IDcam
02-06-2009, 07:03 PM
**Please also read my next post regarding the height clearance. So sad... **
I have to admit, after discovering this message board at the beginning of the year I began struggling from stroller envy. Yes, we have the Chicco Cortina Travel System which I love the KeyFit infant car seat and the Cortina stroller works just fine for us. But what does one do with all the wonderful reviews of strollers like the UppaBaby Vista, the Bugaboo, the Maclaren, the I’Coo Targo, the Inglesina Zippy, the Peg Perego Switch and Pliko P3? What about the fantastic deals for an Easy Walker Sky from MamaBargains, Baby Planet Solo Sport from GreenBabyBargains, Silver Cross Micro, Pop, and Dazzle from Shnoop, and then there was the Mountain Buggy Urban strollers from Great Beginnings… I almost pulled the trigger on a MBUD even though DD is only 3 months and we have no plans for another baby in the near future. I’ve made any and every excuse to DH that we need these strollers though I rarely leave the house, don’t shop at the malls too often, and just sold a 3 year old Precor treadmill I used 10 times tops! :innocent:
I was so set on getting a 2009 UppaBaby Vista but couldn’t swallow the price tag. I didn’t want a repeat of our treadmill situation – pay top dollar for a high-end product but end up not using it to its full potential. Then I saw the Baby Gizmo review of the Mia Moda Atmosferra on YouTube and thought, “Huh, that does what I’m looking for (reversible seat) less the bells and whistles, compact fold, potential expansion to stroll more kids, and the price tag of the Vista.” What to do what to do. There aren’t many reviews of the Atmosferra and nobody (and I mean nobody, I called all the retailers listed in SoCal on the Mia Moda website) had the Atmosferra on their floor. Surprisingly, no reviews here either. So I bit the bullet and bought the Atmosferra sight-unseen from an online retailer.
I’ve gotten so much information from this board. More than I ever thought I would and I’m so appreciative of the ladies and gents here sharing their thoughts and experiences. So here is my effort to give back. Let me say I had butterflies waiting for it to arrive!!
Below is my review of the 2008 Mia Moda Atmosferra stroller in Mint Java. Thanks for letting me ramble… :)
Assembly: Easy. Just snap the wheels in, attach the splash guards, and attach the seat. Voila!
Looks/Fabric: This stroller easily passes for one of the more expensive brands (to the common folks that haven’t extensively researched stroller brands/models, :wink2:). The fabric is good. Not as nice, thick, and shiny as the new Vistas but not thin either. Although if you’re looking for a more refined look maybe look elsewhere. I attached a picture of how the seams aren’t finished off quite perfectly. I’m very happy with the canopy. That thing is ginormous! Living in Southern California I need something with a huge canopy. There’s also the built-in cover attached to the underside of the footrest. You just put the footrest all the way up then take it out and button it around the food tray. One thing I find weird is since the seat reclines flat when you put it back up it there’s so much extra fabric at the headrest area. I guess one can just take a few seconds to pull it back behind the seat so it isn’t in the baby’s way.
Durability: Seems that it will hold up. But unlike the Baby Gizmo review on YouTube, my seat doesn’t make the two clicking sounds when inserted back into the chassis. I’m just going to jam it in there and lift it up to make sure it’s stuck. :) This stroller will probably hold up until I’m ready to get the next latest and greatest out there. For now it will serve its purpose of having DD face me when we’re out strolling.
Maneuverability: I can push it with one hand! Of course, DD is sleeping right now so I haven’t tried it out with her in it. I was surprised to find the handlebar is plastic. I was expecting it to be foam-wrapped like the Vista handlebar. But that’s just a minor issue to me. The wheels do remind me of my Cortina stroller wheels. The newer Cortina wheels are more like rubber-covered plastic. The Atmosferra wheels maybe even harder rubber/plastic than my Chicco if that’s possible. Since I’ll probably just use it on our smooth neighborhood sidewalks, malls, and Target I don’t think it’ll be a problem for us.
