Uppababy Cruz, Vista or Bugaboo cameleon

[ellabe]

Hi all,
Could really do with some advice from those of you who have these buggies please!!
We're debating between the Bugaboo Cameleon, the Uppababy Cruz and the Uppababy Vista.
I have friends who have all of these and they all seem to love their buggy but I have concerns over each of them!! We're looking for a buggy that is good in the city and would be ok on the underground / going into small shops/ cafes etc but that could also handle parks and commons/ woods! And one that folds up neatly and that is good for tall people as my husband is 6ft 5!!

Cruz- I love this but have heard that the front wheels get stuck often and so it can be awkward to push and perhaps not good in commons/ parks?

Vista- I love this even more but am worried it's too wide for small shops / tubes and public transport?

Cameleon- lots of people seem to have it and it seems the best option as it isn't too big but is also good off road... but the cot seems really low down to me and the shopping basket seems small and awkward to access!!

Would welcome your thoughts.. which would you go for given it will mainly be used on the streets in London but will go off pavements and i also want one that is ok to have in shops / cafes etc!!
Thanks so much!!!
E

Have you looked at the sliver cross pioneer? So much nicer to push than the bugaboo the basket is massive and the carrycot is memory foam. The handle bar extends too.

Another vote for the Vista. I live in London and I haven't found it too big for everyday life and as people say the basket is fantastic. Friends with the chameleon seem to switch to smaller prams within a year and often have problems with the brake. I see loads of people with the yo-yo Zen in London but it looks pretty flimsy and I'm not sure it would last very well after lots of pounding the streets.

I have the older model Vista and love it. It is bigger than some but I get it on buses, trains, through doors and park it in coffee shops. The basket is huge and has carried baby stuff and the infant car seat! My eldest is nearly 3 and tall, and she is just getting too big for it but still has a good few months before she is going to be too big. The infant snug you can buy makes the seat suitable for newborns (which dd2 uses). I find it easy to fold and although it is heavier than some it is managable. I can lift it up and down kerbs, trains etc with no problems.

Thank you all so much.. all your feedback has been so useful!
I’ve just done a John Lewis nursery appt and I think I definitely want to go for either the Vista or the Cruz.. I’m tempted by the Cruz as it is so compact but given so many of you have said you don’t have a problem
With the Vista then perhaps it could be my best option!
My biggest concern is that it will be too wide in cafes and restaurants... but from your comments it doesn’t seem like those of you with the Vista ever find this to be a problem.
The other option is the Cruz and then when we have a second we will get a buggy board but I assume this isn’t that practical as 2 1/2 year olds are likely to still want a seat from time to time??!!

One other question seeing as you’ve been so helpful.
We’re assuming we’ll try for a second baby in about 2 years.. how essential is it to get a buggy that lasts for 2 wirh 2 seats or would we be ok with the Cruz and a buggy board?
Or are we better off compromising with a bigger buggy but at least it will last 2 years?
Thanks all
E

how essential is it to get a buggy that lasts for 2 wirh 2 seats or would we be ok with the Cruz and a buggy board?

Most 2-3 year olds will need to still use a buggy so get one you can maybe convert to a double like the Oyster Max?

If £££ isn't too much of a resriction maybe the iCandy Orange is worth a look?

But if you really are going to have two in 3 years a buggy that'll convert to take two is essential.

I love my Vista. Onto second child with it now. It fits through most single shop doorways and I haven’t really had an issue with it in restaurants/cafes. It’s great for walks in the garden and woods too, or around golf courses etc.- fab off and on road.

We have a Cruz, are in London use it all the time. It is 3.5 years old. Massive basket. Bought the buggy board - we have 3 years between DC so eldest is fine. (We also have a Maclaran so very occasionally go out with two buggies it if we think they will both sleep)

High weight limit for the main seat means you can put the older DC in there if you need to and sling the younger one.

Thank you all..
ThelegendofBeans.. good thought on the orange as we were also considering this..
have you got one?
Do you have any thoughts on the icandy Orange?
If so, would you Recommend it? I can’t quite work out if it is lighter than the uppababy Vista or not?
Any views on the Icandy orange would be very welcome!!
Thanks

A sling is another thing to think of, that is what I do. But a pushchair which can become a double would be really practical so you have a choice. Considered a buggy board (dd wad 2.3 when dd2 came along and nearly 3 now) but they just look awkward. For me its far easier to have her in the pushchair for long journeys.

I was going to recommend the Mamas & Papas Armadillo Flip XT and I see TheLegend has beaten me to it!

Honestly, brilliant pushchair - we chose it over the Uppababy Cruz and haven't regretted it. Its advantages over the Cruz are:

• Can be folded without removing the seat whether the seat is parent-facing or forward-facing (if using the Cruz parent-facing you have to remove the seat before folding)
• More room for growth. We didn't factor this in at the time but we are so glad we didn't get the Cruz as the seat looks quite small and our big, tall baby would have grown out of it fast.
• Cheaper, we got a really good deal on it but even without the deal I think it's still less than the Cruz.

I looked at the Mamas & Papas website recently and they have brought out a few more pushchairs since we bought ours. All have slightly different features. They are definitely worth checking out. We didn't have a Mamas & Papas near us so we had to drive an hour to the nearest shop but it was worth it.

(Can you tell I'm happy with my pushchair?! )

I love my Chameleon and am now using it for my second baby. It's a great push and really sturdy without being huge or awkward.

It IS a bit awkward to access shopping basket with carry cot but not with the pushchair.

The Jane Minnum might be worth a look.

High reversible seat, small footprint, compact fold, carrycot and car seat attachments are available and it looks easy to use.

@ellabe - What did you go for? I'm looking at the same models you were, as have similar requirements (also London-based, although it sounds like I use buses more than you do and tubes less). Leaning towards Uppababy Cruz, but put off by reports that the 2015 model had issues with its front wheels. Sounds like the 2017 model might have resolved that, though?

We also plan to have a second child fairly quickly, but I'm planning to get whichever pushchair is right for us now and then sell it and buy whichever pushchair is right for our new circumstances (I imagine I'll also have a much better understanding of what I need by then too, having dealt with one child in a pushchair for a year or so).