Which convertible if not a Radian?

[MamaInMarch]

I have a Radian XTSL for DS that he's had since 3/10 and we love it. He is so comfortable in it. I really like the low profile on the sides of the seat by his thighs - he always dangled his legs over when rearfacing. I like how easy it is for me to install. I like that it is slim looking (we also have a Graco MyRide 65 in DH's car as a back up seat and it is so boxy and bulky looking). I like that it doesn't take up a ton of room in the seat/car.

DD will be turning 1 in a few months so I'd like to start watching sales and looking for a convertible seat for her. I would really like another Radian just like DS's... but I no longer trust SKJP/Diono after the latch belt fiasco. We never had that problem, but they handled it so poorly I am afraid of what else they might be hiding.

Soooo, throw it out there. Suggest anything. What might fit some of those criteria above? We have a 2006 Toyota Sienna. I don't have a budget in mind - I just want the seat that I like best and then I'll try to find a decent price on it.

[arivecchi]

We ditched our XTSL for a Britax Boulevard 70 and have never looked back. Easier installation, comfier seat and so much lighter. I did not need to do three in a row, so the width of the Radian was not something I needed. I ditched mine right after the fiasco because I was appalled by their response.

[pastrygirl]

I love my Complete Air (I have a 50 and a 65), much more than I ever liked my Radian XT. It's actually my favorite seat ever, except maybe the Chicco Keyfit. (Though, I know some people are anti-Dorel.) ETA: I even traded my Radian XT for a CA65, after having the CA50 for a few months.

[roseyloxs]

We tried using a britax marathon after the radian fiasco. The marathon is really nice and it is really easy to install. However it was a real pain getting dd in and out of the seat. She also had significantly less leg room although I don't think she cared.

Is your first born FF yet or will he be hitting the limit soon? If so you can continue to use the radian for rear facing and upgrade your oldest to a nice 5pt booster. My dd should be hitting the weight limit soon so I plan on just stealing her radian for the new baby and using her barely used marathon FF for her.

[legaleagle]

The new peg perego looks really nice (and has a super high back and 45 rf limit), though apparently it's quite the PITA to install with the seatbelt.

And congrats, roseyloxs, I missed that you are expecting!

[hehateme]

What was the latch fiasco with Diono?
We have 2 radian xtsl's for ds1. When I got them we struggled but now I can install them in 3 of our cars RF in a few minutes.

Most people love britax they are a bit tough to get in and out of as they are high.

I just purchased peg perego viaggio convertible for ds2 and love it. It is a nice cross between marathon and radian. More user friendly than radian, as easy to install as britax and have a relatively low profile.

It installed easily in Honda oddyssey and Audi a4. Check out peg you might like it. Only con is that it is a bit pricey. We need one more convertible for ds2 so I am waiting for clek foonf seat coming out this fall.

[AnnieW625]

There was a latch fiasco and the Radian company handled it poorly. I didn't have the seat so I didn't followit too much.

We have a Blvd 70, and a Roundabout 55 and we are happy with both seats. They install well, my DD2 is comfortable in them, and I know they are safe seats. When I was buying seats last year the other seat DD2 liked a lot was the Graco My Ride, however the latch connectors aren't nearly as nice as the Britax ones.

[swissair81]

I have 2 Radians for DD2 and DS, but I chose a Boulevard 70 (my car) and Marathon 70 (DH's car) when it was time to get DD3 a convertible seat.

[arivecchi]

What was the latch fiasco with Diono?
We have 2 radian xtsl's for ds1. When I got them we struggled but now I can install them in 3 of our cars RF in a few minutes. Users started reporting that the LATCH mechanism in Radian XTSLs was loosening on its own. The company insisted it was user error even though many of the users having problems were car seat techs. They president of the company wrote one fairly rude email to a user and she posted it on car-seat.org. Basically, instead of being upfront about the issue and issuing a recall, they hid their heads in the sand and denied any issues. They ended up sending replacement LATCH straps to many users and the new Diono car seats have the redesigned straps. It was around this time that they changed their name to Diono as well. Hmmm. How convenient. Basically, they handled the issue very poorly both in terms of communication and how they treated their customers. I would have been a lot more forgiving if they had been upfront about the problem. You can search LATCH loosening here or in car-seat.org to find out more.

[swissair81]

Users started reporting that the LATCH mechanism in Radian XTSLs was loosening on its own. The company insisted it was user error even though many of the users having problems were car seat techs. They president of the company wrote one fairly rude email to a user and she posted it on car-seat.org. Basically, instead of being upfront about the issue and issuing a recall, they hid their heads in the sand and denied any issues. They ended up sending replacement LATCH straps to many users and the new Diono car seats have the redesigned straps. It was around this time that they changed their name to Diono as well. Hmmm. How convenient. Basically, they handled the issue very poorly both in terms of communication and how they treated their customers. I would have been a lot more forgiving if they had been upfront about the problem. You can search LATCH loosening here or in car-seat.org to find out more.

It was only the XTSL right? I have two XTs.

[arivecchi]

Only the XTSL, so you are fine.

[hehateme]

I did not know about the latch issues. We do have 2 xtsl's.
We will start checking the latches.
We bought our seats in jan 2010.
We are in the market for 1 more low profile convertible.
Most likely it will not be a Diono.

[legaleagle]

I did not know about the latch issues. We do have 2 xtsl's.
We will start checking the latches.
We bought our seats in jan 2010.
We are in the market for 1 more low profile convertible.
Most likely it will not be a Diono.

FWIW, it wasn't the straps themselves that were failing, it was more of an incompatibility of geometry of the car combined with the straps (something about the exact place the release buckle was falling against the side of the seat). Obviously, check on it to be safe, but if you haven't had a problem before in the cars you've used it in, you're probably fine. It's always been rock solid for me in both of our cars. Or just switch to the seatbelt install, of course.

[newmomga]

I'm glad that you posted this question. I have one of the original Radian XTSL and used the seat belt with it. I have LOVED that seat. Baby #2 is on the way and I have been looking at the Diono Radian RXT, but am a little concerned about going with that company. My DD is 98%tile for height so I want to get a carseat for baby #2 that will last a good while for baby #2 in case that they are tall as well. Prior to the Radian we had a Britax Boulevard and I loved it. We are not planning on using an infant car seat this time around because our DD did not last in hers very long, so to us it's just not worth it. I think I am going to end up going with Britax just not sure which one yet.

[MamaInMarch]

I had DS in the MyRide again this weekend and it just reaffirmed how much I dislike that seat by way of it being so huge. And I really hate the buckles/chest clip. They are so hard to click and release.

I am so mad at Diono/SKJP/whatever they call themselves. I would have been fine with the whole situation if they just would have been honest and open about it. And now I am missing out on having another of the seat I live because I refuse to buy their stuff.