Sophie hates the Radian-other options?

Sophia has rode in a Radian XT since about 2. First RFing and then recently FFing. Her seat is in a spot with no top tether so that's why I picked the Radian to FF in that spot. No complaints until recently.

Lately she cries every time she's in the seat. She says it hurts her back and she looks squished under the headwings (her shoulders that is). She has about 1-2 inches to grow before hitting the top slots. She just looks huge in the seat. She has never ever in her life complained about a seat so this caught me off guard

Now that E is in school, she just rides in the Prosport during the day. She's never complained in it. DH has a FFing XT for her also in his car and yesterday told me she cried the whole way home that she wanted to get out (not normal).
So we just let her ride in the Prosport when E isn't around. But it's the weekends and after school that I get to hear the drama and crying the whole ride. It's super annoying

Now I would just give her the Prosport, but E needs it. She looks ridiculous in the Radian and there's no way she's comfy in it now that she's so tall (45 1/2 I think). So she won't really fit in it. The only seats we have that she fits in are the PS and GN. So she needs to keep them

I could just get another Prosport but this is in an untethered spot remember? I haven't heard how it's done untethered and I don't really wanna find out.

This is the spot she has to be in for everything to work. Trust us, we've tried everything else. It has to be this set up for us for it to work. I'm fine with that, but I also didn't bank on her hating her seat after a while. She probably will outgrow it before booster age anyways.

We have a GN and that doesn't work well for her. She's a stocky kid and the crotch strap is way under her and too short and she just doesn't like the seat (plus it's E's seat and she needs it)

So that kinda sucks as those are the two "good" seats untethered. Anyone heard how the Frontier 85 or Maestro have done untethered? What about the Symphony? Or do we just not really know other than the RN and GN????

The other problem is they go with their grandparents a lot. Neither of their cars has LATCH or top tethers (and can't be retrofitted). So I need a seat that does well untethered for that as well. Usually we use the RN and GN for their car ( S in the RN an E in the GN)

I might just have to make her suck it up i guess.

Ideas?

I haven't heard how the FN does unteathered BUT I would feel more comfortable with it b/c of the long belt path. Well that is of the long belt path is do able in your vehicle.

njkj said:

I haven't heard how the FN does unteathered BUT I would feel more comfortable with it b/c of the long belt path. Well that is of the long belt path is do able in your vehicle.

Click to expand...

Can you do that in the 85?? I'm clueless about the new one LOL

yes it works in my car. We had the older version of the 80 and did LBP with it back then. Don't know how the 85 does though. However I don't have locking retractors, only latchplates, so does that change anything with how well the LBP might work?

My parents have the same van as us just older (we have an 06 Dodge GC and they have a 2000 or 99) and I remember doing the Frontier there back in the day and it worked well (seat and belt set up is pretty much the same). So that's an option!

In the fiscal year 2009 compliance testing data, the following seats were tested with both the 3yo and 6yo dummies and passed the stricter, tethered standard without the tether:
Britax TSIP Frontier (80)
Dorel Alpha Omega
Dorel Alpha Omega Elite
Dorel Cosco Highback
Dorel Cosco Ventura
Dorel Safety 1st Vantage
Dorel Alpha Elite Apex 65

The following seats did not pass the stricter, tethered standard without the tether:
Britax Roundabout (40)
Britax Diplomat
Britax Marathon
Britax Boulevard
Britax Advocate CS
Combi Zeus Turn
Compass True Fit C630
Cosco Scenera
Dorel Safety 1st Avenue
Dorel Maxi Cosi Priori
Britax Roundabout 50
Britax Marathon CS
Compass True Fit C670
IMMI Childseat
Sunshine Kids Radian 65
Evenflo Tribute
Britax Regent
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe Convertible
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1
Dorel Eddie Bauer Adjustable Booster
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe Booster
Evenflo Bolero
Evenflo Generations
Evenflo Symphony
Graco Nautilus
Graco Cargo

The following seats passed the stricter, tethered standard with one of the dummies and was not tested without the other:
Sunshine Kids Radian XT (passed with 6yo, untested with 3yo)
Triple Play Sit-N-Stroll (passed with 3yo, untested with 6yo, not required to be tested with 6yo)

I made a similar list from the FY 2008 testing data, but only looked at the 6yo dummy. I believe some of them passed the stricter, tethered standard with the 6yo dummy but did not pass the stricter, tethered standard with the 3yo dummy.

