As a new mom, one of the most daunting decisions you’ll face is choosing the right car seat. Talk to your friends or search the internet and you’re inundated with opinions on which brand and style are the best. The buying process only gets more confusing when you step into a baby store, as the options can be overwhelming.
If picking a car seat isn’t enough of a challenge, you then need to pick a stroller, which again presents you with a huge assortment of options. And if you have more than one child, finding a stroller that accommodates different ages is even more difficult.
So how do you decide what car seat and stroller is right for you? For me, the most important things I looked for were the perfect combination of safety, function, and style. In my case, the brand that best fit my needs and requirements was a travel system from Orbit Baby. It’s a completely customizable system that lets you tailor your stroller and car seat in one convenient package, and it’s flexible for both one child or multiple children, even of varying ages.
In my case, I opted for the Orbit Baby G2 car seat (it’s since been upgraded to the G3 with all the same great features in upgraded fabrics) as well as Orbit Baby’s Double Helix stroller frame. I’ll tell you about each individually.
Orbit Baby G2 Car Seat
The Orbit Baby G3 Infant Car Seat
The Orbit Baby G3 Infant Car Seat is a stylish, great-looking car seat that offers state-of-the-art safety features. Orbit Baby is known for their technology-driven designs, and the G3 is a prime example of the time and effort they’ve put in. Their car seats have passed the most stringent of safety tests, including the side-impact tests. While this is often an overlooked rating when buying a car seat, almost half of all car accident fatalities for children under 8 occur from side-impact collisions. Because of these staggering numbers, Orbit Baby took additional steps to ensure maximum protection for your baby. Taking safety a step further, Orbit Baby only uses products that are BFR free, as they’ve been found to be toxic to both humans (especially children) and the environment.
Functionally, the Orbit Baby car seat is the bet car seat I’ve ever used. Once the Orbit Baby G3 base in installed in your car – which is a 60 second process, thanks to Orbit Baby’s brilliant StrongArm mechanism – you simply set the car seat straight in onto the base, and you then rotate to connect. Yes, you read that right – no more leaning in and twisting the car seat to get it lined up to lock it in. Simply set it straight on the base, turn, and you’re done. Not only does it guarantee that you have perfect installation every time, but when you’re putting the baby in and out over and over, the ease of getting the car seat in and out is truly a back saver. As for carrying the G3, the unique soft handle differs from conventional hard handles, making it more comfortable to carry than conventional car seats. I can’t tell you how many people have stopped me and complimented the handle, and after using it, I’d never consider going back to a hard handle again, it’s that good. Lastly, another feature I love is the integrated UV shade, which extends the main sunshade to provide 100% protection from the sun and elements.
Orbit Baby G2 Car Seat and Double Helix Stroller
The Orbit Baby Double Helix Stroller Frame
But as much as I love Orbit Baby’s car seat, what makes the Orbit Baby travel system truly remarkable is its integration with Orbit Baby’s strollers, which comes in both a single or the double helix design (I have the double). Like the car seat base, the stroller allows you to dock the car seat and rotate to lock. It is what Orbit Baby calls SmartHub technology. This works not only with the infant car seat but with the bassinet, toddler and stroller seats as well. So as your family grows, so does your stroller.
In my case, because I plan on expanding my family in the near future I opted for the stroller and Helix Plus upgrade kit, which turns the stroller into a double stroller that again works with all of Orbit Baby’s seats. You can use the double helix design with two car seats, with a combination of a car seat and toddler seat, etc. There’s even a Sidekick Stroller Board that attaches to the side of the stroller for older children to catch a ride.
One of my favorite features of the stroller (in addition to its seating flexibility) is the ability to fold it with just one hand, which when you add in its compact folded size, makes the stroller easy to pop in and out of the car for quick trips. The stroller also offers your child a 360 degree view of the world thanks to a rotating seat that allows you to point your baby in any direction.
And lastly, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that I love the style of the Orbit travel system. The design of both the stroller and the car seat were done with clean lines, leaving out any unnecessary pieces to clutter the look. Color options for the stroller base are either black or gray, and the seat comes in black, mocha or ruby.
Having spent over 6 months with my Orbit Baby car seat and stroller, I’ve taken it with me on trips to New York City where it’s traversed overly crowded bumpy sidewalks and to the country for more scenic, off-road excursions, and I’ve yet to be disappointed with the car seat or the stroller. I’m also looking forward to adding on the double helix addition, as it’s flexibility means no matter when my next baby comes, I know I’ll be prepared.
