Help! Is there a skinnier, nice, safe convertible carseat than the Evenflo Triumph??

U

Unregistered

Guest
We currently have 2 Evenflo Triumphs. They are so freaking wide!!! Those also have the little knobs on the side for adjusting the straps and it makes it so hard to sit in between them (Trailblazer). I'm also looking at getting a smaller car (04-06 Honda Accord) so I wanted to see if there are skinnier/smaller carseats available that are comfy and safe. Are the britaxs skinny or honking wide as well?

I don't mind the spending the money as long as it is good quality and will help me save some room!!!!
It would be nice if it would last for a few years too. DS is 10.5 months and pretty big. DD is 26 months and average.
Any recs??
Thanks!!
 
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wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Sunshine kids radians are narrow. Over 2 inches narrower than your evenflos. They harness forward facing to 65 pounds, and are able to harness rear facing to 33 pounds, so both of your kids would have quite a bit of growing room left in them. They also fold, which is neat for travel. I know my britax wizard is the same width as yours, 19.5. The sunshine kids seat is 17 inches.

Some people have issues installing it and using it rear facing. I haven't had too many problems forward facing, the latch took me a bit to figure out how to tighten, but now I've got it worked out. But I've never installed or used it rear facing. I should some day, turn it around and toss my daughter in there.

Wendy
 

ccjones

New member
Hey Wendy,
I didn't know anyone had any problems installing the Radian RF. From everything I've read so far, the problems have been installing the Radian FF with the seatbelt. We have our Radians installed RF...with LATCH on the rear-passenger sise in the Acura TL and with the lap/shoulder on the passenger-side in the Jeep Wrangler, and both were a breeze to install. DH was able to install both Radians FF in their respective vehicles with the lap/shoulder belts, but from what I've read on here, it seems that sometimes the Radian works its way loose after a few days? We won't know for sure if we're going to have problems until Jeremy weighs enough to be FF, though.

-Colleen
 

SPJ&E

New member
My 16 month old's main carseat is a Britax Marathon. His spare seat was an Evenflo Triumph, but he recently outgrew it rear-facing, so we no longer use that. The Marathon and Triumph are the same width or very close to it.

His new spare seat is a Cosco Scenera. It's one of the most narrow convertibles and it's very inexpensive. It's very basic though...no extra features really. It doesn't have the higher weight limit of Britax seats, but it is a good, narrow option.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Interesting, Colleen. I'm sure I've read others here saying they've had issues getting it installed and tightened properly rear facing. I've never had problems installing it with the seatbelt, either in a car or on a plane, but the first time I tried it with latch (I drive a 2001 Xterra, no latch) I was dumbstruck, and I think I ended up using the seatbelt. Now I realize how to fix the problem I had (too loose), but then I didn't.

Wendy
 
B

BananaMonkey&Jujube

Guest
Thanks ladies. I've never heard of the Radian. Do they sell that at BRU? How's the safety? Does anyone have a review from a good source (not consumer guide/report?) Thanks!
 

ccjones

New member
The Radian is made by Sunshine Kids Juvenile Products (SKJP). You can check out info on the carseat here: http://www.skjp.com/Pages/radian.html I have two, and they are pretty much the same quality as a Britax, but less expensive. The Radian has exceeded the US standards for carseats, according to their webpage. It has an all-steel frame, and wendythomas is right, the seat folds, which is convenient for traveling on airplanes (or when you have to put the carseat in the trunk to make room for adult passengers in the backseat).

SKJP does not sell the Radian at BRU, at least not yet. There is an high-end baby boutique called Baby Outfitters about 5 minutes from my work that sells the Radian, so I was one of the lucky few that was able to install it in our vehicles to see if it would fit prior to purchasing. I know that Albee Baby (www.albeebaby.com) sells Radians for $179 and with free shipping on anything over $100.

Colleen
 
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LuvBug

New member
you are in luck, almost all other convertibles are narrower lol!
the marathon and its clones are the same width but everything else will be in the 16.5-18" area.
Is your 26mo rearfacing as well? How much does she weigh? You may be able to go with a nice combination seat for her and a convertible for your youngest.
 
B

BananaMonkey&Jujube

Guest
I'll have to look more in the Radian. I'm kinda bummed that I can't try it before I buy it as that's one of my big peeves.

My 26 mos old is actually ffing. She is 25lbs. We tried to turn her around again after having her ffing and she wouldn't hear of it. We turned her around before I read more about rrfacing after 1 year so yeah.
 

wendytthomas

Admin - CPST Instructor
Staff member
Call Sunshine Kids. Or check their site, I can't remember if it tells where. But if you call you'll actually probably have a really nice person answer, and they'll tell you where to go to buy one in person. There was only one store in my state that was selling them (and she actually wasn't, but since I called and asked her about it she ordered one for me). She was a CPST, so she was quite excited to have her hands on one herself. I drove an hour there and back to see it and touch it and play with it with her before I bought it. Well worth the drive. There used to be a Friendly's in that town too, one of two in the state, but it closed apparently. *I* was excited about the carseat, but I had promised my daughter ice cream from Friendly's. Oh well.

Wendy
 

LuvBug

New member
She could probably do well in a forward facing only seat at that weight. I definitely think she would make it to the minimums for booster age in a good combo seat. How long do you want to keep her harnessed though? To booster age(min of 4y and 40lbs) or longer(just like extended rearfacing, extended harnessing is also safer).

Is it just the 2 children and the 2 adults and occasionally another passenger?
Id definitely try a radian first before I considered it. If you call sunshine kids they can tell you the closest store that will have them.
Id try doing one outboard and one in the center because that will be more comfortable and leave more room for the person who needs to sit in the back.
 

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