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Nuna Pipa Models vs. Nuna Rava | Car Seat Comparison
Nuna is well-known for their high-quality baby products and innovative designs, including their best selling car seats. Nuna car seats are appreciated for their exceptional safety features, modern aesthetics, comfortability, and user-friendly functionality. Additionally, Nuna is highly regarded for its commitment to sustainability and eco-friendly manufacturing practices, making them a popular choice among environmentally-conscious parents.
Nuna makes infant car seats that can attach to strollers, as well as convertible car seats that can be used from birth and grow with your child. However, convertible car seats do not work on strollers and are meant to stay in your car as they are heavier and more cumbersome to move.
In this post, we'll compare all the differences between the Nuna PIPA line of infant car seats and the best-selling convertible Nuna RAVA.
See this Nuna PIPA series comparison for the differences between the models of the PIPA.
Nuna PIPA models
Beloved for both its safety and style, the Nuna PIPA is one of few infant car seats to earn a "best" crash protection rating from Consumer Reports. The PIPA features a steel load leg and rigid LATCH connectors to prevent the car seat from rotating or rebounding in a crash.
In addition to Nuna strollers, the PIPA is compatible with dozens of strollers from top brands. Unique to the PIPA is a "Sky Drape," a magnetic cover that provides full sun protection and conveniently zips into the canopy when not in use.
In recent years, Nuna has expanded its car seat lineup and has now simplified it to include three car seat models. The PIPA RX comes with Nuna's upgraded and more-adjustable RELX base. The PIPA aire RX is the lightest on the market and like the PIPA RX also comes with the RELX base. The RELX base offers four recline positions and adjustable LATCH connectors that help you achieve a tighter fit against your vehicle seat. And lastly, the PIPA Urbn is Nuna’s baseless car seat, perfect for on the go families!
See our PIPA series comparison for a full overview of the PIPA models.
*It is important to note that the PIPA Lite RX, PIPA Lite LX, PIPA Lite and original PIPA have all been discontinued.
Nuna RAVA
As one of the highest-rated convertible car seats by Consumer Reports, the all-steel Nuna RAVA is a top choice for both safety and convenience. Convertible car seats are able to be installed rear facing and forward facing once your child grows.
The RAVA is one of the easiest convertible car seats to install: Simply open the door in the bottom of the car seat, thread through your vehicle seatbelt, and close the door for a secure installation. With the RAVA's 10 recline positions, it's easy to find a comfortable fit for your child and your vehicle, too.
The RAVA has not changed functionally since its most recent update in 2019.
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Price:
All versions of the PIPA are among the few car seats on the market that are free of flame-retardant chemicals.
The discrepancy in pricing for the PIPA models are due to the type of materials, and features. The PIPA aire RX is made with a proprietary type of foam that's lighter and more flexible. The PIPA Urbn is only sold as a travel system with one of these strollers: MIXX Next, TRIV Next, or TRVL.
For current pricing please see the product pages:
All colors of the RAVA are made with a bamboo-blend fabric that's breathable and chemical-free.
For current pricing please see the product page:
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Height and Weight Limit:
The major difference between the Nuna PIPA and the Nuna RAVA is that one is an infant seat and one is a convertible car seat meant to grow with your child, starting as a rear-facing seat for a baby and transitioning to a forward-facing seat for an older child.
The PIPA seats are infant seats that will be outgrown around age 1. Your baby will then transition to a convertible car seat like the RAVA, and stay rear facing before transitioning to forward facing later on.
The RAVA is a convertible car seat, but can be used from birth - it can safely support a 5-pound baby! Your child will likely outgrow the RAVA around age 5 or 6, when they reach 49" in height or 65 pounds in weight (or their harness straps no longer come from above or even with the shoulders when forward facing).
PIPA Limits:
- PIPA aire RX: 4 to 30 pounds and up to 30" height limit; or head within 1” of top of seat - when one of these is met, the seat is outgrown
- PIPA RX: 4 to 32 pounds; 32" height limit; or head within 1” of top of seat - when one of these is met, the seat is outgrown
- PIPA Urbn: 4 to 22 pounds; 29” height limit; or head within 1” of top of seat - when one of these is met, the seat is outgrown
RAVA Limits:
Rear-Facing
- 5 to 50 pounds; 49" or less
Forward-Facing - safest practice is to rear face until one of the limits is met rear-facing
- 25 to 65 pounds; 49" or less
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Specifications:
The Nuna PIPA will occupy more space in your vehicle compared with the Nuna RAVA. The RAVA is one of the slimmest front-to-back convertible car seats on the market making it great for taller parents and passengers who need the leg room in front.
