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Original poster

ICandy Peach or Bugaboo Cameleon?

39 replies

MrsBloop · 19/01/2011 15:08

Apologies if this post should sit somewhere else, but I'm really keen to hear opinions on these prams. I know they are both a bit pricey but as we are lucky enough to be getting most other things second hand from friends and family we are happy to splash out a bit on the pram.

The pros of the ICandy as far as I can tell is that if we do have a DC2 (that is the plan, but I'm only 25 weeks with DC1 so aware that plans may change!) it can be adapted to take two children. My friend who has one also swears it's incredibly easy to collapse, and generally the best thing since sliced bread.

On the other hand, EVERYONE else seems to have a Bugaboo, which suggests it really is the best pram to have if, like us, you live in London, don't have loads of space, and tend to walk/use public transport rather than drive? (Or is it just a status symbol in SW London??)

Thanks!

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sh77 · 19/01/2011 15:11

Bugaboo seems to have a monopoly on Kings Road. Whilst I like the design and lightness of the chameleon, the carrycot is way too low and looks flimsy.

cocoachannel · 19/01/2011 15:15

I agree with sh77. I find the chameleon (and bee for that matter) too low. It felt like pushing a toy pram, particularly for DH who is very tall.

doblet · 19/01/2011 15:19

I went for the Peach because it could convert to a double. The Bugaboo is a lovely looking pram, but I love the Peach because not everyone has one

memphis83 · 19/01/2011 15:23

the bugaboo's carrycot isnt solid like the icandy, i have an icandy apple as the carrycot seemed slightly bigger so would last slightly longer, i love icandy i get comments on how lovely mine is and my friend who has a bugaboo has already at 8 months old swapped hers, she loves pushing my pushchair and as doblet says not everyone has one!

FlamingGallah · 19/01/2011 15:24

I fell in love with the iCandy peach the second I saw it and I love, love, love it! (quite possibly more than my DH)

They're both good, high end prams. My sis has a bugaboo and also loves it.

The peach folds beautifully and we also wanted the option of turning it into the peach blossom for any subsequent babies. The carrycot bit is quite bulky and doesn't fold flat like the chameleon, and it would be worth you trying both prams into your car boot before you buy either. Most good pram shops will let you.

iCandy won't let their products be sold online, so you won't find discounts etc on the net, but we bought ours at one of the baby shows and got a fair amount off.

Oh and did I mention how lovely and shiny it is??

sh77 · 19/01/2011 15:26

How long do babies stay in the carrycot before moving to the pushchair (or what is the earliest that a baby can be put in the pushchair)?

felicity10 · 19/01/2011 15:27

Peach is fabulous and nice to have a smart one which not everyone has! As an SW Londoner though, I know there are lots of bugs, but mine is much easier to turn, plus I and DH are tall which makes it better for us.

Be aware though that even though it does convert for no.2, you have to buy a different carrycot to go on the bottom! You could actually just use the pushchair and get the footmuff instead of the pram, it goes very flat and has a liner for when they are small, very cosy indeed. Also don't go buying buggy clips until you have it and can check they fit, it has a thick handle!

sh77 · 19/01/2011 15:27

Flaming - if you don't mind me asking, how much did your pay for the package at the baby show? Wondering is if I can be arsed going to the baby show again.

cookingfat · 19/01/2011 15:30

Peach, for all the reasons above. Can't wait to start using mine (c'mon out baby - 38 weeks!).

felicity10 · 19/01/2011 15:32

Carrycot does go quite flat though if you are flying, I got a big travel bag from an ebay seller who makes them. You have to lift up the liner and you can collapse the metal prong thingys. Yes, very technical advice here!

AllBellyandBoobs · 19/01/2011 15:47

I love ICandy but my sis in law lives in Wandsworth and said she wouldn't be able to show her face on the streets if she didn't get a Chameleon. Depends if you are as easily pressured as she is :o

EldonAve · 19/01/2011 15:52

In SW London you get the bugaboo then a P&T when the 2nd child arrives

mum295 · 19/01/2011 15:58

The Cameleon is lovely-looking and great if you keep it assembled and go out walking with it from your front door in London.

But if you have to fold it up and put it in your car regularly (as I did) it takes up the whole bloody boot - and we've got a big estate car! If I put it in our smaller car (Polo) I have to put the wheels on the back seat.

We still use it but keep it in our garage for when we are walking to local shops. Otherwise we switched to a Maclaren pushchair as soon as we could and that is what we use mostly now. We live in a semi-rural area and even so have only had to use the features for more rugged terrain a handful of times.

IME with the Cameleon, the frame does not flick out easily unless you are a strapping man with large hands. My Mum and I have both struggled with it. Last time I let DH choose a buggy!

Don't know about the iCandy, but for DC2 we are buying the Bugaboo Bee.

Original poster

MrsBloop · 19/01/2011 15:59

EldonAve - exactly, those seem to be what absolutely everyone has! But I wasn't sure if that's because they are the most practical choices, or because that's what is 'trendy'. I'm prepared to live without being trendy!

