Silver Cross vs Bugaboo
Although it only feels like yesterday, it was actually 5 years ago when my wife and I were expecting our baby girl. A couple of months before the due date we started researching what to buy, and I remember really taking our time to buy a stroller. After researching a number of different products, we decided on the Silver Cross Wayfarer (although we strongly considered the Silver Cross Pioneer as well). Years later it’s stood the test of time well and we are now using it for our second child. However, this time round we’ve also been using a second stroller. In the past year we received a second-hand Bugaboo Bee from a friend as she was keen to get rid of it (I guess she hasn’t got plans for any more children!)
Therefore my wife and I feel we have good insight into both strollers including their pros and cons. In this article, let’s compare the Silver Cross Wayfarer and Bugaboo Bee. What are their advantages and disadvantages? Which is the best option?
What is the Silver Cross Wayfarer?
The Silver Cross Wayfarer is a travel system that comes with a carrycot (which your newborn can use until they around 6 months old), and you can also use it as a forward or rear facing stroller. Furthermore, you can buy adaptors so you can use it with most car seats.
We used the Silver Cross chassis with our Maxi Cosi Cabriofix. It was very handy at times. This is great if your baby has fallen asleep in the car and you don’t want to wake up them if you’re out shopping. Just remember not to keep your infant in there for too long (no more than 2 hours is the recommended advice)
The chassis is made from aluminium which gives it a nice polished look, as well as being fairly light and easy to lift. The handle can be raised or lowered so it’s comfortable for any parent to use and it has a large storage basket underneath.
What age is it for?
It’s suitable from birth until your child is around 48lbs (22kg), which is usually about 4 years old.
Can you carry it on a plane?
Unlike the Babyzen Yoyo, and other smaller travel strollers, the Silver Cross Wayfarer is far too big to bring on as cabin luggage, but it should go in the hold. However, you probably should phone the airline just in case. If you do decide to take it, you probably want to put it in a large bag, as it isn’t a one-piece fold (the chassis is separate from the carrycot and seat when you’re folding it)
Is Silver Cross a good pram brand?
Silver Cross have a long and rich history as a brand. They were founded back in 1877 and over the years they’ve manufactured car seats, strollers, bedding, toys and nursery furniture. Silver Cross sell products in 70 countries worldwide.
Can a baby sleep overnight in a Silver Cross carrycot?
Yes, your baby should be fine sleeping a carrycot overnight for the first few months. After that they’ll need to transition to a crib or a larger bassinet.
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Pros and cons of the Silver Cross Wayfarer
Here are the strengths and weaknesses of the Wayfarer.
Pros
- Very sturdy
I love the sturdiness of the Silver Cross Wayfarer. Its aluminium frame is tough and strong, but yet fairly lightweight. This stroller is great if you plan on attaching grocery bags to the frame and using the storage basket underneath.
- Lots of storage space
The storage basket is large and gives you a good amount of space for storing baby essentials, as well as some groceries. The carrycot and seat are also a reasonable distance from the basket itself, which allows you to store more items.
- Works with most car seats
Although you’ll have to purchase the adaptors separately, you should find the main frame of the Silver Cross works with most leading car seat manufacturers. You just slot the car seat on top of the frame when you need.
Cons
- Bulky
The Silver Cross just looks quite bulky and it takes up a quite a bit of space when you fold it and want to store it somewhere.
- Hard to manoeuvre
This stroller definitely requires quite a bit of effort to move, particularly for turning. The wheels could be designed better to be honest.
What is the Bugaboo Bee?
The Bugaboo Bee is labelled by the company as “the greatest city pushchair”. It’s easy to move, turn and it’s very comfortable for your baby to sit in, and for parents to push. It’s also fairly compact when you fold it up.
What age is it for?
If you purchase the travel system with the carrycot and seat, the Bugaboo Bee is designed for newborn babies, up until your child turns 4 years old.
Where are Bugaboo strollers made?
They have their own factory in China and everything is made there.
Can you take the Bugaboo on a plane?
Like the Silver Cross, it will have to go in the hold. Fortunately its compact design makes it a little easier to pack away and store.
Pros and cons of the Bugaboo Bee
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of the Bugaboo Bee.
Pros
- Easy to move
I love the manoeuvrability of the Bugaboo Bee. It’s so easy to move and turn, particularly in tight circles. This is particularly handy if you’re out in town and you’re in a crowded shop.
- Comfort
It’s a very smooth ride for your baby in the Bugaboo Bee. The suspension is a great addition by the manufacturer which makes it easier for you to push the stroller over rough terrain.
- Compact design
The Bugaboo Bee doesn’t take up that much space when you fold it up, which is useful if space is an issue in your home.
Cons
- Harder to fold/unfold
I find the design a little clunky for folding/unfolding the Bugaboo. It just requires a little too much effort for my liking (just my opinion though!)
- Not much storage space.
If you want to do some shopping, the Bugaboo isn’t the best stroller to use. It’s fine for a small shop, but if you’re planning on anything more than this then you’ll run out of storage space pretty quickly. Furthermore, although the frame is lightweight it isn’t that strong if you want to attach some shopping bags.
Side by side comparison
Here’s a look the specifications of both strollers so you can see them side-by-side.
Silver Cross Wayfarer
- Weight: 22lbs (10kg)
- Folded dimensions: 33” L x 21” W x 13” H (L 84 x W 53.5 x H 33.5cm)
- Unfolded dimensions: 39-42” H x 21” W x 37” L (H 100-107 x W 53.5 x L 94cm)
- Large basket underneath for storage
- Suitable from birth (if you use Silver Cross carrycot)
- Backrest recline
- Maximum weight: 55lbs (25kg)
Bugaboo Bee
- Weight: 19.6lbs (8.9kg)
- Folded dimensions: 35.4” L x 18.3” W x 12.6” H (L 90 x W 46.5 x H 32cm)
- Unfolded dimensions: 35” H x 20.8” W x 34.6” L (H 89 x W 53 x L 88cm)
- Basket underneath (carries up to 4kg)
- Backrest recline
- Suitable from birth (if you use the Bugaboo carrycot or cocoon)
- Maximum weight: 48.5lbs (22kg)
Detailed Comparison
Size
WINNER – Bugaboo
There’s not a substantial difference between them although the Bugaboo just edges it when it comes to using it with a carrycot. The Silver Cross carrycot is fairly bulky and takes up a bit of space, but it is cosy for your newborn. Also the Silver Cross frame is bigger which might be an issue if you don’t have much space in the trunk of your car.
Weight
DRAW
Again there’s not much in it. The Silver Cross frame is bigger but it is fairly lightweight and easy to lift. The Bugaboo is light and you shouldn’t have any issues moving it around.
Design
WINNER – Silver Cross Wayfarer
While I accept this is my opinion, I feel the Silver Cross Wayfarer is better designed overall. I love the large storage basket underneath which is great if you’ve been food shopping and want to place some heavy items there, such as potatoes or milk. The frame is very sturdy and I’ve attached up to 4 full bags of groceries via hooks without any problem. However, the Bugaboo is easier to move and a more comfortable ride for your baby. Also, the Bugaboo is more complicated to unfold and fold as it requires more effort.
Manoeuvrability and comfort
WINNER – Bugaboo Bee
The Bugaboo wins this hands down. It’s very easy to turn left and right which is handy if you’re in tight spaces. The Silver Cross Wayfarer just requires more effort to move. The Bugaboo Bee also is very smooth to push as it has suspension above the wheels. This makes it a smoother ride for your baby and more pleasurable to push the stroller in the park, particularly if you’re going over bumpy ground.
Easy to clean
DRAW
Both strollers have machine washable fabric so you shouldn’t have too many problems keeping everything clean. In fact, you should try and clean them regularly to ensure the material is kept in a good condition.
Price
WINNER – Silver Cross Wayfarer
Across various websites it looks like a new Wayfarer is cheaper than the Bugaboo Bee, but there’s not much in it. On Amazon, a Wayfarer retails for around £600, where as a Bugaboo Bee is about £660.
Storage
WINNER – Silver Cross Wayfarer
Although both strollers have a pushchair underneath, the Silver Cross Wayfarer has a lot more which is handy if you’re out shopping, or if you want somewhere to keep some diapers, wipes or a change of baby clothes.
Using the straps
DRAW
I certainly find it easier to put my toddler in the Wayfarer as it has a 3 point harness. The Bugaboo Bee has a 5 point harness which takes a little longer to use. However, it’s far easier to remove him from the Bugaboo as all the straps detach easily with a click of the button.
Bottom Line – Silver Cross vs Bugaboo
While this is just my opinion on both strollers, I feel the Silver Cross is the better product overall, but it depends what you want from a travel system. I really like the carrycot that comes with the Silver Cross, but after that the Bugaboo Bee holds its own against the Wayfarer.
For comfort and manoeuvring, the Bugaboo is significantly better due to the suspension above the wheels and it’s also very easy to turn. However, while the Silver Cross requires more effort to move, it’s sturdy frame and sizable storage basket is very handy if you want to go shopping, put items underneath or attach bags to the stroller. Your lifestyle and weekly routine may well determine which stroller is best for you.
My wife and I personally use the Wayfarer more as we walk into town regularly to do the shopping. However, if we’re just popping to a cafe, going in the car or going to the park, we tend to use the Bugaboo Bee more.