RF Radian

[longstocking]

I had an amazing tech help me instal my Radian 65 RF next to my Keyfit (took her over 3 hours to get everything to work - she's a trooper!)
Our back seat is too close to our front seats for the Radian to work well RF - my stomach hits the dashboard when sitting in front seat (and I am a petite girl) My legs are jammed under the dashboard, and it's so uncomfortable. Not to mention I'm prego right now, probably not good to be that close to the airbag I'm sure.
Why do I HAVE to use the boot when RF the Radian? I don't need or want a recline. I thought this seat would be able to sit more upright and that was why I chose it.
I don't really have time now (or patience) to resell the Radian and find another seat...plus, I like the Radian...just not how reclined it is when RF
Would I completely be voiding the whole point of RF if I just took the boot off and had it RF more upright? Could I add pool noodles or whatever it is you techs do to get a slight, but not as much recline?
Sadly, I think my hubby and I came to the same conclusion...yes, we know the risks and possible consequences but we still would much rather turn our 14 month (25 pound...maybe 26/27??) little boy FF so the seat will work in our car...that is the point we are at.

[ame0312]

yes, you must use the boot... it is required for rear facing... some others may have some tricks that may help you get it more upright... i dont have any experience with it myself...

[wendytthomas]

Is the Radian in the middle? I'd put it in the middle so it can go between the two front seats.

You MUST use the foot. Not using it is like cutting off the base of the Marathon and asking if it's ok to use it without the base. No, it's not. It's part of the seat rear facing. It's not optional.

Hassle of selling a seat (or just put it into storage and wait until 35 pounds, it's got an eight year lifespan. I have one in storage until my baby is old enough to use it forward facing for travel. It'll expire when she's 5.5.) versus knowingly making your child 500% less safe. Hmmmmm.... I'd get a new seat.

What car do you drive? We don't recommend the Radian rear facing often because it IS so big front to back and it IS so hard to get more upright. There are tricks to getting it more upright (Defrost and Gypsy know them best). But I'd probably run out and buy a $45 Scenera before I turned my 14 month old forward facing prematurely. Or sell the seat and finance something more expensive if money was tight. Turning the 14 month old forward facing is about an optional as removing the foot. Both could be very deadly.

Wendy

[ame0312]

i absolutely would NOT turn a kiddo that young... here's a current article from the AAP about rear facing...

http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/30/4/12-a

this little boy broke his neck forward facing at 18 months!!!
www.joelsjourney.org

if the radian doesnt work out there are many other seats on the market that would probably work!

[BeachMama86]

I agree, forward facing should not be on your list of options, at 14 months you are risking SERIOUSY injury or DEATH in an accident.

If you CAN afford another seat, do that. At the least you can get a Scenera for $45 as posted above. Then save the radian for when your child outgrows RFing mode.

Can you try installing the Radian in the center and see how much room that gives you?

[canadiangie]

I had an amazing tech help me instal my Radian 65 RF next to my Keyfit (took her over 3 hours to get everything to work - she's a trooper!)
Our back seat is too close to our front seats for the Radian to work well RF - my stomach hits the dashboard when sitting in front seat (and I am a petite girl) My legs are jammed under the dashboard, and it's so uncomfortable. Not to mention I'm prego right now, probably not good to be that close to the airbag I'm sure.
Why do I HAVE to use the boot when RF the Radian? I don't need or want a recline. I thought this seat would be able to sit more upright and that was why I chose it.
I don't really have time now (or patience) to resell the Radian and find another seat...plus, I like the Radian...just not how reclined it is when RF
Would I completely be voiding the whole point of RF if I just took the boot off and had it RF more upright? Could I add pool noodles or whatever it is you techs do to get a slight, but not as much recline?
Sadly, I think my hubby and I came to the same conclusion...yes, we know the risks and possible consequences but we still would much rather turn our 14 month (25 pound...maybe 26/27??) little boy FF so the seat will work in our car...that is the point we are at.


Hi,

Can you post what vehicle you have please? There are tricks to getting it a bit more upright.

Yes, you HAVE to use the recline boot.

No, you shouldn't turn your baby forward facing.

:)

[ketchupqueen]

The Radian is not going to go in the middle... That would push her husband's seat up. There's not enough room for it to go in between the seats. *sigh*

We got it as upright as we could. (I'm intimately familiar with Radians...) Also, the Keyfit has to puzzle with the Radian and even if we could get it more upright, then the Keyfit wouldn't fit.

You know my recommendation if it doesn't work-- ditch the Radian, get a compact convertible (Avenue, Priori, etc.), put that behind the driver's seat, and Keyfit behind passenger.

If you need it I have a spare Scenera you can have. (I can bring it over right now if you want...)

I'm also willing to buy you an Avenue, trade you for the Radian, re-sell the Radian for you, and give you the difference. ;)

I also need to point out that the seat just isn't going to fit well forward-facing. You know how he's just over the third slots? That means if he goes forward-facing the straps are going to have to go in the 4th slots. They'd be coming from almost at the top of his head. It would not be comfortable as well as not being safe.

[Holly]

Kristen,
I know the Radian is an awesome seat, I love mine too, but if it meant I had to turn my barely 1 year old to FF, I'd use a cheap scenera in a heartbeat to RF instead, it's really so much safer. I'd take up Ketchupqueen on her offer for the Avenue, they are the updated versions of the uptown, and I really liked those, they have tons of eps foam and seem really comfy too.
Please don't let your dh talk you into turning him yet.
You could use the Avenue RF until he's like 3 or so, and if you wanted a nicer seat by then, you can spend the money on a really nice harnessed seat that turns into a booster, like the Graco Nautilus or the Britax Frontier.
The Radian is really cool, but not worth it if it's incompatible with your car!

[Holly]

Another idea, keep the radian to use when he is forward facing, and use ketchupqueen's scenera RFing for now. Then you can still use the Radian someday, but he can still be protected by rfing longer too. We have a Scenera, it's a really nice seat, I used it as Abby's full time seat for a long time.

[longstocking]

Would the Avenue fit next to the Keyfit, which is in the middle? I would hate to have my amazing tech put in another 3 hours of jumping up and down in the back seat of our Suzuki Grand Vitara - can I just say - love this car - I know someone who I'm sure would agree with me ;) (ha ha ha)
And trust me - I know she got it as upright as she could. It's not the seat, it's the car that is beyond hope, or help.
Which do you like more - the Uptown, Avenue, or Scenera seat? I guess that would also be - which of those is the most upright when RF? And which is the most narrow so it will fit next to the Keyfit?

[Splash]

The seats are side by side? Take the KF base out, learn to install it without the base, and the other adults squeezes in the backseat.

[ketchupqueen]

Would the Avenue fit next to the Keyfit, which is in the middle? I would hate to have my amazing tech put in another 3 hours of jumping up and down in the back seat of our Suzuki Grand Vitara - can I just say - love this car - I know someone who I'm sure would agree with me ;) (ha ha ha)
And trust me - I know she got it as upright as she could. It's not the seat, it's the car that is beyond hope, or help.
Which do you like more - the Uptown, Avenue, or Scenera seat? I guess that would also be - which of those is the most upright when RF? And which is the most narrow so it will fit next to the Keyfit?

Hahahaha! Yes, we both abhor the back seat of this car.

The Uptown is nice but discontinued and Big Lots in La Canada finally sold out their last one a month or so back. The Avenue is the "new" version of the Uptown (cover change and a few other minor changes.) They're basically the same seat though. The Scenera has a shorter shell and no EPP foam like the Avenue/Uptown have. The Avenue/Uptown will last longer than the Scenera, but your peanut is not going to outgrow the Scenera by height before weight rear-facing, really. When installed the Avenue/Uptown and Scenera actually take up the same amount of space, because there is a little bit of a foot on the Scenera that's not on the Avenue and Uptown. But the Avenue/Uptown give about 4 more inches above the head. The EPP foam is the big difference in regards to YOUR child, in my mind, since the height isn't going to be a big issue with him. I like the shell height and EPP on the Uptown/Avenue, but I like the harness adjuster better on the Scenera.

