Nuna Pipa Series Lineup 2021 | Infant Car Seat Comparison

   If you’re expecting a new baby, it’s likely you’ve come across the brand Nuna during your research for the best infant car seats. Nuna is a baby gear brand from the Netherlands that is known for high quality and stylish products. Since the brand was introduced to the United States market in 2007, Their car seats and strollers have become wildly popular with parents who are looking for a travel system that performs better and has an elevated European design. The Nuna Pipa Series of infant car seats are particularly popular due to their extensive stroller compatibility. With the introduction of the Nuna Pipa Lite RX, our experts decided to do a comprehensive updated comparison of all the infant car seats in the Nuna Pipa Series so you can choose the best one for your family!

Pipa Series Standard Features

   Although each car seat in the Nuna Pipa Series is different, there are some important features that they all share. All car seats in the series are free from any added fire retardant chemicals. The fabrics and foams used in the car seats are naturally flame resistant. They are also Greenguard Gold certified for low chemical emissions so you know your baby never comes in contact with harmful chemicals. All car seats in the Pipa series come with the car seat itself and one car seat base, with additional bases available for purchase separately. Buying extra bases is a great option for families with multiple cars, a nanny, or grandparents who will be watching the baby because you don’t have to worry about uninstalling and reinstalling the base every time you switch cars.

   All Nuna Pipa Series car seats feature side impact protection and comfort features like flip-out sun visors. Aluminum and leatherette detailing gives the car seats a polished look. Each Nuna infant car seat is compatible with Nuna strollers, as well as a large selection of strollers that use Maxi Cosi car seat adapters. Pipa Series car seats all have the same weight and height limits of 4-32 pounds or 32 inches and feature an infant insert that can be removed as your baby grows.

Standard Nuna Base

   The original Nuna Pipa, Nuna Pipa Lite, and Nuna Pipa Lite LX each come with one standard Nuna Pipa base for easy five second installation in your vehicle. The base is equipped with rigid LATCH connectors so you can simply click the base into the latches in your vehicle seat. If you don’t have access to the latches, the base has a True Lock lockoff for tight and easy seat belt installation. Learn more about LATCH and seat belt installation here.

   The standard Nuna Pipa base also has a built in load leg that transfers crash forces away from the car seat and into the floor of the vehicle and minimizes car seat rotation, making sure that your little one stays exactly where they should for maximum safety in a collision. The load leg is adjustable to accommodate vehicles of different floor heights.

Nuna Pipa

   The Nuna Pipa is where the  Nuna Pipa Series began and is the true OG family favorite car seat. Weighing 8* pounds, it is considered a lightweight car seat. Soft, machine washable fabrics make the seat comfortable and easy to maintain. It is a good option for families who won’t be using their car seat base often because it has a European belt path for installation using a vehicle seat belt. This means you can feel free to travel light and leave the base behind whether you are using a taxi, airplane, or just a friend’s car.

   In addition to versatility, the Nuna Pipa has plenty of comfort features. Most notably, the popular magnetic Dream Drape that zips out from the canopy provides full coverage UPF 50+ protection. This extra shade makes napping on the go easier and prevents strangers from trying to touch your baby (hooray, germ protection!). Breathable mesh in the Dream Drape and peek-a-boo window ensure that there is plenty of ventilation and airflow in the car seat even when the shade is drawn so that it doesn’t get too hot or stuffy while your little one is resting.

Nuna Pipa Lite

   The Nuna Pipa Lite is the lightest infant car seat available on the market right now! It weighs only 5.3* pounds and is just a fraction of the weight of the original Nuna Pipa. This is a godsend for parents, especially when your little one starts to reach the upper weight limit of the cat seat because it lightens the load significantly. If you have pre-existing back problems you should definitely be considering the Nuna Pipa Lite to help reduce back strain. 

   The Nuna Pipa Lite can only be installed using the base (sorry globetrotters, no seat belt installation here!) and doesn’t have a peek-a-boo window or Dream Drape, but does feature ultra-soft micro knit fabric and integrated harness clips for your baby’s comfort and your convenience. The infant insert also has a more supportive head cushion than the Nuna Pipa’s. 

   Additionally, the Nuna Pipa Lite is made with Nuna’s revolutionary Aeroflex foam for superior impact absorption. Aeroflex foam is a type of EPP foam which is more flexible and less brittle than the EPS foam used in the Nuna Pipa and Nuna Pipa RX. This amazing foam makes the Nuna Pipa Lite safer for your baby and less likely to crack or degrade as it ages.

