UPPAbaby Vista vs Bugaboo Cameleon 3

There are many great battles that shall live on in the history of time; Swaddling vs. Sleeping bags, 3 wheels vs. 4, Bottle vs. Breast, yet none are quite as controversial as the great buggy battle. The stroller is definitely one of the most important and useful pieces of equipment you will buy for your baby and no stone should be left unturned. We are here today to look at two of our best selling strollers in a head to head battle for pushchair domination. Ding, Ding, Ding!

In the red corner we have the Bugaboo Cameleon; iconic, versatile and effortlessly stylish it has earned its place at the top of the British Nursery Industry. In the blue corner we have the UPPAbaby Vista; sturdy, practical and highly commended. Manufactured by one of the fastest growing brands in the UK, the Vista comes with an array of awards including a prestigious Which? Best Buy.

Round 1 – Carrycot

The carrycot will be your baby’s home for the first 4-6 months, so it needs to be spacious, snug and comfortable. Both carrycots are suitable from birth and come complete with a mattress and rain cover ensuring maximum comfort and protection from the elements. The larger carrycot of the two, the Vista, offers the benefit of being suitable for overnight sleeping, this means staying out is easy and doesn't require you taking the kitchen sink everywhere you go! The hood sports an extendable sun canopy with an SPF protection of 50+ and a zip towards the back allowing extra air circulation. The Cameleon carrycot also has an extendable hood but is narrower than the Vista, possibly meaning your little one may grow out of the carrycot sooner than 6 months.

Round 2 – The Seat

The seat unit for both of these strollers will sit both forward and rear, this allows you to interact with your little one, but also allow them to see the world too. The Vista has five recline positions,  while the Cameleon has three, they both have a bumper bar and an extendable sun canopy. Like the carrycot, the Vista hood features an SPF 50+ sunshade meaning you will never have to contend with a parasol in the summer months. The Vista seat unit is bigger than the Cameleon and has an adjustable foot rest, these two features could mean the pushchair is more adaptable to your child as he or she grows.

Round 3 – Wheels

The Cameleon has two different sizes of wheels for the front and the back; the smaller wheels at the front have adjustable suspension so that as your little one gets bigger, you can maintain a smooth ride. There is also the option to have the bigger wheels at the front by simply swapping the handle over with the press of a button; this will help on uneven ground.

Additionally the Cameleon has an innovative 2-wheel mode which can be seen above, this means it is perfect for pulling the stroller in sand or snow, not something that everyone may need, but extremely useful if you go on family trips to the beach or live in an area that gets a lot of snow.

The Vista features large solid wheels both at the front and back of the stroller, they are solid  so they will not puncture, however the suspension is a lot firmer than the Cameleon, so over rough terrain the Cameleon achieves a much smoother ride.

Round 4 – Car Seat Compatibility

Both strollers are compatible with the range of Maxi Cosi car seats; Cabriofix, Pebble and Pebble Plus, the Cybex Aton and the BeSafe izi go. The Cameleon is also compatible with the Britax infant seats. Both prams require a set of adaptors to attach any of the above seats, the Vista adaptors come included, whereas the Cameleon adaptors come at an added cost of £29.95. The adaptors can be a struggle at first but eventually you will get the hang of which side they clip on to!

Round 5 – The Fold

When folding both strollers have pros and cons, the Cameleon is much easier than previous models however you do need to remove carrycot/seat/car seat before folding, plus there is not a safety lock on the Cameleon to hold the stroller together, but the central bar does allow for easy carrying. When outward facing the Vista folds with the seat unit still attached and has a locking catch to keep the stroller neat and compact in transit. When folding, the handle bar is positioned on the floor for both prams, this enables the Vista to free stand however it also means that both handle bars are exposed to dirt and scratching of the foam on the handle bars, this isn't necessarily a problem, but you need to be mindful when folding.

Round 6 – Accessories

Both strollers have a huge array of accessories inclusive of footmuffs, cup holders, changing bags, snack trays and buggy boards. Additionally the Cameleon can be fitted with a seat liner, blanket, interchangeable fabrics, and a parent organiser.

A bonus that the 2015 Vista has over the Cameleon 3 is the ability to become a double stroller with the purchase of an additional seat unit.

Conclusion

With all the above being said, both of these strollers have fantastic features and some draw backs. Take in to consideration your own lifestyle and try and pop in to a local store to try the goods for yourself. Both Bugaboo and UPPAbaby are sprinting ahead in the battle for the best buggy as they provide continuous innovation to the pram category and I truly believe any new mum would be absolutely delighted with either model.