Is the Cybex Callisto 360 All-in-One Convertible Car Seat Worth It?
I tested it during the dreaded pickup
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- Value: 18/20
- Functionality: 18/20
- Ease of Use: 20/20
- Aesthetic: 20/20
- Safety: 20/20
Total: 96/100
I imagine that my daycare pickup energy is akin to how Olympic decathlon athletes must feel as they sprint from event to event. With a squirmy 14-month-old on one hip and a 4-year-old mid-tantrum because she “misses the spider” that spun a web on our window last summer, there’s really no time to think between events—swap shoes, find missing glove, put coat on upside down, re-put coat on, locate missing 14-month-old, go go go. The worst part—the part that gives me the most anxiety—is getting them both locked and loaded into their car seats on a busy street. Twisted belts, missing cushions, stuck straps—every single time I break a sweat trying to get them buckled, and every single time I vow that after bedtime I’ll get the car seats in order, untangle whatever’s tangled, track down missing cushions and vacuum up Cheerios so that pickup can go more smoothly tomorrow. Alas, that never happens. But, since we popped out the Nuna Infant Car Seat to test a new Cybex’s Callisto G 360 Rotating All-in-One Convertible Car Seat, pickups, dare I say, have gone much, much smoother. Here’s my review of the techy tot safety apparatus.
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My Review of the Cybex Callisto G 360 Rotating All-in-One Convertible Car Seat
Installing the Car Seat
The Cybex Callisto G 360 Rotating All-in-One Convertible Car Seat is both a mouthful and a lifesaver. I really, really like this car seat. It was easy to install (the brand has easy-to-follow videos right on the product page) and easy to adjust. Like any car seat, it’s absolutely essential (and terribly tedious) to read the installation instructions because one inch here and one inch there can be all the difference. While this particular car seat doesn’t resolve the angst that comes with making sure your ever-changing convertible car seat is set up properly for your ever-changing child, it does make it easier.
The 2-Kid Pickup Test
Safety aside, my favorite aspect of this car seat is that even when I’m about to lose my mind stuffing the kids into the car like I’m Formula1 pit mechanic, the straps on this model have yet to tangle or get lost in the annals of a child restraint. They loosen and tighten with ease, and I find it very easy to get the taut fit with the buckle at armpit height whether my child’s bundled up in winter gear or a tee. The swivel feature is also intuitive and a godsend for my lower back—one wrong move and my sciatica is back. Plus, you can use the swivel one-handed. My older toddler uses the Maxi-Cosi rotating Emme360, and while we love the rotating function, it’s not nearly as easy to use or as intuitive.
Is the Rotating Function Worth It?
For me, yes. My 14-month-old is tall, strong and often refuses to succumb to his car seat. Being able to rotate the seat so I can wrestle the kid in without my back spasming is HUGE. The same thing goes for my husband and parents. While yes, we should all work on our obliques, setting these aging bods up in healthy alignment is better for everyone except my chiropractor.
Is the SensorSafe BlueTooth Tech Worth It?
The SensorSafe system is designed to alert you when your child unbuckles the chest clip while the car is still in motion, when your child is seated for a prolonged period of time, if the temperature gets too hot or cold, or if your child is still buckled in the car seat after you leave the vehicle. It also notifies emergency contacts if no action is taken, sharing your location.
We found the SensorSafe BlueTooth technology completely unnecessary. We live in Chicago, so getting countless alert after alert that it was “too cold” just felt shady at a certain point. The alerts got annoying enough that we uninstalled the app. That said, the Cybex Callisto really does stand on its own without the bells and (alerts) and whistles.
Bottom Line
What I Like
- one-handed 360-degree rotation
- removable, dishwasher-safe cup holders
- machine-washable fabric
- removable sun canopy
- good for tall kids
- easy to install
What I Don't Like
- probably too heavy for air travel
- too wide for 3-across
- likely too high for compact cars in booster mode
- BlueTooth SensorSafe Chip over-responsive
Cybex
The Cybex Callisto 360 is awesome. It's a car seat that will grow with my kid—and if I ever needed to stick my other child in it, it's easily adjustable. The 360-degree rotation makes getting kids in and out so much easier. While the price is on the higher side, the long-term use and premium features–even though I'm not a fan of the SensorSafe—make it a solid investment for families.
FAST FACTS
- Safety Testing: meets the latest Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards for side impact and frontal impact safety (FMVSS No.213a, FMVSS No.213b)
- Ages: birth through elementary school years
- Modes: Rear-Facing, Forward-Facing and Belt Positioning Booster.
- Age Range: from newborn up to approx. 10 years
- Width: 19.5”
- Height: 25.5” - 35”
- Length (from rear to front): 21.7”
- Child Height: max 57"
- Child Weight: from 4 lbs. up to 120 lbs.
- Material: Fire Retardant Chemical Free Fabric, Machine-Washable (drip dry)
- Airplane Status: FAA approved in the rear and forward-facing harness modes
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