WWYD, Radian 80SL or XTSL

mcomommy · Dec 14, 2009

Right now DS (who is 16 months old) is in a 33lb Marathon and is about 32.5 lbs so I need to get a higher weight rear facing seat. I want another Radian but is the XT really worth it? We have side impact air bags and they very rarely ride in any other car. Soon I will move DD2 into a Nautilus and her seat will be our backup so everyone would have head wings except DS and I feel like he will be less safe, but will he? I am just torn, my biggest concern against the XT is it looks like the head wings would push their head out, esp FF but don't know if anyone has had a problem with this. So WWYD? Radian 80SL or Radian XTSL?

Side Note : I considered putting DD2 in the Marathon FF and DS RF in her Radian but it is so much easier to help DD1 buckle and get by with the Radian there than the MA since is is low profile.

Raegansmom4 · Dec 14, 2009

IMO, if you have side impact air bags, then the XT would not be worth the extra cash. I don't feel my kids are less safe w/o side wings and without side impact air bags. Rear-facing in itself is side-impact protection - the 500% safer rfing stat is w/o side wings! 500% safer rfing can be in a Scenera, kwim?

Pixels · Dec 14, 2009

Your thread title says 80SL but your text says 65SL. There is a 5 pound difference in the rear facing weight limit, if that matters to you.

I have a 65 and an XT. The headwings don't push her head forward much, if at all. She sleeps better in the XT because she can lay her head to the side on the wing.

Side curtain airbags don't do much for kids in carseats. They just don't come down far enough to protect the head of a child.

Rear facing, I don't care much about headwings from a safety perspective. (Only from the aformentioned sleeping one.) Forward facing, I don't care as much about headwings if the child is in the center, but if the child is outboard, I would recommend the XT if you can afford it.

ETA: I don't care as much about wings in a seat that has deep sides, like the TrueFit for example. The Radian has shallower sides, so I think the wings on it are more important.

mcomommy · Dec 14, 2009

Sorry I consider all there but want the full 45lb rear facing weight. I will go edit the thread.

I did not think about how low the air bags go, good point. He will be outboard because their is no middle seats in a Mazda 5 so that is also a concern.

Thank you both for the advice and anymore is welcome. I am still mulling this over . . .

WWYD, Radian 80SL or XTSL

mcomommy

New member

Raegansmom4

New member

Pixels

New member

mcomommy

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics