By Adele Chan
Bugaboo has a new pram and of course I want one. I’ve been following the brand’s Instagram account and in January this year, they released a sneak peek of a new pram. Over half a month, new photos (each photo showing part of the new pram) were periodically uploaded until the full picture of the pram was revealed — the Bugaboo Fox. And if I had to sum it up, the Fox has the good stylings of the classic Cameleon, but with the portability and urban smarts of the more compact Bee. These are the press images :
See what I mean when I say it looks like the Cameleon? An obvious difference is that the two front wheels of the Fox are much larger than those on the Cameleon, and the shopping baskets below sit differently. What I consider a tremendous design improvement over the Cameleon, is that the Fox can collapse into a single piece — the Cameleon folds down into two pieces (the frame and the seat) that must be separated before collapsing. Also, the Fox can stand when folded — something the Bee cannot do (the Bee lies flat on the floor when folded). Here’s a video on how the Fox folds and stands :
This is me and my two-year-old giving the Fox a spin.
The Fox is fully customisable. You start with a silver or black chassis, then select fabrics for the seat, sun canopy and bassinet, and then choose from three shades of leather-look grips and four shades of wheel caps. You can play around with the various options and create your own Fox on the Bugaboo website here. What do you think of my creation:
That above is a bit too fancy for everyday use; the actual Fox I created is an all-black version with a grey canopy. Here’s a closer look at some of the details :
The first time I used the pram, my impression of it was that it’s incredibly easy to push and manoeuvre; and it feels solid. And no surprises there because I’ve used both the Cameleon and Bee3 in the past, and they felt really well-built too. But quality materials and workmanship come at a cost — the Bugaboo Fox isn’t exactly cheap; and it’s not going to fall under the “value-for-money” category. The entire build will set you back $2,000, and that’s the base model without “premium” colours like a black base (that’s an extra $100) or “melange” fabrics (an additional $10 to $30 each). But it’s a clever concept because mums will love that the Fox colour combination is fully customisable.
But the Fox is not just a parent pleaser, for the kids, it’s a comfortable ride. I can actually feel the suspension while pushing it; plus the large wheels, ergonomic chair, and adjustable inclination all add to the smooth, stable ride that a child can sit or sleep in for hours.
I got my good friend and new mummy, Claire (also super cool race car driver) to test out the Fox :
Claire uses the Bee5 herself and after a spin with the new Fox, I might have convinced her to switch vehicles. Look at little Oli; he certainly looks comfortable! 👶
I switched up the canopy to the Fox’s signature white, and got another mummy friend, Aarika to try it out :
Her baby boy, Ari also slept through the whole ride. Gotta love a sleeping baby.
One of the new parent-friendly design features is the height position of the seat; you can bring the pram right up to the dining table and it’s the perfect height to join in the family meal. It’s also the ideal height for parents to lift the baby in and out of the pram.
Near the left rear wheel, there’s a clickable foot brake which you can step on to brake the pram or release it; a nice design improvement from the Cameleon’s hand brake that I used to struggle with when my hands were full (especially when I was trying to release the brake — you have to push in a button to activate the “spring”. Anyone who’s tried the Cameleon will know what I’m talking about).
Finally, one of the most important things I — and any mum — consider in a pram, is the weight. The Fox weighs 9.9kg. In comparison, the Cameleon³ is 9.6kg, and the Bee⁵ is 8.9kg. The Fox is clearly not the lightest pram in the market, but the brand calls it “the ultimate comfort stroller” — and for a little bit of extra weight, it certainly lives up to its claim.
Photos taken with the Leica Q.
The Bugaboo Fox starts from $1,799 and is available at First Few Years, Mothercare and Motherswork in Singapore. Visit www.bugaboo.com for more info.
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