The Ferrari of strollers

After looking long and hard at the Bugaboo product line, we purchased a Cameleon shortly before the birth of our son.  We had actually been leaning towards the EuroGraco stroller, but the look and apparent ease of use of the Bug had us curious.  As it happens, we're very glad we made the choice we did.

For me, the big obstacle to buying anything from the Bugaboo line was price.  I was having a hard time justifying spending $1000 for the Frog or $1200 for the Cameleon when we knew people who were perfectly happy with their less-than-half-the-price Gracos.  It was the styling that first caught my eye, and when we saw a Frog in a store, the quality of it was obvious.  Unlike the lower-priced options, Bugs use an aluminum frame, and feature actual pneumatic tires that require inflation.  Other brands use hard rubber tires that will chip and wear away over time.  We've now had the Cameleon for more than two years, and the tires still look new despite significant mileage.

It's worth noting what a Bugaboo is not.  This is NOT a travelling kitchen, complete with a snack tray and enough compartments to pack lunch, dinner, and hold your coffee.  This is a minimalist, stylish stroller that does what it is meant to do extremely well.  That being the case, there are more add-ons than you'd find with "travel systems": you can't fit a car seat onto the frame without an adapter ($50), and if you're really insistent on having a cupholder (for you, not the baby), you have to pick one up (we paid about $15, but didn't go with the more expensive Bugaboo brand cupholder).

One of the reasons the Bug is more expensive than others is its versatility.  Initially, parents can either click their car seat into the adapter or use the bassinet.  The Bug comes with a metal frame that supports either the bassinet fabric or the stroller seat.  Outfitted with the bassinet, the Bug looks like a traditional pram, and the baby can stretch out flatter than in other strollers where the seat simply reclines.  Once the baby can sit up by him or herself, it's time to move to the "sport seat", which is what most advertising pictures of the Bugs show.  This seat can be reclined in three different positions including flat, and comes with a removable sun canopy to shield the little one from sun and wind.  With the sport seat, the stroller can accomodate a child up to around 40 pounds.  If those features aren't enough, the sport seat configuration can also double as a high chair at restaurants when in the fully upright position.  The handle folds down and out of the way, and the seat can be rolled up to the table.  Engage the parking brake, and you're all set.

So what is the Bugaboo "meant to do"?  Carry your child in safety and comfort.  This was one of the things that, for us, tipped the balance towards the Cameleon and away from the Frog.  While the Frog had a good quality canvas interior, the Cameleon had a removable fleece lining that looked a lot more comfortable.  Both use a five-point harness system on the stroller seat.  You probably won't use the stroller seat at first, though.  We didn't.  For about the first year or so, our son was either in the car seat or in the bassinet.  The Cameleon also comes with an "Aerosleep" mattress for the bassinet, which is softer than the Frog's mattress.

Whichever formation you choose, be it car seat, bassinet or sport seat, they are all reversible.  That is, the child can either be facing you or facing out.  This is handy for keeping an eye on the baby, but then letting the toddler look out at the big world going by.

The handle is also reversible with the simple pulling of two releases.  If you are on uneven terrain it is much easier to lead with the larger inflatable tires, so just flip the handle over, lock the smaller wheels in place, and you are negotiating snow, ice, or bumpy sidewalk curbs in no time.  If you are on a beach, you can even switch to two-wheel mode, such that you are pulling it behind you using only the large tires.  I have to say that two years of city living mean we've never tried this feature.

As you might guess from its sleek appearance, the Bug folds easily.  Once you get the hang of it (which admittedly takes a couple of practice folds), you can flatten it in seconds.  The seat pops out, the handle goes down, and the whole thing folds together like a futuristic lawn chair.  It stores easily, though the bassinet takes up a good bit of space.

The stroller also handles exceedingly well.  We took a few different brands out for test drives around the store, and no other stroller could touch the Bug for ease of movement.  Since our purchase, we've navigated around narrow department store clothing racks and through crowds with ease.  This is one of the positive features you'll notice every time you use the stroller.  Our son was a baby who liked gentle movement when trying to nap, so the smooth turns and cushioned ride (from the four-wheel independent suspension, seriously) was very appreciated.

So: Cameleon vs. Frog.  For us, the choice was easy.  As I've mentioned, the Cameleon had the fleece fabric and improved mattress, and you can mix and match base and trim colours from a much wider assortment.  Additionally, the Cameleon has extendable handles.  This made a difference to me (6'2") and my wife (5'11"), who can now stroll without stooping.  The frame is 2" larger on the Cameleon as well, which is good if you have or expect to have a tall baby.  The storage bag underneath the seat is also larger on the Cameleon.  In either case, I should point out that the bag is almost inaccessible if you're using the bassinet.  It's much more useful with the sport seat.

There's also a rain cover, which we've used, and a windscreen, which we've not.

Overall, my reasoning was that if we were going to spend $1000 on the Frog, we might as well spend $1200 on the Cameleon and get the features we wanted.  We also purchased the foot muff, which is essentially a thick fleece sleeping bag that fits onto the sport seat for cold-weather trips.  It was pricy (about $200, if memory serves) but definitely worth it here in Canada.

If I'm looking for cons, and I do have to search for them, it would be that the bag is hard to access with the bassinet.  The brake release lever snaps back quickly, and can pinch the fingers of someone not paying attention.  Also, given that the total bill for us was somewhere north of $1500, it's just plain expensive.  You could certainly make do with a more economical stroller, but you wouldn't get the same combination of function and style that you do with the Cameleon.

Beyond the functionality, we also regularly get compliments on the Cameleon when we're out.  No one will ever mistake a Bugaboo for any other kind of stroller.  In summary, if you can afford it, I would certainly recommend it.