Wow... I'm shocked at all the Dorel seats that passed and the Radian 65 didn't

fyrfightermomma said:

Can you do that in the 85?? I'm clueless about the new one LOL

yes it works in my car. We had the older version of the 80 and did LBP with it back then. Don't know how the 85 does though. However I don't have locking retractors, only latchplates, so does that change anything with how well the LBP might work?

My parents have the same van as us just older (we have an 06 Dodge GC and they have a 2000 or 99) and I remember doing the Frontier there back in the day and it worked well (seat and belt set up is pretty much the same). So that's an option!

Click to expand...

The 85 can be installed LBP or SBP, whichever works better for you/your car. The shoulder belt will act somewhat like a tether, though not quite as well. As long as the seat is properly positioned pre-crash, it doesn't matter what kind of retractor you have.

andre149 said:

Wow... I'm shocked at all the Dorel seats that passed and the Radian 65 didn't

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Dorel just has a lot of seats, period. Dorel had many seats that didn't pass, as well.

I thought all seats had to pass without the top tether? In the directions for most seats the tether is highly recommended but not required. So I assumed the seat passed without it but did much better with it?

OP, as long as Sophia's not in the grandparent's cars for long trips I would make her deal with it for that car.

For your car, I would probably just rear face her in a different seat so she's not so uncomfortable.

babyherder said:

OP, as long as Sophia's not in the grandparent's cars for long trips I would make her deal with it for that car.

For your car, I would probably just rear face her in a different seat so she's not so uncomfortable.

Click to expand...

We put our seats in my parents car so whatever we have in our car is what they get.

As for rear facing, I don't really have anything she can rear face in She's 38 lbs now and with winter coming is too heavy to RF and I think she's pretty much near the height limit RFing of the Radians (at least she was pretty darn close when we turned her back in April). Rear facing isn't really an option anymore for her. Even if it was an option, that wont' work with our current set up. We've tried every configuration suggested to me and this is all that works.

Pixels said:

In the fiscal year 2009 compliance testing data, the following seats were tested with both the 3yo and 6yo dummies and passed without the tether:
Britax TSIP Frontier (80)
Dorel Alpha Omega
Dorel Alpha Omega Elite
Dorel Cosco Highback
Dorel Cosco Ventura
Dorel Safety 1st Vantage
Dorel Alpha Elite Apex 65

The following seats did not pass without the tether:
Britax Roundabout (40)
Britax Diplomat
Britax Marathon
Britax Boulevard
Britax Advocate CS
Combi Zeus Turn
Compass True Fit C630
Cosco Scenera
Dorel Safety 1st Avenue
Dorel Maxi Cosi Priori
Britax Roundabout 50
Britax Marathon CS
Compass True Fit C670
IMMI Childseat
Sunshine Kids Radian 65
Evenflo Tribute
Britax Regent
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe Convertible
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1
Dorel Eddie Bauer Adjustable Booster
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe Booster
Evenflo Bolero
Evenflo Generations
Evenflo Symphony
Graco Nautilus
Graco Cargo

The following seats passed with one of the dummies and was not tested without the other:
Sunshine Kids Radian XT (passed with 6yo, untested with 3yo)
Triple Play Sit-N-Stroll (passed with 3yo, untested with 6yo, not required to be tested with 6yo)

I made a similar list from the FY 2008 testing data, but only looked at the 6yo dummy. I believe some of them passed with the 6yo dummy but did not pass with the 3yo dummy.

Click to expand...

I'm beyond confused. We always tout that the GN and Radians do awesome untethered. In fact we say the GN blew the Radians out of the water for numbers.

So how come this testing showed it didn't even pass??

Pixels said:

In the fiscal year 2009 compliance testing data, the following seats were tested with both the 3yo and 6yo dummies and passed without the tether:
Britax TSIP Frontier (80)
Dorel Alpha Omega
Dorel Alpha Omega Elite
Dorel Cosco Highback
Dorel Cosco Ventura
Dorel Safety 1st Vantage
Dorel Alpha Elite Apex 65

The following seats did not pass without the tether:
Britax Roundabout (40)
Britax Diplomat
Britax Marathon
Britax Boulevard
Britax Advocate CS
Combi Zeus Turn
Compass True Fit C630
Cosco Scenera
Dorel Safety 1st Avenue
Dorel Maxi Cosi Priori
Britax Roundabout 50
Britax Marathon CS
Compass True Fit C670
IMMI Childseat
Sunshine Kids Radian 65
Evenflo Tribute
Britax Regent
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe Convertible
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe 3-in-1
Dorel Eddie Bauer Adjustable Booster
Dorel Eddie Bauer Deluxe Booster
Evenflo Bolero
Evenflo Generations
Evenflo Symphony
Graco Nautilus
Graco Cargo

The following seats passed with one of the dummies and was not tested without the other:
Sunshine Kids Radian XT (passed with 6yo, untested with 3yo)
Triple Play Sit-N-Stroll (passed with 3yo, untested with 6yo, not required to be tested with 6yo)

I made a similar list from the FY 2008 testing data, but only looked at the 6yo dummy. I believe some of them passed with the 6yo dummy but did not pass with the 3yo dummy.

Click to expand...

Ok I'm beyond confused again. So looking at 08 data the Radians passed and the GN passed "with flying colors" I believe you said(when you read the whole thread)

But in 09 neither passed?!?!??! What was so different between the tests that it failed in 09 but passed amazingly well in 08????

This is not computing with me LOL

babyherder said:

I thought all seats had to pass without the top tether? In the directions for most seats the tether is highly recommended but not required. So I assumed the seat passed without it but did much better with it?

Click to expand...

Exactly! I'm so confused!

fyrfightermomma said:

I'm beyond confused. We always tout that the GN and Radians do awesome untethered. In fact we say the GN blew the Radians out of the water for numbers.

So how come this testing showed it didn't even pass??

Click to expand...

Ugh! I think I give up... none of this makes any sense to me.

fyrfightermomma said:

I'm beyond confused. We always tout that the GN and Radians do awesome untethered. In fact we say the GN blew the Radians out of the water for numbers.

So how come this testing showed it didn't even pass??

Click to expand...

tl01 said:

Ugh! I think I give up... none of this makes any sense to me.

Click to expand...

babyherder said:

I thought all seats had to pass without the top tether? In the directions for most seats the tether is highly recommended but not required. So I assumed the seat passed without it but did much better with it?

Click to expand...

tl01 said:

Exactly! I'm so confused!

Click to expand...

:yeahthat: to all of the above. Clarification please!

babyherder said:

I thought all seats had to pass without the top tether? In the directions for most seats the tether is highly recommended but not required. So I assumed the seat passed without it but did much better with it?

Click to expand...

There's two standards for head excursion: 813 mm without the tether, and 720 mm with the tether. Every seat must pass both standards under those conditions. What we're talking about here is which seats pass the 720 mm standard without the tether (above and beyond what's required).

fyrfightermomma said:

I'm beyond confused. We always tout that the GN and Radians do awesome untethered. In fact we say the GN blew the Radians out of the water for numbers.

So how come this testing showed it didn't even pass??

