Uppababy vista pushchair or Bugaboo Cameleon?

[sheepcat]

Hello out there. I'm an older first time mum looking for a pushchair. I'm fairly active and intend to use it for walking to shops, in the park, etc. Which? magazine say that the Uppababy vista came first in a review they conducted. Friends have recommended the Bugaboo Cameleon and the Bee (not stocked by John Lewis as they have had problems with the chassis). Does anyone know of these productions and/or have other recommendations? Thanks.....

I've owned all - and my hands down "winner" or first choice which I would recommend to everyone would be..... .....

The Uppababy Vista! It really is very user friendly - durable, smart, functional and an absolute DREAM to push.

The Bee + to me - was lovely at first - until the wheel shimmy started - then by 2y old (despite ds being small) the harness was too short for him when wearing his winter coat. This was the Newest Bee version too - with harness longer than the original Bee - but it was still not long enough.
Also - one day ds spilt a carton of milk over the seat - and boy was it a faff to dismantle and wash it - and some of the milk seeped into the plastic seat frame and was impossible to wipe out as had gone into inaccessible places - so not very toddler friendly IMO! I wanted to use rear facing - and there was no footrest as my childs legs were getting longer - so all in all - it was not a happy experience.
As for the Cameleon - After 4 months use - I removed the top cover and hood to launder them - and upon doing this discovered a large hole in the seat where stitching was coming undone! My son was well within the weight limit - so it wasn't caused by overloading. Bugaboo were fab asking for the chassis code - in order for them to send a new seat - so I lifted the seat off to check this code - whereupon I saw a very large frayed hole had developed in the basket fabric also! I only needed to send photo's and bugaboo replaced this also - but really I lost faith in the product and once new parts arrived (10 days later) I sold it on. It was the least durable pram I'd ever owned (after 4 kids and a bit of a pram obsession that is saying something!).

What I LOVE about the vista is how light and easy it is to push - how great quality the components and fabrics are - right down to the superb quality wheels and ball bearings. I love how the seat is high up - giving your baby a great view and raising them up from traffic fumes or unwanted attention from dogs! The basket beneath the seat is easy to access and carries a phenomenal amount of stuff - with ease. 5 carrier bags of groceries today (all my baking ingredients so bags of flour/sugar etc and also fruit and veg for my big family).
I think the Vista is the number one choice in the USA now and I'm not at all surprised it came first with Which.

It can fold in one easy step in one piece with the toddler seat on forward facing - which is marvellous and it's compact folded compared to many other high - end luxury prams. It also includes a seperate carrycot in the price - which is organically lined and is suitable for overnight sleeping (no need for a moses basket then!). The suspension is good and it's a dream to push.

The only people who might not get along with this buggy are those using tiny public transport buses a lot - and petite people who may find the smallest handle height too tall still. It's a pretty big unit when in use (though folds relatively compactly).

I think it's just awesome that I can still have my 3y old face me and it pushes so easily (many pushchairs are designed to face out once the child is larger and aren't so well balanced for pushing with seat in either direction). I walk between 35 - 45 miles per week and this is my number one choice pushchair for everyday - copes well with all but the most extreme off road situations, carries a huge amount in the basket if needed (fab for picnic and toys - or in my case - older siblings school bags), baby can face you or face away - seat reclines to 4 different positions using the lever at the top of the seat (can be done with only one hand as opposed to the bugaboos tricky two handed push button recline system). Seat fabrics wipe clean easily. Breezy viewing panel included in hood (no need to buy expensive additional hood for summer or holidays abroad) - bugaboo doesn't even have a hood view panel at all - so you cannot see baby if facing away with hood up! Pull out 50SPF sun visor which tucks away when not in use has also saved us a fortune in sun creams! - Esp as our ds won't keep a sun hat on but will tolerate the visor panel - often popping it out himself now he's older if the sun is in his eyes. The footrest is adjustable - for maximum comfort for your child whether sitting or laying down.... I could go on - but well, you get the picture - it's near perfect!

thanks so much - will test drive one this afternoon.!

Hi Sheepcat, I looked at an uppababy pushchair last weekend. I really liked it especially how soft it was inside but the colour that we liked was the blue and I was amazed to discover that the cosytoes only comes in green, red or grey. This has put me off a little because when I looked at them against the blue pushchair none of them seemed to match. I don't think the British winter will allow me to go without one. Maybe it was more of a shock as we'd just looked at the bugaboo where everything is colour co-ordinated. It's a shame because it was the which report that made us look at it too. The lady in the store said quite a few people had commented on that so not just me who is shallow!

The other one we looked at was called the Joolz but it didn't seem as light. Though it did have matching cosytoes for all its colours!

