Made to feel guilty over putting DS in a Radian XTSL

I bought a XTSL for my DS and I am now feeling guilty for it. I am a member of another kids forum and one mom went on and on how she would never reccomend the seat and that SKJP is a shady company and basically their seats can't be trusted. Just because they make aftermarket products their seats aren't just deemed crap are they? I am so upset. DS's MA had to be destroyed because of an accident. I thought I had ordered a great RF seat for him. And now I feel like I made a poor choice based on the bashing Radians took from a few other moms.

Please tell me the Radian is infact a good and safe seat. My freinds who are techs have told me it is.. yet I feel bad about my purchase due to a few online techs in another forum.

I want DS in a safe seat. I thought I made a good choice... but did I?
 
ADS

bree

Car-Seat.Org Ambassador
I just switched my son over to a Radian XTSL to keep him rear-facing after he hit the weight limit of his Marathon. Yes, it's true that Sunshine Kids makes aftermarket products like the Mighty Tite that can be dangerous. However, most car seat companies make some aftermarket product that wouldn't be recommended. Do I wish Sunshine Kids didn't have the Mighty Tite on the market? Yes. Does making the Mighty Tite mean that the Radians are unsafe seats? No.

The Radians pass all the same tests as the other car seats on the market, plus the 80SL and the XTSL have the highest rear-facing weight limits on the US market. Not only am I entirely comfortable using the Radian XTSL for my son, I think it has some of the best features of any seat on the market (though it's a pain to install and takes up a lot of room front-to-back). There are positives and negatives to every seat, but I'm confident the XTSL is safe. I think I made a good choice, and I think you did, too. :twocents:
 

SusanMae

Senior Community Member
I think it's a good seat. If my son were to outgrow his True Fit Primier RF tomorrow, I'd purchase a Radian with a 45 pound RF limit...no questions asked. He'll stay RF in the TFP until he's outgrown it. If's he's not old enough to FF when he outgrows it, I'll get a seat that allows him to continue RF.

Susan
 

Jeanum

Admin - CPS Technician Emeritus
Staff member
The Radian was designed by an ex-Britax staffer who joined SK, FWIW. While I dislike their aftermarket products and don't recommend using the Mighty Tite and its ilk, the Radian is a perfectly fine seat to use if it fits your child, car, and needs (and I use/have used Radians for my own kids :)). Bonuses of owning the Radian XTSL include its rear facing potential up to 45 lbs., as well as three across capability in tighter back seats due to its relative narrowness, plus many like its folding for travel capability. All good and perfectly valid reasons for its purchase and use. :thumbsup:
 

swtgi1982

New member
It is a good seat. I was actually going to get one for DD when either she outgrows her current RF seat since I know I will need it for baby who is really high on weight charts for his age.

All companies pretty much make after market products, it is merely due to demand by the uneducated public, and after all they are merely that a business and in it for the money as any business is.

It is the use of the after market products that is bad, not the maker there of, as most of the after market products are perfectly safe in other cases like say in a stroller etc, so they do have a purpose on the market just not in car seats.
 

babygirlsmom1005

New member
Just to add this in - if the Radian's weren't "safe", I don't think SK would be releasing their crash testing data (and is the ONLY company that does).

I have my 4 1/2 year old DD RF'ing in a RNXT and I feel very confident in this seat. She's 36 lbs and will RF until she hits the 40 lbs mark or outgrows RF'ing by height (whatever comes first). It will then be used as a FF'ing seat for my DD and saved for my DS to use when he hits 35 lbs in his TFP.
 

Maedze

New member
The Radian is an excellent product which was not designed by the portion of the company which made the dreaded Mitey Tite.

I really dislike hearing evaluations like that, especially from technicians.

As I've said, EVERY company out there has or is currently producing things that are an absolute disgrace and frustration to the CPS community. And every company has at least one shining star, sometimes several.

The fact is that for any particular child, there may be just three or perhaps only one seat that fits that child's particular needs. Arrogance and contempt for a COMPANY doesn't belong in the decision for a particular seat (and yes, I'm talking to the "i'd never buy a seat from Dorel" people too.)

The seat is safe. It has several excellent niche qualities that set it above other seats in those regards. Those technicians were not being professional :twocents:
 

fyrfightermomma

New member
agreed. It is a nice seat with the highest limit for RFing and high FFing limits for harnessing. Many many techs on this board have them for their own children (including myself) so we obviously don't have issues with the safety or our children wouldn't be in them

All companies have their shady past. That's part of life. No I don't like that SK makes after market products. But that doesn't make their seats any less safe

So don't worry. You got an excellent seat that is very safe when used and installed properly.

It was NOT professional for a certified tech to make a statement like that. We are taught not to promote nor bash any specific company like that.
 

monstah

New member
I already own 2 Radians and if I needed a new seat this afternoon, I would drive 45 minutes passing 4 Babies R Us's and a half dozen Targets & Walmarts so I can buy another Radian from Buy Buy Baby. I trust Sunshine Kids with my childrens lives. :thumbsup:

I :love: Janie & Jack too. :p

(This is not intentionally a plug for Buy Buy Baby, it's just the only store that carries it in my area.)
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
I bought a XTSL for my DS and I am now feeling guilty for it. I am a member of another kids forum and one mom went on and on how she would never reccomend the seat and that SKJP is a shady company and basically their seats can't be trusted. Just because they make aftermarket products their seats aren't just deemed crap are they? I am so upset. DS's MA had to be destroyed because of an accident. I thought I had ordered a great RF seat for him. And now I feel like I made a poor choice based on the bashing Radians took from a few other moms.

