top harness height of Radian vs. MA?

[HIU8]

I know I have seen this here before, but I cannot find it. I'm toying with getting DD a radian that will allow her to RF to 45 lbs. She is 33ish lbs (with coat and shoes) right now at 28 months in a MA that RF to 33 lbs. I am either going to turn her FF or get another carseat (maybe a radian that RF to 40 lbs would work as well). I would like to get her to 3 or 3 1/2 RF like DS. However, I can't find the threads about whether the radian's top slots are higher than the MA. Does anyone know?

Thanks.

[Momof3Labs]

They are slightly higher - I think that we got an extra 6 months to a year for DS1 in the Radian (vs. the Marathon).

[Joolsplus2]

It's weird, mine both measure 17 inches, MA and RN, but Bitsy fit in the RN for a whole year longer than the MA (to age 7 versus 6). Maybe because it's so upright, and also there's more room to spread out... the MA seems to shove shoulders in and up somehow so it fits less time (????).

:)

[KrisM]

Correct me if I'm remembering wrong, but the Marathon is outgrown when the shoulders go above the highest slot and the Radian is outgrown when the tips of the ears are above the seatback. DS is out of the Boulevard (slightly shorter than the MA), has about 1" for his shoulders in the Radian and about 4" for his ears to reach the top. So, the Radian could last significantly longer than MA.

[Joolsplus2]

Well...sort of, not really. If you went till the ears were even, the shoulders would be 19+ inches tall, at least two inches over the top slots. Here's Bitsy right when I deemed her 'outgrown' and when she was pushing that ears to the top of the seat limit... http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/BitsyRadian107# I suppose in theory she's still safe, since they test with a dummy that's way too big for the seat and it's fine, but I would worry a little about spinal compression injury from the harness holding her down so hard, and about head excursion being a little higher because once the straps are wrapped down like that, you can actually lean forward. Plus, she found it terribly uncomfortable, lol. But if you had a truly enormous kid who was too young for a booster or a situation where it's the Radian or a lap belt only, I might push it to that limit.
Ok, enough pontificating :D. (The Marathon also had that rule about using it till the ears are even with the top, but they deny it if you call them and ask...weird).

[KrisM]

Well...sort of, not really. If you went till the ears were even, the shoulders would be 19+ inches tall, at least two inches over the top slots. Here's Bitsy right when I deemed her 'outgrown' and when she was pushing that ears to the top of the seat limit... http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/BitsyRadian107# I suppose in theory she's still safe, since they test with a dummy that's way too big for the seat and it's fine, but I would worry a little about spinal compression injury from the harness holding her down so hard, and about head excursion being a little higher because once the straps are wrapped down like that, you can actually lean forward. Plus, she found it terribly uncomfortable, lol. But if you had a truly enormous kid who was too young for a booster or a situation where it's the Radian or a lap belt only, I might push it to that limit.
Ok, enough pontificating :D. (The Marathon also had that rule about using it till the ears are even with the top, but they deny it if you call them and ask...weird).


But, if they tested it that way and deemed it safe, it should be safe. Imagine the liability and law suits if it was really unsafe to use as writen in their user manual.

And, even if you don't want to go that long, it sure could buy you an extra 6 months by allowing a half inch or something over the top slot.

[AnnieW625]

It's weird, mine both measure 17 inches, MA and RN, but Bitsy fit in the RN for a whole year longer than the MA (to age 7 versus 6). Maybe because it's so upright, and also there's more room to spread out... the MA seems to shove shoulders in and up somehow so it fits less time (????).

:)

I have never put Elisa in a Radian, but when Elisa was in the Marathon (up until 2 weeks ago) I thought it pushed her shoulders high too and there were some days I thought maybe just maybe we'll make it to five in the seat (Elisa is 40" tall).

FWIW I briefly thought about the Radian to replace the Marathon so I could try RFing with her, but we decided that since we already had a Safegaurd Go we didn't really need the capability of another travel seat at this time and decided it would be less redundant to get a Frontier which we knew would last her till at least the time #2 is done with a convertable (most like Cocorro in DH's car/Triumph 5 in mine), and she is 7 or 8 and ready for a belted high back booster. We are very happy with both of the Frontiers, and we put DD in a Frontier at 33 mos., 38" and 33lbs.

[Joolsplus2]

But, if they tested it that way and deemed it safe, it should be safe. Imagine the liability and law suits if it was really unsafe to use as writen in their user manual.

And, even if you don't want to go that long, it sure could buy you an extra 6 months by allowing a half inch or something over the top slot.

Yeah, an extra six months or so. They do also have a standing height limit, either 53 or 51 inches now, and that's more than tall enough for most situations.