Dedicated to busy moms in urban areas who lead a modern lifestyle, Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus is a state-of-the-art stroller with a convertible seat that turns into a bassinet. Whether you’re hitting the streets or staying home with your little one, this is a stroller that’ll do you good.
Why Trust Us?
Because my full-time job is being mom to 2 precious daughters, and I know a thing or two about strollers. Besides personal experience, I get feedback from other moms who use these strollers every day and put all that research into our unbiased stroller buying guides
- Kyli
From its sleek frame to its premium fabric, its two-step fold and seat reclining options, the Cameleon is here to impress!
Today, we’ll be giving you an in-depth review of the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus and some tips and tricks to help you choose the best stroller for you and your kid.
Table of Contents
Things to Consider Before Buying a Stroller
Deciding which stroller to buy for your baby is troublesome. You have a handful of factors to balance: safety, performance, ease of use, weight, and cost.
Here are what we deem the three most essential factors you need to consider before your big buy.
Safety
If you expect any other factor to come first, think again. A stroller is a piece of equipment that assists you in moving your child, and you need this assistant to be reliable and secure.
For a stroller to be safe, it should include a five-point harness. Any extra shoulder and waist straps or crotch buckles are welcomed unless they irritate your baby’s skin. To stop the stroller, you need a conventional braking system. You’ll also need to test the wheels and the seat recline positions if any.
To protect your baby’s skin, a sun canopy is an indispensable feature. In hotter temperatures, you’ll want to make sure that the fabric is breathable, allowing for proper ventilation. A canopy mesh vent is a plus.
Comfort
This applies to both you and your child. The stroller needs to be lightweight and easy to push for you, preferably with an adjustable ergonomic handle. We’re looking for padding here.
As for your child, you need to make sure that the harness and buckle aren’t irritating to your little one’s skin. Moreover, the fabric should be soft and breathable. Adjustable leg and footrests are a plus.
Ease of Use
The list here is endless. Is the stroller compact? Does it fit into your car trunk? What about adjustability options? Are the handlebars of varying heights? Can you push it single-handedly? Does it have storage space? Is it accessible?
We told you; this list never ends!
Overview of the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus
Bugaboo is a rockstar in the stroller world. Moms adore its products, and there are countless reasons for that. Although it’s relatively new to the market, having only been founded in 1999, Bugaboo has lurked into the best-of list and positioned itself among other more established juvenile-products brands.
Bugaboo’s Cameleon underwent a redesign and emerged in stellar shape as the Cameleon 3 Plus.
With the Cameleon 3 Plus, Bugaboo addressed the issue of inaccessible storage, which parents complained about with the Cameleon 3. The new storage basket is wider and lower, hence, more accessible.
Other key improvements included the whole design, with the Cameleon 3 Plus being sleek with a streamlined, sporty frame and different, upgraded fabrics.
Let’s see how this redesign worked out for them.
Things We Love
- Modern, sleek design
- Adjustable handlebar
- Reversible and reclining seat
- Carseat compatible
- Tilting seat offers multiple recline positions
- Functional braking system
- Excellent suspension on swivel wheels
- Good range of accessories available
Room for Improvement
- A bit pricey
- The storage basket could use more improvement
- The maximum weight capacity isn’t the best on the market
Features & Benefits – A Detailed Review
Now that you’ve had a birds-eye view of the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus, let’s dive into the juicy details. We’re sure you’ll be impressed!
Technical Specifications
- Folded Dimensions: 35″ x 20″ x 12″
- Unfolded Dimensions: 35.4” x 23” x 14”
- Weight: 21 lbs.
- Weight Capacity: Up to 37.5 lbs.
Design
Nobody likes the look of an energy-drained mother struggling to push a bulky stroller around the streets. The majority of parents would like a stroller that looks good and feels good to push, and Bugaboo’s Cameleon 3 Plus is just that.
Bugaboo boasts of Cameleon’s iconic design. The pushchair blurs the line between looks and performance with Bugaboo’s signature central joint design. Not only does it look sophisticated, but it also allows for better maneuverability and smoother gliding across different types of terrain.
