Customer Reviews

Bugaboo Cameleon Stroller - Dark Grey Base/Red Canvas Tailored Fabric Set

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

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.

After over 2 years and 2 children later, I find myself wanting to write a review of the Bugaboo Cameleon because ever since I bought mine (before my first was born), I have been searching for a replacement stroller as I have never been quite satisfied with it. I bought mine because I asked several friends who had kids before me for their recommendation and so many suggested I get the Bugaboo. Since purchasing mine and regretting it, and then sharing my thoughts with them on my regret - many of them now agree. I think many people who own the Bugaboo feel the need to say how great it is to defend the fact that they just spent $1000 on a stroller.

Anyway, let me start with the good things about the stroller as there are some. The seat fabric is amazing. Very soft and easy to keep clean (by throwing it in the wash). I have yet to find another stroller that has fabric close to this and I always want to put a blanket or something in my strollers before putting my babies in it unless its the bugaboo. Its handling is amazing. Truly one handed steering. It is the most narrow stroller in it's class. At 23 inches - it is at least 3 inches more narrow then most other strollers. This makes a difference in a mall/stores where getting by small aisles is tough. It doesn't make a difference at all outdoors. It is great looking - no denying that....however after a while, I'm not sure how high that is on my must have list and there are plenty of "good looking" strollers out there.

I find the other "features" such as being able to switch the handle bars or turn the seat around nice but nothing that I've found particularly necessary in my 3 years of usage.

Here is why I am not a fan:

- for such a huge price tag, you would think they could come up with a simpler way to fold the stroller. If you have the toddler seat or basinette attached, you must first remove the seat and then the fold itself requires both hands and two awkward steps. Although not heavy at all, it takes up a lot of space in the trunk. If you have your car seat attached, then you must first remove that, then remove the car seat attachments and then proceed with the cumbersome folding.

- the basket is next to useless. you can only get to it when the toddler seat is in the incline position. The shape is awkward and the storage space is mediocre.

- The fact that they don't have any accessories for adults or children I find annoying.

- You can only have the basinette or the toddler seat assembled at one time. The switch over although not rocket science is not something you will do on the fly. So if you have a toddler and a baby as I did, you have to choose. This meant for me that I didn't even use the basinette for my second child.

- The canopy is not all that effective when it comes to blocking out the sun. Of course you can get the add on umbrella accessory or you can turn the seat around - but it would be nice if the canopy were just a bit larger.

With all that said, I rated the Bugaboo a 3 out of 5 because I think for the price tag, it should be better. I will say however if you are a city mom/dad and don't intend on taking your bugaboo apart hardly ever, and you love it - you will probably not regret it. If you live in the suburbs and want to use this stroller as the one you take to places - you may end up feeling bitter about your purchase decision like I do.

As a side note, if I could go back now and had the opportunity to buy a stroller for the first time again, I would definitely purchase one that starts out as a single and can be converted into a double. (Britax, Phil and Teds, Uppa Baby etc). In addition to other purchases, I have Baby Jogger City Classic Double and love it as well as the Baby Jogger City Elite Single and love that too. The Bugaboo has been sold.

Good Luck shopping and I hope this review was helpful.

I first saw this stroller on the Fine Living channel and thought it was interesting. Three months later when my wife informed me that we were expecting I decided to look into the stroller a little more. While traveling to meet family we stopped at a fancy baby goods store to look at the stroller and see if it was really worth the money. After comparing it to several other strollers we began to see the value of the Cameleon. It turns much easier than any other we tried and we liked the fact that you can adjust the angle of the seat.
I've seen leaving their big strollers in the car and carrying the child because they didn't want to be bothered with getting the stroller out because of the hassle. So they saved money but got something that isn't convenient to use so they actually wasted the money. I've seen reviews where people whined about the cost of the stroller and said it was better to invest the money towards the child's college. I don't know where they went to school but the cost of the stroller would not even cover 1 class when I went. I purchased one online and I'd have to say that as far as things for the baby, that was the best money spent.
As for the bassinet and the regular seat sharing the same frame, that is not a problem. You only use the bassinet up to about 4-6 months (until the baby can support his/her neck. And no more than 20 pounds) Once the baby can be put in the stroller seat, you don't use the bassinet any more. The seat goes to 40 pounds.

Pros:
Very easy to push around the tight displays in any store you go in.
The suspension sucks up the bumps that tend to wake a sleeping baby.
When going into a restaurant this can be put right up to the table in place of a chair. If the baby is sleeping you leave it reclined back, if baby is awake you angle the seat more upright so the baby can see you better. It does not stick out in the way of restaurant staff that are walking around.
Great on paths and trails (we like to use the Rails to Trails paths).
3 angles for seat means you can have child leaning back for napping or all the way up if at a table.
All switches/buttons are same color to make it easy to identify what can be adjusted.
Handle bar adjusts for different size individuals pushing.