Also think the poor babies at the bottom of the Phil and Ted doubles look so close to the ground

OP posts:

FlamingGallah · 19/01/2011 16:07

Sh77, we paid £580 for the chassis, stroller seat, carrycot and car seat adaptors. Had to haggle a bit and delivery took about 6 weeks, so depends on when you need it (I wanted it NOW of course)

(Yes I know it's the annual budget of a small European country)

I moved my baby into the stroller when he was about 6 months old, but in retrospect definitely could have done it sooner. In practice when I went out, I kept him in the maxicosi rather than move him into the carrycot as he was very rarely ever in it longer than a couple of hours. A lady I saw yesterday had a 3 month baby in a stroller seat on the blossom, and he looked just fine.

clareanna · 19/01/2011 16:14

Bugaboo camleon is great if you're tall as the handles adjust so you don't have to walk stooped! Cameleon carrycot is sturdy enough to be used as moses basket / overnight if necessary. It is very nippy with a good turning circle which is great for town. Being able to clip a maxi cosi car seat straight onto the frame is also a benefit. Good shopping basket too! It is bulky though and definitely takes some time to learn to assemble!!
My ds is now 3.8 and still fits in it if needed, will be using it for ds2. Am tempted to hold out for bugaboo donkey but ds1 is really too big to warrant getting a double buggy !!!

Original poster

MrsBloop · 19/01/2011 16:18

felicity10 - are you talking about collapsing the Icandy for flying? As that is another consideration for us too, as think will need to fly with the pram a fair bit. I think Bugaboo do some kind of travel bag, is that worth the money? To be honest I think we are going to struggle to get it in our car whatever we go for, as we have a Mini!

Many thanks for all the comments, very helpful

OP posts:

FoghornLeghorn · 19/01/2011 16:20

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felicity10 · 19/01/2011 19:55

Yes, we took the icandy on a flight when DD was 4 months, I didn't buy the icandy bag as frankly I thought it was ridiculously expensive and you have to buy one for the base and one for the top but if we took the pram then we could use the carrycot as DD's bed too while on hols as she was only 3 months. You'll have to check the info yourself, but it has a vented bottom, so safe for sleeping.

Basically you can collapse the carrycot, it doesn't go flat, but flat enough to be able to get into the bag we got, along with the base. The bag was more to protect from scratching and denting but it worked, although we only put it in it at the gate as carrying it in a bag is quite tricky!

A year on and to be honest - we have a cheap buggy for flying and keeping in the car, if I am out for a whole day, I take the icandy but taking it in and out the house and collapsing is a pain when you just want to pop to a shop - I didn't think I ever would but how wrong you can be!!!

I would really check that it does fit in a mini, the base is very wide with the back wheels.

Hope that helps and this was the bag I got:

cgi.ebay.co.uk/TRAVEL-BAG-MADE-FIT-ICANDY-APPLE-PEAR-CHERRY-PEACH-/270690755875?pt=UK_Baby_Pushchair_Accessories_parts_ET&hash=item3f066d2523#ht_1746wt_1059

lilly13 · 19/01/2011 21:29

I was looking for the lightest possible stroller. I decided to buy Bugaboo Bee. I do live in SW... After taking a closer look at it, i realised that it is a bit flimsy and not well made. Also, a child would be cold if you were to travel to subzero temperatures (our parents live at a place where it often it gets 10-15 below zero and we'll be going there with the baby). My main concern, however, was that you have to lift the entire stroller and carry to your house (7.5kg) and you will have to take the child out / wake him up if he is sleeping (which you may not want to do). I did not like the shape of Bugaboo Cameleon at all. So I finally decided to get ICandy Cherry special edition (it does not allow for addition of a 2nd child). It is the lightest possible stroller and competes with Bugaboo Bee, but has a traditional pram and looks very well made... Pricey, but you don't need a moses basket, so it works out to be almost the same price as Bugaboo if you add all the gadgets you need for the latter.

arabella36 · 20/01/2011 07:55

The bugaboo chameleon is fantastic, I found it so easy to use and the baby has always been comfy and slept well in it, both as pram and buggy. Very light to push and brilliant steering. Can turn it with one hand 360degrees in a circle which is great in crowded shops.

lucyw19 · 20/01/2011 08:32

I love my bugaboo, I haven't got my baby yet to get her opinion but it feels like a very smooth ride and easy to move around, very light.
I do like the look of the icandy but I have never used one so can't really comment.
I love choosing buggies, good luck x

IneedacleanerIamalazyslattern · 20/01/2011 08:40

I have the chameleon after going through just about every pram and buggy out there for the older 2.

I thought I wouldn't like the carrycot as it is different than my last carrycot but I actually did like it loads of space and DS2 happy enough in it.
He is in the pushchair now and again is very comfortable.
Things I like are the cosytoes is fitted in such a way that it doesn't move around or slip down on the seat unit, it was ok (not brilliant) in the heavy snow we had although I never tried the dragging ti on 2 whel option.
It is light, I am tall and I can make the handle height too high for me to push.
Great steering can push it around tiny shops and tiny spaces.
I have the car seat adaptors so was able to use the Maxi Cosi on it.

I did look at the icandy prams but did fall in love with my Chameleon and everyone that has ever pushed DS2 in it comments on it.

Darlingdamsel · 20/01/2011 08:49

I know that McClaren's weren't the topic, but as I live in Central London and don't drive - I decided against Bugaboo. Many friends said it was fine for buses, but going up and down tube stairs, it was less solid. Accordiingly most have a Bugaboo for general around the neighborhood and McClaren for across city trips.

I am single and don't quite have the resources to do both. So I have opted for a McClaren XLR and its carry cot. As the little one hasn't arrived, I am not sure how it will be, but it suits my needs theoretically and I like the stability and handle of McClaren's generally.

Just my 2 cents! Smile

battherat · 20/01/2011 09:02

I love my chameleon. It is a bit bulky for the car but as I drive an estate it's fine.

DS is always very comfortable in it and the fact that it can face both ways is great. Carrycot was brilliant too.

I looked at the Peach but I preferred the look of the Chameleon. It just seemed a bit less flashy somehow.

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