Fold: Very easy. After watching the YouTube video it was a snap. Hollie Shultz from Baby Gizmo explains the fold and unfold so I didn’t even bother reading the instructions. Now this is where I like the Atmosferra over the Vista stroller. One thing about the Vista I didn’t like was how the handlebar touches the ground when it’s folded. After spending so much for a nice stroller last thing DH and I want is to have the handlebar get dirty. Plus DH is a bit of a germaphobe. ;) The fold for the Atmosferra is bulky though. Not as compact as the Vista but it does stand up on its own! When it stops raining here I’ll take some pictures with the Cortina in the trunk of our Camry and then the Atmosferra in it.
Measurements:
Seat Back Length – 15.5 inches, 18 inches to the canopy
Seat Width – 13 inches
Price: $269.99 with no tax and free shipping from Overstock.com (I confirmed that Overstock IS an Authorized Retailer for Mia Moda) plus 2% back from Live.com saves you another $5.40!
Customer Service: I can never get through to Mia Moda’s Customer Service using their “Consumer” option. I’m sitting on hold listening to music for 5 minutes before I’m told to leave a message. Happens every call and it makes me wonder if they really have “a Customer Service Rep ready to answer my questions”. Now I just choose the “Retailer” option to get to a nice lady named Susan. I’ve spoken to her several times and she either has the answers to my questions or calls me back with them within a few hours.
Update: Susan is now picking up the Consumer Customer Service line!
2009 Line-Up: Susan said the only changes for the 2009 Atmosferras are the fabric/color choices. The new colors will be Willow (brown with bright yellow leaves/stems), Kaleidoscope (brown with a blue kind of Hawaiian type pattern), and Nero (black). The 2009s will be available late March/early April and looks like they’ll be about $70 more than what I paid. The frame/chassis is the same as the 2008 model.
Overall, I’m excited about this stroller. I’m going to take that $400 more I would’ve spent on the new Vista and invest it elsewhere. I’m sure I’ll find something to buy! I hope this review helps anyone wondering about the Atmosferra stroller. Happy shopping!!
*Please note that the handlebar is still wrapped in the original packaging and I haven’t had the chance to attach the splash guards. I was too excited to write this review!
I have to admit, after discovering this message board at the beginning of the year I began struggling from stroller envy. Yes, we have the Chicco Cortina Travel System which I love the KeyFit infant car seat and the Cortina stroller works just fine for us. But what does one do with all the wonderful reviews of strollers like the UppaBaby Vista, the Bugaboo, the Maclaren, the I’Coo Targo, the Inglesina Zippy, the Peg Perego Switch and Pliko P3? What about the fantastic deals for an Easy Walker Sky from MamaBargains, Baby Planet Solo Sport from GreenBabyBargains, Silver Cross Micro, Pop, and Dazzle from Shnoop, and then there was the Mountain Buggy Urban strollers from Great Beginnings… I almost pulled the trigger on a MBUD even though DD is only 3 months and we have no plans for another baby in the near future. I’ve made any and every excuse to DH that we need these strollers though I rarely leave the house, don’t shop at the malls too often, and just sold a 3 year old Precor treadmill I used 10 times tops! :innocent:
I was so set on getting a 2009 UppaBaby Vista but couldn’t swallow the price tag. I didn’t want a repeat of our treadmill situation – pay top dollar for a high-end product but end up not using it to its full potential. Then I saw the Baby Gizmo review of the Mia Moda Atmosferra on YouTube and thought, “Huh, that does what I’m looking for (reversible seat) less the bells and whistles, compact fold, potential expansion to stroll more kids, and the price tag of the Vista.” What to do what to do. There aren’t many reviews of the Atmosferra and nobody (and I mean nobody, I called all the retailers listed in SoCal on the Mia Moda website) had the Atmosferra on their floor. Surprisingly, no reviews here either. So I bit the bullet and bought the Atmosferra sight-unseen from an online retailer.
I’ve gotten so much information from this board. More than I ever thought I would and I’m so appreciative of the ladies and gents here sharing their thoughts and experiences. So here is my effort to give back. Let me say I had butterflies waiting for it to arrive!!