Nuna Pipa Lite LX

   The Nuna Pipa Lite LX car seat combines some of the best features of the Nuna Pipa and Nuna Pipa Lite. It weighs 5.7* pounds, only a few ounces heavier than the Nuna Pipa Lite LX, but also includes the coveted Dream Drape and extra supportive head cushion. The seat fabric is made from the same soft micro knit used in the Nuna Pipa Lite, but the insert is a temperature regulating and moisture resistant blend of merino wool and Tencel lyocell fibers that keep your baby super comfortable in the car seat. The insert is filled with Tailor tech memory foam that relieves pressure points while gently cradling your newborn and grows with your baby.

Nuna RELX Base

   Like the standard base, the Nuna RELX Base has a steel load leg with a crumple zone for stability and force reduction in a crash. However, the Nuna RELX Base load leg is more adjustable to be able to be used in the center seat where there is often a bump on the vehicle floor. This gives you more freedom to install your infant car seat wherever you want in the backseat!

   Nuna has also improved the rigid LATCH connectors to be adjustable in order to eliminate the gap between the base and vehicle seat back. The addition of an anti-rebound panel further reduces the car seat motion in an impact and minimizes the forces experienced by your baby. The less your car seat moves, the more your little one is protected in a crash! The improved belt path and lockoff allows you to more easily install the base with the vehicle seat belt if required.

   The Nuna RELX Base leaves bubble levels and angle-guessing in the past with an innovative recline that is adjustable after the base is installed. Switch between four recline positions at the push of a button to adjust your baby’s riding angle as they grow, and always know it is at the right angle with the easy to read position guide. 

   While the new Nuna RELX Base comes with the Nuna Pipa RX, Nuna Pipa Lite R, and Nuna Pipa Lite RX, it is compatible with the entire Nuna Pipa Series so you can upgrade your baby’s ride if you have a Pipa Series car seat that came with a standard base. Just like the standard bases, Nuna RELX Bases are available for sale separately for use with multiple cars.

Nuna Pipa RX

   The Nuna Pipa RX is similar to the original Nuna Pipa with a few key improvements. It weighs 7.6* pounds instead of 8, and it has a more supportive head pillow as part of the infant insert. It also has integrated harness holders to make it easier to get your baby in and out. These upgrades make the seat more comfortable for your little one and easier for you to use on a day-to-day basis.

   Other than the improved features and Nuna RELX Base, the Nuna Pipa RX has the same EPS foam and side impact protection as the original Nuna Pipa. The Dream Drape and mesh peek-a-boo make the sun canopy extra protective and comfortable for your little passenger. The Nuna Pipa RX also features the convenient European belt path for baseless installation!

Nuna Pipa Lite R

   The Nuna Pipa Lite R ties with the Nuna Pipa Lite as the lightest infant car seat on the market at 5.3* pounds! Just like the Nuna Pipa Lite, the Nuna Pipa Lite R requires the base for installation and is not FAA approved on its own. The Nuna Pipa Lite R doesn’t have a Dream Drape or peekaboo window since those features would add to the weight, but it does feature organic jersey fabric and Tailor tech memory foam that make the infant insert extra comfortable for your little baby. Harness holders are also included with the Nuna Pipa Lite R so it’s easier for you to get your passenger in and out of the car seat without struggling with the harness (extra convenient when you’re in a rush!).  

   Like the Nuna Pipa Lite, the Nuna Pipa Lite R is a fantastic option for parents looking to reduce back strain from carrying baby around in the car seat.

Nuna Pipa Lite RX

   The Nuna Pipa Lite RX is the infant car seat for parents who want it all! Weighing only 6.9* pounds, it offers all the features you want from soft and moisture-wicking and naturally antimicrobial merino wool fabric to Nuna’s classic magnetic Dream Drape and peekaboo window. Magnetic harness holders make it the easiest it’s ever been to get your baby in and out of the car seat, and the brand new no-rethread harness allows you to easily raise the headrest and harness as your little one grows. No more unhooking and threading your baby’s harness through a new hole every couple of months! In addition to the merino wool insert, the Nuna Pipa Lite RX also comes with a GOTS certified organic cotton insert you can use if you prefer. The Nuna Pipa Lite RX features a European belt path for baseless installation so you can take it on all your travels without being weighed down by the Nuna RELX Base.

   From luxurious comfort features like the temperature regulating and moisture resistant merino wool fabric to its top of the line safety features like Aeroflex EPP foam for maximum impact absorption and durability, the Nuna Pipa Lite RX truly is the ultimate Pipa. Combined with the safety features of the Nuna RELX Base, it doesn’t get better than this!

    Need help choosing the perfect infant car seat for your family? Reach out to us anytime via email at questions@mbeans.com. We’re always happy to talk shop! You can also contact our Baby Gear Gurus via phone (866-600-BEAN) during business hours (M-F, 9 am-5 pm EST), by utilizing the Product Expert Chat on our website, or by scheduling a virtual consultation. Finally, get all the advice you need by visiting our YouTube channel! 

*Weights do not include the canopy or insert.