Radian now tested to NCAP 46?

[Pixels]

On DD's new RadianXT, there was a tag saying NCAP 46. Are they now claiming to test to that standard? Last I knew, they were claiming that they tested to NCAP 35.

I'm also emailing, but thought I'd ask here, too.

[bree]

Russ told someone that the Radian 80/XT was tested to NCAP 46, and they posted about it in this thread: http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=67370

[Pixels]

Hmm. It looks like a difference of terms, but the same thing I was originally thinking of. I was thinking NCAP 35 would be the 35 mph test, and NCAP 46 would be a 46 mph test. They're using NCAP 46 to refer to the 46 Gs produced in the 35 mph test.

[bree]

Thank you! I was just reading their document (http://www.skjp.com/simg/4955377.pdf) about NCAP, and I was confused by their wording. It says that the "New Car Assessment Program is 35 mph crash testing" but then later references it as NCAP46 in the same document. I was about to ask you about it, but then I read your last post and now it makes sense.

[Pixels]

Just got a reply from Russ. Here is his answer:
FMVSS213 is 30 mph crash testing - maximum impact force of 25 g's (for approx. reference a force of 1 g = 1 x your body mass)
NCAP-46 is 35 mph crash testing - maximum impact force of 46 g's < only 5 mph faster, but almost double the impact force.

[joolsplus3]

Interesting! Thanks for looking that up :thumbsup:

[sunnymw]

So the Radians are tested at twice the impact force... any other seats tested this way?

[Pixels]

More from the same email: Radian80 / XT is the only car seat rated to 80 lbs without requiring top tether.
Radian80 / XT is the only car seat that NCAP-46 crash tests up to and beyond 65 lbs - all the way 85 lbs, and without tether.
Take what you will from that. I'm not sure if he's trying to imply that Radian is the only seat NCAP tested above 65 pounds, or if he's only implying that Radian 80/XT is the only seat NCAP tested all the way to 85.

I don't think the other manufacturers are so willing to tell us what limits they've tested their seats to, beyond FMVSS/CMVSS 213. A few will say they have also been tested to another country's standard, but that's all that I'm aware of. Since the other manufacturers are rather close-lipped about their testing, we don't even know if Russ's statements about being the only one are true. It's possible the other manuf. are doing the same testing, but just don't talk about it.