Please tell me the Radian is infact a good and safe seat. My freinds who are techs have told me it is.. yet I feel bad about my purchase due to a few online techs in another forum.

I want DS in a safe seat. I thought I made a good choice... but did I?

Sunshine Kids tends to be progressive, for lack of a better term. For some people, that always carries a stigma of being unproven at best or untrustworthy at worst. Fair or not, only time will tell. Aside from the typical pros and cons that go with any seat, I don't think it's fair to let the Mighty Tite or aftermarket products cast a shadow on other products like the Radian. The same could be said for Dorel, and their continued promotion of shield boosters long after everyone else recognized them to be a safety issue. Does something like that or even a big recall (that happens to every company) really mean that their other products are unsafe? I don't think so.

If the Radian fits your children and your vehicles well and you can use them correctly each trip, then you made a great choice.
 

SafeDad

CPSDarren - Admin
Staff member
There was a lot of skepticism among techs when SK started to produce the Radian. It seems most of that has disappeared, but I suspect most techs who were certified when it was first released had a lot of questions based on SK responses to inquiries about the Mighty Tite and its testing over the years. I know I did.

To this day, there are techs who simply won't do rear facing tethers, probably because it is new to them or they don't have experience with it or its potential benefits. That issue also affects the Radian. Some techs and advocates just need time to gain some experience and appreciation with certain new products, especially if they've ever had a bad experience with the company or one of their products or features.
 

JerseyGirl'sMama

New member
You've already received great information, just wanted to chime in that I am a tech and my 6 mo old DS in a Radian XTSL, with not a single concern for his safety.:thumbsup:
 

simplychels

New member
The Radian was designed by an ex-Britax staffer who joined SK, FWIW. While I dislike their aftermarket products and don't recommend using the Mighty Tite and its ilk, the Radian is a perfectly fine seat to use if it fits your child, car, and needs (and I use/have used Radians for my own kids :)). Bonuses of owning the Radian XTSL include its rear facing potential up to 45 lbs., as well as three across capability in tighter back seats due to its relative narrowness, plus many like its folding for travel capability. All good and perfectly valid reasons for its purchase and use. :thumbsup:

Maybe this is part of the reason I personally find Britax seats and SKJP seats to be so similar! Everybody looks at me like I'm nuts when I say that, but I do!
 
IMO, Radians are the best seats ever.. I love them, they are super strong with that steal frame, They release their crash test results. So what they make after market products that are tested with their seats..I would never use them, unless it was like a radian infant head rest with a radian car seat...
I think you made an AWESOME choice, they are my favorite seats.
 

Kat_Momof3

New member
we were all pretty cynical when SK released they were going to release a carseat... but then it came out and we all slowly came around (after figuring out the little tricks to installing it and all)

the truth is, whatever we may feel (and boy do we have some feelings) about their other products, the simple truth is that the Radians (and the Monterey) are awesome seats.

they (again, and the monterey) give features and options that other seats simply don't... and for a pretty reasonable cost. The fact that they show us their crash test data and all that just makes me feel even more secure about putting my child in one of their seats (of course only when properly installed and properly secured)
 

2BunniesMommy

Well-known member
To those saying that a tech should not have made such statements, that is not how I am reading OP's post. I think what she is saying is that other mother's on a board are saying it is a bad seat but that tech friends she has are saying it is a good seat.

It is a great seat. Tried one out and it didn't work for us, but I was very sad to have to send it back. They are very solidly made and looked to be quite comfy. If it were compatible with my car I would be very happy to have DD2 riding in one. The rear facing weight limit of 40 or 45 lbs depending on model along with the high seat back are wonderful.
 

MANDY1234

New member
I bought a XTSL for my DS and I am now feeling guilty for it. I am a member of another kids forum and one mom went on and on how she would never reccomend the seat and that SKJP is a shady company and basically their seats can't be trusted. Just because they make aftermarket products their seats aren't just deemed crap are they? I am so upset. DS's MA had to be destroyed because of an accident. I thought I had ordered a great RF seat for him. And now I feel like I made a poor choice based on the bashing Radians took from a few other moms.

Please tell me the Radian is infact a good and safe seat. My freinds who are techs have told me it is.. yet I feel bad about my purchase due to a few online techs in another forum.
I want DS in a safe seat. I thought I made a good choice... but did I?

No, it was techs...
 

joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Shoulda read more, then I'd have to thank less.

Anyway, yeah, just because a company cranks out a bad product (and I'm not even sure what's wrong with the mighty tite, do these online techs have documentation it's ever hurt a child or vehicle occupant? It's a waste of money and not recommended and useless, but it's not harmful, that I've ever seen), doesn't diminish the fact that another product they make is awesome.
 

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