The RAVA offers more adjustability compared to the PIPA seats as it is a convertible car seat and offers 10 recline positions and 10 headrest positions.
Product Weight
- RAVA: 27.2 pounds
Dimensions
- PIPA RX: 25.2”L x 17.5”W x 23”H
- PIPA aire RX: 27.25"L x 17.5" W x 23"H
- PIPA Urbn: 25”L x 17.5”W x 22”H
- RAVA: 16"L x 19"W x 25"H
Recline Positions
- PIPA RX: base reclines to 4 positions - two positions for babies 4-20 pounds and two positions for 21-32 pounds
- PIPA aire RX: base reclines to four positions - two positions for babies 4-20 pounds and two positions for 21-30 pounds
- PIPA Urbn: no set recline as there’s no base
- RAVA: 10 positions
Headrest Positions
- PIPA RX: 3 positions (rethread harness)
- PIPA aire RX: 3 positions (rethread harness)
- PIPA Urbn: 3 positions (rethread harness)
- RAVA: 10 positions (no rethread harness)
Crotch Strap Positions
- RAVA: 2 positions
Expiration
- RAVA: 10 years
Warranty
- PIPA RX: 1 year from purchase date
- PIPA aire RX: 1 year from purchase date
- PIPA Urbn: 1 year from purchase date
- RAVA: 2 years from purchase date
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Safety Features:
With their leading safety features, Nuna goes above and beyond compared to many other brands.
Since we are comparing an infant car seat to a convertible car seat, the safety features will be different.
Nuna PIPA
Only a handful of car seats on the market feature a load leg, a metal bar that extends from the base to the floor of your car. The load leg absorbs energy in a collision and prevents the car seat from rotating or rebounding, reducing the risk of head injury by 46 percent, according to a study by Consumer Reports. All but the PIPA Urbn have a load leg (connected to the base). However, if you install the PIPA Urbn using the European belt routing, you are getting the safety benefits of a load leg without a base. Same if you were to travel without the base for the PIPA RX and PIPA aire RX.
Nuna car seats include steel components that are commonly made of plastic for other brands. The base is steel, as are the LATCH connectors, which are called "rigid."
Rigid LATCH makes the car seat easier to install, as the base slides into the LATCH anchors in your vehicle in only a few seconds. Rigid LATCH also makes for a steel-on-steel connection that's stronger and more secure than plastic LATCH connectors, making the car seat like an extension of your vehicle.
The PIPA RELX base includes a steel load leg, a leading safety feature that minimizes forward rotation by as much as 90%, as well as as anti-rebound panel that reduces rearward motion
Nuna RAVA
The Nuna RAVA is the No. 2-rated convertible car seat by Consumer Reports and is one of the few car seats to feature an all-steel frame and reinforced belt path for maximum strength and protection.
The RAVA is lined with protective foam throughout the seat and headrest, and include pods that extend from the side of the seat, which absorb crash forces in the event of a side-impact collision.
The RAVA is also one of the only convertible car seats that uses a naturally fire-resistant bamboo/polyester fabric instead of flame-retardant chemicals. Bamboo also helps regulate your child's body temperature, keeping baby cooler in warm weather and warmer in cool weather—all while being super-soft, antibacterial and hypoallergenic.
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Installation:
The Nuna PIPA base, PIPA Urbn, and RAVA can be installed using either the LATCH system or the vehicle seat belt.
Seat belt installation is recommended for the RAVA, as the combined weight of the seat and child will exceed the LATCH limits once your child reaches 35 pounds—requiring a switch to the seatbelt, anyway.
How to Install Nuna RAVA:
The RAVA is one of the simplest convertible car seat to install, and get tight! To install the RAVA, open the TrueTension door in the bottom of the seat. Thread the seatbelt through the base of the seat and buckle it on the other side. Lock the seatbelt by extending the shoulder belt to its maximum length before feeding it back in. Remove all slack from the belt, then close the TrueTension door.
The RAVA can also be installed with the LATCH connectors, however, seat belt install is preferred and easiest to get tight! Plus, you won't have to remember to switch it to seatbelt install once your child reaches 35 pounds.
Take a look at installing the RAVA in this video.
How to Install Nuna PIPA:
Nuna PIPA bases feature rigid (metal) LATCH connectors that make installation as easy as sliding the base into the lower anchors in your car. You’ll also adjust the length of the load leg until the indicator turns green, signaling a secure connection. Once the base has been installed, you just click the car seat in! For the PIPA Urbn, you simply attach the LATCH connectors, make sure the seat is level, and you’re ready to go!
The LATCH connectors on the RELX base are adjustable in length, allowing the base to fit more tightly against your vehicle seat and aiding installation when the LATCH anchors are hard to reach.
Achieving a safe angle for a newborn is a key aspect of car seat installation. One unique aspect of the Nuna RELX base is that it includes four adjustable recline positions.
The recline positions provide options for baby's comfort and help ensure that the base can be installed safely in every vehicle, making it easier to fit in tricky vehicle seats that are flat or sloped. The recline can be adjusted after the seat has been installed.
Installing PIPA without Base:
If you travel often, live in a city, take taxis or ride shares, or have multiple care givers, you may be installing your car seat with only a seat belt. The PIPA Urbn may also be the car seat for you as it doesn’t have a base!
The PIPA RX and PIPA aire RX feature a European belt path, in which the seatbelt is routed through guides through both the front and back of the car seat for a secure fit. This routing provides the same benefits of a load leg.
Strollers Compatible with Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA:
Only the Nuna PIPA models are compatible with strollers. Convertible car seats, such as the Nuna RAVA, are not compatible with strollers. They stay installed in the car and are heavier and more cumbersome to move from car to car. Most families have a dedicated convertible car seat for each car their child regularly rides in.
Nuna infant seats are not only compatible with Nuna strollers, but they’re also compatible with a wide array of strollers from different brands!
STROLLERS COMPATIBLE WITH NUNA PIPA INFANT CAR SEATS
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Colors and Fabrics:
The Nuna PIPA models and Nuna RAVA have plush, high-quality fabrics that are easy to clean—an important selling point for a product your child will either use daily for five or more years or be passed down to future babies.
The RAVA includes a seat fabric and upper body fabric, both of which snap off for machine-washing. The PIPA models have removable seat fabrics and inserts for easy washing.
All colors of the RAVA and all models of the PIPA are fire-resistant without the addition of flame-retardant chemicals, using bamboo/polyester blend fabrics that are temperature-regulating, hypoallergenic and anti-bacterial.
For current colors, please see the respective product pages:
Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA Benefits and Drawbacks:
So what are the pros and cons of the Nuna PIPA models vs. the Nuna RAVA?
Both can be used from birth, but the PIPA can be taken in and out of the car easier, and is especially easier for travel. Plus it can attach to strollers! The PIPA models are just not able to be used for as long.
Let’s take a deeper look at the benefits and drawbacks:
Nuna PIPA Models
Benefits
- Compatible with strollers for an easy travel system
- Easier to move from car to car
- Only 6.9 to 7.6 pounds making it a lot lighter for travel
- Features a Sky Drape - a magnetic cover that provides sun protection and tucks into the canopy when not in use
- Load leg on base connects to floor of car for additional stability, with crumple zone that absorbs impact and minimizes force to baby
- Anti-rebound panel on RELX base
- Rigid LATCH connectors on RELX base and PIPA Urbn car seat
- Two-step, five-second install, with indicators that turn green to signal a correct installation
Drawbacks
- Does not grow with your child and only lasts a short time, typically about a year
- Only a 1-year warranty
- Expensive for the length of time you get to use
Nuna RAVA
Benefits
- Grows with your child - starts rear facing then changes to forward facing as your child grows
- TrueTension doors offer quick and easy installation
- Can be used as your first car seat for babies 5 pounds and up
- Offers a total of 10 recline positions to help you find the best fit for your child and your vehicle
- Seat can be reclined from either side with no level indicators required, using easy-to-reach, color-coded buttons
- Ventilation panels within shell of seat allow for better breathability
- Adjustable calf support extends seat by two inches for added comfort
- Comes with two built-in cup holders
- Lasts your child 5-6 years
- 2 year warranty
- Takes up less space front to back in your car
Drawbacks
- Cannot be used on any stroller
- Harder to travel with or move between cars
- Heavy
Questions?
Strolleria is an authorized retailer of Nuna products dedicated to making the baby gear buying experience less overwhelming for parents. If you have more questions about the Nuna PIPA vs. Nuna RAVA debate, feel free to contact us by starting a live chat, calling 480-442-9433 or e-mailing customercare@strolleria.com.
