New Radian features

Pixels

New member
Russ sent Kat_Momof3 an email listing some of the 2009 Radian changes. She posted it http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?p=669257 Well, it turns out most of the updates are available now. I have two Radians sitting on the floor right now. Both 65s, both Champagne. One is Aug 08, the other is Sept 08 DOM. The Aug 08 is the "old" design, the Sept has most of the updates expected for 2009:

Radian updates for 2009: Rubber bottom grips for a no-slip installation Yup, it's there

Aircraft aluminum reinforced sides You can actually see a new bar around the side, around the shoulder area of a taller child. You can see the bar I'm talking about in the picture on the original thread.

.5” thick memory foam for cloud-like comfort (seriously) < Radian80 and XT It's there on the Radian65, too. It's on the bottom, not the back where the EPS foam is. I noticed it when I was trying to change the position of the crotch strap. It got hung up on the memory foam and I took off the cover to see what was going on, since I didn't have a problem when I did it on the other one.

Wider chest clip Still has the old clips on both

Replaceable harness and tether Replaceable harness for sure, but I don't see any way to replace the tether. I didn't see it in the manual, either. ETA: It is replaceable, I pulled it partially out and took pics. See below.

Updated rear-facing base to make RF installation even easier The "toes" of the foot near the vehicle seat bight are now 8.5" wide versus the old 12.5" wide.

Deeper harness pathway channel underneath and on the back
Yup.

What a nice surprise to have the 2009 version already. I think I'm going to send the August one back and hold out for the XT.
 
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minismom

Well-known member
Yes, pictures, please please please!!! Here's my one question: is it easier to install RF more upright than the one with the original foot?

And btw, I'd definitely send the Aug one back if you can. Why not have the new one!
 

Pixels

New member
could you post some pics?? Pretty pretty please :)

Sure. I'll do it tomorrow; we're going out for the day.

Yes, pictures, please please please!!! Here's my one question: is it easier to install RF more upright than the one with the original foot?

I have one foot currently on a seat, and the other not, so it's not easy to compare, but I held them up next to each other and it looks like the new foot is MORE reclined than the old one :eek: When I take pics I'll put them both on seats and compare side by side. There are some other design differences besides the narrower "toe" area, but most of them look pretty minor. It could be that it makes up for the (apparently) different angle on the foot, though.
 

Farm_Mama

New member
Shoot, the one I just bought a couple weeks ago was a 7/08 DOM, sounds like I just missed all the updates.

Updated rear-facing base to make RF installation even easier The "toes" of the foot near the vehicle seat bight are now 8.5" wide versus the old 12.5" wide.

Is the width of the foot enough of a difference that it would make it easier for a booster child buckling next to a RF Radian? If so, I'll definitely be ordering a replacement.
 

Pixels

New member
Yes, pictures, please please please!!! Here's my one question: is it easier to install RF more upright than the one with the original foot?

I have one foot currently on a seat, and the other not, so it's not easy to compare, but I held them up next to each other and it looks like the new foot is MORE reclined than the old one :eek: When I take pics I'll put them both on seats and compare side by side. There are some other design differences besides the narrower "toe" area, but most of them look pretty minor. It could be that it makes up for the (apparently) different angle on the foot, though.

There is no difference once it's installed on the seat. So it won't be any easier nor any harder to install more upright.

Is the width of the foot enough of a difference that it would make it easier for a booster child buckling next to a RF Radian? If so, I'll definitely be ordering a replacement.

Maybe. It depends on which part of the Radian is causing a problem. The seat itself is of course the same width, so if that's interfering, changing the foot isn't going to help. If it's the foot itself that is the problem, then yes, the new design should help. Take a look at the pictures (coming soooooon!)
 

Pixels

New member
The 08/08 DOM is on the left, 09/08 on the right in all side-by-side pics
picture.php
album.php
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Velcro on the cover and harness of newer one
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Steel bar wrapping around the side on the newer one
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Steel bar wrapping around the side on the newer one. Notice the FAA sticker on the older one. It is on the back of the newer one.
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Anti-skid bottom on the newer one
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Deeper harness channel on the newer one
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Back of the newer one. There is now a place to hook the top tether to the seat. This is the way the seat came. The strap for the top tether is balled up and rubber banded, and tucked into the pocket next to where the sticker says it should go.
picture.php
FAA sticker on the newer one
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Newer one has holes in the plastic at the top for the instruction manual tether, child emergency info tether, and the top tether hook.
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Newer one with one styrofoam block removed and the top tether partially removed
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Half inch thick memory foam under the seat portion of the cover
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Access panel to change the harness straps on the newer one. Unscrew and pull the harness out.
picture.php

album.php
 

minismom

Well-known member
Thanks! Great pics! The new one seems really nice! I :love: that the harness is removable. I'm just so bummed about the recline issue, I don't get it why they don't fix this. Maybe I'll try it again, but the old RN didn't install upright enough in my car and dd hates being reclined (and gets car sick). She's outgrowing the RA and I thought the RNXT would be a good option for the Blvd I planned on getting cause it'd be easier to get her in and out off. Damn!
 