Cons:
Price: OK, I said it. But then is a cheaper one that you don't use a bargain?
Cup holders: For the money, they could include some cup holders.
You have to be careful how much you hang on the handlebar. Bugaboo recommends nothing. We found a small diaper bag is ok but if you put too much the stroller could tip. (That's because it's much lighter than many other strollers.)

Bottom Line: If the price is not too far out for you then you will really appreciate this stroller. You really have to see one in action to see how versatile they really are.

Why the Bugaboo bugs....
I have a bad habit of thinking "most expensive = best". When I was pregnant, I came across the Bugaboo and was told it was the BMW of strollers. Being a BMW owner and avid lover of these cars, this statement sold me. The fact that I could have a pink stroller cinched it for me. After that, I didn't even look at other strollers.

When you're pregnant with your first, you're totally clueless on what you are going to need and what is going to work.

Sadly, this stroller has been an utter disappointment, and here's my words on the subject....

1. Like BMW, Bugaboo seems to think owners don't need space for things like cup holders, cell phones, etc. Bugaboos add-on cup holder is lame. What you really want is a big area for baby bottles, classes, keys, cell phones, etc.

2. You cannot assemble or take apart this stroller with one hand. And I don't mean that it's hard or inconvenient-it is a physical impossibility. This is not enjoyable when you have a baby in your arms.

3. There are only three seat recline choices-one being extremely upright and the other nearly horizontal. The seat itself does not look comfortable--and my daughter always fought the stroller (she happily gets into our Maclaren)

4. The stroller is heavy and does not fold compactly.

5. The fabric is a pain to take off and mine shrunk after the first washing and now does not fit the bassinet (I washed in cold and hang-dried).

6. The saftely straps come loose very easily. My daughter could always slip out of then and start standing up in the stroller. I've seen other kids do this in this stroller as well. (She can never get out of the Maclaren straps)

7. I wouldn't dream of traveling with this beast of a stroller. It's heavy, unweildy and you're going to be paranoid about it getting ruined in the plane and will probably opt to buy the expensive cover. At 9lbs, the Maclaren Volo makes the perfect traveling stroller.


These are my main complaints about the stroller. Had it not been nearly $1000.00, I probably wouldn't have minded so much, but you'd think that for that price, the designers of this stroller would have thought some of these things through.

Also, I wish someone would have told me that not all babies like strollers. Ours is one of them. When she was an infant, she only wanted to be in a sling. Then she wanted to be in a Kelty backpack. Now it's all about those plastic cars that you can push them around in. So this stroller has hardly seen the light of day, thus adding to my annoyance. While this is obviously no issue of Bugaboo's, I think it's important for new moms to know that their baby simply might not want to ever be in a stroller. So before you spend 1K on this stroller, you might want to determine if your baby even wants to be in one.

It's funny to me to look back and think how hearing that this was the BMW of strollers appealed to me before having kids. That really is a true claim-it's a very good looking stroller that is also extremely impractical for kids. In sum, in looking for a stroller, you don't want the BMW of strollers, you want the Toyota Sienna or Honda Oddessy of strollers.

In sum, save your money and buy a Maclaren. I have a Volo that weighs 9lbs, folds up in seconds with one hand and is more comfortable for my child to sit in. My mother, husband and myself all agree it's more comfortable to push and has a better turn radius. Best of all, it was 100 bucks.

I have enjoyed my bugaboo cameleon. However, recently -- almost 2 years after purchasing this expensive product -- the brake broke. Customer service was impossible to reach. I was left on hold and then dropped. My email went unanswered.

I visited the retailer I'd purchased it from in hopes they could somehow help me. They explained that the (cheap) plastic gear that should hold the wheel in place when parked had cracked. They told me to order the part and they'd put it on for me. Again no luck contacting Bugaboo customer service to get this part. I asked the retailer to try to contact them for me. They eventually reached someone who said they would replace the whole chassis. I waited for it to arrive. Two weeks later though, I received a phone call instead from someone high up in customer service.

The representative told me they had not processed the chassis replacement since I barely? if at all? fell under the 2 year warranty. They also told me that they did NOT SELL any replacement parts (I had never asked for a whole product replacement -- I had originally just wanted to purchase a new plastic gear or even a new entire brake system to install)! I was shocked! The representative repeatedly stressed that Bubagoo had never advertised this stroller as "unbreakable". I thought it was a strange response. I countered that they also had never advertised the stroller as "unfixable" either and that it was crazy they would sell something this expensive but not sell or otherwise provide replacement parts for its repairs.

In my case, they apparently are going to send me the replacement chassis (we'll see if it actually ever arrives) but have basically warned me I am on my own if it happens again. .. . I wanted other purchasers to know about this because I am sure I'm not the only person to have problems with my brake -- it always felt poorly designed -- or other customer service issues on this product. 2 years is obviously not enough life to get out of a stroller that is this expensive!

I bought this stroller 2 years ago because as a first time parent I wanted my child to have all the luxury and comfort. I didn't like it with my first child and now that I have a second, I absolutely hate it. I sincerely regret spending all that money on something that drives me crazy so often yet I can't throw away because I feel so guilty about how much it cost me.
Pro's: Looks great. Your child is super comfortable. Your child can face toward or away from you. The bassinet feature is nice for the newborn stage.
Con's: Way too heavy. Difficult to fold. If you live in the city and need to take public transportation just forget about it! To fold it you have to break it down into 2 or 3 pieces, add that to the kid and the diaper bag and you will need 5 hands just to get past the turn stile. If you live in the suburs good luck getting this heavy thing into and out of your trunk. I felt almost housebound, unable to go anywhere at the thought of having to fold and unfold this nerve wrecking thing. When I had my second child I decided to invest in the skateboard attachment so I could avoid purchasing a double stroller. BIG MISTAKE! When you have one kid in the seat and the other on the skateboard you have to pretty much walk with a hunch back in order to give the older child enough room to stand. This puts unnecessary pressure on your arms and lower back - trust me...you wll not want to leave your house at the thought of how much pain you will be in by the time you get back home. My advise.... Give your kids all the best, just don't get them the bugaboo. You will deeply regret your purchase.

The minute we got the stroller i knew we made a big mistake. it has been with us for 2 years in which we had to get a replacement tire (ours was leaking air constantly), a replacement for the frame adjustment buttons, and now the brake system is not working. however, this happened a week after the warranty ended, so of course, they are not willing to fix that. instead they want us to buy a whole new chassis ($400 value!!) just to replace the brake system- "for safety reasons", they say... yeah right...
in any case, even without these problems the stroller is not so good. it has a weak grip and it is not very easy to move around. it is clumsy and quite big and simply not worth the price. there are much better alternatives. don't go with the hype.

We bought it because it looks great, drives and turns great, comfortable to push, like the basinette feature and has the oversize wheels that work great for walks on dirt paths.

However, I do wish it had a cup holder, more space for groceries, and it is a bit of a pain to fold up. The sun parasol that you buy separately is horrible and I see other strollers with better sunshades. It's been pulilng to the left lately, but I'm sure I can fix that.

Would i do it again? Maybe, but Id give serious consideration to some of the Peg Peregos instead. More functional.

This Stroller has it all, it can convert from a bassinet to a seat stroller with multiple seat positions and you can have your baby face you or front on the fly, or you can snap on an infant car seat with adapter. It is also super maneuverable, looks great and practically glides as you push it around.

It does have some major drawbacks: 1. it takes up a lot of space when folded. In the cargo area of an X5 it takes up almost half the space. 2. it is not the easiest to fold away or reassemble. If you are using the seat or bassinet you need to detach and then fold the stroller to put it in your car. 3. Not crazy about the seat restraints. Probably a nit here, but for the price of the stroller, I expected the lap belt/restraint harness to be easier to manage or at least not feel as chintzy.

My daughter has loved her bugaboo cameleon since she first came home from the hospital and she is nearly 2 years old now. We live in the suburbs outside NYC, so we have used this mostly from the trunk of our car, but also on subways, trains and in the city.

Early, on the bassinett is the best part of this. She practically lived in that for the first few months of her life. We kept it in the living room and it was great because she could even spend the night in there when we were traveling to the grandparents.

Now she uses it as a stroller and it perfroms very well. Sometimes we wish it folded a bit smaller and the two pieces take up a LOT of trunk space. I have considered getting the Bee at this point since it is more of an umbrella stroller. For extended outings, however, it cannot be beat. We were at the Guggenheim this past weekend and she was able to nap in the flat position. We filled the bottom with jackets, bags, etc. No problem fitting it in the trunk of a standard NYC cab.

The red fabric has held up really well and still looks like new - even with zero cleaning.

This is not for everybody. If you have a small car, it might not fit in the trunk. It also takes some training to get used to collapsing it and setting it up.