Orbit Baby G5 Rear Facing Only Car Seat Review

Orbit Baby G5 rotates for loading

Orbit Baby is a name that’s been around for some time — when my now-driving teenager was a baby, we strongly considered getting the rotating Orbit G series rear facing only car seat for her (we went with a Graco instead, they’re still around today, too!).
Orbit took a break from the market for a few years and has returned with a refreshed version of both the rear facing only car seat and the toddler car seat. Today, we’ll look at the Orbit Baby G5 Infant Car Seat.

It has a plush cover, a very nice, ergonomic carry handle, plus some really nice ease-of-use features, and rotates as it attaches to the base. We definitely appreciate all of these features but did find that getting a good fit on our newborn doll was a real challenge and we learned that it can’t be installed in vehicles without a base. Read on to see how the seat stacks up!

Orbit Baby G5

The seat comes out of the box ready to go, no assembly is required. However, the newborn insert is packaged separately so families who need to use that will have to set that up. We applaud this packaging since it means that many families with average-sized babies should have a car seat that is set up for their child right out of the box.

Orbit Baby G5 removing carrier from the base

At this point, I’ve removed many an infant carrier from a car seat base. I have to say that without a doubt, the handle on the Orbit Baby G5 is my favorite. It’s mounted on the carrier itself, just squeeze the handle that’s inside the larger handle you’re using to carry the carrier, turn the carrier, and it comes off the base. I found that it released quite easily, no struggle required.

Manual

The G5’s manual is the prettiest, shiniest manual I’ve ever seen.  It’s printed on shiny colored paper and is full of easy-to-follow accessible instructions.  Did I take a picture of it to share with you?  Apparently not.

Orbit Baby G5 splitter plates

I found that the harness on our seat catches a bit when it’s in the shortest position. Once I extended it past that point, it moved smoothly but it caught in that place every time. I peeled back the cover to discover two splitter plates that got off center when the harness was fully extended.

Orbit Baby G5 newborn insert

The seat includes a fairly robust newborn insert.  This official piece of foam padding does remove an inch from the lowest harness slot so it can make the difference in the way a newborn might fit in the seat.  Inside the package are some additional instructions on how to fit a newborn into the seat.

Orbit Baby G5 carry handle upright

That Graco I mentioned earlier served us well but I can’t forget the uncomfortable feeling of the carrier’s hard plastic handle digging into my arm. Orbit has solved this common issue by having a soft carry handle that feels very tolerable when you’re carrying the carrier.

It has a few rules for use: lift the handle into the upright position. Lock the handle in place by securing the tab through the red D-ring on the handle grip. Make sure the handle is in place by attempting to move the handle. You’re ready to pick up the carrier and position the soft carrier handle grip in the crook of your arm. This will keep the infant’s weight close to your body.

To store the carry handle when it isn’t being used, undo the hook and loop fasteners and lower the soft carrier handle to be flush with the top of the upholstery.

Orbit G5 in tight spaces

Car seats and booster seats in tight spaces present a challenge to so many of the families we help. I’m here to share some great news — I think the Orbit is the narrowest rear facing only car seat on the market! It’s only 16 inches wide at its widest point. We installed the Orbit G5 next to a Maxi-Cosi RodiSport (tight spaces often involve booster riders, too!) and a Safety 1st onBoard 35. It did fit but rotating it into position was a bit challenging. I update my assertion that it will offer a lot of options for tight spaces to mention that it work, but needs to be installed next to a low-slung seat that doesn’t interfere with the rotation.

If I’m wrong and there’s something narrower, send me an email.

Orbit Baby G5 webbing storage

There’s a really nice, well-placed piece of Velcro toward the bottom of the carrier, the harness webbing tucks right on to that for easy storage. This is a small but thoughtful touch that makes using the seat easier.

Orbit Baby G5 lower anchor webbing flat

The G5 includes premium, push-button lower anchors. They store in a very visible, easy-to-access location on the front of the base. To install using these little beauties, press the red button to release them from their storage location, then extend the webbing until it’s long enough to thread them through the belt path. Make sure that the StrongArm indicator is set to the zero that is pretty much impossible to see on the label. That zero is there, though!

