Bugaboo Frog Stroller - Red

Bugaboo Frog Complete Stroller - Black Reviews

Average Review Rating: 4.5

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Review Rating: 4/5
Review Summary: I always get compliments wherever we go!
I love the smootheness of this stroller. You can turn it anywhere with ease, it's like a dyson vaccuum. I only have one pet peeve. The canopy is difficult to adjust when the sun moves around. Otherwise, the bassinet is awesome for when your little one hates the car-seat but can't sit up enough, or be stable for the upright chair attachment. You can put all kinds of stuff in the bassinet too and I hang rattlepals from the bar so she can have something to play with while I shop. She stares up at the ceiling while I roll her around, it's very handy!

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Review Rating: 3/5
Review Summary: Just Okay.....
I love the look of this stroller. I admit, its beautiful. With my baby I wanted a stroller that had a bassinet. WHOA, but some of the criticisms about the Bugaboos ARE warranted. Yes, once you figure out how to put the stroller together and use it, it's a bit easier, but it IS bulky and takes up a LOT of space. The only thing I'm not sure about is if ALL strollers are bulky and take up a lot of space (besides the umbrella strollers). I have to say, we were on vacation and I had to buy a inexpensive "umbrella" stroller from Target and I LOVED it so much more than my Frog. (I really hate to say that). But it was sooooooooooooooo easy to get around and maneuvered very well. I thought, wow, spent $800 on my Frog and like my $20 stroller better. :(

I also admit, I didn't read ALL the instructions and got stuck a few times trying to figure out how to detach the Frog. Goodness, it was FRUSTRATING!!!! Especially if you have a tired crying infant in the summer heat. NOT FUN.

If you buy this stroller, PLEASE WATCH THE CD/DVD and MAKE SURE you READ the instructions CAREFULLY so you know how to use the stroller. It is TOO EXPENSIVE if you end up not knowing how to use the stroller.

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Review Rating: 5/5
Review Summary: Long Review on Why you should consider a Frog
I have used a Bugaboo Frog for 10 months now, beginning with the bassinet and now using the seat. My husband and I are both 5'6". My experience is based on living in Rome Italy, walking for hours at times over cobblestone streets, traversing large curbs and stairways and riding the train, tram, subway and bus. I use it for all daily living activities, including grocery shopping, going to playgroups and the zoo, plus we have taken a cruise, flown on planes and visited numerous countries and archeological sites. Though we have put it in our SUV, and unfortunately it does take a lot of space, I don't drive in Rome, so I can't comment from that perspective. As far as quick errands go, or taking public transportation during peak hours, I typically use a soft structured baby carrier instead of the stroller.

Now that you know what my review is based on, I LOVE my Bugaboo Frog! I have the rear foam wheels of the Cameleon instead of air, once you have a flat tire, air is not so much fun. For doing lots of walking, dealing with curbs and staircases this stroller is excellent. It pushes so easily, you don't feel the weight of your child. I can totally load it down with groceries in the bottom and hanging from the handle - yes it's a little tippy with that much weight, and it will collapse if bags are hanging from the handlebar and I take my son out, but show me a stroller that won't. The large back wheels make it possible to navigate almost any terrain, and also makes it possible to go up and down stairways by myself, one step at a time.

I like the safety strap on the handlebar, and the reversible handle has come in handy when fitting in a packed elevator, subway or tram - just position the handle upright to take up less space. It's also useful to move the handle out of the way to use the seat as a high chair, or take a photo when child is rear facing.

The reversible seat is a must have option. Our son prefers seeing us and we like to watch his expressions as he smiles at trees, feels the wind and experiences new things. We are constantly interacting as a family and he is all smiles. On public transportation I prefer to have him facing me so I can monitor strangers interaction with him. I also know how he is being affected by the elements and can adjust for sun, rain, wind in his face. I can't count the number of times I've had wind or dirt gust in my face and I was thankful my son's back was too it.

The two part fold even has it's advantages:
1) I can take the stroller apart, leaving my son in his seat, to get in an out of my tiny 21" elevator door, then put me the chassis plus a bag or two of groceries in, its the only way we can use the elevator. I have also detached the seat and left the chassis down below when there was no elevator and I had to walk up flights of stairs.
2) When out with my husband we can break the stroller down into 2 parts for going up long stairways, or fitting on the bus, and our son never has to leave the comfort of his chair.
3) I can detach the seat at the park/playgroup for my little guy to sit in, or to use as a high chair while interacting on the ground with everyone else.
4) I've even left my son in the seat, and put the chassis in the trunk on a cab ride from the airport to the hotel when traveling - not the safest, but it was raining, late at night, he was asleep and it was the fastest way to get the cab loaded up.

As I mentioned, we have traveled with our stroller, and since its to other European cities with cobblestone streets, I wouldn't use any other stroller. Sometimes we have to lift it over turnstiles or the like in metro/train stations, or carry it in two pieces through a door because the wheel base is about a 1/2" too wide , but with my husband and I together we've never had an issue, and these situations are the rarity, not the norm, and perhaps not an issue in the US. I've been in plenty a small shop with no problems. I am considering a smaller stroller, simply for the few times I have to ride the bus by myself, but am so spoiled by the Frog, I'm having a hard time finding something acceptable.

The basket holds a lot and the cinch keeps things safe. I hang a Klean Kanteen in a Built NY Thirsty Tote from a bag clip, so no cup holder isn't a big deal. Early on I attached a Skip Hop diaper bag. The Foot Muff is excellent in cool to cold temperatures, and it saves me from having to bundle up my little one as much. The parasol is okay, but you have to constantly move it to provide shade, I mainly used it with the bassinet, but now my son wears a hat and sunglasses, or in the full upright position the canopy keeps the sun out of his face. I haven't gone through summer with using the seat or my breezy canopy yet.

The cons:
1)The back wheels are too wide for most buses in Rome because there is a bar in the middle of the entrance/exit door, so I can't travel on a bus by myself, but with husband in tow, we just divide the stroller. Maybe not an issue in the US.
2)The stroller is quite bulky when folded and takes up a lot of space. Maybe not the best stroller for a suburbanite that drives everywhere, but great if you mainly walk.
3) The rain cover is tight to put on, and you have to be careful that the flap doesn't sit in a way that allows water to drain on the inside.

This wasn't my first stroller, but I wish it had been and now all other strollers disappoint in comparison, especially how hard they push and handle. Try using a 20lb bag of flour to test drive strollers and you'll really feel the difference. It's hard to imagine before your baby is born, or if you have a new born, but they grow fast, and how the stroller feels with the additional weight makes a big difference.

I bought my stroller used, and they are fairly easy to find. If you need replacement parts, buy from Bugaboo directly, they are the cheapest, and ship for free. In retrospect it would have been better to purchase the stroller new, but the initial price tag was hard to justify without baby/stroller experience, but now I'd say it is well worth every penny, and you'll save money in the long run over trying a herd of other strollers first.