Customer Reviews

Bugaboo 2011 Cameleon Stroller - Dark Grey Base

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Before anyone purchases this stroller, I think they need to seriously consider how the stroller will be used. If you live in an urban area and always keep this stroller assembled...it would be a great stroller. If you live in a suburb, or your primary form of transportation is a vehicle, this stroller is a very poor choice. It breaks down into three pieces, and does not do so easily. There is nothing one-handed, or quick about the break down for transport. So, before you buy this stroller because it is the cool one, or the luxury one the celebs have, be honest about its limitations.

A few other Pros & Cons...

Pros
- Incredible ride & suspension
- Bassinet option allows you to use it for an infant
- Frame can be used with a Graco Carset...with the purchase of an additional adaptor
- Adjustable seat - child can be completely reclined, semi-upright or fully upright...and you can face them forward or backwards
- Adjustable handle - very important if you are taller
- Excellent break. When its on, the stroller does not move at all
- Very well-made & sturdy

Cons
- Price - for the unit & every accessory is an additional cost
- Dis-assembly...I cannot underscore this enough!! It is not easy or quick. Nor can you do it one handed. If you are trying to do so while wrangling a child, it is impossible.
- It breaks down into 3 pieces...the wheeled base, the overall seat base or bassinet, & the padded cresent-shaped bar/handle. This would make it impossible for airplane travel. Unless, of course, you purchase the $150 carrying bag.
- Fully-Assembled Size...this is a big stroller, especially when you use the bassinet
- Folded Size - it is NOT compact
- Every accessory is sold separately - even the cup holder
- Bassinet has limited use, and then requires a lot of storage space after you switch to the seat
- Shoulder straps are rather flimsy and really long. At the absolute shortest, they are huge on my 10-mo. old
- Bottom storage basket is difficult to get things in & out of, especially if you close it with the drawstring cord
- Canopy is too big for the upright seat - if you want your child to see anything, you have to have the canopy half closed
- Weight limit of 40 lbs, which is less than a lot of strollers

Once this stroller is assembled, it is a great stroller and rides incredibly well. It turns well and my son seems very comfortable in it. However, we are suburbanites and the constant break down is a PAIN! After struggling with this stroller for 10 months and cursing it each and every time I have to get it in & out of my car, I bought a smaller stroller to have in the car for quick errands & travel. The Bugaboo still gets a ton of use around our neighborhood and for bigger outings, but I make sure the breakdown is worth it.

The stroller's performance is incredible and it definitely has some Pros, but be sure the way you will use the stroller is in synch with those Pros and you're aware of the limitations.

This is Bugaboo's top of the line stroller and is undoubtedly one of the most expensive strollers on the market (though my daughter was able to get it for 20% off at a one day sale at a local store in Manhattan). When my wife and I offered to buy a stroller for our new grandchild, we had no idea that a stroller could cost so much. While you definitely do get what you pay for, you also need to decide if this stroller meets your needs, because like anything else, it has pros and cons that I will discuss.

If you go to the Bugaboo product site, you can compare this stroller with their less expensive strollers. This product is listed for "city, rough terrain and two-wheel position for beach and snow." My daughter lives in Manhattan, where many people use this stroller. But think very carefully before you buy this if you live in the suburbs and drive rather than walk to most places, because this stroller is not easily transportable. Here is what you need to consider:

1. This stroller is like having a luxury SUV with 4 wheel drive. The construction is first rate, quality fabrics and padding are used throughout, and it can handle any road condition. Unlike other strollers, this has two large rear wheels that provide extra stability and make it a breeze to navigate street curbs, sidewalks that are uneven or covered with snow, and steps in a park. If you live in a big city, where people tend to walk to most places, you will definitely appreciate this stroller. There are also lots of different accessories that you can buy to customize your needs.

2. This stroller is like having your infant in a bassinet, and comes with a sunshade and clear plastic rain shield. There also is a storage compartment underneath the stroller, but it is not as convenient as the storage holder on other strollers. If you go to the grocery store, putting the groceries in and removing them from the storage compartment is a little challenging, though it can be done, just not as easily as with other strollers.

3. The stroller has hooks (an added accessory) on the padded front handle (the padding nicely acts like a shock absorber when going over bumps) that easily hold a large infant accessories bag. Even with a heavily loaded bag I can easily steer and maneuver the stroller with my grandchild in it, and the bag never comes near the rear wheels. The stroller also has a quick release brake that is easy to operate to make sure the stroller stays put on an uneven surface (like a path in the park).

4. The "Achilles heel" of this stroller is that unlike many other strollers, it can NOT be easily opened and closed, and even when closed it takes up a lot more room in a car than most strollers.

5. If you live in the suburbs, this stroller is probably not for you, unless you don't mind the daily inconvenience that you will encounter in opening and closing it, and making room for it in your car (though think very hard if you really want to do that, especially in inclement weather, and with an infant who is impatient to get going). You can also do what my daughter and many other people in Manhattan do, which is buy a second, much less expensive stroller for travel purposes that opens and closes easily and folds compactly. But now you have purchased not one, but two strollers. Only you can decide if that makes sense for you if you live in the suburbs.

