update: there are now three different models of the popular evenflo revolve 360 swivel car seats. evenflo revolver 360, revolver 360 extender & spin 360 slim! we have a comparison of these 3 swivel models here.
evenflo revolve 360 3-in-1 car seat review: the swivel car seat of your dreams
Reading: Evenflo gold revolve360 rotational all-in-one convertible car seat reviews
An all-in-one swivel car seat may sound complicated, but for a parent with young children, it may be the best feature ever invented. this is especially true when:
a) you’re fighting a greasy alligator (aka a little boy who doesn’t want to be on a leash)
b) your truck or SUV is tall but you are not
c) your child is heavy but cannot climb into the seat by himself
d) you have back problems
e) you drive a two-door coupe with a rear seat
f) some or all of the above
revolve360 gold specs:
Now also available in Canada!
revolution 360 features:
- 360-degree rotation allows you to load and unload your child from the side before rotating the seat to lock it rear-facing or forward-facing
- separate seat and base for easy base installation
- lockstrong strap tensioner bar
- tether360 strap provides additional stability in both forward and rear facing positions
- Anti-rebound base design limits bounce in frontal crashes when the seat is rear-facing and also helps stabilize the seat in rear-impact crashes
- steel-reinforced frame
- 14-position harness without threading
- 3 buckle positions
- four recline positions for the rear-facing seat
- two-zone rear-facing level indicator
- energy absorbing eps foam
- smooth bottom base will not damage vehicle upholstery
- dual cup holders are removable and dishwasher safe
- machine washable fabrics
- harness, chest clip and buckle store in seat when converting to booster mode
- lockable in reinforcement mode (lower anchors only)
- qr code that links to instructions & product videos
- 10 year shelf life before expiration
- evenflo gold benefits: lifetime warranty, top-notch customer service, live chat support, accident replacement
- made in china
- retail price of $399.99
Tallest harness height setting: 19.5″- lowest harness height setting: 10″ without insert; 9.5 with insert; approximately 7″ with lower insert modification
- maximum height of shoulder belt guide (for booster mode): 21″
- crotch strap positions: approx 3″, 4.25″, 5.5″
- seat depth (legroom/thigh support): 11″
- seat width at widest point: 19.5″ wide (between cup holders); 18.5″ on the side wings
- weight: 30 lbs. combined (weight of seat and base together)
- evenflo seats should be replaced after any accident (call the main liaison if you have questions about your particular situation). all evenflo gold car seats come with accident replacement coverage for seats that have been in a crash.
- installation with inflatable seat belts (found in some ford/lincoln/mercedes benz vehicles) is not allowed in harness mode. use the latch to install the base if the child is still under the weight limit of the latch, or move the seat to a different seating position that does not have an inflatable seat belt. use of revolve 360 in booster mode with inflatable seat belt is allowed.
- revolve 360 is not faa approved and cannot be used on an airplane (this seat is so heavy you would never want to travel with it anyway).
- The rotation feature is great! oh really. it’s amazing. And because the strap is attached to the base and not the top of the seat, the 360 Swivel can rotate freely regardless of which orientation it’s used in (rear-facing, forward-facing, or booster).
- works well in all 3 modes: rear-facing, forward-facing & high back booster seat
- the base is very easy to install correctly, especially with the seat belt on, which is the preferred installation method
- install the base once and you’re done! no need to reinstall when switching modes.
- base design limits bounce when looking back
- 14-position harness without threading
- very high maximum harness height (19.5″!) so it will last a long time before you outgrow the harness height
- four rear-facing recline positions to help achieve proper recline as your child grows
- compact in the rear-facing position, as long as you use the most upright recline setting
- evenflo allows the 360 swivel to contact the front seat of the vehicle (when rear-facing), which helps in vehicles where space is an issue
- tether360 provides additional stability both forward and rear facing
- smooth bottom base will not damage vehicle upholstery
- dual cup holders are removable and dishwasher safe
- machine washable fabrics
- harness, chest clip and buckle store in shell for booster mode
- lockable in reinforcement mode (lower anchors only)
- qr codes that link to instructions & product videos
- 10 year shelf life before expiration
- evenflo gold benefits: lifetime warranty, top-notch customer service, live chat support, accident replacement
- It is difficult to get a good harness fit with a newborn or smaller infant. if you plan to first use an infant seat (also known as a rear-facing seat) before moving on to 360, then this won’t be a problem for you.
