Choosing an excellent, quality infant car seat is one of the multiple daunting tasks new parents may encounter. Moreover, tons of car seat manufacturing companies claim to offer the same essential features.
Hence, picking the perfect one might be more challenging than you expect. Therefore, to help you combat this dilemma, we have sought two of the top car seat brands you can find.
The Cybex Cloud Q and the UPPAbaby Mesa car seats are two of the best contenders in the car seat business, so let us look at how they compare. Firstly, both car seats are certainly of premium quality and can be significant assets in helping keep your little one safe while on the move. In addition, they are made from A-grade sustainable materials and entail key features and travel systems that you may not know.
Cybex Cloud Q vs UPPAbaby Mesa Specifications Table
Functions and Properties | Cybex Cloud Q | UPPAbaby Mesa |
Age/Weight limits | 18 months; 29 pounds | 24 months; 35 pounds |
Adjustable headrest | Yes | Yes |
Removable canopy/cover | Yes | Yes |
Flat lie backrest | Yes | No |
Removable and washable insert | Yes | Yes |
Side impact protection | Yes | Yes |
Harness tightness indicator | No | Yes |
Consequently, the main difference between Cybex Cloud Q and UPPAbaby Mesa is that the Cybex can lie in a horizontal position. This property is helpful if you want to use the seat as a carrycot outside the car. In addition, Cybex has a near-flat lying car seat with an adjustable harness which ensures that the car seat grows with your child.
About Cybex Cloud Q
The Cloud Q car seat passed the German Stiftung Warentest with flying colors. As a result, it was the only seat to attain a ‘Very Good’ grade in the safety category. This trustworthy test further provides consumers with an impartial opinion on goods and services by investigating and comparing them. Cybex certainly has ‘tomorrow’s people’ in mind when manufacturing their seats, emphasizing security in and out of the car.
Furthermore, the Cybex Cloud Q car seat has practical sensor safety technology, which makes sure that you know what is happening with your child in the back seat. Moreover, the Sensor Safe system keeps you and your child connected. Once you successfully attach the safety kit, you can connect your smartphone to the seat system. After that, the system will ping you when the child is left unattended in the vehicle or when anything changes.
In addition, Cloud Q has an efficient travel system that allows you to attach the seat to a stroller or buggy. A telescopic linear side-impact protection system also repels a side-impact collision’s force. In other words, the telescopic system works together with the shell to shield your baby from harm.
Pros
- Large UPF50+ fold-away sun canopy
- Wide range of colors
- Two sustainable fabric variations
- Energy-absorbing protective shell
- Wide Y-harness straps
- Practical carry cot transformation option
Cons
- Covers are a little hard to remove
- Slightly heavier than the usual car seats
- A long list of installation instructions
About UPPAbaby Mesa
Mesa’s innovative design eliminates the risk of error and lessens the amount of work you must do when installing your seat. Its sleekness enhances your baby’s security. Furthermore, it is the only infant car seat with a smart system that senses latch tightness. Installation is easy, plus you get a green light in the indicator window letting you know you installed it correctly. But if not, you get a red light to signal that you need to try it again.
The Mesa has a polished bottom that prevents damage to your precious car seats. Additionally, an adjustable headrest eliminates the need to take the entire car seat apart when the baby grows. Therefore, you can be 100% sure that the harness is secure because you only have to get it right once!
Above all, UPPAbaby manufactures its car seats with Merino wool, which keeps your baby accordingly warm or cool based on the weather. In addition, the car seat is chemical-free and has passed the regulatory safety standards. It has done so without any fire-retardant chemicals in its make, plus the seat fabric is washable and machine dryable. Furthermore, UPPAbaby makes choosing the fabric type effortless by offering you a free swatch test. You can pick four of your favorite potential fabrics.
