Orbit Baby Toddler Car Seat
Product Details
- Item Weight: 30 pounds
- Shipping Weight: 36.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
- Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
- Shipping Advisory: This item must be shipped separately from other items in your order. Additional shipping charges will not apply.
- ASIN: B0017VO89U
- UPC: 898618001225 069339000006
- Item model number: ORB807000B
- Amazon Best Sellers Rank: 3,352 in Baby (See Top 100 in Baby)
By : Orbit Ba
List Price :
Price : $330.46
You Save : $29.54 (8%)
Product Description
Color: Black
From the Manufacturer
Orbit Baby's Toddler Car Seat combines unique flexibility with real-world safety. Rotate it on your Orbit Baby car seat base for the most back-saving way to get your toddler in and out of the car. When traveling, seamlessly dock and rotate it on all Orbit Baby strollers and rockers. Our rotating Toddler Car Seat design makes it easy to keep your child in the safest rear-facing position as long as possible. As your child grows, continue using the seat forward-facing with our included Side-Impact Braces.
ORB807000B Color: Black Picture shown in black Features: -Orbit Toddler Car Seat. -Convertible car seat: fits children Rear-Facing on the Base 15-35 lbs; Forward-Facing with Side. -Impact Braces 20-50 lbs / up to 49 inches; can also be installed Rear-Facing without the Base. -Rotates 360 degrees on the Smart Hub for easy docking on Stroller and Base. -Extensive side protection areas use high-grade EPP foam. -Adjustable headrest and fully removable upholstery can be cleaned without removing the harness. -Back panel stores removable UV Sunshade, as well as all belts and straps. -Meets or exceeds all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS 213), and ASTM Standards (F2050-03). -Micro-fiber upholstery fabric is certified Oeko-Tex Standard 100, safe for children and the environment. -Dimensions: 24'' H x 18'' W x 23'' D.
Product Features
- Parenting made easier: the only convertible car seat that saves your back with easy docking at nearly any angle onto the car seat base
- Simplifying travel: the only convertible car seat you can easily dock onto a stroller, meaning you can just bring one seat when you travel
- Baby-safe, planet-friendly: orbitgreen: Certified Fabrics with Oeko-Tex certification
- For use with children from 15-65 lbs; 15-35 lbs rear-facing and 20-65 lbs, 50 in forward-facing
Customer Reviews
I don't even know where to begin - basically, it is a horrible car seat. I would like to slap myself for ever falling for the bells and whistles of the swivel/dock feature Orbit is so proud of. I recommend you to stay away from Orbit, the toddler car seat in particular. Your wallet will thank you and you will save yourself a headache. If you feel like reading why, go ahead.
We have the Orbit Baby G2 travel system (the frame, the base, and the infant car seat) and felt somehow trapped as we thought since we already have the expensive base we should get the Orbit toddler car seat to put it to further use (our 12-month old baby is getting too big for the infant seat). Unfortunately, we were unable to see the toddler car seat in person because no retailer seems to have a floor model of this thing. I was hesitant to order it online so we went to a store hoping we would be able to take it out of the box to further examine its functions because I wasn't sure whether it has a recline function (Orbit website does not mention this function at all). So we went and were told by the shop that they do not have a floor model (surprise) and that the box cannot be opened. So I asked a few questions and was assured and reassured that it does, indeed, recline into a very comfortable position to accommodate babies and small toddlers. We paid almost $400 ($360 + NYC tax) and brought this thing home where we discovered that it DOES NOT RECLINE! I was furious because I asked 3 different sales persons and all of them assured me that it does recline. Every other convertible car seat on the market has a reclining function, especially at this price point. And frankly, for almost $600 ($360 seat + $220 base) it should recline automatically when I say "recline". The seat is so upright I do not understand that Orbit says it is designed for babies from 15 pounds! No way. My son was 15 pounds when he was only 3.5 months old. There is absolutely NO WAY a 3-month old baby would ever be comfortable in an upright position when they can't even sit. Actually, they shouldn't be in an upright position this early at all! I tested the seat with my 12-month old son who weighs 22 pounds now and measures 31 inches (BTW, the infant car seat is for babies up to 30 pounds or 32 inches, so he's only 1 inch away, and frankly, he's not very comfortable in it anymore). Do you think my 12-mo/22-lb/31-in baby was comfortable in his new toddler car seat? ... No, he was not. We drove for about half an hour (we couldn't take it longer), he slept and his poor head was literally resting on his chest. It looked horrible and very uncomfortable. For those who think it is normal, let me assure you that it is not. I have used Chicco and Maxi-Cosi convertible car seats in Europe and they all recline, so I have never experienced this problem. I knew instantly I would be returning this seat. Which is exactly what I did.
I only owned this seat for 4 days, therefore I didn't get a chance to experience any problems with the belt twisting as reported by other reviewers.
Another major con is that this seat has only 4 harness slots to adjust harness height (of which only the lower 2 are allowed for rare facing installation)! That's totally inadequate - other convertible car seats offer more than double (Britax Next Generation: 10 slots, Maxi-Cosi Pria: 11 slots). This important detail (along with the fact that it doesn't recline and that you can't use the swivel base while forward facing) is conveniently not mentioned at the Orbit Baby website. You'll discover this when you take the seat out of the box and read the manual.
