Radian, Regent, Recaro or other? What do you have/like?

[brigmaman]

Just when I thought I was done shopping for seats, my ds has suddenly had a growth spurt. He's 45 lbs., about 41 inches, and 3 years old. Right now he's in a Britax Wizard, but it's not a good fit for him. I need to buy 2 (maybe 3) seats to replace the Graco Platinum Cargos that he was using until he hit the weight limit.
Also, what do you think about my 15 month dd riding in the Graco? I don't love the idea, but we're running out of choices. One of the prongs on the chest clip of her Triumph snapped off. :(

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

okay... what I would do for the 3yr old is go ahead, bite the bullet, and get the Regent... he'll probably use the second set of slots... but at that weight, he'll be more comfy in it with it's width than he would be in another seat

that's for the primary car... for the backup cars... I don't know exactly what I'd do... because the Radian is so narrow I don't think he'd be comfortable in it... if you have headrests, maybe the Cosco apex?

for your baby... why not get a Cosco Scenera until he has to be forward facing for the second car, give him the Wizard, and if there are any more cars, go ahead and use the Gracos.

Kat

[kijip]

I'd put Cadie in the Wizard and move your son into a new seat if you can't have him in the Wizard anymore.

Cosco Apex would work for your son and since it converts to a booster, you might REALLY be done buying seats for him. Also the Regent is nice but quite large so you must try it in your car first.

As a note, you should be able to get a new chest clip for the Triumph if you want to keep it as a back up for Cadie.

[Momof3Labs]

Trish, we just bought a Regent for DS to replace the Roundabout he outgrew. It is a very nice seat, very roomy, but bigger than the others and not approved for airline use. But, hey, it goes to 80lbs!

The Recaro does not harness past 40 lbs, I believe, and B is much too young to be in a booster. The Radian is new and reviews are still coming; I didn't want to spend that much money on something that doesn't have a proven reputation, honestly.

Another option is the Cosco Apex, available at BRU. It harnesses to 65lbs, but needs a high seat back or headrest behind it. But if your cars meet that requirement, it is a budget choice at $129.

Regarding C, is she really 15 months old now?? Wow. I bet that you could get a replacement chest clip for her Triumph by calling Evenflo. And would it be an option to put her in the Wizard? I can't say much about the Graco since I don't have one.

[brigmaman]

Ok, I think I will try the Apex in my car at BRU. That should work for my ds and at that price, I could get one for each car. My mother (p/t caregiver) has a minivan with headrests, but they are low. I'll try the Apex in her car and if it doesn't work, then she'll get the Regent.
The Apex on the BRU site say "Safety First." I guess they are the same company?

[nitaghei]

Trish,

Could you please LMK how you like the Apex? DS has just about outgrown his RA and Regal Ride, and will need a new seat soon. I'm debating between the Apex and the Recaro Young Sport. Don't have my car here, so I really can't check them out in person, though I guess I could ask DH to do it.

TIA

Nita
mom to Neel, January 2003
dog mom to a PWD and a cocker (at the Rainbow Bridge)

"Moderation is best in all things." Hesiod

[Danielles Mom]

>Just when I thought I was done shopping for seats, my ds has
>suddenly had a growth spurt. He's 45 lbs., about 41 inches,
>and 3 years old. Right now he's in a Britax Wizard, but it's
>not a good fit for him. I need to buy 2 (maybe 3) seats to
>replace the Graco Platinum Cargos that he was using until he
>hit the weight limit.
>Also, what do you think about my 15 month dd riding in the
>Graco? I don't love the idea, but we're running out of
>choices. One of the prongs on the chest clip of her Triumph
>snapped off. :(

Radian Convertible Car Seat Review

Our experience with the car seat is limited to rear facing due to our daughter being six months old. The easy to read manual helped me realize we had installed our Britax Marathon incorrectly. I couldn’t help but compare the Radian to the Britax.
• I liked the easy snap closer and the straps did not twist on the Radian. However the full impact of a crash would be in the baby’s center chest versus spread across her torso.
• The center buckle placement between the legs is adjustable, a great feature eliminating the need to squeeze in another blanket to secure our daughter. When we went to have the fireman inspect the car seat, he was especially impressed with this unique feature.
• The base attachment is easy to snap in place; however it tends to pop out. Once installed in the car, the base stays securely in place.
• The manual is the easiest to understand of any product I own. The diagrams, pictures and text make this product super easy to use.
• Like the Britax, the cover is washable and there are lots of slots to adjust the shoulder straps, leaving plenty of room to grow. Radian uses the same system as Britax when it comes to adjusting the straps with the tightening/loosening mechanism in front of the center buckle snap, making the switch from light weight outfits to a baby snow suit a breeze.
• The Radian’s size is slightly smaller, taking up less room in the car and enabling it to fit in an airplane seat, according to the advertising. I will do a supplemental report when we do use it in flight.
• The Radian folds flat and has a hand strap for easy carrying. Due to its solid construction, it is quite heavy. I am sewing a piece of luggage so that my spouse can carry it on his shoulders through the airport.

Overall, I believe this to be a great product and solid rival for the Britax Marathon! We will continue to use this seat and look forward to the front facing application.

[Kat_Mom2D_J_andRuthie]

cosco/safety 1st/dorel/eddie bauer are all Dorel... all the same company.

oh... and for my van... the headrests are okay, but would have to be turned backwards... but then they don't touch the seat... so make sure the headrests will work with the seat.

other than that, it's a great inexpensive solution.

Kat