We are really excited to see this new travel stroller from Bugaboo. We love their full-size strollers, they are a fantastic mix of style and function that has seen them become one of the leading premium stroller brands.
The Bugaboo Ant is their first attempt at an ultra-compact travel stroller and they have come up with a gem that has some unique features and offers something really new to this competitive market.
In this Bugaboo Ant review, we will look at the features of the new stroller and see how it compares to the likes of the Babyzen Yoyo and Ergobaby Metro.
Bugaboo Ant Review
The Bugaboo Ant is a premium travel stroller that weighs just 16 pounds (7.2kg), it has a super comfortable seat that can be set up to face the parent or outward-facing.
It has an adjustable handlebar, all-wheel suspension and an extendable UPF50+ canopy. It folds up small enough to be taken on aeroplanes as carry-on luggage and can be wheeled to the gate like a suitcase.
What we love about the Bugaboo Ant
- Reversible seat
- Great look
- Folds like a trolley
- Side panel pockets that you can access even when folded.
- Variable height handlebar
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Is the Bugaboo Ant suitable from Birth? What is the Age Range of the Bugaboo Ant?
The Bugaboo Ant can be used from birth by reclining the parent facing seat and attaching the Bugaboo Bee 5 Baby Cocoon (sold separately), or by attaching an infant car seat.
The Ant should last you as long as you need it since the upper weight limit is 50 pounds (22.5 kg) which is the about the weight of a 7-year-old!
We love that you can attach a buggy board to the Ant. This is great for when you have a baby and a toddler to travel around with. It is these sorts of features that mean the Ant can be considered for your main stroller, rather than just a travel stroller.
Does the Bugaboo Ant have a Comfortable Seat?
The Ant has a really nice seat that has been designed to ergonomically support the child. It is quite soft and designed to mould to the shape of the child but it also offers great support and is designed to help them to sit up straight and improve posture.
All in all, it seems like a super comfy seat.
Does the Bugaboo Ant have a Reversible Seat?
One of the best features of the Bugaboo Ant is the reversible seat that allows you to quickly adjust the pushchair so that your child is either parent facing or outward-facing.
This is a great feature to give some added flexibility to suit their mood and allows the stroller to adapt as the child gets older and is more likely to want to face the world and see what is going on.
A reversible seat is almost unique in a compact travel stroller (the only other one we know of is the Cybex Eezy S Twist), but it is a great feature to have.
Switching between the two isn’t the simplest thing in the world, you need to fold a few bits in, slide the whole seat out, flip it around, slide it back in and unfold it all. As with folding the stroller up, you are sure to get the hang of the process quickly.
Does the Bugaboo Ant seat recline?
The Bugaboo Ant has 3 reclining positions from upright to almost flat. The upright position is great for toddlers as it really gives them support and allows them to get a proper look around.
It is actually very rare to have such an upright position in any stroller, let alone an ultra-compact stroller like this one. If they get tired and need a nap on the go then you can easily lay the seat down into an almost flat position.
This is a great position for your child to have a nap but it is not fully flat so would not be suitable for a newborn baby.
Is the Bugaboo Ant Car Seat Compatible?
Yes. Despite being a lightweight stroller, the Bugaboo Ant is fully car seat compatible, so you can turn this pushchair into a full travel system.
You will need to purchase some adaptors and have a compatible infant car seat which includes those made by Cybex and Maxi Cosi or Nuna Pipa Lite, Nuna Pipa Lite LX
Is the Bugaboo Ant easy to steer?
The Bugaboo Ant is really easy to steer thanks to the quality handlebar that allows for one-handed pushing.
One of the best features of the Bugaboo Ant is the ability to adjust the handlebar height. This is really unusual in a compact stroller and is especially good if you and your partner are very different in height.
This pushchair has all-wheel suspension to make for a comfortable ride for your little one.
Bugaboo baby buggies always have great foam-filled tires that do a good job of replicating the feeling of air-filled tyres but without the puncture risk or hassle of pumping them up.
The Ant has the same type of wheels as the larger models, just scaled down a bit. The front wheels are 5 inches whilst the back ones are a bit bigger at 6 inches.
Clearly this is not designed to be a full-on off-road stroller but the wheels glide beautifully over pavements and smooth surfaces like in the airport or shopping mall. The stroller copes fine with cobblestones, cracked pavements and grass.
Basically, you could take this stroller most places that you are likely to come across in an urban environment and it would do a great job.
Bugaboo Ant Weight – How much does the Bugaboo Ant Weigh?
If you are looking for a compact travel stroller, the size and weight are always going to be key considerations. The Bugaboo Ant weighs in at 15.8 pounds (7.2kg).
This is a bit more than the likes of the Babyzen Yoyo, Ergobaby Metro and Uppababy Minu which we have reviewed in the past.