Click to expand...

fyrfightermomma said:

Ok I'm beyond confused again. So looking at 08 data the Radians passed and the GN passed "with flying colors" I believe you said(when you read the whole thread)

But in 09 neither passed?!?!??! What was so different between the tests that it failed in 09 but passed amazingly well in 08????

This is not computing with me LOL

Click to expand...

I should have been more clear. All seats passed the minimums in order to be sold (813 without the tether, 720 with). When I said some didn't pass, I meant that they didn't pass the tethered test without the tether.

Yes, in 08 a number of seats passed the 720 mark without the tether, and in 09 many of those same seats did not repeat their results. Each time a seat is tested, there are slight variations. Slight variations in harness tightness, slight variations in LATCH or seatbelt tightness, slight variations in the crash pulse. All those slight variations add up, and result in differences in the numbers.

My 6 yo rode in a radian xtsl this spring and looked just fine in it - she quite a bit bigger than E. I would put the 2 radians in the lesser used car and the ProSport and Nautilus in the other. Then she'll be happier more often and in the same seat as sis in the other car, so no fighting about seats.

melniemi said:

My 6 yo rode in a radian xtsl this spring and looked just fine in it - she quite a bit bigger than E. I would put the 2 radians in the lesser used car and the ProSport and Nautilus in the other. Then she'll be happier more often and in the same seat as sis in the other car, so no fighting about seats.

Click to expand...

I can't

It won't install in DH's car with the seatbelt in the 3rd row (no LATCH back there). One of the FFers has to go there. A RFing seat won't fit back there and DH isn't gonna be fanagling a RFing seat back there either. I can barely get him to do it right the way it is now! There are two LATCH spots and both are in the middle bench seat and one needs to be for J since he needs to be in the 2nd row. His car is tiny the way it is, and I can't see putting a RFing child in the 3rd row.

As for the GN for Sophia, she doesn't fit well in it. That damn crotch strap is way too short and way under her. She's got a booty on her.It' s beyond a pain in the butt. I won't even use it full time for E(and she's skinny!) because the crotch strap annoys me so much. It's ALWAYS stuck under her and I already have to crawl in the 3rd row to buckle the way it is, fighting with the crotch strap makes it worse :blush: Neither kid will dig it out themselves and wresting under their butts several times a day doesn't appeal to me LOL. Hence why DH has that seat!

I would have just done a GN for S in my car since I already have one and be done with it, but I cannot stand that crotch strap! I wouldn't even have to buy any seats that way which is awesome, but also shows how much I despise it!

Pixels said:

There's two standards for head excursion: 813 mm without the tether, and 720 mm with the tether. Every seat must pass both standards under those conditions. What we're talking about here is which seats pass the 720 mm standard without the tether (above and beyond what's required).





I should have been more clear. All seats passed the minimums in order to be sold (813 without the tether, 720 with). When I said some didn't pass, I meant that they didn't pass the tethered test without the tether.

Yes, in 08 a number of seats passed the 720 mark without the tether, and in 09 many of those same seats did not repeat their results. Each time a seat is tested, there are slight variations. Slight variations in harness tightness, slight variations in LATCH or seatbelt tightness, slight variations in the crash pulse. All those slight variations add up, and result in differences in the numbers.

Click to expand...

So do we think the 85 would perform similar to the 80 frontier or are they two different beasts? Since 2010 isn't over yet we don't have any #'s on it

Ok I've decided. (umm for the moment at least). I'm just gonna use the GN in my car. I'm gonna have to deal with the crotch strap issue. It's the only seat besides the Radian that does well untethered and I gotta make sacrifices if that's the spot I really need her in. It'll only be till spring when I booster E full time in my car. Suck it up fyrfightermomma, suck it up

I'll either just booster E in DH's car or get a Maestro or something since she's never in his car. She's plenty tall enough now and the belt fits her decent for a booster so I might just go that route.