA Urbn: 7 pounds
• MIXX Next stroller: 28.3 pounds
• TRIV Next stroller: 18.5 pounds
• TRVL stroller: 13.6 pounds

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Weight and Height Limit

• Doona+: 4 to 35 pounds; 32" height limit (seat height is 21")
• PIPA urbn: 4 to 22 pounds; 29" height limit (seat height is 18" - other PIPA models are 19")

The length of time a car seat lasts is more complex than you would think! Infant car seats are outgrown once one of 3 limits are met - overall height, weight, and torso / head height (it's outgrown when the top of the baby's head is less than an inch from the top of the seat). Since every baby is built differently, it will vary when a car seat is outgrown. However, most infant car seats are outgrown in height or torso / head height way before the weight limit is even close to being met. Most infant seats are outgrown when the baby is around a year old.

However, the PIPA urbn does have lower limits than most other infant seats on the market. The weight limit is a bit lower at 22 pounds, whereas the height limit is not too much different at 29". This is one infant seat that babies may outgrow weight wise before height or around the same time. For frame of reference, the average one year old is approximately 19lb. 10oz. for girls and 21lb. 3oz. for boys; the average height is 29" for girls and 29.75" for boys. 

The actual height of the seat of the Doona+ and PIPA urbn differ as well. The Doona+ has one of the tallest seat heights of any infant seat on the market. This means it typically will not be outgrown in torso / head height before it's outgrown in overall height (when baby is 32"). 

When comparing these two seats, the Doona+ will likely last you a little longer than the PIPA urbn. 

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Installation with Base

Doona+

The Doona+ Base can be easily installed in the vehicle with either the LATCH system or with the vehicle's seatbelt. DO NOT attempt to install the Doona Base using both the LATCH system and the vehicle's belt, it is not approved and might disrupt the correct functioning of the Doona+ Infant Car Seat and the Doona Base.

Watch how to correctly install the Doona+ base in the videos below.

Installing Latch Base with Shoulder Belt

Installing Latch Base with Latch Connectors

Nuna PIPA Urbn

Unlike the Doona+, and the rest of the Nuna PIPA models for that matter, the Nuna PIPA urbn does not include a base with purchase - and is not compatible with any base models.

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Installation Without Base

Doona+ Seat Belt Installation Video

 

PIPA urbn with pipaFIX Rigid Latch Connector Installation

 

Strollers Compatible with Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn

With its wider shell and built-in wheels, the Doona+ cannot attach to any stroller. Since it has its own wheels already, that won't be a problem for most! But for parents who may be shopping for a double stroller soon or parents who live in an area where all-terrain tires are a must-have, the small tires and incompatibility with any strollers restricts the Doona+ to parents who only have a child in the infant stage, that often stroll on smooth pavement. Also, once your baby has outgrown the Doona+ (around a year old), you will need to purchase another stroller. 

Since it is stroller-compatible (and comes with a separate, toddler-ready stroller right out of the box), you may find the PIPA urbn to be a more versatile choice. Though the PIPA urbn is only packaged with the MIXX Next, TRIV Next, or TRVL at this time, it's also compatible with any stroller and adapter that works with the other Nuna PIPA series car seat models.

Strollers Compatible with Doona+

The Doona+ is not compatible with any strollers. You will need another stroller once the Doona+ is outgrown around a year old. 

Strollers Compatible with Nuna PIPA urbn

Right out of the box, you'll get a Nuna MIXX Next, TRIV Next, or TRVL stroller with the PIPA urbn car seat, but if you nanny share or plan to use additional strollers that fit other purposes, like a double or jogging stroller, the PIPA urbn still fits any stroller that the other Nuna PIPA models are compatible with, including:

