Mamas & Papas Armadillo Flip

I never thought I would be “that” mom. The mom who got so excited to see a new stroller waiting on her front porch that she almost (I stress almost) forgot to bring her child in with the rest of her bags because she couldn’t get inside fast enough to unpack her new “toy.” But, when the Mamas & Papas Armadillo Flip arrived, that’s exactly what happened.
Getting the box inside was much easier that I thought. I was expecting it to be heavy and that I would have to drag it inside, but it was so light I got it in with no problem. I unpackaged the stroller and quickly flipped through the manual and laid out all the parts. There were literally five parts to put together. The manual has pretty easy-to-follow pictures for assembly, but I was still a little over-cautious putting the wheels and brake line in. After they were installed I was ready to unfold the stroller. It took a few minutes of head scratching and circling the stroller but I eventually figured it out. The trigger and release twist handle can be mastered with a good bit of practice and this stroller can be unfolded with one hand in seconds. Once you’ve figured out the process, it’s super easy!

Now the best part … the seat! This is what makes the Armadillo Flip so amazing. The seat can face toward the parent, or easily flip around to face forward, looking out! My daughter is 5 months old and is so sick of just seeing me all the time. She’s ready to see the world and while using our old, generic travel system all she could really see was the ceiling. With the Armadillo flip she has a panoramic view no matter which way the seat is facing. (Mamas & Papas does have car seat adapters for several different brands, if you wanted to make this stroller a travel system.)
Because my wee one is only 5 months old, she has to stay in the reclined position, so the buckle fits securely. As she grows we can adjust the seat. The seat has three different reclining positions and an adjustable leg rest. The shoulder straps are padded and there is even a crotch pad under the buckle, which I love because it will help prevent pinching. Most strollers have vinyl-feeling fabric for the seat that is cold in the winter and hot and sticky in the summer, but the fabric on the Armadillo Flip seat is so soft and cushiony, yet still easy to clean and maintain.

The canopy on this stroller is unbeatable. Whether your child is in the full recline position or sitting straight up, protecting them from the sun or wind is no longer an issue. It has four layers to unfold and a peek-a-boo window. Even the peek-a-boo window is next level on this thing. It’s a plastic cover with a magnet closure instead of the usual mesh with Velcro. (Side note: According to the manual there is also a toy attachment loop on the canopy, but I cannot find the loop on ours.)
The ride is super smooth. Steering is so easy you can do it with one hand and there is only one brake peddle. There’s also a safety strap on the handle to provide a little extra security. The Armadillo Flip weighs in at only 20 pounds and folds up small enough to fit in a closet. I appreciate that it folds inward, so the seat fabric doesn’t touch the ground or get dirty. It even has a strap for easy carrying. Honestly, the only thing missing is a cup holder. Mamas & Papas offers a cup holder for some of their other models, so I’m hoping they add one for the Armadillo Flip soon.

The Armadillo Flip has quickly become our favorite stroller. We cannot wait until springtime to take our daughter to places like the zoo. She’ll be at the right age to enjoy going out and seeing the world around her and this stroller is the perfect way to do it.
Price: $500
Buy it: us.mamasandpapas.com