I contacted Orbit because I am still in shock that such an expensive car seat from a company that claims to be so innovative lacks standard features. I wrote an email which included the following:
"... What is a consumer supposed to do if his/her baby's head is literally resting on its chest while sleeping in the seat - this looks super uncomfortable for the baby and seems unsafe too. Normally, I would recline the seat. But Orbit does not allow me to do that. Why not and what is supposed to be done instead to make the baby comfortable? I tested the toddler car seat with my 12-month old who weighs 22 pounds and measures 31 inches - the toddler car seat is too upright and the poor baby was sleepy and his head was falling on his chest all the time. We have your infant car seat, which has a good angle, but he's outgrowing it and we need a new seat for him. The current seat angle of your toddler seat seems sort of OK for bigger toddlers, maybe around 2 or 3 years, but what am I supposed to do during the "in-between" stage from 12 months up to 2 or 3 years, when he's too big for your infant seat, yet too small for your toddler seat due to the non-existing recline..."
Brace yourself for the response and suggestions I received from Orbit...
"We are not aware of any convertible car seats that have a recline position." ... Really? How about Britax, or Maxi-Cosi to name a couple (they have the same safety features like Orbit, such as the EPP foam and side impact protection). Britax, for instance - all of their convertible car seats allow 3-position recline both while rear and forward facing. Maxi-Cosi PRIORI model has 4 recline positions when forward facing. Maxi-Cosi PRIA 70 has 3 recline positions - position 3 (most reclined) and 2 (medium recline) can be used while rear facing. Position 2 (medium recline) must be used while forward facing for children up to 40 pounds. Position 1 (upright) must be used while forward facing for children over 40 pounds. Interestingly, Maxi-Cosi seems to believe (just like me ... or maybe it's just common sense) that toddlers/children up to 40 pounds should be seated in a more reclined position. Their website explains it as follows: These recline positions allow a more reclined riding position for younger children and a more upright position for older children. Not only does this provide an appropriate riding position for different sized children, but the required recline angles also improve crash energy management.
On the head falling forward: "We understand your concerns and see the same phenomenon when our own children nap using the Toddler Car Seat." ... Phenomenon?! More like a poorly designed, overpriced car seat that lacks BASIC features!
"We have never received any information - from pediatricians or otherwise - that when children sleep in these seemingly awkward positions, it is somehow bad for them." - Uh, how about just incredibly uncomfortable!?
"There are many general techniques that you can use so that your child is more comfortable. Some include a towel, foam wedge, or pool noodle that can be used to prop the Base." - A pool noodle? Are you kidding me? No, thank you, I will not be sticking any towel or pool noodle under the car seat base. The towel/pool noodle option doesn't seem safe and frankly it is a very sloppy solution for a $600 ensemble and to be honest I am appalled by their suggestion.
Rather than a pool noodle, I will get a different car seat. I am extremely disappointed with the Orbit system due to its lack of otherwise standard features. The fact that they are not aware of the reclining function tells me that Orbit is way behind its competitors.
FYI: If you think the rotating feature is cool and you are planning to buy it for that reason, please don't. This function does not compensate for the many disadvantages of the seat and frankly, you can only use the rotating function when rear-facing. Once forward facing, the rotation-allowing base cannot be used anymore, nor will you be able to dock the seat into the stroller frame (unless you want to install it over and over again which is beyond annoying). Hence, once forward facing, the famous swivel feature cannot be utilized.
And if you think you can just grab the toddler car seat, lift it with your sleeping child in it and dock it into the stroller frame, then trust me, you can't unless you are the Incredible Hulk. The seat is very bulky and heavy (22 pounds), I struggled with it alone, I would never be able to lift it from the back seat (a very awkward angle) with a toddler in it. Never.
Update 02/2012 - after an extensive and exhausting 6-month research we finally purchased a Maxi-Cosi Pria 70 Convertible Car Seat in Walnut Brown and we are very pleased with it. In fact, I am so happy with it I gave it 5 stars.
We were so relieved that we were able to buy this product at last despite the lengthy delays prior to its release. It should be noted that once the seat becomes forward-facing, the famous "docking" car seat base, needed for the Orbit infant car seat, is not used at all. This went against my expectation of the Orbit system "growing with your baby". We had put off buying a forward-facing car seat, despite my child's discomfort with her legs significantly hanging over, as I had thought we would still use the base, so I feel a tad misled. This would have been less of an issue if the seat had been available towards the end of 2007 as was originally promoted.
Anyhow now that we have it in our car, our toddler enjoys being in her seat and the elevated position helps with her ability to see more out the window (which is helpful in keeping her entertained with the passing view and therefore less temper tantrum prone!)
It is well constructed as well as fairly easy to put together and install. Our only gripe is, similar to the Orbit infant car seat (but worse), the seat belts get tangled very easily. Given the earlier reviewers raves about Orbit's customer service, I'll be contacting them this week to see if they can help us resolve this recurring issue. We have not used it as a stroller seat (as advertised) because the forward-facing seat does not use the patented dock, and thus the convenience of being able to rotate the seat off the dock and into the stroller (like the infant car seat) is not available. For us, it is easier and faster to take her out into a more compact stroller, such as the Maclaren Techno Sport, rather than re-do all the seat-belt anchors when we return to our car.
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