- the “lockstrong” belt tensioner is not technically a locking device, so you must remember to lock the seat belt into the retractor after you have finished installing the base.
- revolve 360 requires tethering, so make sure you always have a tether anchor available to secure it.
- The bulky, non-removable pads on the harness strap can be a problem for some children with sensory issues. this is just speculation; time will tell.
360 swivel base with “lockstrong bar” belt tensioner & “360 anchor”:
seat and base together:
turn 360 measurements:
revolve360 fashions:
Moonstone, Sapphire, Onyx & Opal Pink
qr codes: direct link to videos on the evenflo website
360° rotation comments:
This feature is definitely the highlight of the 360 revolution and is everything you would expect from a swivel car seat. We’re not going to insult his intelligence by insisting on the obvious: You should never drive down the road with your baby facing to the side (and crooked). if you can’t figure it out on your own, there are probably other important skills you need to work on first. however, there are a few other things about the rotate feature that are worth mentioning.
For starters, the seat can only do a full 360 degree rotation when in the fully reclined rear-facing position (there are 4 rear-facing recline positions to achieve the correct angle based on the indicator angle). However, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t rotate when you use a more upright RF recline setting, it does! it just doesn’t do the full 360* turn if it’s placed in any position other than the most reclined rf position.
You can still rotate the seat from the rear-facing position to the side-load/unload position (which is all you’ll really need to do every day) if it’s in a more upright reclined position. But if you’re trying to get it to roll all the way to the forward-facing position or trying to entertain your child by rolling it over and over while parked, it’s going to need to be in the back fully reclined. -front position to do that. otherwise, it reaches the side-facing position and the seat simply stops turning. But again, going from rear-facing to side-facing to rear-facing again can be accomplished in any RF recline position.
See also: Chicco KeyFit 30 Review | Tested by BabyGearLab
When removing your child from the seat, be sure to rotate the seat back to the locked position, either rf or ff. the rotated position is for loading and unloading only.
Lastly, I just want to point out that the most reclined rf position is actually the fully upright position needed to ensure 360° rotation in the forward-facing position, so it only rotates from rf to ff in that reclined position . When the seat is forward-facing or used as a booster seat, it should be in the fully upright position and there’s no way to accidentally place it any other way, so don’t worry about misuse there.
installation comments:
revolve 360 installation with lap/shoulder seat belt (preferred method):
installation with your standard lap/shoulder seat belt was simple and easy on the vehicles we worked on. neither heather nor i could remember if the seat came out of the box separate from the base or not. you may need to separate the 2 pieces before beginning installation. install the base using the lockstrong bar which acts as a belt tensioner but is not technically a lock (you will still need to lock the seat belt into the retractor unless you have a locking latch plate in that seating position). Make sure your installation is tight and confirm that the visual indicator on the lockstrong bar has changed from red to fully green, indicating that it is locked well. Just like the bottom of an infant seat, it shouldn’t move more than 1″ from side to side or front to back when you check for tightness at the belt path.
Once your base is installed tightly, lock the seatbelt by pulling the webbing all the way to the end and listening for the clicking/ratcheting sound as the webbing feeds back into the locked retractor. The final step before you connect the seat to the base is to attach and tighten the tether strap to the tether anchor in your vehicle. Most Evenflo seats don’t mandate using the tether in cases where you don’t have an available tether anchor, however, Revolve 360 is unique and it DOES require tethering. In this day and age, tethering shouldn’t be a problem unless you plan to use this seat in the 3rd row of a vehicle. Vehicles with a 3rd row usually don’t have a tether anchor for every seating position back there, so make sure you know where the tether anchors are and where they’re not in your vehicle. Again, tethering is required for this particular seat – regardless of whether you are using the seat in the rear-facing or the forward-facing orientation.