Below is my review of the 2008 Mia Moda Atmosferra stroller in Mint Java. Thanks for letting me ramble… :)
Assembly: Easy. Just snap the wheels in, attach the splash guards, and attach the seat. Voila!
Looks/Fabric: This stroller easily passes for one of the more expensive brands (to the common folks that haven’t extensively researched stroller brands/models, :wink2:). The fabric is good. Not as nice, thick, and shiny as the new Vistas but not thin either. Although if you’re looking for a more refined look maybe look elsewhere. I attached a picture of how the seams aren’t finished off quite perfectly. I’m very happy with the canopy. That thing is ginormous! Living in Southern California I need something with a huge canopy. There’s also the built-in cover attached to the underside of the footrest. You just put the footrest all the way up then take it out and button it around the food tray. One thing I find weird is since the seat reclines flat when you put it back up it there’s so much extra fabric at the headrest area. I guess one can just take a few seconds to pull it back behind the seat so it isn’t in the baby’s way.
Durability: Seems that it will hold up. But unlike the Baby Gizmo review on YouTube, my seat doesn’t make the two clicking sounds when inserted back into the chassis. I’m just going to jam it in there and lift it up to make sure it’s stuck. :) This stroller will probably hold up until I’m ready to get the next latest and greatest out there. For now it will serve its purpose of having DD face me when we’re out strolling.
Maneuverability: I can push it with one hand! Of course, DD is sleeping right now so I haven’t tried it out with her in it. I was surprised to find the handlebar is plastic. I was expecting it to be foam-wrapped like the Vista handlebar. But that’s just a minor issue to me. The wheels do remind me of my Cortina stroller wheels. The newer Cortina wheels are more like rubber-covered plastic. The Atmosferra wheels maybe even harder rubber/plastic than my Chicco if that’s possible. Since I’ll probably just use it on our smooth neighborhood sidewalks, malls, and Target I don’t think it’ll be a problem for us.
Fold: Very easy. After watching the YouTube video it was a snap. Hollie Shultz from Baby Gizmo explains the fold and unfold so I didn’t even bother reading the instructions. Now this is where I like the Atmosferra over the Vista stroller. One thing about the Vista I didn’t like was how the handlebar touches the ground when it’s folded. After spending so much for a nice stroller last thing DH and I want is to have the handlebar get dirty. Plus DH is a bit of a germaphobe. ;) The fold for the Atmosferra is bulky though. Not as compact as the Vista but it does stand up on its own! When it stops raining here I’ll take some pictures with the Cortina in the trunk of our Camry and then the Atmosferra in it.
Measurements:
Seat Back Length – 15.5 inches, 18 inches to the canopy
Seat Width – 13 inches
Price: $269.99 with no tax and free shipping from Overstock.com (I confirmed that Overstock IS an Authorized Retailer for Mia Moda) plus 2% back from Live.com saves you another $5.40!
Customer Service: I can never get through to Mia Moda’s Customer Service using their “Consumer” option. I’m sitting on hold listening to music for 5 minutes before I’m told to leave a message. Happens every call and it makes me wonder if they really have “a Customer Service Rep ready to answer my questions”. Now I just choose the “Retailer” option to get to a nice lady named Susan. I’ve spoken to her several times and she either has the answers to my questions or calls me back with them within a few hours.
Update: Susan is now picking up the Consumer Customer Service line!
2009 Line-Up: Susan said the only changes for the 2009 Atmosferras are the fabric/color choices. The new colors will be Willow (brown with bright yellow leaves/stems), Kaleidoscope (brown with a blue kind of Hawaiian type pattern), and Nero (black). The 2009s will be available late March/early April and looks like they’ll be about $70 more than what I paid. The frame/chassis is the same as the 2008 model.
Overall, I’m excited about this stroller. I’m going to take that $400 more I would’ve spent on the new Vista and invest it elsewhere. I’m sure I’ll find something to buy! I hope this review helps anyone wondering about the Atmosferra stroller. Happy shopping!!
*Please note that the handlebar is still wrapped in the original packaging and I haven’t had the chance to attach the splash guards. I was too excited to write this review!