I'm also getting a Boulevard in sometime soon. And I have an Uptown (it's currently installed in my mom's car but if you want to see it I can get it before she goes out of town for 3 weeks...) If you want we can play Britax big shell/Scenera/Uptown musical seats and see how they'll all fit in your car...

And really, you're welcome to keep my Scenera as long as you need it if that makes the decision easier for you, I think it has about 2 1/2 years of life left and I just bought a brand new pink one so don't need the blue one any more. ;) I'll try to get the stain out of the cover tonight so it's ready whenever you want it, and you can decide after using it a while if you need to. You can have it as long as you need it, whether that is a week or until it expires. :)

I'm thinking we're going to have to put the Keyfit back outboard, though. Here's why: these are lighter weight seats. The retractor in your car tips the RADIAN. If it tips the Radian it's going to tip the lighter seats. And we know we can't use a locking clip without peeling the skin off our fingers in this car. So I'm thinking we'll want to use a LATCH install on the seat behind the driver, which means it won't leave enough room in the middle for the Keyfit. :( Not a big deal though, because we :love: the lockoff on the Keyfit base, right? Right? ;)

[longstocking]

can I just say - I am so glad I moved practically next door to the most amazing tech ever. If it weren't for her I would have given up and turned my tiny peanut of a child. She persisted, and after using up many hours, and a lot of frustration, we took out the Radian and I am borrowing a seat that fits behind the drivers seat RF - YEAH! I didn't think such a thing was possible with my demon car.
Just wanted to reassure all of you, my son is safely RF - although we haven't been able to actually try him out in the car seat as of yet. I'm sure it will be great!
Thank you again, I can't say it enough Ketchupqueen - you truly are amazing and great, I would bow down and kiss your feet but then I wouldn't be able to get back up again. :)

[sunnymw]

I'm glad to hear everything turned out so well!!

[ketchupqueen]

You're absolutely welcome. :) And I wouldn't want you to kiss my feet, they might still have sand on them. ;)

For everyone's benefit and future reference, a Scenera fits at a perfect 30 degree angle without a noodle outboard in a Grand Vitara, and when it's that upright allows the front seat to be all the way back. Oh, and LATCH install is super-simple. :thumbsup:

[momof3monkeys]

ketchup do u live in michigan? :D

so after all of the fuss and muss i got the stpd decathlon rfing. thanks to all

a bleeding finger later, not sure how, i put the kid in it just to realize even with the recline of the rf install hes on the darned buckle strap. just a bit. but odviously that means hes 20 mo old and 28lbs and not going to be able to stay rfing long. so now with my bohemis conversion van seats works great for tall seats but long buckle stalks 12 in what do i do. radian xt sounds like a great seat, however im thinking by the sounds of it, if it sits that low the belt will be in it buckled. lol im used to only buying britax so im stepping out of my element here. cept for infant carriers. loved my keyfit. hey does chicco make a convertible? omg i would die.

any suggestions. dodge ram van full size conversion no latch, rf tether anchor installed, and locking latchplates seatbelts. till my switchables come in the mail. god when will they get here. evidentally the seat belt god is making them. been almost a month and havent shipped yet. anyways sorry tangent. any suggestions? i have a buy buy baby in the area which seems to carry alot more than bru. let meknow so i can go and play. thanks

oh hey if the radian does work is it worth the extra money to get the xt

[ketchupqueen]

I live in Los Angeles, no plans to move to Michigan. ;)

Whether you want the XT depends on how important head wings are to you. The Radian 65/80 vs. Radian XT is like the Marathon/Decathalon vs. Boulevard, really. It's the same shell, with head wings, basically.

There's nothing wrong with the buckle being all the way in the beltpath. It just can't be at the edge.

When I'm car seat shopping I generally go out and try as many as I can in the store. Gives me a better idea of what will and won't work. Of course, in L.A. we HAVE baby stores where we can do that... Don't know what's near you. ;)

[momof3monkeys]

yep thats my plan
we basiclly have 2 stores here bru and buy buy baby
thanks for the translation ;)