There’s no need to open the lockoff, just connect the lower anchors to the connectors in your vehicle, then pull the tail end of the webbing tight, making sure it stays flat. I found the “keeping it flat” part a bit challenging. Once the slack is removed, turn the StrongArm knob if needed. You may not need the StrongArm to get a secure installation but it’s a nice thing to have if you need a little more leverage. If the base moves less than an inch at the belt path, and the level indicator window shows green, you’re ready to go.

I found this process pretty darn easy.

Orbit Baby G5 vehicle seat belt

To install the G5 base using the vehicle seat belt, set the base on the vehicle seat with the belt path toward the back of the vehicle. Open the lockoff. Make sure that the StrongArm indicator is set to the almost totally hidden zero on the label.

Orbit Baby G5 vehicle seat belt not flat

Thread the vehicle seat belt through the belt path and buckle it. Remove the slack from the top (shoulder) portion of the vehicle seat belt while applying counterpressure to the base. Once the slack is removed, close the lockoff, then turn the StrongArm knob if the indicator is still in the red. You may not need the StrongArm to get a secure installation but it’s a nice thing to have if you need a little more leverage.

Check for movement at the belt path. If the base moves less than an inch at the belt path, and the level indicator window shows green, you’re ready to go.

I found this process pretty darn easy as well.

Orbit Baby G5 newborn doll no insert

I first tried the doll without using the newborn insert. Since our doll weighs 7 pounds, I’ve found that it needs the insert on some seats, but not all. In this case, I’m really not sure what it needed. Orbit has advised us to contact them when a newborn needs assistance with the fit, they may have some suggestions so please don’t be afraid to reach out if this applies to you.

Note: the head support, shoulder, and crotch pads are all optional.  Also, the crotch pad is the largest one I’ve ever seen.

Orbit Baby G5 newborn doll no insert

Without the insert, the lowest slots on the harness are above the doll’s shoulders. With the insert, the doll looks squashed but the harness straps are still too high.

Orbit Baby G5 newborn doll with insert

I then harnessed the doll with the infant insert in place. The harness straps are a lot closer to my doll’s shoulders but now the doll looks kind of squished. The harness straps are still above the doll’s shoulders when they should be below the shoulders.

Orbit Baby G5 8 months old

This adorable 8 month old model is new to helping CSFTL with reviews and we’re so grateful to have his help! He weighs 19 pounds and is 28 inches tall. He fit very well in the seat and seemed pleased with his overall modeling experience (as are we!).

After we saw how challenging the newborn doll fit is, I was hopeful that an older, larger baby would fit well in the seat. I was not disappointed, he has a great fit in the G5.

Orbit Baby G5 16 month old doll

Our 16 month old doll is 31 inches tall. Since the Orbit’s maximum height limit is 32 inches, we were eager to see if the bigger doll would fit.

Orbit Baby G5 16 month old doll closeup

Our doll is at the top of the height range for the seat but still has some room to grow.

Orbit Baby stroller and car seat

The G5 isn’t just a car seat, it rotates into a stroller and a rocker as well. Together, these items make up The G5 System.

That interchangeability between the stroller, rocker, and car seat base is no doubt part of the seat’s charm. Since we are still not Strollers or Rockers for the Littles, we’ll just mention that those optional items exist.

Orbit Baby G5 date of manufacture label

Date of manufacture label: our Orbit expires 7 years after it was made, this information is only listed on the label that’s on the end of the base. The manual instructs users to look at the label for this information.

Orbit Baby G5 manual storage

Manual storage: if we handed out awards for niche things, the “Best Manual Storage” award would go to the G5.There’s a lovely zippered pocket on the back of the base.

Orbit Baby G5 FAA approval label

FAA approval label: the G5 can be installed on aircraft without the base. The approval label is red lettering at the bottom of a label that’s full of words.