The best of the best baby strollers: Should you buy a Bugaboo Cameleon or a 2015 UPPAbaby Vista? (reviews/ratings/prices)

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Update 5/1/2017: UPPAbaby Vista vs Bugaboo Cameleon 2017

2015 Bugaboo Cameleon 3 at mbeans.com

Given that the Bugaboo Cameleon and the UPPAbaby Vista are two of our most popular baby strollers, I’ve been wanting to write a blog post comparing them for months: it just makes sense. They’re both beautifully designed, highly-functional, and perfect for urban parents. But when I told my officemates here at Magic Beans that I was going to compare the two, they all encouraged me to wait until I got my hands on the 2015 UPPAbaby Vista, and I’m glad that I took their advice – there are so many cool new changes on this stroller!

With that said: let’s start out by talking about each one of these strollers separately, because even though they’re so frequently compared, they really are quite different.

Bugaboo Cameleon

The Cameleon is a top-quality mobility product, and you will LOVE the way it feels to push this stroller around your neighborhood, whether you’ve got the small wheels in front (for turn-on-a-dime maneuvering ability) or the large 12” wheels in front (for all-terrain toughness). Like all Bugaboo products, your decision to go with a Cameleon hinges on how much you value stylish design and best-in-class quality.

The price tag on the Cameleon can be a sticking point, but I maintain that it’s worth every penny. Yes, it is expensive, but it’s engineered from the ground up, and every handle, latch, button, and spoke is molded and sourced from scratch, so that’s why it’s pricey: you are paying for one of the most carefully designed products in the world! It’s also a little-known fact that Bugaboo has their own factory, with a great reputation for some of the best labor practices in China. The materials are also top-quality, which adds a bit more cost as well. But the end result looks great, feels great, works beautifully, and comes with a three-year warranty. Knowing the Bugaboo story and understanding their company culture and their obsession with quality makes it a lot easier to justify that price tag.

I also don’t think it should be a dealbreaker that the Bugaboo Cameleon has a two-piece fold: remember, when you’re folding it in two pieces, you’re never stuck hefting a huge, heavy stroller! And the fold has a bit of a learning curve, but once you’ve got it down, it’s so quick and easy. If you want a lesson, just send me a message on twittter @eligurock, and I’ll show you how it’s done.

Finally, the new bassinet stand coming out soon will enable you to use your Bugaboo stroller bassinet as a sleep-safe bassinet for your bedroom or anywhere else in your house, extending the use of the bassinet from outdoors to indoors!

2015 UPPAbaby Vista

UPPAbaby also makes a great quality product, but I think the Vista is not just about mobility: I think it’s about the whole lifestyle of the customer.

Customers used to say that they preferred the UPPAbaby Vista over a Bugaboo Cameleon because it had the ability to convert to a double stroller. Customers so often tell me that they want a single stroller that converts to a double stroller, but I usually highly discourage that line of thinking if they don’t LOVE the single stroller as a stand alone. Plus, I was not a fan of the previous rumble seat.

But I think I am going to change my tune when it come to the new 2015 UPPAbaby Vista. The new Rumble Seat is fantastic – it now has a great recline, and can face forward or backwards. Plus, the 2015 Vista can carry a dizzying array of configurations of other items, including one or two stroller bassinets or UPPAbaby MESA Infant Car Seats! It’s a real game-changer.

I’m also a big fan of the bassinet that comes with the Vista: it’s sleep-safe, and you can put it on an UPPAbaby bassinet stand to extend the use of the bassinet from outside use to inside. With the UPPAbaby bassinet stand, you can also add hamper inserts once your bassinet days are over. I love anything that extends the use of a product!

So how do you choose between the UPPAbaby Vista and the Bugaboo Cameleon?

For some folks, the comparison between the 2015 Uppababy Vista vs. Bugaboo Cameleon comes down to how smooth the ride is – and that’s just not something I can really weigh in on. That’s where a stroller test drive comes in: drop by one of our stores or another local specialty baby store in your area!

At the end of the day, choose a Cameleon if you…

• Love the look
• Love the way it pushes
• Appreciate the quality of materials
• Appreciate features like the reversible handlebar (that lets you put the big wheels up front), the hand-activated brake, and adjustable suspension
• Like that you can easily update the look by purchasing new tailored fabric sets
• Find value in the 3-year warranty

Choose an UPPAbaby Vista if you…

• Love the look (this is obviously subjective!)
• Want the ability to customize your stroller to grow with your family with the Rumble Seat, PiggyBack, etc.
• Are excited about using it with the bassinet stand
• Appreciate features like the generous basket and the extended UV-protective canopy

The post  The best of the best baby strollers: Should you buy a Bugaboo Cameleon or a 2015 UPPAbaby Vista? (reviews/ratings/prices) appeared first on Spilling the Beans - Magic Beans.