Pixels

New member
Does the Radian allow Australian tethering to change the recline angle? I don't think so, but I thought I'd ask anyway.
 

Nisha

New member
Guess that explains this then! LOL! I didn't pull the older one out of the car to find all the differences that you did, but I'm sure they're all there!
 

elle7715

Member
Wow, that base is really different! I wonder if you can buy the new base and put it on an older Radian 80. I could never understand why they made the foot wide enough to interfere with the LATCH attachments.
 

Pixels

New member
Wow, that base is really different! I wonder if you can buy the new base and put it on an older Radian 80. I could never understand why they made the foot wide enough to interfere with the LATCH attachments.

I think it would work. I already boxed up the old one to send it back, but I pulled the base out and compared them. The portion with the attachment points is identical except for two shallow channels on the new one to allow for the anti-skid strips. So you can't use an old foot on a new seat, but I don't see why you can't use a new foot on an old seat.

Of course I'd call/email and ask first to be sure.
 

Farm_Mama

New member
Some of those "changes" are strange in that my older Radians have some, but not all of them.
For instance, both our 1/08 and 7/08 DOMs have the velcro on the cover and harness and the 7/08 has the FAA sticker too. Odd. It's almost like they started slowly fazing stuff in. Too bad I don't have any of the actual good stuff. :(

I REALLY like the narrow boot! So much less bulk to interfere with things.

In your 3rd pic down, it almost looks like the cover on the new one has more elastic in the edge. Am I imagining that?? We have terrible problems with the covers coming off at the top corner. I'm constantly yanking it back up.
 

Nisha

New member
I can't see the link, it says I don't have permission. :shrug-shoulders:

Sorry, I guess I posted it in the senior community member chat instead of car seat chat! Here it is:

So this thread got me wondering about my Radian's. The "princess" 65 has a MFG date of 01/08 and the "granite" 65 has a mfg date of 09/08
Then I was looking up post on the XT and found this quote
All Radian seats (65, 80 and XT) share the same basic plastic shell body and share the same dimensions (the structural difference being the steel)
on this thread.
So now I'm curious, what IS my new seat?! Is it really a 65? Were they just messing with the 65 and made some structural adjustments? Aren't they going to discontinue the 65 when the XT comes out? (don't know where I heard this - if I even did!)

Radian XT
image001.png
da4e34b0.jpg


Radian 65
radian_det_tab_steelframe.jpg
2be04155.jpg


(just since I have nothing better to do tonight! LOL!):whistle:
 

NannyMom

Well-known member
OMG, I think I could now get one center in my Durango!! The boot was slightly too wide to fit between the buckles. But of course....it doesn't matter anymore. I'd most likely be too hard for DH to tighten :rolleyes:
 

Pixels

New member
How do you think the foam in the cover will affect the washability?
It's in a little pocket to hold it in place at the front and back, but not physically attached (ie glued) to the cover. So just pull it out before washing the cover.

In your 3rd pic down, it almost looks like the cover on the new one has more elastic in the edge. Am I imagining that?? We have terrible problems with the covers coming off at the top corner. I'm constantly yanking it back up.
It's a result of the angle of the pic. It was taken slightly off-center. On the fourth pic, it looks like the older one has more elastic.

Sorry, I guess I posted it in the senior community member chat instead of car seat chat! Here it is:

So this thread got me wondering about my Radian's. The "princess" 65 has a MFG date of 01/08 and the "granite" 65 has a mfg date of 09/08
Then I was looking up post on the XT and found this quote on this thread.
So now I'm curious, what IS my new seat?! Is it really a 65? Were they just messing with the 65 and made some structural adjustments? Aren't they going to discontinue the 65 when the XT comes out? (don't know where I heard this - if I even did!)
It looks like you have the newer version of the 65, like I do. The XT has the headwings.

OMG, I think I could now get one center in my Durango!! The boot was slightly too wide to fit between the buckles. But of course....it doesn't matter anymore. I'd most likely be too hard for DH to tighten :rolleyes:
You can put the old boot under or over the buckles when it's too wide. It's a known issue since the boot (12.5") is wider than the spacing between lower anchors (11"). Won't help with your DH, though ;)
 

Holly

New member
Those changes look really cool!
My 03/2007 Radian came with velcro on the cover and harness though, I thought they all did?
 

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