Pros
- Straightforward installation process
- Side level indicators
- Assortment of colors and fabrics
- Virtual car seat check for compatibility
- Limited lifetime warranty
- One-handed release from buggy
Cons
- Tad bit pricey
- Absence of an anti-rebound load leg
- The handle and canopy are a little too close together
- The Mesa is quite big
Similarities Between the Cybex Cloud Q and the UPPAbaby Mesa
- Premature and Newborn Inlay
Firstly, both the Cloud Q and the Mesa are ideal for premature and newborn baby inlay and not just infant car seats. Moreover, the Mesa insert has an adjustable harness that caters to newborn babies or preemies, offering them a comfortable ride. On the other hand, Cybex’s reclining backrest system allows you to change the seat to a horizontal position. Therefore, your little one can lie ergonomically. Afterward, they can have more leg space when they are slightly older.
- Travel System
Most importantly, you can choose to remove the car seat for other purposes; for instance during travel. Both companies have an efficient travel system that lets you travel on foot or with a stroller without interrupting the baby. All you need is an adapter if you want to attach the car seats to a stroller or buggy. You can press a button on the carrier handle to release the Mesa car seat. You can remove the seat insert and attach it to a buggy with the Cloud Q.
- Broad Color Palette
Finally, the two car seat manufacturers allow you to select the color combination that complements your style. With UPPAbaby Mesa, you are spoilt for choice. They offer over twenty color palettes and fabrics plus; each fabric color combo has a unique name. Meanwhile, Cybex has a palette named Autumn Gold which contains pre-compiled colorways. Also, their Plus Collection has many more fabric designs and shades should you prefer a more graphic seat cover.
Differences Between the Cybex Cloud Q and the UPPAbaby Mesa
- UPPAbaby Mesa Tightness Indicator
It can be challenging to know whether you have correctly installed a car seat; this is a common problem among many parents. UPPAbaby has taken note of this concern, so they included a red-to-green tightness indicator in the base of the car seat. Unlike the Cloud Q, the presence of this indicator on the Mesa can ease your worries over how secure your baby’s car seat is. For instance, the green means you are good to go, and the red means stop, just like traffic lights.
- Weight and Weight Capacity
It’s important to note that the Mesa is a little heavier than the Cybex Cloud Q. Its carrier weight is a little under ten pounds and combined with the nine-pound weight of the base; the seat is quite hefty. Alternatively, the Cloud Q is only twelve pounds, so it is significantly lighter. However, this means it cannot carry infants above twenty-nine pounds. On the other hand, the Mesa can hold infants ranging from four to thirty-five pounds.
- Sensor Safe Technology
The four-in-one Sensor Safety kit is what ultimately polarizes the Cybex Cloud Q from the UPPAbaby Mesa. Sensor Safe alerts you when anything changes in the back, preventing the baby from slipping out without your knowledge. Therefore, you need to connect Sensor Safe to your phone to get an alert if you accidentally leave your child.
The notification will show you where you left your baby and alert emergency contacts. Furthermore, it will also notify you of extreme temperatures and if your child has been in the seat for too long. Consequently, if your child has figured out how to unbuckle themselves, you will also get an alert of this. So, you have a constant aural update on how your baby is doing.
Conclusion
To sum up, the Mesa and the Cloud Q are super-efficient car seats with essential qualities to offer both parent and baby. There have multiple similarities; however, the distinct properties explain why they lead in the industry. The Cybex Cloud Q would be the best choice if you want a car seat ideal for preemies and newborns. The reclining backrest that converts into a lie-flat position allows the little ones to breathe easier.
If your goal is to purchase a sustainable and easily adjustable car seat, the UPPAbaby Mesa is best for you. It is made with economical material and is very easy to install. Furthermore, the polished finish lessens damage to your vehicle. However, only you decide the specifications that matter most. But regardless of which seat you pick, your baby will certainly be safe and comfortable.
Paulo is a passionate dad who founded Wumblers to share his parenting journey with other new parents. He graduated from Concordia University and worked as a test engineer for over a decade. Paulo loves dad jokes and craft beer.
Learn more about Paulo and Wumblers here.