Orbit Baby to launch first Toddler Car Seat that goes from car to stroller

I’m sure I’m not the only parent who was bummed when her kid outgrew their infant car seat and moved into the convertible car seat because it meant a less convenient car to stroller to home transfer.  No longer could we tote Anya around in her car seat so we’ve since cut down our trips in and out of the car.  Orbit Baby, stroller and car seat innovators, has announced that its Toddler Car Seat will be released at long last at the end of February 2008 after much research, development and testing.

The first to market, it’s the only toddler car seat that can also be docked onto a stroller.  Available in the same colors as the Orbit Infant System, Black/Slate and Mocha/Khaki, it docks easily onto the Orbit Base (which installs easily in the car), Stroller, and Rocker. Though the seat doesn’t recline, it does include a removable UPF50+ UV sunshade.  The seat will rotate in 4 positions like their Infant Car Seat, Toddler Stroller Seat, and Bassinet Cradle.

Like the Infant Car Seat, it rotates on their trademark SmartHub Base for back-saving convenience- you can put it in at any direction and turn it until it locks.  It can be installed rear-facing from 15-35 lbs or forward-facing from 20-50 lbs (with the included braces), up to 49 inches tall. As a toddler car seat, it should rank highly in safety tests as it offers superior true side-impact protection areas made with EPP foam- higher grade, softer and more durable than the brittle Styrofoam EPS found in most other car seats. The company tells me that their testing standards exceed the federal standards.

The company is committed to sustainability and using environmentally safe materials and practices. The company has stopped producing products that contain PVC (read why this is a good thing). All of the fabrics used in the Toddler Car Seat are tested to ensure they’re free of PBB (polybrominated biphenyl), PBDE (polybrominated diphenyl ethers), and brominated chemicals, and most are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 Certified.  The company is also committed to being the first baby gear company to rid its supply chain of PVC, chrome-plating, and oil-based packaging inks.

The Toddler Car Seat will retail for $300.