Help! Best RF Convertible car seat for tall kiddos

U

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I need help finding the best RF convertible car seat for my 1 year old. He is currently tall for his age and so are all of his siblings. I want to find something he can stay in through his car seat years and something that will keep him RF and then later on in a 5 point as long as possible. We have bought a Radian in the past for my daughter and are leaning that way again. Any other suggestions?
 
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U

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I was looking at the reviews and it looks like forward facing the height is is quite a bit taller on the radian. Am I missing somthing?
 
U

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Britaxes and 4ever says less than 49
Radian says less than 57

If this is the case my kiddo is likely to out grown it by 4 or 5 based on my older two. My 5 year old DD is 50 inches and still has room in her radian.
 

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
I was looking at the reviews and it looks like forward facing the height is is quite a bit taller on the radian. Am I missing somthing?

I took a look at the carseatblog reviews and I think I see the discrepancy you refer to. If I am not mistaken, you are referring to the standing height limits -- is that right? The Radian has a forward-facing standing height limit of 57" versus another seat like the Boulevard Clicktight having a forward-facing standing height limit of 49". This makes it look like the Radian will accommodate a much taller child, but in actuality the harness height is the limiting factor for most kids. The Radian's top harness height is 17.5", whereas the 4ever's is 18", the Boulevard Clicktight's is 18.5", etc. Since the harness has to be at or above the shoulders when forward-facing, an extra inch of shoulder height can make a bigger difference in when the seat is outgrown than a standing height limit. Many kids outgrow their seats by shoulder height well before the standing height limits are reached.
 
U

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I took a look at the carseatblog reviews and I think I see the discrepancy you refer to. If I am not mistaken, you are referring to the standing height limits -- is that right? The Radian has a forward-facing standing height limit of 57" versus another seat like the Boulevard Clicktight having a forward-facing standing height limit of 49". This makes it look like the Radian will accommodate a much taller child, but in actuality the harness height is the limiting factor for most kids. The Radian's top harness height is 17.5", whereas the 4ever's is 18", the Boulevard Clicktight's is 18.5", etc. Since the harness has to be at or above the shoulders when forward-facing, an extra inch of shoulder height can make a bigger difference in when the seat is outgrown than a standing height limit. Many kids outgrow their seats by shoulder height well before the standing height limits are reached.

I am a little confused then. Like I mentioned before my daughter is 50 inches and still have room in the radial but she would have passed the max height on the other ones. So can you not use the seat any more once you have reached the max height?
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joolsplus3

Admin - CPS Technician
Radian becomes a booster, so it's got higher height limits (honestly, though, a very poor booster, and no way will it work till 57 inches, it allows a lot of slack to stay in the seatbelt, and the back is way too short for my 57" inch kiddo right now, who's a tall 9 year old!) The harness is roughly the same as the other seats, so generally they all accommodate very tall kids to 4ish, and average kids to 6 ish, and petite kids to 7+.
I forgot to mention that these other seats have higher height limits for rearfacing mode. The Radian is short because it only allows RF to 1.5" below the top of the seatback, and it's only 25ish inches tall. Other seats allow to 1 inch below the top of the headrest when most extended RF, so allow RF more to like 4+ rather than 3+ for the Radian.
 

kiloyd

New member
I am a little confused then. Like I mentioned before my daughter is 50 inches and still have room in the radial but she would have passed the max height on the other ones. So can you not use the seat any more once you have reached the max height?
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The max height is a guide usually. The height that is important is the child's torso, that the harness is at or above their shoulders FF.
 

Nedra

Car-Seat.org Ambassador
I am a little confused then. Like I mentioned before my daughter is 50 inches and still have room in the radial but she would have passed the max height on the other ones. So can you not use the seat any more once you have reached the max height? Posted via Mobile Device Posted via Mobile Device

Sorry! It looks like I was writing my post when you posted about your daughter's 50" height, so I didn't see that.

You'd have to double-check with the manufacturer about the strictness of their standing height limits, but my understanding is that if your daughter were in a Britax, for example, she would have outgrown it once she hit 49". A lot depends on how "leggy" your children are. If a kid carries more height in their legs, then standing height limits will be reached faster. If they carry more height in their torso, then shoulder height limits will be reached faster.

Like Julie said, though, it is unlikely for any child to get all the way to 57" in a Radian.
 
U

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I am sending an email to Graco and Britax about the strictness of the standing height. I am not sure what to do. One of my biggest concerns is keeping him in a 5 point as long as possible, without having to buy another super expensive seat later. I am hoping this is our last expensive car seat purchase. I am wondering if I maybe I should buy my dd a Frontier and have my son use the radian until he ready to FF. By then she will be ready for a high back booster. Sadly the my only hold back is DD is really attached to her flower car. And I am not sure DH will be crazy about him in the flower seat.

I also want the option to be able to fit 3 across if need be.

My goal for the 5 point harness is close to 7. We made it with my oldest in Frontier. He was 54 inches. We handed his Frontier down to my 3 year old that Marathon was expiring and he had almost out grown it.

I wish it seemed like a more cut and dry answer.
 

jjordan

Moderator
Can I ask why your goal for a 5 point harness is age 7? We have no evidence that a harness is safer than a booster for a child who is at least 4 years old AND will sit properly in a booster (which usually happens older than 4, maybe age 5 for really motivated, mature kids and age 6 for average kids).

That is a good idea to ask Britax and Graco about the standing height limit. I'd be interested to hear what they say.
 

kiloyd

New member
I would go with one of the new Graco ones, especially for tall kids.

Radian FF won't last too long.

Both my daughters fit in the Radian until they were 5 1/2 yrs. And I recall they outgrew by weight because I had to stop using LATCH at 40# and couldn't install it tight enough with a seat belt.
 
U

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I was under impression that a 5 point harness is safer? No? Also I feel like I have better control over kid error if they are in a 5 point. 7 has just been the max with my tallest kiddo.

Can I ask why your goal for a 5 point harness is age 7? We have no evidence that a harness is safer than a booster for a child who is at least 4 years old AND will sit properly in a booster (which usually happens older than 4, maybe age 5 for really motivated, mature kids and age 6 for average kids).


That is a good idea to ask Britax and Graco about the standing height limit. I'd be interested to hear what they say.
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jjordan

Moderator
I was under impression that a 5 point harness is safer? No? Also I feel like I have better control over kid error if they are in a 5 point. 7 has just been the max with my tallest kiddo.


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A 5-point harness is unquestionably safer for a child younger than 4. For a child 4 and older, we don't have a comparison of the safety of a harness vs. a booster. I have heard that there is some increased risk of submarining for children under 40 pounds, so to be sure, I usually suggest waiting to booster until a child is at least 4 and weighs at least 40 pounds. But, if a child (who is at least 4) can sit properly in a booster and it properly positions the seatbelt on him/her, then it is considered to be equally safe to a harness. Usually 4 year olds are too wiggly for this, but some 5 year olds and lots of 6 year olds are fine in boosters. In my experience, having an older sibling to model good booster behavior can help, too.
 

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