Regent or Radian on Honda Pilot

Hi, I have a 3-year-old (34 lbs and 37 inches) and a 5 months old who currently uses a Marathon. I want a seat for my older son, and it is low enough for him to get in and out easily. I am trying to decide I should use Radian and maybe later to a booster seat, or buy a Regent instead. The other car we have is a 2000 Toyota Camry. We mainly uses the Pilot for our kids, but occasionally we will switch to the Toyota. We don't travel very much, just once or twice a year to grandparents house or on a vacation trip. Please chip in if you can, I would appreciate that.

I bought a Radian65 ( I can still return it) but is quite difficult to have a good install using safety belt on my Honda Pilot, it is not impossible, but very hard. I also like to be able to sit in between my two kids with a marathon on one of the outboard seat. With Marathon RF and Radian FF both on the outboard of the second row right now, it is quite comfortable for me to sit in the center seat.

I tried a Regent at the store(out of stock of Regent though), and like it because it can go all the way to 80 lbs and it is so spacious. But also, it is very big. I had the tech install the Regent on my car using safety belt, it seems to be easier than Radian. With Marathon RF, I can still sit in between the seat comfortably. But I wonder when both of them are FF, if I will still be able to sit in between.

The price difference will be $80-100. I can afford that but not without hesitation. The other factor is that Regent seems to be out of stock everywhere. Anyone knows anywhere that has Regent in-stock and if there's any on sale? Or should I just keep my Radian?

I would like to know your inputs on this. Thank you!!

Well, I did the same thing you did. I ordered both a radian and a regent and I tried them out in my truck, a 03 Honda CRV. My son is 27 months, 37 ", and weights 32 lbs with a 16 in torso. The Regent was a breeze to install and my son loved how much room he had in it and that he could cross his legs. I could get in between the regent and RF Marathon but there would be no chance of a three across with carseats....So then I tried the radian.. The CRV happens to be one of the very few vehicles that you can get an EXCELLANT install with the radian. There was not near as much growth room with the radian and it was a whole lot narrower. In fact, I could get the radian in the middle with a MA on either side. I did not like how short the wings were and that the actually seating room is so small. In the end I decided to keep the radian and send the regent back.....
I have since regreted that desicion ALOT. Jackson is not comfortable for long rides in the radian. He fills up the sitting area now and he can not shift his legs around or prop them up. Also the cover has started falling off of one side of the seat and the foam has started to crumble. The front adjuster becomes harder to adjust with time. Once, I needed a RF seat, but I could not get the radian RF at all in my truck(no acceptable install, way too much movement) But my biggest problem is that this seat does not have an acceptable belt install in a 98 Ford, a 00 Accord, or 99 Camry. That is my DH, my SIS, and my SIL. Those are the main people other than me who have my son on a regular basis. Right now we have 1.5 in left in the Marathon and I have put the MA back in my truck because it is just much simpler that way. The radian is currantly in our closet. I cannot return the radian and have thoguht seriously about returning it. However, I think that I will be able to use it starting in August. My MIL will be taking my son to preschool in the mornings. She has a 05 Ford 500 with latch. I can use the radian with latch to 48 lbs in her car. So I think this is going to be what we will have to do. Use radian in MILs car(taking to preschool), Use Marathon in DH's truck(he will be picking up from preschool), and then use regent in my truck...When Jackson outgrows the Marathon we will just have to switch the Regent back and forth between DH and me.
I really wish I would have kept the regent. I hate that I have such an expensive seat in the closet and then in my MIL's car as a spare. I would have rather bought an Apex for her car. It has about the same top slots for $80 less and tends to fit most cars with headrests. The radian does work for some people but it didn't work out at all for us.
BTW, Tinyride has the regent in stock in classic http://www.tinyride.com/Britax-Regent-P977.aspx

Here are two pics comparing top slots of both seats....

Thanks Arly for your reply! If you have problem installing Radian on your 99 Camry, I will probably have the problem with my 2000 Camry then. You mentioned you could get in between MA and Regent. Have you tried them both FF? Can you actually sit comfortably in between? Is Regent heavier than Radian?

I want a regent in Sahara, the website you listed only has the Classic pattern in stock. However, I found in babyuniverse that they have Regent, seems to be in stock and it is only $249. It is almost too good to be true. I can't find Regent on the links under carseats, but when I type in Regent using the search function, it came up. I don't know if I could trust that or not. I though Britax does not allow any discounts unless it is a discontinued item or color.

Anyone knows anything?

I actually ordered my regent from babyuniverse and I have nothing to complain about....and at the time the had it for 239.99.. I am still kicking myself for sending it back.

I only had the regent in the truck with a RF Marathon. I don't think I could have gottom comfortably between The FF Marathon and Regent because of how wide the top of the regent is...but then the Camry is wider than my CRV. Here is a picture of the Regent with RF Marathon in 03 CRV...



To me, the radian is very heavy(awkward) and now that the cover is falling off, it seems like I have no where to grab onto it with out the cover slipping off in my hand and there is nowhere else to grab because the back and bottom are flate and smooth....The raidan is listed as 20.5 lbs shipped.. The regent is listed at 28 lbs shipped... with the regent my main problem seem to be how big it was, it was bulky when you were trying to move it.

I don't want to seem like I am bashing the radian..It has some nice qualities...1 " taller slots than the MA...very narrow...folds for travel...RF tether.. It is just hard to have a good opinion of the seat when you can't use it because of installation issues... I think it would be great for someone who could get a great belt installation and then never move it. HTHs.... Good Luck...

arly1983 said:

To me, the radian is very heavy(awkward) and now that the cover is falling off, it seems like I have no where to grab onto it with out the cover slipping off in my hand and there is nowhere else to grab because the back and bottom are flate and smooth
...

