New Radian Harness Covers/Belly Pad

jwilliams

New member
I got my free new harness covers today, and I was surprised to find that the included belly pad is much better than the one that came with my seat in late 2011! (Not CCO great, but... what is?) Definitely worth calling.
 
ADS

MommaMia

New member
What do the new ones look like? I have the little strap covers that just cover around their neck... My Radians are from 2012.
 

jwilliams

New member
They look like fighter pilot harnesses. They're big padded numbers that go above and below the chest clip. The belly pad is now larger and stiffer. Still just a circle.
 

jwilliams

New member
I have some concerns about their use, but I really do like them. I like how they make the straps easier to get on. The toddler really likes them.

What I did was: loosened the harness, put the new pads on, strapped toddler in, tightened as much as I could. Then I took the pads off and checked for looseness, and, yeah, there was way too much. Pinch test very much failed. So I tightened, put the pads back on, and strapped her in again without loosening.

I don't typically loosen her harness, so no big deal, but doesn't this kind of invite problems? Or am I wrong? I guess they're not really going anywhere in a crash, but they will compress, so I worry about the snowsuit effect. I've poked around and not really found a great answer so far. I guess the bottom line is that they have been tested by the manufacturer. Still...
 

Jessica61624

New member
I have some concerns about their use, but I really do like them. I like how they make the straps easier to get on. The toddler really likes them.

What I did was: loosened the harness, put the new pads on, strapped toddler in, tightened as much as I could. Then I took the pads off and checked for looseness, and, yeah, there was way too much. Pinch test very much failed. So I tightened, put the pads back on, and strapped her in again without loosening.

I don't typically loosen her harness, so no big deal, but doesn't this kind of invite problems? Or am I wrong? I guess they're not really going anywhere in a crash, but they will compress, so I worry about the snowsuit effect. I've poked around and not really found a great answer so far. I guess the bottom line is that they have been tested by the manufacturer. Still...

You might find it interesting they're required forward facing in Canada.
 

jwilliams

New member
You might find it interesting they're required forward facing in Canada.

That is interesting. I'm sure that with perfect use they are 100% safe. I also feel like they make perfect use less likely. I have sent Diono a message about it... I'm sure they'll just tell me to call customer service, which I hate doing.
 

April

Well-known member
I do a lot of seat checks on radians, and I often recommend that parents remove the harness covers for rear facing, call diono and request a pair of the "old style", which they have been sending free of charge. The only thing is you have to make sure they don't lose the "big" pads, because they are required for forward facing, at least in Canada. Its not very often that I see a RF kid with those big covers on that I'm comfortable with the harness tightness. :(
Posted via Mobile Device
 

jwilliams

New member
I do a lot of seat checks on radians, and I often recommend that parents remove the harness covers for rear facing

I'm going to remove mine until we are FF, which will be another 5lb or 4", whichever comes first (DD will be 4 in about a month). They just don't handle going over/below the shoulders very well. Here's Diono's reply via FB message:

The larger harness pads are designed to absorb crash forces in conjunction with the harness straps. Since they have some thickness to them, there will be slack if you remove them. Keep them on for a forward facing child. As long as the straps are snug with the pads and you cannot pinch the webbing at the collar bone, this is a correct fit.

I think it's a little odd that they dropped "Keep them on for a forward facing child" in there without asking where I am located (US, btw).
 

thekatie

New member
Did anything about the Radians change besides the new giant pads? I have an older RXT that came with the small pads. Would I be required to call Diono and get the new pads (or, well, supposed to do so) if I was in Canada? On the whole "required forward facing" basis. Or is it only newer seats that come with them? If so, what has changed that the ones that come with the pads are REQUIRED to use them, and the ones that didn't come with the pads don't need them?

*I'm in the US, so I'm assuming it's only Canada that requires the big pads and this further assuming I won't ever need them, I'm just curious.
 

macmomma

New member
Did anything about the Radians change besides the new giant pads? I have an older RXT that came with the small pads. Would I be required to call Diono and get the new pads (or, well, supposed to do so) if I was in Canada? On the whole "required forward facing" basis. Or is it only newer seats that come with them? If so, what has changed that the ones that come with the pads are REQUIRED to use them, and the ones that didn't come with the pads don't need them?

*I'm in the US, so I'm assuming it's only Canada that requires the big pads and this further assuming I won't ever need them, I'm just curious.

Don't know about being required. I have an older RXT and called last Friday to ask about the new big harness covers- they shipped the, out to me free of charge and I got them on Monday!
I LOVE them!!! My dd had a bad habit of pushing the chest clip down- no more with the new cover :D
 

jwilliams

New member
Did anything about the Radians change besides the new giant pads?

From Diono via FB message:

The Radian did not change when the switch was made to the larger harness pads.
Canada has different regulations than the US. We strongly recommend you use them FF because they help absorb some of the impact in the event of a crash.

---

What I get from this is that they are saying the seat is fine without them, but better with them.

I'm going to try and pretend I won't need the giant pads any time soon. I do think they will fit a lot better when the harness is coming from above her shoulders.

I really am not looking forward to flipping my daughter FF and dealing with her seat kicking and messing with her sisters more than she already does. I am going to feel like I should move her to the middle of my three across since my 15m olds are RF. But then I would have to untether their CCOs so the toddler can climb into her seat without getting tangled in the tether, and she is still probably going to bump into the CCOs.

Grr.
 

Kel

Well-known member
I love them FFing. My son, 3 yrs 2 mos, has stopped pushing down the chest clip!

Although RFing they were a no go. I just couldn't get them around his shoulders well. So glad I tried them again FFing.
 

heather13619

New member
Diono just replaced our Radian this week, and the new one came with the big ol' harness covers. Not sure if I like them or not yet but they let me keep the old cover so I still have the small ones. ;) I didn't notice the belly pad to be any different though.
 

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