Which one would you choose: Radian RXT or Nextfit

Rik · Apr 2, 2013

Stats: 1 year old, 29" tall, 17ish pounds

Vehicle: 2011 T&C to be installed in the captains chair behind either seat (prefer the drivers seat for now)

I tried out the Nextfit at BRU the other day and she fit in it like a glove!

Here are my thoughts on each, please throw in yours!

Nextfit: easy to adjust the angle, love the no-rethread harness, fits her well, high sides for protection (?), fabric feels comfy, will fit her a long time, seems comfy overall.

Radian: lower sides so she can climb in easier by herself when she is older, we have side curtain airbags so no concern there re: the lower sides, higher rear-facing weight limit, love the plum color, major con is the rethreading needed, head wings do not do all the way down, less angle adjustment

I can get them both for around the same price so price point is no concern for me. I am really only looking to use them rear-facing. I have a love affair with the Britax Frontiers my older kids are in so she will go there when she outgrows the rear-facing limits.

Thank you in advance!

Patriot201 · Apr 2, 2013

Wow, that's a tough one!

I adore my Radian (but have also been blessed to not have installation issues with it), so I'm inclined to recommend the Radian. HOWEVER, your baby is not extremely tall nor heavy, so that leaves you with many options.

I don't think you can go wrong with either seat, but would probably lean towards the NextFit for the reasons you listed. Because it doesn't appear you will need the extreme height or weight limits of the Radian, you're likely "good to go" with the NextFit.

AK Dad · Apr 2, 2013

I'm excited to get hands-on with the NextFit too as we're about ready to have #3 outgrow the KeyFit. We have a Radian RXT, which I also am a big fan of, but I do wish the sides were deeper for the shorter kids. The "wings" are great once they're tall enough, but I am a bit concerned about the shallow shell for a shorter baby.
I get what you're saying about not being concerned with side impact so much because of SC airbags, but one thing that's interesting if you look at crash test footage is they sometimes don't cover a RF child's head. For instance, we have a 2011 Honda Pilot, and watching the test footage of that you can see that the curtain portion covers the entire window, but the "bag" portion is only about the last 30% or so. Might want to take a look at that for your T&C before deciding.

Rik · Apr 2, 2013

Good Points...both of you!

Patriot - Yep, I made a little one this time! My older two were well over 20 pounds by now so I had a little more to look at in terms of seat longevity.

AK Dad - Good point about the airbag. That thought didn't even enter my mind.

I really enjoyed playing around with the NextFit in store the other day. It fit her SO well! I was smitten! Now if they would just get the darn things in stock! I will have to drive an hour to get one now and my 20% coupon expires on Thursday.

mrosehughes · Apr 3, 2013

I would probably choose the nextfit, for the ease of use factor, unless you tend to have long-legged kiddos (in which case I'd go radian for the leg room). I like my radian a lot, but no rethread does get a bit old.

Patriot201 · Apr 3, 2013

One more thing...

If you do decide to go with the Radian, remember that you don't actually adjust the harness height all that often. It really only happens a few times in the 4-6 years you will use the seat.

stephpook · Apr 3, 2013

I have both a Radian and a Nextfit and a 17-month old with similar stats as your daughter. While the Nextfit is the easiest install I've ever done and I love the no-rethread harness, I've also installed a Radian in a later model T&C (2nd row) and a Grand Caravan (3rd row) while on vacation and it installed in both like a dream.

I really think it's a matter of preference if you have a smaller child, HOWEVER, after having and using the Nextfit for the last month or so with my own peanut (it's her main seat, my 4 year old uses the Radian), the bloom has somewhat worn off the rose if you will. I've bonked her head getting her into the seat several times and while legroom isn't really an issue right now, it won't be long before it IS an issue (it's not front to back legroom but rather the high sides that make older RF'ers look cramped compared to the Radian).

I'm glad I got the Nextfit simply because it's an easier seat to install overall and it'll be easy to move from car to car if necessary, but I've pretty much come to the conclusion that she'll go into a Radian at some point before she's finished RF'ing.

kaharris83 · Apr 3, 2013

I have an XTSL and a NextFit. I've had my NextFit for about a month too. My 37.5" 32 month old is ERFing in the NextFit. He has loads of legroom. He's outboard so I prefer the NextFit to the Radian for that seating position. I still love the seat as much as I did in the store and my DS1 calls it his comfy seat every time he rides in it. I highly recommend the NextFit.I do love my Radian too, but with the low profile I prefer to only use it in the center seating position.

aept · Apr 3, 2013

I have yet to play with a next fit, so maybe I don't understand all its freat features, but just wanted to say a radian fits really well in the captain's chair of our grand caravan, (same as the T&C) either with or without angle adjuster. In that spot, it's the easiest Radian install I've done, and I've installed them in pretty much any backseat location of at least six different vehicles.
The "no rethread" would be a complete non-issue, for me. With the seat installed Rf, I can change the harness height in a minute without uninstalling if needed, and unless you are putting different kids in the seat you will only need to change it a max of perhaps 3 times ever? Besides, it's like a two minute job to install the seat anyways (in that position in your van.)
Also, try your baby in the Radian to see if they are big enough (at third slot RF) to have the headwings lowered. With the infant padding in, my youngest (who is average size height and weight) was at the third slot at about 10 months, I think.