The frame is made of heavy-duty aluminum, and it doesn’t scratch easily. And even if it does get scratched, the imperfections won’t be visible anyway.
For optimal performance, you have the option of adjusting the swivel wheel’s suspension to match your baby’s weight.
One of the key differences between the Cameleon 3 and 3 Plus is appearance. The 3 Plus comes with a full rainbow of fabric colors for the canopy to choose from — black, fresh white, grey melange, blue melange, sky blue, ruby red, soft pink, sunrise yellow, and neon red — and fun patterns of birds and waves.
The Seat
The 3 Plus’s seat sports a minimalistic design with soft padding that snuggles your baby, and the sleek seat frame cradles the fabric tightly. This is truly an innovative design if we do say so ourselves!
The Cameleon 3 Plus has no leg rest; instead, it features a wide footrest. To detach the seat from the frame, you need to press only two buttons. Fortunately, we didn’t encounter difficulties doing that in our testing.
The seat has three recline positions: a flat horizontal position perfect for a napping baby, a semi-upright resting position, and an upright position for when he or she is in a playful mood.
To secure your baby in the seat, there’s a five-point harness that’s a bit large to accommodate your baby as he or she grows. Additionally, there are crotch and shoulder straps that you can adjust. If your baby is in his or her first months, make sure to adjust the harness to the lowest position.
On top of that, this stroller’s seat is compatible with multiple types of car seats, giving you the option of converting your stroller into a car seat effortlessly. To tilt the seat, press the round off-white buttons on both sides till you reach the desired angle. No muss, no fuss.
If you’re out on an adventure or gearing up for a hiking session, switch to the two-wheel mode for smoother and faster movement. Who needs a special baby jogger anyway?
The Handlebar
To offer versatility, the Cameleon 3 Plus handlebar reverses with the seat so that your child can ride forward, facing the world. The handlebar is comfortable, thanks to its flat-like tubing, and adjusts to your height as well.
With the aid of Bugaboo’s astounding wheels, you can push the stroller using the handlebar single-handedly. This feature is particularly helpful when roaming with your kids in the city — it really makes running errands a little bit easier.
The Basket
The storage basket was one of the pitfalls of Bugaboo’s Cameleon 3. Despite being of average size, there was a frame bar that ran over the Cameleon’s basket, which made it hardly accessible. The best solution was to separate the basket and use it as a diaper bag, but even that was no easy feat.
Bugaboo listened to user complaints and managed to improve the storage basket in the Plus version. On the Cameleon 3 Plus, the under-seat basket is more spacious (22 liters) and much lower. Now, you can easily use it without separating it from the seat.
While not insanely huge, the basket will fit all your baby essentials — everything from diapers and clothes changes to baby formula and toys. Not having extra storage accessories like pockets or cup holders, for example, interrupted our happy dance a bit, though.
The Bassinet
We’d also like to note that the bassinet is self-standing, as well as the seat, so there’s no need to worry about going out with either of them alone without a base.
You can easily switch between the bassinet and the seat, which especially comes in handy when you’re out and about for the day.
Verdict
The Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus is a luxurious stroller that deserves the buzz it receives.
If we’re to speak about the key differences between the Cameleon 3 and 3 Plus, we won’t find critical differences in functionality. Most of the changes are design-related — the fabric, external chassis, and storage basket.
Luxury has a price, and the 3 Plus’s price is a tad over the top. Still, you can find some worthy alternatives at a lower budget. We’d recommend the Britax B-ready stroller, for instance. It converts into an inline double stroller with a huge weight capacity. It’s another one of our favorites, and we have a full detailed review of it here.
Another strong contender is the convertible UPPAbaby Vista that’s equally as functional for a fraction of the price. We’ve also reviewed it here.
The truth is, the Cameleon 3 Plus isn’t the best value product; while it has a lot to offer, it charges so much for it. Mostly, you’re paying for durability and a classic iconic stroller. But honestly, who doesn’t love a classic?
Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus Review: A Modern Lifestyle Stroller
This article will give you an in-depth review of the Bugaboo Cameleon 3 Plus and some tips to help you choose the best stroller for you and your kid.
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