Bugaboo Chameleon - Any advice...

[Teensy]

Hi There

I have just started to look at prams and the Bugaboo Chameleon has caught my eye as being on of the highest rated on the market. I looking for a puschair/ travel system with the following features:-

• lightweight
• easy to fold - will need to use car a lot
• will use a train sometimes so will need to be train friendly
• suitable from birth
• suitable for use on beach and a bit of off road use
• does not need to be too compact as large boot in car (audi A3).
• option to have baby facing to front and towards pusher
• carry cot
• extendable handle bars!!

Any advise would be great!!

ive got one of these on order as i think there fab. the only thing it doesnt really tick apparently is the folding. its a bit of a bugger to get the hang of and you have to remove the seat unit/ carry cot. if you can live with that though then its fine. Cant wait to get mine but keep on changing my mind about the colour - too much choice

yep, not easy to fold and quite large for use on public transport but there is not a lot out there that would tick all those boxes.

A mountain buggy would possibly be better but only rear facing whilst baby in carry cot option.

Thanks for your advice! I had a short demonstration in John Lewis and yes, the folding did look rather complex!! I think I will go back into the store and try it myself.. Thanks again and good luck making a decision on colours!!

Right - the folding thing takes some dedication. Took me a total of 5 hours of practice in MothercareWorld on the Purley Way before I mastered it - bleeding thumbs and a few tears as well but it was worth it.

We got it cos it was the only one would fit in my Ford Ka and was usable by my 6'9" husband - fairly specific set of requirements!

10 months later and I've no regrets, it is a pleasure to use. All the advantages you list and more. Although having given up work I am slightly appalled by the amount it cost!

Never used a Bugaboo - but I do love my mountain buggy - tis very easy to fold.

def doesn't fill the easy to fold and public transport criteria, apart formt hat a good buggy. has a few faults which measn it doesn;t rate as my number one, but my number onwe wouldn;t be beach freindly.

you need to work out just how often you will be using it on beaches etc as not many buggies that are good for public transport are good for ebaches too.

Agree with Cargirl...not many pushairs/travel systems do everything that you want but I'm still happy with my Chameleon after a year of hard use. It's great for getting up and down some of the hills where I live and DD seems happy with it.

Not the easiest thing to fold though - I still occasionally swear at it and the brake isn't great but on the whole I'm pleased with it. I plumped for the bright orange - and DD has red hair - we're certainly visible

I love my cameleon, it meets all of your stated requirements. I agree the folding takes a wee bit of getting used to, but once you've cracked it it's fab. It's also the lightest pram I have used and can virtually turn on a sixpence. Very nippy, and quite narrow, you can get through the smallest gaps. Can't possibly see how a mountain buggy would be better than this on public tranport! Also keep their value, so good for re-selling
I have absolutely no regrets about shelling out for mine.

Thanks for all your advise...nothing has put me off so far!! Oh, and lots of positive evidence to justify the cost to my partner!!

I love mine! 8 months of daily use (school run) and it still feels like new. Carrycot was wonderful and dd slept in it for four months. The folding is a bit of faff - I have good folding days and bad ones and it's a bit tricky to get in at the basket when in pram mode - but overall I adore it - what colours are you thinking - I have blue and blue with a pink footmuff

Not sure yet..will need to take a proper look at the options..something gender neutral if possible!!

ive ordered yellow with the black base but i keep panicing that its a bit bright i like the blue as well so might change it. im having a girl but not to keen on pink, dont think dh would be to keen to push it.

I have just had a quick look at colours on the bugaboo website and cant see yellow? Is this a new colour option?? I quite like red with dark grey base...

i think there discontinuing it, though you can still get it in mothercare. i like red as well and green and orange. some one pick for me

i just bought one from John Lewis. The new 2008 model has a new folding mechanism, I don't know what the old one was like, but to me it the new system seemed dead easy to put up and down.

there not doing the green anymore apparently either. mmm might get black and light blue (or will everyone think ive had a boy?)

will be fine for trains if you don't have to fold it, tis a bugger to fold on buses though

Teensy, I have the red with the dark grey base, those are the smartest colours IMO!
Also, just changed from carrycot to pushchair mode and the carrycot can be FOLDED FLAT for storage! What more could your heart desire?!

I love ours and so does DD (now 2.4). It takes a lot of place when folded, though, so make sure it fits into your car's boot (and leaves place for groceries) before you buy it.

check online shops because i got my 2008 model with free maxi cosi car seat and i saw other deals out there too.

go into shops and choose colour, fabric and accessories (if you want any) and check out the features. then go online!

some places price match others, so if you prefer a retailer over another, ask them to price match.

just type in the buggy name + buy or shop and see what comes up.

red with dark grey base. don't know if i'm having a boy or girl.

still haven't practiced folding it down yet...

I hate my Bugaboo it is going on ebay - a nightmare to fold, terrible brake, shopping basket tore after 5 months etc etc. I would not buy one again. If doing it again with a newborn I'd try the Mclaren Techno.

I have a cameleon and a techno XT. Got the techno when dd was little but found it just wasn't comfy for a baby. She was low down and couldn't face me.
Got the cameleon when ds was born (with the board) and love it. Yes is bulky in comparison, but can still push a 2.3 yr old and 4.5 year old in/on it. Also, have kept the maclaren for when it's just me and ds.

I love my chameleon - black and grey for me (good resale value on ebay!). The folding is tricky to start with - but once you get the hang of it it is so so easy! I once had to rescue another chameleon owner in a car park who had got stuck ! I kept the instructions with me so that if I did get stuck (I remember the incident where the whole thing got put in the car only half folded!) I had the instructions to look at! We used the carrycot instead of a moses basket - and we're now onto the buggy which is great! Enjoy!

My friend has a Bugaboo and its wonderful for them - v easy to push and is being used for their DD2. They don't have a car.

However, John Lewis told me its difficult to fold and the Chameleon may be the version which comes with a wheel puncture kit! If i paid £500 for a buggy i would want it to make me breakfast in the morning , and not expect it to need repairs for a good few years.

I am going to get the Silver Cross freeway chassis and the lighterweight carrycot unit. It seems to be a good alternative. (Only took 3 months to decide.

I've got the puncture kit, and have had the pram for 2.5 years and have never needed to use it. Is useful to have just in case though.