6. Even for people who live in the city, there are certain restaurants that permit strollers only if they are folded, so that is another use for my daughter's second travel stroller. And even if you find a restaurant that will let you bring this stroller in and leave it open, I can tell you that it is a little tricky maneuvering this between the tables, and also positioning it so that the wait staff do not find it to be an obstacle.

Bottom line: I think this stroller makes more sense for people who live in a big city and do lots of walking but very little driving. I will update my review this summer after we take our grandchild to the beach and see how well this stroller handles the sand.

Update April 13, 2011: My grandchild wanted to start sitting up in a seat instead of lying down when she went for a walk in the stroller. For about $45 my daughter bought an adapter that Bugaboo sells to use with the Graco car seat (they sell other adapters as well). The adapter is very easy to use and now my grandchild sits in her Graco car seat while out for a walk with this stroller. This ability to easily convert from bassinet to car seat with a simple adapter is very convenient.

Update May 30, 2011: My daughter really likes this stroller, so she has started taking it with her on day trips by car out of NYC. With some practice it can be opened and closed in about 20-30 seconds--not as fast as most other strollers, but still not too bad. However, the two large rear wheels, which give this stroller its ability to navigate almost any surface, do tend to make this stroller much larger than other strollers when folded up. You might not want to do this multiple times a day if you live in the suburbs and drive everywhere, but for occasional day trips out of a big city you can indeed fold and store this stroller in your car trunk.

Update September 9, 2011: My son-in-law has become quite adept after months of use at folding this stroller up, and can now easily do it in less than 15 seconds. While that may sound quick, keep in mind that many other strollers can easily be folded up in about 5 seconds. In addition, this stroller still takes up a lot of space in the trunk because of the large rear wheels that give it superior navigation ability in a city, but which are probably unnecessary in the suburbs.

I must say I have somewhat of a stroller fetish. I have 7 children, 5 are 5 and under and I thought I would try the bugaboo for my newest addition as I wait for the Orbit Baby Double. I have to say it was not my favorite. Switching from the bassinet to the seat is a pain. I do switch regularly because of the ages of my children and which stroller I have in the car. It did push very nice and I like the quality but just didn't love it.

Pro's:
looks nice
good quality
love all the washable fabrics
pushes great

Con's:
pain to switch the seats
I don't like the fold and unfold. I have RA and when my fingers are hurting this stroller is difficult for me to operate.
For the price there are other strollers I much prefer! Skate and Orbit are both better choices for me.

I absolutely love this stroller, in my opinion there is no better one on the market. Outstanding quality! I have used it for three years now and am still very happy with it. I cannot count the number of people coming up to me and expressing they really like this stroller.

My mom bought this for us as a gift because she thought it was very important for a stroller to have a good suspension system (to protect the baby). This stroller apparently came out as one of the best in that regard.

I am very impressed that this stroller "grows" with your child, for an infant you can use the bassinet, later you use the seat that comes with it. The conversion is quite easy. The bassinet has a good sturdy, flat surface with soft padding. My children have always slept very well in the bassinet. The canopy shields your baby from the sun very well. The seat is equally comfortable and of good quality. You can put the seat in a few positions (more upright if they want to see things, little back to relax and totally reclined for sleep). Also, with this particular stroller you can position the seat to face you or to face away from you. I really like this as seats of most strollers only face away from you. Now your child can see you when you walk, if you want. The handlebar is also adjustable, so no matter your height, you can comfortably push this stroller. All this is very easy to do. It's also easy to clean all the fabrics.

One of the most important things is also that this stroller maneuvers incredibly well and one of the features is that you can use it on any terrain. I find it also easy to take the stroller with us wherever we go, I never take off the wheels, just easily detach the seat from the base, fold it and put it in the car.

In my opinion, this is one of the best and most complete strollers on the market, pricey but a joy every time you use it.

we love our bugaboo for our 5 month old. she has been in it since birth. in the pram for the longest time and now she is able to go in the stoller part now. we used the pram as a nap bed, and as a travel bed when we travled. she loved it. and now we go everywhere with her stroller. my only complaint is that you cant compress it when the stroller bit is attached, but otherwise i love it. it is super light, easy to use and so so stylish! we've actually bought up most of the other items for it as well. (car seat base, umbrella, travel bad....)

Since our daughter won't be born until October, I'm writing this review as someone who has never used the stroller with an actual child inside. That being said, I did countless amounts of research both online and by talking to other parents and tried at least a dozen different strollers in a local baby store. I'm a gadget guy, and the bugaboo's modern materials and styling appealed to me along with the immaculate safety record. My wife, (7 months pregnant at the time of purchase) was blown away by the easy maneuverability of the stroller. No other product from any other manufacturer came close in this area. Typically, my wife and I tend to pay a little more for a quality product that we know will last for the duration and from our research the Bugaboo Chameleon will certainly last for our long as our first child needs it and will very likely last even for our second child (though the canvas would need to be replaced I'm sure.) Compare that to the cost of potentially 4 Graco strollers during the stoller-age of two children and you see the Chameleon's value. We are also purchasing the Bee for a lighter weight stroller option.