# More Radian Questions -- See Last Post



## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

DD is looking pretty cramped in her bucket so I'm starting to look for a replacement. DS is in a Radian80 and with him I didn not consider the Radian65 because he was born in the 99th %ile for height and weight. He stayed there the first year of life Also, he was/is always very hot and at the time they had that "supercool" fabric.

Now that we are looking to buy TWO more Radians, one for each car, I'm debating the need for another 80 and think we should just get the 65 instead. Of course DH is NO help and says "you research it and get whatever you think" thanks! But even DS's growth has leveled off to the point that it seems the 80 was overkill. He was in the 90th %ile for height at 2 years but suspect it will be down again probly 75th next (3yo) visit. His weight is hovering around 50th. I think his torso is on the long(er) side because he always outgrows shirts by length the fastest.

DD was born in the 50th percentile but was in the 90th for both last (4mo) visit. We have another appt in 2 weeks. Is there any reason to wait and see what her stats are? I'm thinking even if she's going to be tall like her brother the Radian has the highest slots right?

I'm assuming there is no height differential between the Radian80 and Radian65 though. Is this correct?

Sooo... What are your more well-informed thoughts on my reasoning process? To me it seems all the Radians are safe.

Thanks if you made it this far


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

I think few kids will max out the 65. BUT there is also now the super latch to consider... I don't know if any of the SL (and 45lb rf rated) radians are 65lb ones... I haven't kept all the versions straight in my head.

I think any radian will get MOST kids to a safe booster age and size.

-Angela


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## Mommybree (Jul 27, 2007)

Right now, there are 3 models of Radians generally available.

The Radian 65SL rear-faces to 40 pounds. The Radian 80SL and Radian XTSL (has headwings, otherwise same stats as 80SL) rear-face to 45 pounds. For me, it is the extra rear-facing weight limit on the 80SL and XTSL that make that make them my choice over the 65SL. They do all have the same top harness slot height, so I don't think that 80 pound limit is realistic in that seat. When all the seats rear-faced to 35 pounds, I think it made sense to buy a 65 version, because most kids will outgrow the seat by height forward-facing before even hitting 65 pounds, let alone 80. Now that the seats rear-face to different weights, I do think it can be worth the $30 extra for the 80SL over the 65SL to have the available extra rear-facing weight limit just in case it's needed.

Most kids can rear-face until 3 or 4 in the Radian then forward-face in it until they are 5 or 6 and ready for a booster. If there were a young child who needed to be harnessed longer than the Radian would allow by height or weight, the Britax Frontier 85 (a combination seat that is a forward-facing harnessed seat that later converts to a highback booster) has the tallest harness slots on the market. The Graco Nautilus (65 pound harness limit) and the Evenflo Maestro (50 pound harness limit) are also combination seats for older kids that have taller top harness slots than the Radian.

I bought a Radian XTSL for my 2.5 year old. He's in the 95th percentile for height and weighed 35 pounds when I bought it and had outgrown his Britax convertibles rear-facing by weight. I wanted to get the 80SL or XTSL for the extra 5 pound rear-facing limit to get as close to age 4 rear-facing as possible in my car, and I didn't think that at 35 pounds at 2.5, the 40 pound limit of the 65SL would necessarily accomplish that.

How old is your son and how much does he weigh? I'm guessing he's 2 and somewhere around 35 pounds? In that situation, I personally would buy him 2 Radian 80SLs or XTSLs to be able to rear-face him as long as possible and pass his seats down to your younger daughter. I'd at least want to buy him 1 Radian with a 45 pound limit for the main car and look into another 40 pound limit seat (whether the Radian 65SL, Safety 1st Complete Air, Graco My Ride or maybe the supposedly newly released Babies R Us exclusive Evenflo Momentum) as a secondary seat. If he weighs less, than 2 40 pound rear-facing seats might be a good option. If I'm completely misreading, and he's 4 years old or very close to it, I'd buy 2 combination seats and pass his seats to your daughter.


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

To clarify, my son is 3yo and already forward facing because when he broke his leg last year it had to be straight at the knee for over two months then he got used to facing forward (see rigidity issues below







) so options limited there. I think he weighs 40 pounds now anyway. Also, he gets very hot, sweats easily and there is no more "super cool" option...

Other factors: DH takes DS to-from school everyday now. I need the Radians in my car in order to get one more adult back there with them when MIL visits for a few weeks twice a year. Complicating matters, DS is very "rigid" so it would be best and possibly only option to have the same seat in both cars. He does not like change or anything radically different. Of course he has gotten used to to DH's minivan but it really took awhile.

My original plan right before DD was born was to buy the Graco Nautilus for DS using coupons and pass the Radians to DD but DH thought the Graco did not seem sturdy enough especially since it would be an ordeal to switch seats because DS does not do well with change. And until recently he was very upset by any use of "his" things by DD.

So we are definitely going to get the same seat in both cars. I'd actually just get the same exact seat (supercool) if they still made it but since they don't was just thinking the 80 pound limit is not necessary. I'm going to look up how old most kids are when they hit 40 pounds if that is the RF limit on 65.


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Well, it looks like the Radian80 "sport" is similar to the "supercool" so now I'm leaning toward that model because DH likes the idea of keeping the kids cooler here in the Houston heat and I never mind having extra safety features (they list more things on skjp website for the more expensive 80 model) then with the higher rear-facing limit I think we are good. Now I just have to find a sale!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

If your older child is already ffing, I'd pass down the radians and buy your oldest a nautilus or frontier.


