Help Me Pick a Different One (Radian didn't work!)

So I got my brand new Radian XTSL today...

The LATCH installed super easy. Not difficult at all, easier than my old Graco Comfort Sport. The problem? That darn recline. With a flat seat there was absolutely no way to get it more upright, even with all the tricks I'd read about on here. I really wanted it to work because it was such a nice seat. It just wasn't going to happen.

I'm sending it back for a refund and I need to get another seat ASAP. She's already outgrown the Graco. I want to keep her RF as long as possible. She's currently 34 lbs and 36 inches tall with a 14 inch bottom-to-shoulder measurement (a long torso for sure), and almost 3 years old.

From this site's list of extended RF models that are at least 40 lbs (http://www.car-safety.org/rearface.html) here are the contenders:

Britax Marathon 70/Boulevard 70/Advocate 70 CS (40 lbs.)
Safety 1st Complete Air (40 lbs.)
Graco MyRide 65 (40 lbs)
Evenflo Triumph 65 (40 lbs.)
Evenflo Momentum 65 (40 lbs.)

So, which one overall will last the longest and install decently easily? The back seat reclines a bit, which gives her a little more legroom RF, so that helps. She is really quite tall and long-torsoed for her age.

The complete air is going to be the next tallest shell...I would go to a bru and try it first though

If she has outgrown the ComfortSport -- she definitely has RFing and probably has FFing -- you need to choose a seat that you can get before you take her out in the car again. That would probably be a Triumph, a Momentum, or a Complete Air.

eyeslkethesky5391 said:

The complete air is going to be the next tallest shell...I would go to a bru and try it first though

Click to expand...

I tried and they wouldn't let me take it out to the car.

It's that tilt angle that killed the Radian. Is that a problem with other models, too? Or do the others have the option for a more upright install?

I would go with the complete air next. It had a crazy upright install in my van that has pretty angeled seats. I get a perfect install with the radian. I wanted to love the CA, but it just didn't work for my van.

I have a CA and it can install super upright. I actually needed a noodle to get it to recline more (mine's not an LX).