Sunshine Kids Radian 80?

[George]

Hi,
Can anybody give me some insight about the new Radian? I believe it's due out in the market by the end of this month. Should I wait for this or go ahead and order the Radian 65? We need a 2nd carseat asap. Thanks!
This site has been so informative. Thanks again!

[Joolsplus2]

(ssshhhh...here's a secret...It's the same seat...)

Just has extra padding...same slot heights, same terrific features.. I can't imagine even a 65 pound kid being short enough to fit in one, but my tall skinny 45 pound 7 year old still fits, and we really like it.
I'd go with the RN65 if it were me, it's still very comfortable and durable and well built.
:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
www.joolstag.myarbonne.com

[varaonaid]

Hi!

I certainly don't want to contradict Julie because I know next to nothing about car seats (learning, though) and she's a tech. However, I found this site today:

http://fcs.tamu.edu/SAFETY/passenger_safety/tech_update/july2006.php

and it mentions some new features in the new Radian 80 that sounds different to the Radian 65. I'd love to hear her comments and other's as well.

Secondly, is the new padding etc on the Radian 80 helpful for newborns? I'm looking at getting one convertible seat from birth and thought perhaps it would help. The other option would be getting some sort of infant support (like the Snuzzler) for the Radian 65 but I've heard one or two people tell me it was a no-no. That doesn't make much sense to me but I'd love to know why one shouldn't do that.

What do you think?

[Joolsplus2]

The RN 65 also has the 'safe stop' device now :).

Right, you don't want to add any unapproved/sold by the same manufacturer padding to a carseat, as it *may* interfere with the harness tightness. Sunshine Kids makes so many add on gadgets, they might actually have crash tested and approved a snuzzler-like product that would be fine with the RN 65, you might want to check out their site, www.skjp.com to see, or call them to find out for sure. It's actually also just fine to roll up receiving blankets in the shape of add-on head supports and tuck them around a newborn's head after the harness is properly tightened, that definitely won't muck with the harness and is still very safe (or cut the inside fabric out of one of the infant head support thingies and just leave the round pillow part).

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx
www.joolstag.myarbonne.com

[George]

Hi Julie,

We just received our Radian 65 and got a great installation in one of our cars. However, we're having trouble tightening/loosening the straps. They seem to be "catching" at the back of the seat, so it's not as smooth and easy to adjust. Any suggestions? We have the Roundabout in the other car and never had problems with the tightening and loosening of the straps.

Thanks for your response,
:)

[avd3875]

That's the exact same problem we're having with our two new Radians. In fact, I just posted about it the other day on the Baby Bargains Board. I spoke to one of the engineers at Sunshine Kids about the problem. He sent me an Ultra Mat to put behind the seat so there would be less friction between the carseat straps and the back of the seat of the car. It helped only a teeny, tiny bit. I think the problem, in my case, is that we have the straps in the top slot and the slightly recessed channel for the straps stops at the third strap from the top. The SK engineer told me that this is because there is some steel that goes through the seat at that point, so the channel had to end. My seat, like yours I'm sure, is installed so tightly that the straps just get stuck between the back of the carseat and the seat of the car. I think that if I had the seat installed in an outboard position I'd have less of a problem with this because the headrest would slighlty push the top of the Radian forward, leaving a bit of space for the straps to slide more freely. However, as long as I only have one child, I want him in the center. It is very frustrating to make those straps move, but I've decided to put that aside becuase I really did get some incredible customer service from this guy at SK. The Radian was also the ONLY seat I could find that would keep my DS (35mos, 37lbs, 39") harnessed to 65lbs and would fit his wide shoulders (and it worked with our LATCH and tether-less car).

Good luck. Please let me know if you come up with any solutions for the problem. I'd love to be able to put DS in the car without a full upperbody workout!

Annemarie

[Sallysmom]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but what is the harness height for this seat. My 6-year-old DD no longer fits in her Wizard due to height (she outgrew it a year ago). Would she possibly fit in this?

[Joolsplus2]

It's 'about the same' as the Wizard.. my dd outgrew the Marathon at age 6-ish, and fit in the Radian for another year, but I haven't put her in it in 6+ months, she was really feeling cramped in it on the last trip (she's now 7, maybe a little taller than average, wearing 6x pants and 7/8 shirts, for reference)


Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx

[Sallysmom]

Another question regarding boosters. I remember reading that boosters have to be light weight, which is why one of the Britax boosters had to have locking arm rests (it was too heavy). Well, should I favor the Parkway over the new Monarch because it is 5 pounds lighter? It seems that the Monarch weighs 15 pounds. Is that a concern? I was thinking of getting one because my DD seems to slide forward in the Parkway because the seat is so flat. The Monarch looks like it has a slope to it that would keep her from doing that.

[Joolsplus2]

Good memory :).

They (NHTSA) have been ignoring the 9 pound weight limit on boosters for some time now (Britax and Recaro offered tether or lockoffs, but Cosco blatantly put the Summit on the market with no shame, and it weighs 14 pounds). We do have the assurance that Europe has been using heavy boosters for years no with no large risk to kids...but we also have Australia's possibly over-cautious weight limit of like 6 pounds on boosters... so here we are in the middle. Is it ok for it to be over 9 pounds? Probably...I don't think Germany would be requiring seats for kids up to 4-11 or 12 yo if they were dangerous.

No real answers, though... wouldn't it be nice if IIHS would toss some boostered or carseated dummies in their testing cars so we could see these things in real life?

:)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx