Radian and travel?

ilo · Mar 11, 2010

I'm considering getting radian for DD when she grows out of her Boulevard. We travel sometimes and Britax is so easy to install on every car, with or without LATCH, never a problem. I have read here that Radian is tricky to install and is not compatible with all cars. What happens when you are traveling and have to install it to a strange car and the install is not good? Then you have no seat for your child to use.

And on a plain DD is FF, so with radian I would pack the RF boot with luggage and I would have to rethread the harness on the airport?

wendytthomas · Mar 11, 2010

You'd have to rethread in the rental car, yes.

I never traveled with the Radian rear facing, but I didn't have issues getting it into rental cars with LATCH forward facing (except one, a Lincoln Towncar). Generally with effort, or easily, I've gotten it in every car I've put it in either with LATCH or the seatbelt. And Piper's Radian has been in a right hand drive Honda Civic with no LATCH or tether, in the front seat of a Chinese VW Santana cab with a locking clip (actually had a great install there, and fast), and about a million American rental cars. I've always gotten it in.

My cousins traveled with theirs rear facing recently. They had some trouble getting it in my husban'd A4, but I reinstalled it for them, and we got it into my truck (which is easy) next to Laine's True Fit Premier (which wasn't). So it goes into nearly every car, it may just not be easy.

I actually kept our Radian (it's loaned out now) so that way when Laine is traveling forward facing we can use it again.

Wendy

DahliaRW · Mar 11, 2010

Radians are easy installs with latch in pretty much any vehicle. It's the seatbelt installs that can be tricky. So get an SL, and all rental cars are new enough you'll never have to worry about it!

bobandjess99 · Mar 11, 2010

You know, i hear about how the radian is such a good travel seat, but I can't imagine why?? it's literally heavier than I can carry. Granted, I'm weak, but it's seriously heavy. I'd take a scenera or similar for a RFing child, or a chase or similar for a FFing child, and a TB for a boostered child. Light and easy.

Maedze · Mar 11, 2010

bobandjess99 said:
You know, i hear about how the radian is such a good travel seat, but I can't imagine why?? it's literally heavier than I can carry. Granted, I'm weak, but it's seriously heavy. I'd take a scenera or similar for a RFing child, or a chase or similar for a FFing child, and a TB for a boostered child. Light and easy.

Because with the little red carry strap it's MUCH easier to carry. It's all folded up nice and flat and you can hold it by the velcro strap holding it shut. Easy peasy.

And if you want to get REALLY fancy, you can buy one strap and carry it over your shoulder like the world's ugliest handbag, or two straps, and wear it as a backpack you barely notice.

Really...VERY easy to port around, despite it being heavy.

bobandjess99 · Mar 11, 2010

Maedze said:
Because with the little red carry strap it's MUCH easier to carry. It's all folded up nice and flat and you can hold it by the velcro strap holding it shut. Easy peasy.

And if you want to get REALLY fancy, you can buy one strap and carry it over your shoulder like the world's ugliest handbag, or two straps, and wear it as a backpack you barely notice.

Really...VERY easy to port around, despite it being heavy.

See, thats my point..it isn't easy to port around, regardless of how many handles and stuff they put on it, IF YOU CAN'T LIFE THE DAMN THING UP.
I know abut the carry strap, but still...if I have a choice between lugging around something that weighs 8 pounds, or 25 pounds...uh......

DahliaRW · Mar 11, 2010

I've found it a whole lot awkward to carry than many other seats simply because it folds flat. And in our case, it will easily bungi to the sibling step on my peg perego which makes getting it through the airport a breeze.

Maedze · Mar 11, 2010

bobandjess99 said:
See, thats my point..it isn't easy to port around, regardless of how many handles and stuff they put on it, IF YOU CAN'T LIFE THE DAMN THING UP.
I know abut the carry strap, but still...if I have a choice between lugging around something that weighs 8 pounds, or 25 pounds...uh......

Having lugged a 9 pound Scenera, and a folded 22 pound Radian...the Radian was easier. The Scenera is bulky and awkward, the Radian is easier to carry. I don't find it too heavy to lift.

Jeanum · Mar 11, 2010

I opted to bring a Scenera the first time DD2 flew with me as a toddler instead of our Radian. I'm pretty strong and not adverse to shoveling lots of snow in the winter, etc. (Bookmama has seen my collection of preferred snow shovels in the garage, lol), but still preferred to schlep the Scenera through the airport over the heftier Radian. I toted the Scenera around in its see-through storage/travel bag and it also tucked into an umbrella style stroller nicely to get through the airport. :thumbsup: Different strokes for different folks.

stephcali · Mar 11, 2010

I just recently traveled with our Radian for the first time. I flew on a plane with a 3 year old and a 17 month old and was 30 weeks pregnant. I can't say enough about how I absolutely loved using the backpack straps to carry the Radian onto the plane! The flight attendants didn't even know I had a car seat until I pulled it off my back, and then they were truly impressed

Yes it was heavy to pick up, but really no heavier than my kids that I pick up all the time (obviously the weight is distributed a lot differently). I haven't flown with a Scenera, but despite it being lighter I would take the back pack straps any day especially when you have more than one kiddo. Granted our choices for travel this time (the seat was for my over 40lb 3 year old since we had a Scenera for the baby to use at our destination) were the Radian, the Marathon or the Frontier so my choice was pretty obvious what I should take

And it was also super easy to install on the plane, much easier than when I flew with my Marathon a few years ago.

My DH is actually not a fan of the Radian at all, but I told him for as easy as it is to travel with it is worth every penny!

Morganthe · Mar 12, 2010

I can't see carrying the Radian anywhere for any length of time, but t hen again, I don't think of any carseat as an easy carry. I'll take weight over bulk.

Plus it definitely fit through the x-ray scanners with less trouble than the based car seat a few people up from me.

I used a good luggage cart & LATCHED it in. I could carry more bags, the cat carrier, or dd sat t here when she was tired. Made it a whole heck of a lot easier. Always used it FF'd though. She was just past the original weight limit for rf'ing. Never met a car I couldn't install it in.

ilo · Mar 12, 2010

So how long it takes you to install Radian. I saw in another thread that it takes 10min to install? That would not work for us as we need sometimes ride on a cab and they definitely would not wait if it took me 10min to install DDs seat AND DD would be screaming at that point. Do taxis even have LATCH? I would have to install it RF as I can not keep rethreading the seat all the time while traveling and would prefer RF anyway.

I'm going to miss the easy install Boulevard

NVMBR02 · Mar 12, 2010

Only once has it taken me 10 mins. to get the Radian installed and that was a time I really needed it center in my MILs car that is very carseat unfriendly. After playing with it in my cars a few times it hasn't taken me longer that 2-3 mins to get installed.

Some taxis have LATCH, I would think most in a bigger city would. Taxis aren't very common here and some of them are pretty old but I can't think of the last time I have seen an older model taxi in a major city.

wendytthomas · Mar 12, 2010

It's not normally taken me more than 10 minutes, but I've got a lot of practice with it now.

It may not fit rear facing in taxis with the divider there.

Tell the taxi to start the meter. As long as they're getting paid to wait they shouldn't care.

Wendy

ilo · Mar 13, 2010

How long it takes to rethread a Radian? I have noticed taxi drivers being bit inpatient even when you tell them to start charging, especially on airports the taxi area is usually so busy. If I'm alone with my toddler she is not the most patient person either LOL.

wendytthomas · Mar 13, 2010

It can take a few minutes, especially with the safestop. It has a different splitter plate than most.

Wendy

DahliaRW · Mar 13, 2010

If you know you need to rethread, do so while you wait at baggage claim and then you'll be all set for the taxi. And you should be set for the rest of the trip too then.

InternationalMama · Mar 13, 2010

I know a lot of people don't rethread the harness just for forward-facing on the plane. I'm not sure what I would do.

Radian and travel?

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