Psst - on the Uppababy Vista UK Facebook page - I enquired about buying a spare hood / toddler seat fabric - they said I could order through my local pram shop (uppababy vista stockist) for around £65 - that's the actual Seat fabric (not metal frame) and hood fabric (not just "toppings" like bugaboo sell) for good deal less money! So, if you buy Uppababy Vista - it should be possible to change the colour - or just refresh fabrics relatively inexpensively.

I have the grey footmuff and it looks fine with my "Maya" (ltd edition graphite frame) buggy - and doesn't clash with any of DS's (many) winter hats!
Buggy Snuggles or other brand snuggle bags will also fit.
I love the Outlast Space Technology snuggle bag - which cannot be beaten for keeping out the cold and comes in many colourways!

Interesting but only if I wanted to change to red or green!

I was really surprised as I thought matching stuff was standard these days. Why do them but just in two colours? It really has added to the should I/shouldn't I debate when, tbh, if I could get a cosytoes in blue, I'd have plumped for that pushchair. Mad, I know. Must be worse if you want the beige or yellow though!

They just didn't look right with the blur though. Its a shame and I think lets it down even thought this is a shallow point and it seemed a very good pushchair otherwise. I like them to match.

Blue not blur

I have the yellow ("Maya") and it does match with the grey footmuff. The grey perfectly matches the underside of the seat, and looks good with the graphite frame too. It's much more subtle than if it had a yellow footmuff.
Uppababy are bringing out a lovely hot pink colorway soon also. I think that too would look good with the grey footmuff.
The uppababy footmuff is made of substantial polartech waterproof and windproof fabric. I do think the uppababy items are v well made and represent excellent value for money. Especially compared to the excessively high prices of bugaboo!
Maybe the limited number of footmuff colours is because they feel they will co-ordinate with all colours. I did wonder if somehow it was to do with being environmentally friendly and reducing waste. I'm not sure how though. Or to do with keeping production costs down?
I'm sure you are not the only ones to be disappointed with the limited choice of footmuff colour though.
Personally I don't mind.

Yes, it seemed lovely and warm and very well made which just added to my disappointment. I think the pink and grey would probably go well. Maybe it's just because the blue is too similar. And yes, I remember the yellow one had a different colour frame so maybe that matches.

I'm probably just being picky and if we go for that pram I'll probably go for something completely contrasting it's just that it seemed so lovely and warm.

It was interesting that the woman in the shop said quite a few people had felt the same though. I wonder if their uk distributor is aware of that?

In America they don't seem to be getting the pink seat but an orange one instead...I had one but at 5'2" i found the handle too high but then i do love my handles very low.

I think it is very personal as I am 5'2 and am finding the handle height fine, i was worried to start with but as it fitted all other requirements better than anything else got one and finding it totally fine! the piggyback board is fantastic too, I don't kick it at all, is fab!

The customer service is amazing too!

I've been doing a lot of buggy research and (as with many on this thread) narrowed it down to uppababy vista. it's hard to get feedback here as they're still relatively new in the UK but i was just in NY and you see more of them than bugaboo's. I asked a few people in the street and they all LOVED them (and one mom had switched from bugaboo). Main appeal was the higher seat (if you're tall) and better quality fabric (although the bugaboo looks pretty), you can buy other colour sets in the states or direct from the distributor in the UK.

New 2012 model is being released in Feb, and the limited edition is now a black frame (rather than the greenish graphite with the Maya - no more yellow sadly). Lots of talk on US blogs about new wheels but this doesn't apply in the UK, as we got the new wheels earlier this year.

I'm 100% converted to getting the uppababy, the decision is now just whether to wait for the black 2012 or get the Maya now, and forego the upgrade in other bits.

I bought our Uppa baby vista at the baby show. Decided to get this years model as it was a good price. There aren't that many changes for next year so decided that I would get it now. We have an old baby jogger city mini for holiday and when our ds gets older. My dh choose the vista over icandy and bugaboo as he wanted it to fold as a one piece. He also like that you get virtualy everything you need. It is cheaper than Buggaboo, icandy. My dh like that everything you needed came with it ie rain covers and car seat adapters. I really hate it when you have to buy the essentials as extras. I thiink the uk 2011 uk model has the better wheels already. The 2012 model has the full recline and different colours I wasn't thinking there were that many changes. My baby is due in Jan so really couldn't wait till Feb for it.

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UPPAbaby-VISTA-2010-Red-Pram-Pushchair-Stroller-Maxi-Cosi-Cabriofix-Car-Seat-/150693529218?pt=UK_Baby_BabyTravel_Pushchairs_GL&hash=item231608c682#ht_5689wt_1396