It’s not a huge difference though and you should feel comfortable carrying this stroller around.
Bugaboo Ant Dimensions – How Small does the Bugaboo Ant Fold?
The Bugaboo Ant dimensions are 21″ x 14.9″ x 9″ (53 x 38 x 23cm).
This makes it one of the smallest luxury travel strollers around.
These dimensions place it under the with the carry-on luggage requirements of most airlines (it is always worth checking before you fly). When combined with the great trolley fold design it makes this one of the best strollers to take on an airplane.
But if you are going to do that you want to be sure that you won’t be stood at the gate struggling to fold it up whilst the airline staff get twitchy. So…..
Is the Bugaboo Ant Easy to Fold?
The Bugaboo Ant is easy to fold but it doesn’t have a one-handed fold and it is a multistep process. It is pretty slick though so once you have done it a couple of time you are sure to get the hang of it.
To fold the Bugaboo Ant you must do the following
- First, push in the sides of the canopy until they click.
- Then you need to push the seat down.
- Pull the lever on the back of the seat and push it forward into the frame.
- Undo the lock on the side of the frame
- Push the wheels in to collapse the frame
- Adjust the handlebar and away you go!
It sounds harder than it is but it is fair to say that other strollers do fold up more easily.
What is the Bugaboo Ant storage space?
Despite its small stature, the Bugaboo Ant has a fairly large storage basket with a capacity of 17 pounds (7.7kg).
The basket is separated into two sections. The one at the front is the main one and you can get a few essentials like or a diaper bag in there. You can access it from the front of the buggy which is really convenient, but it is the back section that is a bit special.
When you are using the stroller normally it is just a smallish basket, ideal for a few snacks or maybe your phone, wallet and small purse.
But the great thing is that when you fold the stroller up into its suitcase-style pull mode you can still access this mesh pouch and all your things inside. It is a nice touch and is a practical feature that definitely adds to the usability of the Bugaboo Ant.
Does the Bugaboo Ant have a good canopy?
The canopy is an area where many compact strollers fall down, but the one on the Bugaboo Ant is pretty good. It is height-adjustable so can be placed in the optimal position for your child as they grow.
When they are sat upright, the child is well protected from the sun thanks to the extendable UPF50+ canopy. When they are laying flat their feet probably won’t be in the shade but the canopy is better than most.
A great feature is the peek-a-boo window that allows you to keep an eye on the child as you walk along. It is made from mesh so allows for a bit of extra ventilation.
Bugaboo has ensured that the window doesn’t have any noisy Velcro to wake the baby. It is another nice little feature that not all compact strollers have, and even some bigger Bugaboo’s lack the viewing window so it is nice to see it included.
Does the Bugaboo Ant look good?
Bugaboo strollers have always stood out from the crowd. You don’t need to look for the logo. When you see a Bugaboo stroller you know that it is a Bugaboo. The Ant has continued this fine tradition and taken the Bugaboo look down to a micro-scale with some neat new features of its own.
There is a huge range of accessories available so you can get you Bugaboo Ant just how you want it.
Bugaboo Ant or Babyzen YOYO Comparison
We rate these as the two best premium compact strollers and have written a full Bugaboo Ant vs Babyzen Yoyo comparison post.
We love the Yoyo as you can see on our full review of the Yoyo, you may also like to read about customer experiences here.
But. We prefer the Bugaboo Ant.
Bugaboo Ant vs Ergobaby Metro
We thought we would also include a quick comparison of the Bugaboo Ant vs Ergobaby Metro stroller.
The Ergobaby Metro is one of our favourite travel strollers and could be worthy of consideration.
Most of the pros of the Ant that we listed above versus the Yoyo still apply: the reversible seat, it is smaller, has an adjustable handlebar, can be pulled like a suitcase, and has a higher weight limit.
But, you might still choose the Ergobaby Metro for one big reason. It is much cheaper.
Nearly half the price.
And you still get an awesome travel stroller that fits in the overhead lockers on a plane, has an amazingly comfy seat, steers nicely and is really well built.
We think that it is worthy of consideration. You can read our full review here or read owner reviews here.
Bugaboo Ant Stroller Review – Final Thoughts?
We hope that you have enjoyed our Bugaboo Ant review. It is a fantastic new compact stroller and although it is not the smallest or lightest compact stroller, we think that it is the best.
It oozes quality throughout, looks brilliant and has some great features that make you life as a parent just that little bit easier.
After our review of the Bugaboo Ant Stroller, if we had one complaint, it is that the folding mechanism could be easier, but we feel that this is outweighed by the other great features like the reversible seat, trolley style fold and the nifty side pockets. Click here to see what other owners think of their Bugaboo Ant.
