Question Frontier 90 vs. Radian RXT

LuBaby16

New member
My 2.5 year old is currently riding rear facing in and Evenflo Symphony (which I hate), and I will be Savin up to replace this dreaded seat with something that will last him for a long time forward facing. He is of average height and weight, in the 50th percentile for both. I'm leaning towards the FR 90 but I wanted your input on which seat would last him the longest and if it would be safe to put him in a ff harnessed booster around 3?
 
ADS

Kegracin

Active member
I would go with the FR90, I really like the one DD has. The FR90 will last him the longest and will work as a booster. (Remember to always check fit with a booster, but your years away from that.)
 

monica-m

CPST Instructor
I wouldn't buy a Radian for a forward facing child unless nothing else fit in the vehicle. There are many good combination seat options out there that will last longer than the Radian. www.carseatblog.com has a great list of recommended seats.
 

MommyShannon

New member
It really depends on your decision to rf or ff. It is safe to ff at 3 but safer to rf. The Radian or some other seats would likely get him to at least 4 rf. If you decide to turn him at 3, I'd get a ff only seat. How tall is he?
 

Kel

Well-known member
I bought my DS a Radian the month he turned 3. I wasn't ready to turn him, but needed a new seat. It fits great in my van FFing also. Im hoping he gets to booster age in it. I dont car for how wide combo seats are.
 

LuBaby16

New member
It really depends on your decision to rf or ff. It is safe to ff at 3 but safer to rf. The Radian or some other seats would likely get him to at least 4 rf. If you decide to turn him at 3, I'd get a ff only seat. How tall is he?

Based on how he is fitting in his current seat, I don't believe we will get much further than 3 rear facing. :( I know it is the safest, but I don't think I can afford to buy a radian then have to buy a FR later. Would he still need a FR after he outgrows the Radian?
 

YinzerMama

New member
Based on how he is fitting in his current seat, I don't believe we will get much further than 3 rear facing. :( I know it is the safest, but I don't think I can afford to buy a radian then have to buy a FR later. Would he still need a FR after he outgrows the Radian?

I have my 2 1/2yo rf in a radian rtx, classic ma, and a nextfit. I also have 5yo twins who I use extensively for carseat testing, both to get an idea of longevity and of comfort. :D

One of my girls is tall, I'd say 90th percentile, the other is small, I'd say 25th percentile. The taller one still fits but the headwings crowd her shoulders - she would fit better in the 120 I think. Both girls still fit in the nextfit and classic ma, although the classic ma has less shoulder room (one of them might be a smidge too tall for the MA, it's hard to get her to hold still). I plan to move my girls to boosters at age 6.

I think a radian rxt should get *most* kids to an agreeable booster age. It is becoming common to harness longer and longer and the fr90 will certainly let you harness longer than the rxt but that doesn't necc mean the rxt won't get you to booster age. It all depends on how fast your kid grows, their temperment, and when you want to move to a booster.

My girls normally ride in fr85s and I don't see us harnessing to the full ability of that seat. It really comes down to your child once they hit that 5/6 age group. My oldest son outgrew his marathon before age 5 even though I think he and my taller daughter were comparable in height - he must have been more torso. He might have been too tall for the radian by 5 1/2. It is so hard to say what will work and what won't.
 
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amandaj553

New member
My DD turned 3 in September, and is currently FF in an RXT. I loved the RXT for RF, but we are honestly done with RFing :(

I really don't like the RXT for FF... I feel uneasy about the lack of sides (although I know they are not tested), and I'm not sure how long my 75% DD would fit. Probably long enough for booster appropriate age, but there are other things I don't like. My DD constantly pulls the cupholder off the seat, so her cup gets thrown in the car. She also has bad headslump in the seat when sleeping. DS has a frontier 85 that everyone loves - the only downside is the install (hello easy install frontier 90!!).

So, DD is getting a Frontier 90 for Christmas. She already always chooses her brother's seat over hers, so I'm sure she will love it!
 

LuBaby16

New member
Once I showed DH the video for installing the FR90, the decision was made. That's the one we will be getting once we save up for it. I'm so excited I can't stand it :)
 

canadiancpst

CPS Technician
I have 3 kids who have all been above the 95th percentile, so finding seats to accommodate that was a challenge especially with my first where we lived choices were very limited.

My daughters currently 6.5 (52inches) almost 4 (44 inches) both have radians. My 6.5 yr old RF in the Premier (Canada... not sure what you guys called it back then lol it's the middle radian none the less) until she was over the 30lbs by then we had my youngest and had purchased the RXT so switched seats. My oldest was able to get to 4yrs and 3 mths in the RXT RF'ing but she is all legs short torso She was likely 46ish inches though not entirely sure she was wearing size 6 clothes though. She is now FF in the premier and has just about maxed it out. She will be moving to the Frontier CT (again Canada so I assume this is the same as the frontier 90 or similar in design) If I couldn't afford to dish out the $$ fro the Frontier I would instead get a Parkway SGL at this point ( again not sure what your options are for hb boosters but this would be my choice based on what Canada has)

My youngest was able to RF in the RXT until a couple weeks ago she has a much longer torso than her sister so went to the 44 inches and 43 lbs in the seat and was maxed out just a couple weeks shy of 4 yrs. She will now max it out FF and then likely move to a parkway. Or the Frontier depending on where she is at when she maxes it out.. by then I am sure I would be okay moving my older daughter out of the frontier to a parkway.

My son who was using the Nautilus made it to 6.5, 54lbs and 52 inches in harness mode.. he is currently using that as a hb booster but will be switching in the spring to the parkway. When looking at the Frontier with my daughter I showed him I could easily put him back in straps (he's being not so safe lately) He would easily still fit the Frontier for quite awhile. and he is currently 7.75 yrs 56 lbs and 55 inches.

IMO it comes down to this what is most important to you ERF or EH? In your case if I was making the choice I would go ERF as 3 is too early for me to turn FF and a child of 50th percentile could easily make it to 4.5 maybe 5.5 ERF in the RXT and likely 7+ FF'ing at which point I would be very comfortable boostering.
 

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