Are Rotating Car Seats Safe? | Hint: Yes, They Are & Here Is My Favorite One!
Rotating car seats making your head spin? Which is the best choice?
Hi, I’m Sam! Like Kelly the Car Mom, I’m a Child Passenger Safety Tech (CPST) and a mom of three. Kelly and I are here to familiarize you with car seat safety, car seat use, and car seat selection so that you can make the decisions that feel right (and safe) for your family.
Rotating car seats have exploded in popularity and there are more options than ever before to choose from. But… I’ve heard they aren’t safe. Are you SURE they’re safe to use? Even if they are safe, are they better than a conventional car seat?
Let’s talk about how we KNOW they’re safe and how to pick the best rotating seat for your family (or when you don’t want to choose a revolving car seat.)
So… are rotating car seats safe?
Rotating car seats and every car seat sold in the U.S. must pass stringent federal safety testing. If you purchase a new car seat from the car seat manufacturer or a reputable retailer, the car seat passes federal crash testing and is absolutely safe to use.
But is a conventional car seat saf-ER?
This is the frustrating part… we don’t know how any two car seats compare against each other in federal safety testing. The test results are not publicly released so we cannot compare Car Seat A to Car Seat B. We do know that every car seat sold does indeed pass the test and is safe to use. In fact, this crash testing is more severe than 95% of real-world crashes!
So it’s safe AND it will make wrangling my toddler easier? I’m sold! But how do I pick the best seat?
Let’s shop for a rotating car seat together. My must-haves include:
A budget under $400
Rotating feature that works in BOTH rear-facing and forward-facing mode (not all rotating car seats will spin in the forward-facing direction)
A seat with longevity - I don’t want it outgrown in either mode of use too quickly
That narrows down our list to two options! The Evenflo Revolve360 Slim and the Evenflo Revolve360 Extend rank at the top!
My Top Rotating Car Seats:
The Revolve360 Slim is a 2 in 1 seat, meaning it can be used rear-facing until 48” and 50 lbs. and then forward-facing until 49” and 65 pounds. It comes with either a quick remove cover for easy washing or with SensorSafe. (SensorSafe monitors if your child is buckled, the temperature of the vehicle, if the child is in the seat too long and if they are left behind in the car.)
The Revolve360 Extend is a 3 in 1 seat that has the same limits as the Slim but it also converts to a high back booster once the harness mode is outgrown.The Extend offers the same cover and SensorSafe options but also comes in an added flame retardant free fabric.
One other key difference between the two seats is that the Slim is a shockingly 16.7” wide, the same width as the Graco SlimFit 3LX.
The upper weight and height limits of the Revolve360 models coupled with a top harness height of 19” make them the most long-lasting seat of all the spinning seats. It’s also priced better than nearly all of its competitors.
Not only will it fit your child for years to come, it also has one of the most mom-friendly installations! The base (which also doubles as an anti-rebound panel) has a super-simple seat belt tensioning arm that securely gets the seat installed. The tether anchor is also connected to the base, so it’s a one-time installation for both rear-facing and forward-facing use. The one-handed rotation is also an important feature when you have baby, keys, and coffee in the other!
Why would anyone not want a rotating car seat?
Although rotating car seats are a great option for both convenience and safety, there are a few reasons why 360 seats may not be the best option for your vehicle.
You’re tight on front passenger leg-room:
Rotating car seats are larger than conventional seats. If you have a smaller car or SUV or if you have tall front passengers, this may not be the most functional choice for your family. If you’re tight on space, but want to make a rotating seat work, I’d opt for the Slim version. It is relatively compact front-to-back when compared to the other rotating car seats.
You have a rotating car seat next to another car seat
The seat does need space to actually rotate. Depending on the configuration of the two car seats, types of car seats and how they install on your vehicle seat, it may work, but I would test it out first if you have adjacent seats!
You want to guarantee keeping your child rear-facing until closer to age 4 or 5
Rotating car seats will be outgrown in rear-facing mode faster than some of the conventional extended-rear-facing (ERF) car seats. While they share similar limits with conventional ERF car seats, children also need 1 inch of space between the top of their head and the car seat shell.
Many children outgrow the seat by head height limit versus the standing 48” inch height limit. While nearly all conventional seats share this same rule, the seat shells are designed differently and tend to last longer.
Your child may very well max out the seat by the 48” height limit or the 50 pound weight limit, but it’s also a possibility your child will need to turn forward facing before their fourth birthday.
If you’re not sure when is the right time to forward-face, check out the first post in our “Ask a CPST” series: When Should I Turn My Toddler Forward-Facing?
The Evenflo Revolve360 Slim and Extend are safe to use, make loading/unloading babies and toddlers remarkably easy, and boast some of the highest harnessing limits out there. Have you made the switch to a rotating car seat? Let me know in the comments below! And to keep up with the latest family vehicle tips, check out my recent posts:
