Best Baby Strollers

Bugaboo has designed the Chameleon as their do-all, be-all, top of the line stroller. As Bugaboo puts it, the Chameleon is, “the most fully-loaded Bugaboo stroller.” Translation: We are going to charge you an arm and a leg for this stroller because you want it bad enough that we can. Just how much can you expect to pay for a Bugaboo Chameleon? Realistically, you’re looking at around 900 obscene dollars for this lovely little gem. Is a Bugaboo Chameleon worth that kind of cash? Of course it isn’t, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t getting one heck of a stroller.

What really sets Bugaboo apart from other stroller manufacturers is their amazingly adaptable chassis. The Chameleon is no exception; its chassis represents the pinnacle of Bugaboo perfection. Like the Bugaboo Frog and Gecko, the Bugaboo Chameleon’s chassis consist of a unique system of four wheels—two pneumatic air-filled tires and two plastic swivel wheels. These wheels work together to create a ride that is uncompromisingly smooth and maneuverable.

The Bugaboo Chameleon’s handle is reversible, making it fast and simple to change direction and change the chassis’s function from agile to all-terrain. By removing the smaller swivel wheels, the Bugaboo Chameleon’s chassis can also be easily used on the beach or through the snow. While all these features are found on the less expensive Bugaboo Frog and Gecko, the Chameleon’s chassis has the unique feature of adjustable suspension in the swivel wheels. Exactly why you need to adjust the suspension of your stroller I’m not sure. The Bugaboo Chameleon also features an adjustable handle, making it comfortable for most sizes of people.

The Bugaboo Chameleon comes with both a bassinette and a stroller seat. If you are a fashionable sort of person (and if you want to buy a Bugaboo Chameleon, I’m betting that you are), you’ll be happy to learn that the Chameleon comes in hip mix-and-match colors you can tailor to your personal tastes. The bassinette is detachable and can be used as your baby’s first bed. Unfortunately, the Bugaboo Chameleon’s seat and bassinette share the same metal frame and can’t both be used at the same time. This seems like something of an oversight for such an expensive stroller. Some reviewers complain that switching from stroller seat to bassinette is complicated and can take over 20 minutes.

One of the drawbacks of all the Bugaboo strollers, and the Chameleon in particular, is that it takes a doctorate in engineering just to get the thing put together. Unlike other strollers that you assemble only once, the Bugaboo Chameleon must be pulled into various bits every time you want to store it or switch to one of its multitude of forms. While a customizable stroller is cool in theory, in real life it just isn’t practical. Where is your baby while you are making the multiple adjustments required to get the Bugaboo Chameleon up and rolling? Where do you put the stroller seat while you are folding the chassis up to go in the trunk? I certainly don’t want to put anything I paid $900 for on the filthy ground. For such an ingenious stroller, the Bugaboo Chameleon takes up a lot of space with its multiple components.

The least Bugaboo could do when charging a small fortune for the Chameleon is include some basic necessities like a cup holder and a sun shade (both sold separately for an outrageous $25). While the Bugaboo Chameleon does come with a gear bag, it’s really only large enough to hold the included repair kit, mosquito net, and rain cover. You can hang bags on the Bugaboo Chameleon’s handle, but it makes the whole stroller prone to tipping.

All the negative aspects of the Chameleon aside, Bugaboo really does make a quality stroller. If you really want to spend a small fortune on a stroller and you tend to walk a lot instead of driving, the Bugaboo Chameleon may just be your best bet.