The limits as stated in the manual and on the stickers on the seat are max height of 32" and 30lbs. That being said, I'm going to tell you almost exactly what I recently told another parent who contacted me with concerns about the 32" height limit. (And I say almost exactly, because I'm copying most of what I emailed to her, just removing anything personally identifying.)
"Here's the deal with the 32" thing... CMVSS 213 standards require that manufacturers put a numerical limit on seats that designates the size of child the seat is designed to fit. The requirement is a general one - a minimum and a maximum is all that's needed. Some manufacturers interpreted it as having to have a numerical maximum rear facing limit as well as a forward facing limit, while some only listed an overall limit for the seat and then gave the requirement that there be 1" of hard shell above top of child's head when rear facing.
Children come in all different shapes and sizes as I'm sure you know, and what's really important is how much hard shell is above the child's head.
Because of the variations in children, maximum height limits can be treated as approximations. As long as a child is under 30lbs and has 1" of hard shell above the head, he/she still fits the seat rear facing. Transport Canada is aware of the conundrum that some parents are facing - especially parents who have children who hit 32" prior to 1yr old and/or before 22lbs, and has advised manufacturers accordingly, so hopefully we'll see more seats without the 32" limit in the near future. The Radian is being re-designed in the new year, so hopefully the height limit is one of the things that will change on it. In the meantime, I would recommend following the 1" of hard shell rule. How the seat performs isn't influenced by the height of a child but by the weight of the child, so as long as there's room above the head, it's perfectly safe.
So that's the scoop anyways." (rest removed)
Clear as mud, right? Moving forward I expect more manufacturers will be removing the 32" height restriction. I know that the Radian XT will have a 35lb rf'ing limit, and that they were also reviewing the rf'ing height limits, so I'm hoping to see the 1" rule implemented there. I also know that the revised 3in1's will have a 35lb rf'ing limit provided nothing changes prior to them arriving in stores, so I hope to see revised height limits on those as well.
But the long and the short of it is that you're not putting your child in danger by using the seat beyond 32" provided there is at least 1" of hard shell above kiddo's head. And I honestly doubt any child will come within 1" of the top of the shell before hitting 30lbs with a seat that has a shell as tall as the Radian...
So it's ultimately a parental decision to continue using the seat rf'ing past 32", but it is one decision that does not pose a risk provided there's at least 1" above the top of your child's head. If you're somebody that has difficulty with going past the 32", (and I know there are many out there who don't feel comfortable making that decision,) you may want to consider a seat like the Triumph Advance or the True Fit - both of which have only the 1" of hard shell rule and will allow you to not worry about the actual height of your child. :thumbsup:
