A one purchase solution for those parents looking for an every day travel system that is adventure ready! Sturdy and durable, yet nimble and light to push, we put the innovative engineering of the Ridge to the test.
Quick Summary: The Ridge gives parents that sturdy all terrain option for more adventurous days, but can still be used on every day trips about town. The from birth options available mean no compromises in comfort and safety for those younger babies. Lasting until 22kg with a generous seat, the Ridge really is a one purchase solution for active parents that do it all.
Whats good?
- Suitable for outdoor lifestyle
- Big seat for growing toddlers
- From birth options available
- Clever all-terrain suspension
Whats not so good?
- Weighty for an every-day travel system
- Larger fold
Introduction
Here at Pushchair Expert we have long been fans of the UPPAbaby brand. An American based company with a great ethos: “to make high-quality baby products that fit the needs of your new life as a parent, while appealing to the sense of style you’ve always had”, they first became known in our UK stores back in 2010. Firstly with the Vista, then adding the Cruz, Minu and Mesa along the way. Over 10 years later they have added the brand new Ridge to the mix.
A dual purpose stroller, well suited for those more adventurous walks, still nimble enough for popping down the high street, we took the Ridge through its paces.
Chassis
The UPPAbaby Ridge was beautifully presented in its box, with only 4 components to click together. Up and ready to go by simply popping the 3 wheels into place, we had the stroller ready for testing. We were also sent the adapters to use an UPPAbaby Carrycot and Mesa i-Size infant car seat, as the Ridge can be used as a full travel system.
While assembling the stroller we were immediately greeted with some of the features that make this product so suited for those with a more active, outdoor lifestyle. Firstly the large wheels; 30cm front (12″), and 40cm rear (16″), have a tread more similar to that of a BMX than a pushchair. EVA foam filled, they are puncture proof, giving parents that extra piece of mind when navigating rougher surfaces.
We were also struck by the 160mm disc brakes on both of the rear wheels. These connect to the hand brake that is located on the handle bar and offer a great way for parents to control speed on any incline. Adjustable depending on the strength required, they use lightweight and corrosion resistant brake callipers inspired by those used on mountain bikes. As a stroller designed for tougher walks, this is a great safety feature giving parents a choice between a more instant stop or a gradual deceleration. There is also a foot brake system. A red brake pedal located by the right wheel to engage and a green pedal to release on the left, this offers a great flip-flop friendly “parking” solution.
The chassis itself, presented in a Charcoal finish, is made of an aluminium alloy that is commonly associated with ladders and furniture. This makes it corrosion resistant, lightweight and very sturdy. A couple of other features that illuminate UPPAbaby’s intention for this stroller to cope with the more adventurous walks, include die-cast hinges to give strength and a cross braced frame behind the hood for extra rigidity. The frame feels robust and strong when both folding and pushing.
The Ridge boasts a few other features that go together with an active lifestyle stroller. The front wheel has adjustable tracking and a simple button to lock in the forward position; a green indicator shows when in the swivel position to make it easy to see at a glance. A removable bottle holder is included, with its own mesh pockets and can be added to either side of the pushchair. There is also a safety wrist strap on the handle bar and reflective detailing along the chassis.
The handle bar has a pivot adjustment which offers 4 different heights with a 16cm range. Our 6ft 2 parent tester found a comfortable level without using the highest setting. However with a minimum height of 102cm, which in comparison is approximately 3cm taller than the minimum height of the Vista, this stroller may not be suited to those of a smaller stature.
We found pushing the Ridge to be effortless in most environments. Featuring 2 stage coil suspension, the Ridge gives a smooth ride to any size passenger. With the from birth options available, this means that even the lightest riders will benefit from the smooth ride, though we would recommend waiting until using the seat unit, and harness, before venturing out on your more “off-road” walks. On our rural dog walks we encountered no trouble pushing, even when popping up and down the verges and our toddler tester was also very comfortable.
When pushing down the high street we found it smooth and agile, only experiencing a little difficulty when navigating the narrow aisles in some smaller shops due to the wider rear wheel base.
The basket offers a generous 9kg of storage space, a very good size for a three wheel stroller. It has a zipped cover, an easy access flap at the rear for quick access and 3 interior pockets. The perfect place to store any valuables.
Seating
The Ridge is a forward facing stroller with options to use from birth all the way to 22kg. We love the generous seat that made our taller than average 3 and a half year old very comfortable. Made with water repellant performance fabrics, the Ridge comes in two colourways. Jake (black) which we have tested and Reggie (slate blue), both of which come on the charcoal chassis.