Attach the seat to the base by aligning the red arrow on the seat (found under the fabric flap) with the white arrow on the base.
for full installation details, watch heather’s video:
revolve 360 installation with latch:
same process as above but using the locking strap instead of the seat belt. it still uses the lockstrong bar (after having tightened the closure strap slightly) and still needs to be tied. I actually found it easier to achieve a solid installation with the seat belt on, so unless you have a compelling reason to use the latch, I’d suggest sticking with the seat belt installation. Initially it was a bit difficult for me to tighten the latch strap. some closure straps have a small loop sewn into the loose tail end that you can slide your index finger into and pull, but this strap did not have that option. so it took me a bit more effort to tighten the latch strap enough for a solid installation after the latch bar was closed and locked. once again, be sure to check the visual indicator on the inside of the base to confirm that it has changed from red to solid green, indicating that the lockstrong bar is securely locked.
latch: weight limits & other considerations
The weight limit of the latch for the 360 revolver is 35 lbs. looking back & 40 pounds with forward exit. When your child exceeds those limits, you must switch to a seat belt + leash installation. Honestly, the latch weight limits are just another reason to install the car seat with the seat belt. then you don’t have to worry about remembering to change the installation method at some point in the future.
once again, *always* use the tether strap, regardless of whether the base is latch-mounted or seatbelt-mounted. linking required.
Center Latch Installations: Evenflo allows “non-standard spacing” center latch installations as long as the spacing is between 11 and 20″ wide and your vehicle manufacturer specifically allows a latch installation in that center seating position
>
360 turn in booster mode:
All the harness components store on the seat so you don’t have to worry about losing parts of your expensive seat once you transition to booster mode.
evenflo recommends using the lower closure strap in lift mode, but prohibits the use of the tether. off the record I know what your reasoning is and it’s nothing scary or security related so please don’t think too much about this or start rumors how connecting other products in boost mode must be a bad idea. just follow the manual in this case and disconnect the leash (store the hook in its storage place) when transitioning to booster mode. Just to clarify, you can use the closure strap to secure the 360 turn in lift mode with any weight. Latch weight limits do not apply in booster mode because the seat belt actually restrains the child and the latch strap only secures the booster seat to the vehicle.
adapted to the vehicle:
We had no fit issues on any of the vehicles we tested. It’s surprisingly compact when rear-facing, as long as you have the seat positioned a little more upright (but still within range of the angle indicator). we have confirmed that evenflo allows the 360 to lightly contact the front seat of the vehicle (when rear-facing), which helps in vehicles where space is an issue. Even with light contact from the front passenger seat in my Hyundai Tucson (small SUV), the rotate feature still worked easily. Evenflo recommends raising or removing the headrest if it interferes with locking the seat in the forward-facing position.
telsa model x
telsa model 3
See also: 49 Best Skin-Care Products in 2022 According to Vogue Editors | Vogue
minivan captain’s chair: more reclined facing more upright facing rear
baby inserts & belt covers:
Infant inserts (head support and lower body cushion) are optional when the seat is used rear-facing, but must be removed before your child uses the seat forward-facing. If using the 360 with a small baby, it may be necessary to tuck the side bolsters of the bottom insert under the flat to give baby more momentum (2nd photo below). this extra reinforcement may be needed for babies under 6 months if their shoulders are not close enough to the bottom harness slot using the bottom insert as-is (first photo below).
Revolve harness strap covers are a 2-piece design. The main part of the harness covers are known as the “harness strap pads” and have a tacky material sewn into the underside of the pads. I turned it inside out to photograph the clingy material, but I want to make it clear that this is the back of the harness strap pad that will be in contact with your child’s clothing.
