Convertible carseat questions/ was Re: Britax Boulevard CS vs. Advocate CS

U

Unregistered

Guest
Hi all,

Since you guys are the experts, I am glad I found this site!!! I was all set to buy a Britax Advocate CS (after a bit of research) and then read this thread.

I have an 8 month old who is in a Chaperone infant carrier and I want to get a convertible, and I have always heard that Britax is the best, but now I am not so sure!!!

What are the Radians advantage over Britax, higher rear facing limits? What is the difference between the 80SL and the XTSL?

I had a Graco and was very unhappy with it. It was very cheaply made.

I just want what I will feel she is safe in as well as comfortable and not take up my entire back seat since I have a 7 year old as well.

thanks for any advice you can give me!!

Mary
 
ADS

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Britax is not the best. Nor is anyone else. All seats pass the same testing. I find the Britax seats nice and comfortable, but hardly cost effective. They don't last as long as a LOT of seats, either rear or forward facing. They have shorter shells, lower top slots, and less leg room/leg support.

The Radians will last about two years longer rear facing by height and weight, and about a year longer forward facing by torso height. They have an eight year lifespan, and cost less than most Britaxes. The 80 doesn't have headwings, the XTSL does. That's the difference. They're more difficult in a lot of instances to install, but I find the new Britaxes to be more difficult with the seatbelt as well.

I'd also look at the Graco My Ride, Evenflo Triumph 65, Safety 1st Complete Air, and Learning Curve True Fits before the Britaxes.

Wendy
 

MaggieQ

Senior Community Member
I agree! There's no way you'll think the radian is cheaply made, its reinforced with steel! :thumbs-up:
 

BUDDHAMAMA

New member
Thank you ladies. I am trying to find somewhere that will let me try out the carseat before buying, Babies R Us does not, at least not the ones here in South Florida!! I tried a friends Safety First Complete Air and it is much too big and I was able to try an Advocate (which was part of why I liked it) and it did fit (in my 2008 Scion XB). Basically I would be unable to use my front passenger seat at all with the Safety First due to the fact that you cannot have the car seat touching the front seat in the Scion XB.

If there is anyone who has an XB and has tried any of these in the rear facing, it would help tremendously!!!

I guess at this point it would be between the Advocate, Radian XTSL, Evenflo Triump 65 or Learning Curve True Fit.

Thanks!!!
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
If the Complete Air doesn't fit (were you putting it at the lines level angle?) then the Radian won't either. But if you can sit them more upright you're good.

Wendy
 

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
Since baby is 8m, you don't have to be at a 45 degree angle. You can have it more at a 35 degree angle. That helps the front seats. Where do you have the infant seat installed? Also how, seatbelt or LATCH?

Stefanie, cpst in iowa - mom to 4 great kids
 

justhat

New member
The head support in the Radian XTSL, can that be used for infants RF? In the picture on their website the headwings are way high above the RF baby so that made me think you can't use them. I'm on the fence between the XTSL and a Boulevard too, and that's the dealbreaker for me.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Not the wings, no. They need to be all the way up until the child is on the third slot. But you can use the head support padding that came with the seat as long as they're rear facing.

Given that the Radian will last a lot longer rear and forward facing, it has more leg room/leg support, a longer lifespan, and doesn't cost more usually, I'd seriously look at it over a Britax. But if you hate it, it's the wrong seat for you.

Wendy
 

BUDDHAMAMA

New member
Ok, so I purchased the Radian XTSL and I love it....except it doesn't fit in the Scion :(

I have tried for HOURS today and read every single detail of the manual and I think I installed it correctly. It is as upright as I can get it following the instructions and I have to put the front passenger seat all the way forward (and rendering it useless).

The Radian XTSL manual says that you have to put the base on if its rear facing -I think that if the base were not on, it would work.

I have it behind the passenger seat and LATCH.

I am not sure what to do next. Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!!!

Mary
 
Last edited:

mylittlet

Senior Community Member
You have to use the rearfacing foot on the Radian.

If it doesn't fit but you like it check out the complete air. It will last almost as long and can be installed more upright then the Radian.

Stefanie - CPStech in Iowa
 

BUDDHAMAMA

New member
Hi Stefanie,

Thanks for your quick response. Is there a way to look up online the installed dimensions of these seats?

I tried the Complete Air today in the car (the store allowed me to try the Britax Blvd, Radian XTSL and the Complete Air) and it seemed much bigger than the Radian, but of course it was not installed so maybe it was deceived because the Radian looked like it would fit but it did not have the base attached at the time.

I don't want to keep buying and returning, but I can't seem to find the dimensions to see what might work.

Thanks for your help.

Mary
 

justhat

New member
wendytthomas said:
Not the wings, no. They need to be all the way up until the child is on the third slot. But you can use the head support padding that came with the seat as long as they're rear facing.

Given that the Radian will last a lot longer rear and forward facing, it has more leg room/leg support, a longer lifespan, and doesn't cost more usually, I'd seriously look at it over a Britax. But if you hate it, it's the wrong seat for you.

Wendy

My youngest is really tiny, so I think she'd be able to rear face to 3yo in either seat. She's just closing in on 18 lbs at 14.5 months and is 29". My older 2 were significantly larger babies and both made it rear facing to age 2 in Britax roundabouts, the old version, and 2.5 in their marathons/decathalons (and could have gone longer but I didn't know and turned them around).

I am interested in more leg support though. How is that accomplished? Is that really better than the side impact head support?

I like both seats, and actually think the radian print is cuter, but I do like the head wings (and side impact bladders in the advocate) since my youngest sits in an outboard captains chair.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
There are no standards for side impact protection, just so you know. The wings and airbags may all be marketing. They may not. We don't know.

What we do know is that any harness provides SIP, and rear facing provides the absolute best protection against 96% of severe collisions.

Leg support forward facing is had by just having a deep seating area. Rear facing that provides a lot of leg room. The Radians, Learning Curve True Fit, Safety 1st Complete Air, Graco My Ride, and Evenflo Triumph 65 all have more leg support/leg room than the Britaxes.

Wendy
 

justhat

New member
wendytthomas said:
There are no standards for side impact protection, just so you know. The wings and airbags may all be marketing. They may not. We don't know.

What we do know is that any harness provides SIP, and rear facing provides the absolute best protection against 96% of severe collisions.

Leg support forward facing is had by just having a deep seating area. Rear facing that provides a lot of leg room. The Radians, Learning Curve True Fit, Safety 1st Complete Air, Graco My Ride, and Evenflo Triumph 65 all have more leg support/leg room than the Britaxes.

Wendy

Thanks. I know the side impact stuff isn't proven, but I fell like, looking st the seats, that the wings would be a benefit. Wish a had a store with a radian here to test!
 

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