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Just an idea, could you attach some sticky backed velcro to the seat to make the cover stay in place? Not sure if it is crash worthy but that is what I would do.

Jenn

ifkt355 said:

But I wonder when both of them are FF, if I will still be able to sit in between.

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When I had an MDX, I had our Husky (earlier Regent model) and another FF carseat on the 2nd row (both outboard, because I couldn't fit a seat in the middle next to the Husky), and it was a very tight squeeze for anyone to sit between the two seats.

I bought a Radian 65 for my 3-yo, and I like it a lot*, but then again, I don't have to install it in other vehicles and he can move into the Husky when his big brother outgrows it and moves into a booster. (*I got a good install in my Honda Ody with the seatbelt. Also, it's very easy to buckle/unbuckle my son into the seat. The short crotch buckle has not been a problem.)

Overall, you would easily get more years of use from the Regent and a more spacious seat for your son, but it does take up more room on the vehicle's seat. And although the Regent is heavy/awkward and a pain to move from car-to-car, it does seem to install better in more types of cars.

Thanks for all of your replies. Can anyone tell me what's the seat width (especially the back part) of Regent?

I am still trying to decide if it is worth the trouble to return my radian and get a regent. I like the radian so far on my car, except that it is hard to install with safety belt(not impossible, just really hard, I hurt my hand doing that). And I am not sure if it would fit my husband's camry. Since I had the tech installed it on my pilot rock solid now, that I really don't want to take it out and install it on my husband's car just to try it.

Should I keep my radian and maybe buy a booster when my older son outgrows it (depends on how old and how big he will be then), or should I spend the extra money upfront and get a regent?

ifkt355 said:

Should I keep my radian and maybe buy a booster when my older son outgrows it (depends on how old and how big he will be then), or should I spend the extra money upfront and get a regent?

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If being able to fit another adult or carseat in the middle row of your Pilot is an important factor to you, then I'd keep the Radian. If not, then consider the Regent.

Alternate A: Keep Radian, but if it doesn't fit in the Camry, or you just don't want to uninstall/re-install it, try this: In Camry, transfer Marathon for use by 3-yo., and buy a $40 Cosco Scenera for use by baby in that car.

Alternate B: Keep Radian, and see what's on the market in a few years when your son outgrows it...at that point, you could buy a Regent to keep him harnessed even longer, and then pass it down to the next child. OR, there will probably (hopefully!?) be some cool new extended harnessing or booster options on the market by then.

trailrunnermom said:

OR, there will probably (hopefully!?) be some cool new extended harnessing or booster options on the market by then.

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Oh, we all REALLY hope that:thumbsup:

One nice finding about Radian - with Marathon on driver side outboard seat FF and Radian in the center, I could actually fold down the outboard seat on the passenger side to allow third row access on my pilot! Although we don't use third row often and I need to keep my kids separate because my old son sometimes is rough with my baby. Pilot is wider than CRV. I can't fold the seat down if MA is RF though.

I saw my friend's regent, it is very nice and spacious. It really will last a lot longer than radian. And I think it will be easier to install too. But I can't seem to find a regent(sahara) anywhere, and I need a seat soon. I am really kicking myself not buying the regent from babyuniverse when I saw it. I wanted to wait until I can for sure return my radian before I make the purchase(I was going to call the store on Monday), now it is too late!!

OK, I gave up. I tried very hard to install Radian with safety belt and has been unsuccessful. But I can't find a regent selling anywhere (other than one store in NV, in which case I have to pay a regular price and pay an expensive shipping bill, which I am not willing to do). And I have till the end of this week to return my radian.

Now what is my options? I can probably wait for another 2-3 weeks, but there's no guarantee that I can get a regent by then. Is there any other alternative? Any other carseat suggestions? Should I look at anything else, like Recaro, or safeGuard Go, etc.? I am just not familiar with the other carseats, and it takes so long to do the research. Please help!!

ifkt355 said:

OK, I gave up. I tried very hard to install Radian with safety belt and has been unsuccessful.

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Do you have time to take it to a CPS technician this week? Check the link at the top of this page - Free Carseat Inspection. Not sure about where you live, but I was able to go to a local fire station (not all FS may have a tech, but usually a few in each area will.)

I had to twist the seatbelt stalk two times, and put a piece of grippy shelf liner under the Radian, use the top tether, and really kneel on it hard to get a good install. (I have an Odyssey -- even though we both have Hondas, I know the seats and seatbelts can be a bit different, but maybe this can help).

However, if you're pretty sure you'd be happier in the long run with a Regent, you could buy yourself some time to shop around for one by using the Marathon for the 3 yo and getting an inexpensive convertible seat like the Cosco Scenera for the baby to use for a few months (and then as a spare) (Or the 3-yo may even still fit in a Scenera short-term!).

Having just gone through a couple of carseat purchasing decisions, I feel your pain! It's a lot of information to process, but I bet you'll feel good about the time and effort you put into when you do get your new seat(s).

Thanks for your continuous help, trailrunnermom. I have taken it to the CPS techs. One tech couldn't install it tight-in fact, it was worse than what I'd done, and the other was able to install it well, but she told me just don't move the carseat from back-to-front. There's still movement if you pull the seat forward - that's what I don't like about it, but the tech said it is OK to have movements that way. I am not sure if it is true though.

I have an Apex in the garage waiting to be returned, I guess I could use it while I am waiting for the regent or whatever. Anyone know where has the shortest waiting time for Regent-sahara?