Are the top slots on the Radian really higher than on the MA?

I've searched the forums on this, and seen some conflicting information. My older daughter has just about outgrown her Marathon for height. (She's 4.3 y.o., about 46 lbs and 45-46 inches.) Is the Radian an option for me if I want to keep her harnessed? Do the slots really go any higher than the Marathon's? It sure would be a lot easier to make things fit in my car if I could avoid buying a Regent. Money is not a serious issue and anyway, little sister (12 months, currently rearfacing in a RA) will be able to use any and all of these seats before they expire.

Also, I drive a Subaru that allows the use of its LATCH system until 60 lbs (hooray!). Does that mean I can use any LATCH-equipped seat until 60 lbs? The Marathon is installed with belts in our '05 Odyssey because of Honda's 40 lb LATCH limit, but her MA is installed with LATCH in my new Legacy. Just double-checking to make sure this is safe....

Thanks!

What is her torso height?

They're pretty tall. This site has links to pictures about 2/3 of the way down of an older child with a 15" torso height sitting in it. You can see how much room there is. The person who wrote the review didn't like the seat, but I see her primary vehicle was the Suburban, which is known for not having any positions that you can install the Radian in. It simply doesn't work. I've installed the Radian in Honda Civic, Honda Accord, Honda Odyssey, Nissan Xterra, and a Japanese (as in not made for the American market) Honda Civic. With the exception of the Japanese Civic I've had great installs in all of them. The first time I installed in the Honda Accord I had a so so installation (by my standards) but I figured out my problem and fixed it. That was the first time I had used it in a car besides my own, and the first time I installed it with LATCH. Oh, add to this a Lincoln Towncar. Terrible LATCH installation, but a beautiful seatbelt install. I probably could have gotten a good LATCH install, but the driver was waiting for us so we could go to the hotel, so I was trying to be fast.

Piper has a 14-15" torso height (keeps changing when I measure her! LOL). You can see how high the highest slots are here. They're practically over her head and would be very unsafe to put her in right now.


Wendy

Yes. Julie (Joolsplus2) has one and her DD still fits in the Radian even though she outgrew the MA by height a while ago.

Heres a couple pics of my son in both.

In the marathon I had the straps in the highest position and in the radian I have them in the 2nd to top slots.

Here she is, in a rather bolt-upright position in the Radian http://s7.photobucket.com/albums/y2...contents3-06138.jpg&refPage=&imgAnch=imgAnch1

And it's almost a year after THIS bolt upright position in her Marathon...
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/FFAlbum/Sarah.aspx

Oh, and yes, you can keep using the LATCH in the Subaru AND the Radian till 60 pounds.

Thanks!

Thank you all, especially those of you who posted pictures. That really is a big difference! It looks like it will buy me some time. She must have just gone through a growth spurt, because her shoulders were nowhere near the top slots a few months ago. I know the height limit on the Radian is also 49 inches, but her ears aren't close to the top of the Marathon yet. It's just those darned harness slots.

(Edited to add: I forgot to say--to make things even better, I have a coupon that will give me 20% off a Radian!)

Honestly, it's not that big of a difference, like 1/2" at most. If you wanted to keep her harnessed, I'd get the Regent instead. That's our next move after our Radian. I can post pics later if you like of AJ in the MA and the Radian, he's about 15" or so for torso.

Like Jennifer said there isn't much difference in the harness heights.

Since she is already almost outgrowing the marathon I would go with the regent like Jennfier suggested since the radian doesn't have a whole taller harness positions than the marathon.

Hmm. Luckily, I live near a Buy Buy Baby, which carries the Radian and the Regent. They don't have the Radian in stock right now, but are supposed to have it in a few weeks. I think I'll just wait until it comes in, and then take her in to try them out. She's okay in the Marathon for at least a few weeks more (shoulders are now at the top slots).

Thanks!

where can you find coupons for the radian

Why not the Safegaurd? I think there's one for sale on the coffee break forum.