The seat itself offers a deep padded space, a non-rethread 5 point harness with padded lumbar supports and internal side pockets for little ones travel essentials; the perfect place for a bottle or toy to be stored to hand for your passenger. Our toddler loved having their items with them when travelling.
There is a drawstring recline offering multiple positions to make your passenger comfortable, even when napping on the go. Once reclined there is a mesh window at the back of the seat. This can be used to offer ventilation on warmer days but also offers a great viewing window for parents.
Adding both sun and wind protection is the generous hood with its zipped away extension. There are two mesh windows; one on the natural hood covered with a simple fabric flap, and one in the extended canopy, giving parents a viewing window in either form. This is always a benefit on a world facing stroller to see what little ones are up to without disturbing them. For parent convenience there is also a handy zipped pocket on the hood. Perfect for your essentials such as keys or a phone, it even has a hole for a headphone cable, allowing you to listen to your phone or music as you push.
With the correct accessories, the Ridge can also be used from birth. There are two available adapter options. One for either the carrycot or the UPPAbaby Mesa car seat, and another multi branded car seat adapter for other approved car seats, turning the Ridge into a full travel system. These can both be used with the seat fabrics in place or removed for cleaner look. We have tested it here with the UPPAbaby Carrycot in Jake, and the fabrics removed.
We love how this makes the Ridge an all-rounder, giving parents the option to have an adventure ready stroller, without compromising on their infants comfort or safety. The carrycot is the same as that of both the Vista and Cruz (post 2015 models) and has a handy one handed quick release. This means the Ridge retains all the same benefits for the first 6 months as the other UPPAbaby travel systems such as; a comfortable sleeping environment for naps in the day and overnight, an extendable UPF50+ sunshade, machine washable mattress cover and a ventilated hood and base for extra breathability.
Putting the adapters on is very simple. The adapter points on the chassis have plastic covers which are removed with the press of a button on the side. We would recommend keeping these in one of the pockets of your basket to prevent losing them, as they are quite small. The adapters themselves are then colour coded to match the chassis to ensure they are put on the right way round, and can remain in place for as long as they are required, even when the chassis is folded. To remove, simply use the same button as used to remove the covers and pop the covers back in place to protect the connection points.
Fold
To fold the pushchair there is a one-handed mechanism located on the cross bar under the calf rest of the seat fabrics. Press the button in and twist, and the chassis will fold down. We recommend having the front wheel in the swivel position to allow the optimum fold which will engage the automatic lock. Having the handle in the most upright position will also allow you to free stand the frame once folded. There are rubber handlebar protectors on the top of the handle to prevent it from resting on the floor.
To release the stroller back up, simply repeat the same action to the folding mechanism to unlock and lift the handlebar back up. We found this easiest when the stroller was stood in its free standing position as it meant we did not have to lift the chassis’ full weight to open.
If a smaller fold is required, the rear wheels are quick release and removed by pressing the grey button in the middle of each wheel. This does expose your brake discs so we would recommend only doing this on a soft surface or once the stroller is in the boot. This may not be an ideal solution to use for every trip but does offer a way to fit more in the boot on occasion.
Though not the smallest, we feel the fold is really easy to operate and offers the best solution for what is undoubtedly a larger pushchair. If using the carrycot as a from birth option, removing the seat fabrics does make the chassis a little slimmer for adding the carrycot into the boot.
Our verdict
With such a well loved range available from UPPAbaby, it is no surprise the Ridge has also impressed us. With their usual high standard and clever engineering UPPAbaby have presented us with a stroller that offers parents a no compromise solution.
The Ridge gives parents that sturdy all terrain option for more adventurous days, but can still be used on every day trips about town. The from birth options available mean no compromises in comfort and safety for those younger babies. Lasting until 22kg with a generous seat, the Ridge really is a one purchase solution for active parents that do it all.
The fold is on the larger side but this is a compromise we feel parents will be willing to make for the advantages the Ridge offers. Here at Pushchair Expert we understand you will not be able to find a stroller as capable with a “travel stroller” fold.
If we were to try and find one thing we would like to see in addition to the Ridge, it would be a parent facing option for bigger babies. A lot of parents do like to retain that face-to-face connection when first moving their little ones into their seat. However we appreciate that the suspension fabric seat used on the Ridge frame is the optimum all-terrain system, offering better comfort for the passenger than a solid seat unit that clicks on and off the chassis, particularly on those rougher walks.
With the stroller starting at £820, it is of a higher price point. However, built to last and with from-birth options starting at £1150, we feel you can easily make the Ridge worth every penny.