There is also an additional “harness cover” that velcros to the main pad (as shown in the first image below) and this additional cover is optional and removable so you can wash it, if needed. the main harness strap pads (with sticky backing) are permanently attached. as it is a safety element of this seat, they are mandatory and non-removable. and I mean they are literally not removable.
suitable for child:
premature doll (4 lbs., 17″)
After folding the lower body insert as described in the manual, and removing the optional harness covers from the un-removable harness strap pads, I was able to get a marginal fit on the tiny Huggable Images preemie doll. It wasn’t what I would consider ideal and it took a couple of minutes of me fiddling with all the components to get it to the point where I thought, “this is as good as it gets”. In the end, I would say the fit was acceptable. However, I’m a seasoned pro and it took me a solid 2-3 minutes of readjusting this and fiddling with that, to get the harness fit to the point where I was satisfied. It’s unlikely that a parent who wasn’t a CPS Tech would make that same effort to ensure reasonable harness fit on a very small newborn.
It’s a combination of the lowest harness setting being too high for a small infant, the lower body insert cushion modifications that are necessary (because the lowest harness setting is too high), and the huge non-removable pads on the harness strap that just gets in the way more than anything else on such a small “body”. I’m a little stumped as to why they decided to rate the seat at 4lbs. when they clearly paid little to no attention to the little baby.
I would hardly complain if the harness was rated at 5lbs. above, as it is well known that some convertible and all-in-one seats that are rated for 5 lbs. they don’t actually fit newborns very well. But if you’re going to get your seat down to 4 pounds, you really need to prioritize the small infant setting and it’s pretty obvious that wasn’t the case with this seat. </rant>
full size newborn doll (20″)
using the lower body insert as-is (no bending or tucking), the harness fit was also not ideal on our 20″ doll. this doll is the size of a typical 8 or 9 pound newborn .we were able to get the straps just snug so I don’t think the fit was terrible but the harness was still a solid inch above this doll’s shoulders.if this was a real baby we would have had to bend over and tuck in the insert like we did with the preemie doll.
baby e (17 months, 22 lbs, 30″ tall)
fits very well. despite the look on his face in the photos, she thoroughly enjoyed it. when her mom took it out of her seat, she cried and she wanted to put it back! lol.
more photos of real kids in revolve 360 coming soon!
comfort/ease of use:
This seat ticks almost all the boxes when it comes to comfort and ease of use. It’s well padded, easy to install correctly (especially with the seat belt), the rotation function is simple and smooth, and the harness is easy to tighten and loosen in both orientations. my only minor complaint was with the harness straps. it has a tendency to twist as it passes through the buckle. you will need to pay attention to this while strapping your child into the harness, otherwise you may end up fighting the twisted straps frequently.
crash replacement/inflatable seat belts/faa approval:
care and care cleaning:
Machine wash cover separately in cold water, delicate cycle, mild detergent. do not use chlorine bleach. tumble dry for 10 – 15 minutes on low heat and remove immediately. The harness can be cleaned with mild soap and water. allow the harness to air dry.
advantages of the 360 revolution:
disadvantages:
(To be fair, these are not necessarily issues, but I am listing them here to inform potential consumers of revolution 360-specific issues)
conclusion:
The Evenflo Gold Revolve 360 has been a game-changer in the car seat world! The price is a bit steep but the tradeoff is that you get a ton of convenience and safety features in a car seat that, at least theoretically, you only have to install once. Plus, you retain the ability to rotate the seat even when your child is old enough to be forward-facing, an option some other rotating car seats can’t offer due to their design. It’s clear that the Evenflo Gold Revolve 360 has set the gold standard for all future rotating car seats!
for more details, see the revolve 360 on the evenflo website: https://www.evenflo.com/gold/revolve360.html
thank you, evenflo gold, for generously providing us with the samples used in this review. all opinions and comments expressed are those of carseatblog.com.
See also: 2021 (Q1) Japan: Best-Selling Car Brands, Models, and Minicars – Car Sales Statistics
