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Pregnancy

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Original poster

Bugaboo Bee or Cameleon?

18 replies

queenie1 · 22/07/2009 14:14

My mum has very kindly offered to buy a pram/prametter type buggy and we've narrowed it down to two choices - the Bugaboo Cameleon or the Bugaboo Bee. Wondering whether you had experience of either and what you would recommend.

I like the Bugaboos as they are so light and compact - something which is important as our house is small. I'll be using the buggy a lot as although we do have a car we can walk in and out of town, to shops etc. There are some more rural areas around us which I'd like to be able to use the buggy on but the terrain is not that rough. And I guess for proper country walks we would use baby carriers...?

But which one? The price of the Bee is obviously more attractive and I really like the compactness of it. But is the pram / carry cot of the Cameleon really useful? Our baby is due in November so I wonder if it will be warmer for them?

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ilovetiramisu · 22/07/2009 14:32

i love my cameleon and used the carry cot whenever we were travelling instead of a travel cot for the first few months. Downside is its impossible on public transport esp if you have to fold it away on a bus but if you don't use buses much it shouldn't be a problem. Now my DC is a huge todddler there is still lots of room in the seat wheras I don't know how easily they'd cope in a bee. I think there's a seperate topic for pushchairs etc so you may get more responses there.

fingermousey · 22/07/2009 14:34

The bugaboo bee is useless on rough ground and even slightly rough paving stones there is far too much shaking. I was horrified by how much it shook my 0 - 6 month old and stopped using it when she was v. young. I borrowed another pram.

Also the wheels get caught really easily as they are narrow and small. I cannot say enough against those wheels!

It's a beautiful pram to look at, I've had loads of admiring glances, but they really need to redesign those wheels.

Original poster

queenie1 · 22/07/2009 14:35

thanks - very helpful and will go and post in the pushchair topic too

OP posts:

babyOcho · 22/07/2009 14:42

I love our Cam, but it's not small or light. We have a big car and a wide hallway where it goes and it does take up quite a lot of space.

What car do you have? I know someone with an A3 and it only just fits in the boot.

anniemac · 22/07/2009 14:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

traymca · 22/07/2009 15:38

I must admit I'm not too keen on them either, the bumpiness puts me off... my dh works with adults in wheelchairs and when we went looking for a pram he tested all the chassis in the same way he would a wheelchair for comfort and manoeverability and we've ended up with a silvercross sleepover with classic chassis! you get tons of extras for the cost of it too....

madmissy · 22/07/2009 17:00

both are completely different, depends where you live also i would say the bee is better as a stroller not a pram

i have had both and if i was choosing one for a newbie i would have the cam as i used the carrycot in the house downstairs so i didnt have to bring moses basket up and down

both are great buggys though

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 22/07/2009 17:13

I've got a Cameleon and I love it. It is very useful as an extra place for the baby to nap when they are tiny - DS used to nap in it up to 5 months old when we went to visit friends or relatives for the day. Obviously he naps in his buggy too, but when they are very little it's reassuring to know that they are totally flat, especially if they are also spending some time in the carseat that day.

The Bee wasn't available when we chose our pram, but I would still choose the Cam again if I was buying for a new baby now.

Ds is now a year old and we still only have our Cameleon. I know lods of people who have bought second and third pushchairs/buggies because what they picked first wasn't up to the job.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 22/07/2009 17:13

Original poster

queenie1 · 22/07/2009 17:35

all very useful - thanks. am thinking the cameleon it probably is then. just wish it wasn't soooo expensive!

OP posts:

madmissy · 22/07/2009 17:46

2nd hand on ebay??

Longtalljosie · 23/07/2009 07:56

I've bought a chameleon - tiramisu - if you used it as a carrycot, how did you get it to sit flat on the floor? Can you take off the bits that clip on the chassis?

madmissy · 23/07/2009 08:44

longtalljosie there should be supports in either end of carrycot and then the clip part straight as if it was going on chassis, thats how i used it. or with the chassis and rocked her to get her to sleep. hth

carrielou2007 · 23/07/2009 09:22

Another cam fan here. Loved it with dd, so much so that I bought he bee as my 'stroller' when she was 18 months. HATED it, her head hit the canopy, too rickety, felt like a wonky shopping trolley compared to cam.

Resale prices are fab for cam, bought mine from new and sold for 400 2 years later. Just bought the denim one as expecting again and using it for long walks with dd an I still love love love it. It is a real pain for in the car but them I have a maclaren xt for that.

I also have a silver cross linear freeway and I would have to disagree about the suspension and it is light to push (but can't so it one handed) but SO heavy to lift and a beast to store as it is huge.

brew · 23/07/2009 19:49

I love my Cam, bought it 3 years ago when expecting DS and have only stopped using it in the past 6 months - we go on lots of rural walks!

Just ordered new covers, new back tyres and a skateboard for it for number 2 due in Oct.

I managed to get mine in my Mini (bits in the boot and on the front seat) - not much room for anything else though and even though it was pricey, most friends who had different travel systems ended up spending the same on buying a 2nd buggy.

heron22 · 23/07/2009 21:13

i had the bugaboo frog for my DS1 and sold it when he was about 3 yrs old. got half my money back. so great resale value.

6 months ago, i had DS2 and i bought a new cam. there was no doubt in my mind which buggy i would go for second time around.

like others said, i used the bassinet for LO's naps. he is now too big for it. he prefers to nap on our bed.

i love how easy itis to move around and push. not so easy on public transport tho.

bevlin · 28/07/2009 14:27

queenie1 Another Cam fan here. Im in same situation as you, can walk to shops/town easily but also have nice hilly/rough road walks near by and it's perfect for both. It is so light and easy to manouver in and out door ways, around shops but the air tyres are also magic on rough terain, very easy to push. My DS 2 now and I don't need to go and replace it for a light buggy as it is still ideal. I have had a shot of other mums buggies and thought, sod that! They all seem so heavy and annoying to push. I personally find it easy to throw in the car as once you have mastered it, it the click of two buttons to release the buggy then fold the chasis. I can get on buses easily too as we have buses with the disabled/pram space and lowering ramp. Another point - does the Bee enable you to slot the car seat on the chasis? This was another plus when he was little. So easy and less hastle than when you see the car seat sitting in top of an already huge heavy buggy. Oh god, I do sound like a sales person for Bugaboo!! My passion comes from the fact im 17 weeks PG and the thought of having to sell Cam to get a Phil and Ted or similar is really bugging me. My DS will be 2 yrs, 7 mnths. He's a wee pest for running away and I so need to get him straped in a buggy sometimes so I fear he would just jump of a buggy board or refuse to stand on it. Any suggestions welcome.

bevlin · 28/07/2009 14:34

Brew I didn't know you could get new covers? Where to I get them? Does that include the hood? Id love the royal blue one if it's another boy, everyone asumed it was a girl because the pram was red?!.

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