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## alegna (Jan 14, 2003)

yep. if he's already ff, I would get him a frontier or nautilus.

-Angela


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Why those seats? Because they convert to a booster? It looks like I can get the Radian80SL sport for just a little over $200 total. I was about to order and keep DS in his until he outgrew it (6yo?) then just buy a booster... They're cheap right?

This was DS is in a seat he likes DH is happy with it too and I'm done having to worry about it for at least three years...


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## Mommybree (Jul 27, 2007)

From my perspective, it makes more sense to buy a combination seat for a forward-facing child over a Radian. With the combination seat, there is the potential to use all the features (forward-facing harness and booster) compared with buying a convertible where you don't plan on using half the function of the seat (the rear-facing function). That's why I'd recommend a Frontier 85 or Nautilus over the Radian; plus both have taller top harness slots than the Radian, so not only can they turn into boosters, but they can last longer in harnessed mode if needed.

Some highback boosters are relatively inexpensive, but you're still looking at another $50-$200 on a booster after a $200 Radian compared with, say, $135-$150 for a Nautilus which turns from a harnessed seat into a highback then backless booster. While the Frontier 85 doesn't convert into a backless booster after the highback mode, it's a very tall highback booster, so maybe only an inexpensive backless booster ($13-$25) would be needed years down the road.

I would buy a Radian 80SL if I were in your situation, because I'd personally want to rear-face a 3 year old, if possible. I'm wondering if rear-facing might also provide extra protection for the previously broken leg, since forward-facing kids have greater risk for leg injuries. I also think it might be nice to have a 45 pound limit rear-facing seat in case you want to rear-face any future kiddos past the limits of your current Radians. But, in general, if a kiddo is going to be forward-facing, I'd recommend a combination seat over a convertible.


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Do you know if I would be able to fit the Radian RF now and FF in 2+ years in the middle of my CR-V next to the Nautilus or Frontier so another adult can sit in the back?!?

DH is so not good with change either he just wants to get more Radians. He said one main reason is when we travel (fly) to visit family but we'd still have the two Radians to bring with us...


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## scbegonias (Aug 15, 2003)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *txbikegrrl* 
Do you know if I would be able to fit the Radian RF now and FF in 2+ years in the middle of my CR-V next to the Nautilus or Frontier so another adult can sit in the back?!?

Yes, I've done it with both the Frontier and the Nautilus (I find the Nautilus just a wee bit narrower) and a RF Radian in our 2000 CR-V. I wouldn't recommend it for a long car trip. I did it for a 4 hour ride and survived. Definitely manageable for an average size woman for short rides around town.


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Okay, I was all set to buy the Nautilus then based on consensus here...

We even went to Target and had my son sit in a demo (pink) one! I talked up the cup holder to DS even though he can only have water in the car he was excited to have somewhere to put toys









BUT this morning I looked at the weight limits on the Radian80 in my car which is less than 2 years old now and it only has a rear-facing limit of 33 pounds









I think that's why I was going to get the Radian 65s for her and just leave my son in his seat. Then I saw a deal on Albee Baby that Diapers.com was going to match what with no sales tax or delivery it seemed like a pretty good deal for new Radian 80s at $215 each. I don't know if I can still get that price.

I thought if we got the Nautilus that would be our last big seat purchase. DS would use them for 3 years then DD would inherit them...

AND now I'm really CONFUSED since we don't want to keep buying car seats it's not like we are poor but just really seems like too much money every few years but I think we just got unlucky about when we bought the first seats and now the RF limits are higher I don't know what to do. HELP!


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

All radians manufactured, I believe, September 2008 and later (someone verify this for me, not sure on the date) are retroactively changed to 40lbs rfing. So double check your seat.

ETA, yes, it is 09/08. So if your radian's DOM is 09/08 or later it is ok to rf to 40lbs. So you can still do the nautilus.


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *DahliaRW* 
All radians manufactured, I believe, September 2008 and later (someone verify this for me, not sure on the date) are retroactively changed to 40lbs rfing. So double check your seat.

Thanks! Where is the manufacturing date? I may have gotten my seats right around that time which means they may have been manufactured prior to that date...


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Actually, we purchased the first one in Jan or February of 2008 and the second one in August of 2008. I bet I'm going to be SOL right


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Just checked the seat in my car and manufacture date is 06-2008. I'm pretty sure that's the newer one but will check the other when DH gets home.

So if I get the Nautilus then DD can only RF until 33 pounds. She was 7.5 lbs at birth but is almost 19# now at 6.5 months! But DS was even heavier at this age and didn't reach 30 until 30 months maybe. I'm not sure where he's at now. Is there generally similarity with sibs?


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## txbikegrrl (Jul 20, 2006)

Okay so my seats were manufactured in 01-2008 and 06-2008 so only RF to 33 not even 35 pounds...


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## DahliaRW (Apr 16, 2005)

Their weight gain slows a WHOLE lot after they get mobile. Both my boys were around 20lb at 6 months. They were like 22 at a year. Ds1 didn't hit 33 until around 3. Ds2 hit it around 2 1/2. Dd is just now maybe 19lbs at 11 months. It really can vary. But I would bet you have until at least 2 1/2 or 3 before you'd have to go ffing by weight.

So if you would rather do the nautilus, do it. Then watch your dd and put aside some money. If she is getting close to 33 before you want to turn her, you can purchase a cheaper seat (complete air or myride) which will give you the 40lb limit. If she really slows down, then you may make it long enough in the radian.


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