April 6, 2018 Mike Volpe

What’s the difference between the Bugaboo strollers?

What’s the difference between the 2018 Bugaboo Fox, Cameleon, Donkey, and Bee Strollers?

Bugaboo is one of the very rare companies in the baby gear world that make only one thing. And they’ve been making that one thing for a pretty long time, which is definitely a testament to their quality design and engineering. In the 22 years since their founding, Bugaboo has focused solely on strollers, and they managed to create a lineup of fully-featured options that can fit almost any lifestyle.

The stroller that made their name was the Bugaboo Frog, which has since transitioned to the Cameleon3. Back in 2001, it was featured as Miranda’s stroller of choice in Sex And The City, which gave the company a frustrating association with the show that both helped and hurt their image. In the years since then, the Frog/Cameleon as well as other iterations they have come out with have proven to be the most durable strollers on the market. Bugaboo strollers last for multiple kids, sometimes in multiple families (since they’re frequently coveted and given to the next family member to have a child), and have very few issues during their lifespan.

This astounding durability–and the concepts that fostered it–have helped Bugaboo expand their line, yet they haven’t spread themselves too thin. As I said, they’re one of the very few companies that specializes in one thing only. Their strollers are incomparable, but we’ll give it a shot! Let’s try to break down the biggest differences between the Bugaboo strollers.

My image of their lineup is as follows:

The Bugaboo Cameleon3 Stroller: The Bugaboo Cameleon is the current iteration of their original stroller. All of the respect that comes with updating a true classic has been given to this stroller over the years. It was originally known for being the lightest weight multi-terrain strollers on the market. It offers a wonderful push on rough surfaces. It also features an innovative reversible handlebar that allows you to lead with the larger back wheels, as compared to trudging through mud or snow with the tiny (albeit incredibly well-suspended) front wheels. Great storage, an innovative fold, and one of the smoothest pushes around helped the Bugaboo Cameleon Stroller endure through the aughts until today. Soon enough it was no longer Bugaboo’s lightest stroller, but it still had the advantage in terrains.

The Bugaboo Fox Stroller: The Fox is their newest option. The Bugaboo Fox replaces the Buffalo, which was their first truly all terrain stroller. With a significantly lighter chassis and similarly sized wheels, the Fox has come into direct competition with the Cameleon. It may soon be the newest iteration of the Cameleon, because it is Bugaboo’s first response to where the market is heading. The most forward-thinking features it offers are its light weight, standing fold, ability to fold with the seat on facing either way, and best-in-class storage space. That’s not to mention the eco friendly fabrics, higher weight limit, customizable aesthetics, and “beach mode,” all of which add up to possibly the most impressive addition to the stroller market as a whole in the last 10 years.

The Bugaboo Bee5 Stroller: The Bee is Bugaboo’s lightweight stroller. Residing in the grey area between a true umbrella stroller and a more fully-featured option, the stroller clocks in at 19lbs and has tiny–but intensely suspended–wheels. This stroller was made for stylish fliers as well as urban folk who mostly deal with pavement. It has a great push, is 2-3lbs lighter than the Fox/Cameleon, and shares the Fox’s the ability to fold with the seat facing either way. The Bee is also the only Bugaboo Stroller that doesn’t include a bassinet in the box upon purchase. They offer a bassinet separately, but this allows you to use the stroller for whatever you please. Whether it be your travel option or your everyday option, the Bugaboo Bee5 is one of the longest lasting, most stylish lightweight strollers around.

The Bugaboo Donkey2 Stroller: At this point, I’m sure you’ve Bugaboo’s number trend of sequels. The Donkey was recently updated to modernize its aesthetic as well as adjust the stroller to the multitudes of experiential comments they’d received over the years. They tightened up the frame and adjusted the fabrics and buttons. All in all, Bugaboo made over 100 minute changes for the 2017/18 model. That said, this is Bugaboo’s only double stroller. Starting as a single, it expands sideways to accommodate a second child, becoming a side-by-side double. The stroller avoids the pitfalls of the tandem style (“which child to I love more?”) and allows possibly the largest swath of configuration options (seat, bassinet, and car seat) of any stroller on the market. With ample storage, a removable side bag with a 22lb weight limit, and one of the narrowest side-by-side profiles you can come across, this stroller is truly one of the most impressive doubles you can buy.