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  1. #1
    jak is offline Copper level (50+ posts)
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    Nov 2010
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    Default Which Diono should I look at?

    In January I will need to fit three across in the third row of my Expedition EL. My 3 year old DS will be in his Radian XTSL and although my older two are in HBBs, I'd like to move them back to harnesses so I don't have to help them fish around for the buckles each time we get in the car. I'm looking at a Diono seat but not sure which one. The r120 looks like a great option. What about the new line? If I'm reading their website right they are an extra inch and a half wider so that's a negative. Would there be other great benefits I'd be missing by going with the r120?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
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    Richmond, Virginia, USA.
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    20,018

    Default

    The newer ones are cushier and designed for more comprehensive side impact protection, but if they don't fit, that rules them right out. How old are the older kids and what seats are they in? It's possible they are in more-difficult-to-buckle boosters (I find the Turbo to be a pain pretty much all the time next to another seat, there is a Cosco that's easier, or maybe the Evenflo AMP or Harmony Dreamtime) or just need something to make the buckle stalk stick up for easier buckling (Like the BuckleBiter... http://www.bucklebiters.com/).
    On the plus side, the Rainier is available at more Babies R Us's now, so maybe you have one where you can try a floor model? It makes a terrible booster later, though, so maybe if you really want to stay harnessing the bigger kids, the Evenflo Sure Ride is a convertible that should 'puzzle' right around the front of the Radian you have, and it has much taller top slots than the Radian (19 versus 17), for the price, it might be worth it for the convenience (and maybe the deep sidewalls will keep them from seeing each other and give you some peace? lol, I've had three across before, I know how annoying booster buckling and 'he's touching me!' can be!)
    Julie
    Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)

    DS age 18--Driving--(booster till 11 and almost 5ft tall)
    DD1 age 16--Learner's Permit!(booster till 11 and almost 5 ft tall)
    DD2 age 9-Safety 1st Incognito
    http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/LeahInCarseats#

  3. #3
    jak is offline Copper level (50+ posts)
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    Nov 2010
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    The older two are six and seven and they ride in safety first boost airs. They have trouble buckling when there's another adult back there already. The buckle biters are awesome but our buckles don't stick out from the seat at all so they really have to wedge their hands in. Is side impact protection a big concern when these seats would only ever be in our zeal with full side curtain airbags? And is the sure ride really taller than even the r120? Thanks!

  4. #4
    abh5e8 is offline Emerald level (3000+ posts)
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    Default

    wow...2 inches taller then the radian and $100?

    this site has a picture of 3 across.

    http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...97&mr:keyword=

    eta: sorry to hijack...but i'm very interested. dd1 is going to be 8 in jan, but is pretty small. 48lbs and short for her age. her radian will expire this dec, and i'm debating what to move her to. she can pass the step test for abooster, and uses one on occasion in a friends car. but we have 3 across the back of my suburban and she can't buckle a booster that way. sounds like for $82 buckes this might be a really good option. any downsides i'm missing?

    http://www.amazon.com/Evenflo-SureRi.../dp/B00ISS2KVS

    i also have a 16 month old rf in a cocorro, she is 28lbs, so has about 5lbs to go. i was planning to get her a new radian 120. but maybe i should opt for this Even Flow Sure Ride. sounds like then she could RF to 40lbs, FF to 65 but with taller top slots then with the radian.

    again...what are the cons to this seat?

    thanks so much!!
    Last edited by abh5e8; 10-11-2014 at 05:28 PM.
    loving my dh and our littles (dd ~ 11 yrs, ds ~ 9 yrs, ds ~ 7 yrs, dd ~ 5 yrs and baby brother ~ 20 mo)

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2002
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    Richmond, Virginia, USA.
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    Default

    OP, I sort of doubt your kids are short enough to fit in Radians at all, unless you go over the top slots, which is allowed, but fairly uncomfortable (at least my normally-compliant kids complained). If it were a good booster, it would be nicer than even the boost air since it's armless! It must be because of me that you have boost airs, hey, at least they are easier than Turbos, it's just you have a tough situation! Maybe go backless (Boost Air isn't a bad one, at least you have the deep cutouts, but Harmony Youth Booster is narrow, or Cosco Top Side are narrow), or Maxi Cosi RodiFix, but It's spendy and not as easy to buckle as it looks like it should be http://carseatblog.com/26151/maxi-co...american-kids/)

    PP, here's another good review with huge kids harnessed in it... http://csftl.org/evenflo-sureride-co...a-mini-review/

    Cons would be the 'cheap' feeling of it, needing to rethread the harness, and the harness being kind of short for the kids maxing it out. Pros are it's light and tall and great for three across and extended RF'ing
    Last edited by Joolsplus2; 10-12-2014 at 07:54 PM.
    Julie
    Child Passenger Safety Technician (CPST)

    DS age 18--Driving--(booster till 11 and almost 5ft tall)
    DD1 age 16--Learner's Permit!(booster till 11 and almost 5 ft tall)
    DD2 age 9-Safety 1st Incognito
    http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/LeahInCarseats#

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