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MaddieMae · Apr 3, 2013

I don't really have any insight but I'm really glad that you posted this question and I'll be looking forward to the responses!

I just purchased both the Radian RXT and Nextfit for my DD who just turned 6 months (in the Plum and Gemini!). I'm hoping to move her out of the infant seat in the next month - if it ever warms up here in WI! I got the Nextfit for DH's truck (outboard) and the Radian for my car (center). I installed the Nextfit in my car Friday just to try it out and I love it. It was super easy to install, it's compact (does not take up any space on the center seat - I put it outboard Friday to try the SUPER CINCH), I love all the recline options, the material is cushy and hopefully cool since DD is a sweatbox, and I love the no-rethread. I keep looking at it and am in love and am sort of regreting the Radian purchase. I also love the high sides for SI protection although I know people love the low sides on the Radian because it's easier to load the bigger kids in (I'm a FTM so not much experience there). The plan was to use the Nextfit in DH's truck since she's outboard and it has higher sides (easier with the truck being high) and the Radian in my car since it will be in the center, but when LO #2 comes, they will both be outboard and I'm worried about not enough SI protection with the Radian.

Anyways, didn't mean to hijack her thread, but am looking forward to responses so I can decide as well. It's probably too late to return my Radian anyways!!

arly1983 · Apr 3, 2013

This is a hard question for me, too!

I always preferred Nextfit type seats (on a base, high sides, surrounds littles) until about 18 months old and then the radian for the remainder of RFing days...then I really like it FFing, too.

If I could only pick one then I would pick the radian. I was REALLY impressed with nextfit, though, but when it comes to legroom and ease of loading I still prefer the radian.

cookie123 · Apr 3, 2013

arly1983 said:
This is a hard question for me, too!

I always preferred Nextfit type seats (on a base, high sides, surrounds littles) until about 18 months old and then the radian for the remainder of RFing days...then I really like it FFing, too.

If I could only pick one then I would pick the radian. I was REALLY impressed with nextfit, though, but when it comes to legroom and ease of loading I still prefer the radian.

Me, too. I loved the Marathon for the littles, but the Radian is the way to go for the bigger rear facers. Which just adds a seat to the 'seats you need' list!!

Rik · Apr 3, 2013

Does anyone know how tall the third shoulder slots are on the radian?

Rik · Apr 3, 2013

Here's what stinks....

I have a coupon for BRU that expires on Thursday. So, do I want to use it to buy the NextFit or let it expire and buy the Radian. I feel like I am on a time crunch!

MaddieMae · Apr 3, 2013

I bought my Nextfit with the 20% coupon I got in the mail too. When I bought it, I received another 20% coupon on my receipt. I believe that anytime you make a purchase at BRU you will receive a 20% coupon so that may be an option to buy you more time? Or, buy it, and you have 30 days to return it as long as it has not been used.

I think I have decided I will use the Nextfit in my car until she gets a little older since I'm the primary driver (to/from daycare every day). It installs so easily that I can move it to DH's truck on the weekends when we need it. When she gets older and harded to load into the Nextfit I'll switch to the Radian in my car and the Nextfit can live in the truck - thanks ladies

Rik said:
Here's what stinks....

I have a coupon for BRU that expires on Thursday. So, do I want to use it to buy the NextFit or let it expire and buy the Radian. I feel like I am on a time crunch!

MaddieMae · Apr 3, 2013

OP - I'm not sure if this will help but here is my DD in the Nextfit and Radian.

She is a giant compared to yours! At her 6 month appointment she was 18 lb. 7 oz. She's 100% for head, 85% for weight and 80% for height.

They both are very cushy and comfy feeling. I just have not tried installing the Radian yet. It intimidates me for some reason

AK Dad · Apr 3, 2013

Great thread! This is exactly the kind of stuff I was trying to decide on too for Son #3 who's about to outgrow the KeyFit. Those of you who have both seats, how does the overall width of the NextFit compare to the Radian?

AK Dad · Apr 3, 2013

Rik said:
Does anyone know how tall the third shoulder slots are on the radian?

10 3/4" - just went out and measured.

stephpook · Apr 3, 2013

In case it will help, here's a thread I started back when the Nextfit first came out. There are a number of comparison pics with my Sunshine Kids Radian 65 (no head wings).

stephpook · Apr 3, 2013

AK Dad said:
Great thread! This is exactly the kind of stuff I was trying to decide on too for Son #3 who's about to outgrow the KeyFit. Those of you who have both seats, how does the overall width of the NextFit compare to the Radian?

I don't consider the Nextfit to be a particularly narrow seat (it's not compact at all, really), especially not compared to a Radian. The base itself is fairly narrow, but the actual seat portion is not. I think there's a width measurement a couple pages into the thread I linked to in my previous post.

Which one would you choose: Radian RXT or Nextfit

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