Chicco Fit360 ClearTex Rotating Car Seat Preview
The Chicco Fit360 ClearTex Rotating Convertible is launching this week and after months of tightly zipped lips, I’m thrilled to finally be able to share my early experiences with this exceptional new car seat! I’m not exaggerating when I say the Fit360 is “exceptional” but I also think Chicco missed a real opportunity to call their newest seat the “Fit ‘n Spin”. 😂 I guess Fit360 is nice, too. It’s simple, easy to remember and doesn’t require the use of an acronym. I appreciate that!
Fit360 will be available for sale in mid-February. A full review is coming soon but I wanted to share some details and my initial impressions in the meantime.
First, I want to give props to the skilled and talented team at Chicco because they really did their homework. I want to say they “slayed it”, but that’s probably not the best way to describe a product meant to protect children. Lol.
Rotating car seats are clearly a hot trend but there are benefits to being late to the party. It’s obvious that Chicco took full advantage of that extra time when designing the Fit360. Unlike some other manufacturers, they didn’t rush their rotating car seat to the market and it shows. It’s very “Chicco-esque” and I promise that you’re going to be impressed.
Chicco Fit360 Specs:
• Rear-facing 4-40 lbs., 43″ or less
• Forward-facing 25-65 lbs., 49″ or less
Fit360 Features:
• 360° rotation – this seat swivels in both rear-facing and forward-facing orientations
• Seat and base separate for ease of installation
• Extra Fit360 bases can be purchased for $159 (woot!!!)
• Belt-tensioning “LeverLock Door” is a true lockoff
• 6-position, anti-rebound base
• Red to green indicators visually confirm when the seat is securely attached to the base
• Liquid bubble level recline angle indicator
• 15-position no-rethread harness with unique magnetic chest clip
• Dual cupholders are removable and dishwasher safe
• ClearTex fabrics are free of chemical flame-retardants and are also machine washable
• QR code that links to instructions & product videos
• 8-year lifespan before expiration
• FAA-approved for use on aircraft (route the lap belt over the lockoff on the base)
• Optional Fit360 rear-facing mirror accessory (sold separately for $29.99) attaches securely to the top of the base
• MSRP $399
Extra Fit360 bases sold separately
Fit360 RF mirror accessory – sold separately
Quick Fit360 Measurements
• Maximum harness height 18″
• 19″ wide
Installation Comments
Before installing Fit360, the seat must be removed from its base first. Rotate the seat to a mid-way point. In this position, insert the plastic “Seat Removal Tool” located on the end of the adjuster strap into the similar shaped opening on the Fit360 base. A release inside will click when the tool is fully pressed. Now squeeze BOTH seat release handles and lift up to remove the seat from its base.
Installation with lap/shoulder belt is the preferred installation method for Fit360. It’s so easy and you get an incredible, solid installation with no effort thanks to the innovative tensioning lockoff that they call the “LeverLock Door”, combined with the unique beltpath design which takes full advantage of the shoulder belt. Just make sure you remember to attach the tether strap, which is a requirement for all installation methods.
If you have a compelling reason to use LATCH instead (e.g., if your vehicle seat has a special sliding feature to facilitate access to the 3rd row), just know that the LATCH weight limits are 30 lbs. RF & 35 lbs. FF and the latch strap has hook-style lower anchor connectors.
Fit360 Ease of Use
Chicco prides themselves on making products that are easy to use and hard to misuse. The Fit360 is no exception. The rotation, height adjustment and harness adjustment are all “smooth like buttah”. You never want to scream or utter 4-letter words when installing or using a Chicco car seat and I think users will have a similar “Chicco-esque” experience with the Fit360.
All the fabulous Fit360 details coming soon in our full review!
