23 out of 23 people found this review helpful.
Superb versatile well made stroller. Great Investment
Date of Review: Feb 3, 2004
The Bottom Line: SO MANY PROS! Great investment, light, very comfortable, versatile, incredibly well made, smooth ride, handles all types of street conditions, collapses and opens easily, I can go on and on..
This stroller is a great investment. I wanted an every day stroller that was very comfortable for my baby and me, and a stroller that I could do power walking with. This stroller is both, plus more. The bugaboo is the most versatile stroller that I have found after doing tons of research. I can go on and on about the PROS of this stroller, but these are the features that I like the most:
Pros
1) First off it is so incredibly well made and I know it will last a long time. The bugaboo designers did not skimp on one piece of this stroller. The frame and pieces are solid. Nothing on this stroller feels flimsy like many others I have looked at
2) It is light and rides incredible well.
3) It handles all types of street conditions (bumps, curbs) and weather (goes over snow hills w/o a hitch).
4) It collapses and opens very easily.
5) It has a comfortable foam covered handle
6) good size storage basket
7) comes with the wind and rain cover, and netting for mesquites
8) The material is really nice, cotton and breathable 9)Adjustable handle; I can turn the handle either way so my baby is either facing me or out
10) You can take the two front wheels off and pull this stroller right onto a beach (important for me b/c we vacation in Maine every year). It pulls as of you were carrying a luggage carrier when the two front smaller wheels come off. www.joggingstroller.com has a video you can download and see how it pulls with 2 wheels http://www.joggingstroller.com/brand/bugaboo/frog.shtml
I am sure the bugaboo website has a video as well.
11) The bugaboo comes with the bassinet for newborns
12) 3 position seat, that reclines horizontal to accommodate infants. We plan on having more children, and will use this bassinet feature for sure. My little guy is 4 months and we use the full and semi recline positions with him. He is really is so comfy in there, and I know when I go over bumps, he will not be bumped around.
There are tons more great features, but the ones I listed were the most important to me.
Cons:
The one con is that you need to take the seat off when folding. But that is not too much a problem. This is my main stroller, and if I plan to go to a restaurant, I take my fold up stroller.
Comment addition in response to readers inquiry:
I was NOT sold until I saw the stroller in person, and drove it around the store. I have a weak back and before I purchased the bugaboo, I was using anther stroller that was straining my back (I would kick the wheels as I walked and have to lean over b/c it had narrow wheels, non adjustable handles and was heavy and cumbersome). I started searching for another stroller that was comfortable and would not strain my back. I had no intentions on spending 699.00 on a stroller, but when I saw the bugaboo in person, I was sold b/c of its comfort and ease of maneuverability. Being a "walking mom" from NYC, it was important that the stroller not only be comfy for my little guy, but comfortable for me and easily to push without straining my bad back. I can walk my dog and the baby at the same time with the bugaboo b/c it steers effortlessly with one hand. I carried a 25 lb rental breast pump back to the store in one hand and steered this stroller with the other with no effort. You really have to maneuver it in person to see how well made it is. The pictures and websites do not sell it in my opining.
I should reiterate that in walking cities like NYC, our strollers are like our cars. The bugaboo is a pretty substantial stroller, I think for people who are going to puts lots of mileage on it, like in a walking city, or who just want a versatile, extremely comfortable stroller. I walk approx 2 hours/day just out running a few errands. When the weather gets nicer, I am sure I will be out walking around triple that amount of time. Plus I power walk with this stroller for exercise and it pushes so easily. The wide wheel space and the two front wheels lock is a plus for this. If I lived in the burbs, and I was just going to use a stroller in Walmart or the mall, I may not have needed such a sturdy and substantial stroller.
Product Ratings are tough and I have found that top rating strollers have not worked for me. For example; the Zippy stroller that I got (without testing it out in person first) has an excellent rating, and people in NYC love it, but it KILLED my back when pushing it. The Maclaren tecno is another high rating stroller, but when I test "pushed" it, it seemed very flimsy. And recently break and wheel problems with the Maclaren tecno have surfaced.
So after buying the Zippy (a top rated stroller) w/o fully researching it first, and hating it, I will not buy another piece of baby equipment unless I first do extensive research on it (website reviews like epinions for example and finding out all of the specs from the company website, etc..), and second, seeing it in person.
In my review, I just listed what to me, without hesitation, was worth 700.00 for a stroller. Now that I have been using it for 3-4 months, I can concur that I am totally satisfied with the Bugaboo, and so is my back.
The Bugaboo Company specs include the following:
Weighing only 16-19 lb.
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'Frog'-like suspension in the small swivel wheels. Allows curbs and bumps to be easily navigated.
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3-in-one system for your 0-4 year old child.
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Detachable front stroller bar
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Seat adjustable to 3 position reclining seat
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Two small swiveling wheels for easy city maneuvering
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Two large terrain wheels for off road
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Converts to a two wheel position to be pulled on the beach or snow
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Reversible handlebar
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Adjustable/reversible/removable seat/bassinet: Can face child or turn to face walking direction
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All fabrics machine washable
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5-Point harness
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Parking brake near handlebar
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Underseat bag
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Generous sun canopy to block sun and elements. Adjust to 3 positions and removable.
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Rain cover and mosquito net included.
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Can fold down complete to fit into small trunk.
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Custom made accessories: Parasol, foot muff, wheeled board (for older child to stand on), bag clips, diaper bag, transport bag, car seat adaptor for Graco and Peg Perego.
UPDATE:
My son is almost 9M now, and I must reiterate how happy we, and he, are with this stroller. My son enjoys the full sit position now, and loves to nap in it in the full and semi recline positions. We have taken it in the woods when camping and it works GREAT! I have taken my son in it to nice restaurants and we just pull it right up to the table and turn the handle around so it does not stick out. Glad we got the black color for this reason as it is understated in a restaurant. I have found that it bumps up and down stairs very easily. So far I have found no need for another stroller aside from airplane travel (in that case we have taken a umbrella stroller). This stroller is by far our best baby purchase.
Good luck, and only get what stroller is right for you.
Oompa Toys