• Nuna Demi Grow, MIXX Next, MIXX, TRIV, TRIV Next, TAVO, TAVO Next, PEPP and PEPP Next (with included adapters)
• Peg Perego YPSI and Agio Z4 (with adapter)
• Austlen Entourage (with front adapter or rear adapter)
• Baby Jogger City Sights (with adapter)
• Babyzen YOYO+ and YOYO2 (with adapter)
• BOB Revolution Flex 2.0 (with adapter)
• Bugaboo Ant (with adapter)
• Bugaboo Butterfly (with adapter)
• Bugaboo Donkey, Donkey2, Donkey3, Donkey5 (with mono or twin adapter)
• Bugaboo Fox, Fox2 and Lynx (with adapter)
• Bugaboo Fox3 (with included adapter)
• Bugaboo Cameleon3 (with adapter)
• Bugaboo Bee3, Bee5 and Bee6 (with adapter)
• Bumbleride Era (with adapter)
• Bumbleride Indie and Speed (with adapter)
• Bumbleride Indie Twin (with adapter)
• Cybex Gazelle S (with included adapters)
• Joolz Aer (with adapter)
• Joolz Geo2 (with upper or lower adapter)
• Joolz Day+ (with adapter)
• Joolz Hub+ (with adapter)
• Mima Xari (with adapter)
• Mima Zigi (with adapter)
• Silver Cross Dune and Reef 2 (with adapter)
• Silver Cross Jet (with adapter)
• Silver Cross Wave (with upper adapter or lower adapter)
• Stokke Xplory*, Trailz* and Scoot* (with adapter)
• Quinny Moodd (with included adapter)
• Thule Urban Glide 1 or 2 Single and Double (with adapter)
• Thule Sleek (with adapter)
• Thule Spring (with adapter)
• UPPAbaby Vista, Vista V2, Cruz, and Cruz V2 (with ring adapter or post adapters)
• UPPAbaby Minu, Minu V2 (with adapter)
• Veer Cruiser All-Terrain Wagon (with adapter)

* = not compatible with PIPA Lite versions

Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn Colors

A wide range of colors are available for the Doona+, with the option to purchase spare canopies and harness colors from the manufacturer if you want to switch up your look. Doona also makes the Doona+ car seat in limited, special edition colors. The Doona+ is available in:

• Nitro Black
• Desert Green
• Blush Pink
• Royal Blue
• Racing Green
• Flame Red
• Grey Hound

The Nuna PIPA urbn travel systems comes in select colors depending on which stroller it's paired with:

MIXX Next and PIPA urbn:

• Caviar black

TRIV Next and PIPA urbn:

• Caviar black
• Ocean indigo blue

TRVL and PIPA urbn:

• Caviar black
• Hazelwood tan
• Lagoon green and black accents

Benefits and Drawbacks

So which infant car seat system is better: the Doona+ all-in-one car seat on wheels, or one of the Nuna PIPA urbn travel systems? Only you can decide which is best for your family, but here are the potential benefits and drawbacks we see.

Considering one of the other six Nuna PIPA versions that include a base? See our Nuna PIPA series comparison.

Doona+

Benefits

• All-in-one styling is helpful for travel because you're packing 1 item instead of 2
• Saves trunk space when running errands (no separate stroller frame to store)
• Lower positioning is ideal for shorter parents or for older siblings to push the stroller comfortably
• Handlebar rotates to push or pull next to you
• Has a 13 pound higher weight limit of 35 pounds and additional 3" of height capacity at 32" max then the Nuna PIPA urbn
• Carry handle doubles as an anti-rebound bar in the vehicle

Drawbacks

• Can't be used as a stroller once your child has outgrown the infant car seat
• Nearly 10 pounds heavier on its own, and nearly 20 pounds heavier when factoring in the weight of the base
• Not compatible with any strollers
• Smaller canopy that doesn't offer more coverage except with purchase of accessories
• Low positioning of seat and handlebar may be uncomfortable for taller parents
• Stroller isn’t great for long walks - it's not great for babies to be in a car seat for an extended period of time
• Baby cannot sit up when in stroller mode like in a regular stroller (some babies do not like this)
• Uses flexible LATCH instead of the PIPA urbn's steel reinforced rigid LATCH

Nuna PIPA urbn

Benefits

• 2-second installation with steel reinforced rigid LATCH connectors
• No base used or needed, just the car seat
• Weighs only 7 pounds
• Greenguard Gold certified and FR-free fabrics are planet and baby-friendly
• Built-in Sky Drape in the canopy provides additional sun coverage
• Magnetic harness buckle holders keep the harness out of the way for easy ins and outs
• Comes with a select stroller, so once out of the infant stage, you have a stroller that will hold a child up to 50lb (no need to purchase another stroller)

Drawbacks

• Lower weight capacity of 22 lbs and heigh capacity of 29" 
• Costs at least $350 more because it's sold and packaged with a complete, toddler-ready stroller as well
• Can't purchase on its own if you already have your stroller
• Stroller and car seat are separate, meaning you would have 2 items when traveling 

Conclusion

The Doona+ and Nuna PIPA urbn both provide convenient stroller solutions and are well-regarded for their safety features and comfortable, premium materials. The PIPA urbn's built-in, steel-reinforced rigid LATCH adds a measure of safety and convenience, while the Doona+'s built-in strollers wheels eliminate one piece of gear completely for the first year.

Questions?

Strolleria is an authorized retailer of Doona and Nuna products, dedicated to making the baby gear buying experience less overwhelming for parents. If you have more questions about the Doona+ vs. Nuna PIPA urbn, please contact our team at 480-442-9433, start a live chat on our website, or email us customercare@strolleria.com.