Getting a Radian to Europe

Last I checked your options to ship something internationally via USPS are International Express (very cost-prohibitive), International Priority (usually the best value) or International Parcel Post (which was for many packages, i.e. to certain countries or over a certain size, actually more expensive than Priority, go figure, and would take like 3 months to get there sometimes.) They may have done away with Int'l Parcel Post just because it was often so expensive and took so long that people weren't buying it as much?

Thanks for the info on Ground! I have actually been wondering what happened to Ground for awhile. International shipping has gotten so expensive...

Lena, just saw your ETA on VAT: I remember something similar happened to me once. I went to the customs office and talked the guys ear off for 20 minutes about why I didn't have the proof of purchase and why I didn't think I needed to pay VAT on the stuff and in the end he just said, "Okay, you can go." I think he was tired of listening to me and my long involved story about my wedding. Anyway, I think I -might- be able to avoid VAT on the grounds that I am American and plan to return with the seat to the US, thus am not really exporting it. But since I don't speak French it might be hard for me to argue my case here! (More than you wanted to know I'm sure, but maybe helpful to someone.)

Do you now the size and wheight of a Radian in the original box?!?
Jpy

I know the shipping weight is 25.8 lbs. I know it ships folded and the folded dimensions are: 17"W x 7"D x 28.5"H. (All this according to Amazon.) I've got Sunshine Kids number and have been meaning to call and ask the size of the box, but with the time difference haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll post it here if I find it out.

I traveled to France last summer with our Radian. My inlaws have a Citroen C5 that we installed it in FF with latch. That thing was a pain in my butt, it's heavy and not at all easy to travel with, it's just too much. I know it wouldn't fit RF in the C5, it would have in the Berlingo though. My BIL has the Bebe Confort Iseos Neo installed RF in a Opel right now and it's working great for my 6 week old nephew.

There are seats beyond the Britax available. There's the Concord Ultimax that goes to 18kg RF. There are a few up at aubert.fr http://www.aubert.fr/voyages/groupe-0-0-1,fr,3006.html

Are you planning on coming back and staying in the states or just visiting?

InternationalMama said:

I know the shipping weight is 25.8 lbs. I know it ships folded and the folded dimensions are: 17"W x 7"D x 28.5"H. (All this according to Amazon.) I've got Sunshine Kids number and have been meaning to call and ask the size of the box, but with the time difference haven't gotten around to it yet. I'll post it here if I find it out.

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I still have one of my boxes, I think, I can measure it for you if you want.

Mommyloves2stroll said:

There's the Concord Ultimax that goes to 18kg RF.

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The Concord is only 13kg (28lbs) rearfacing!!!
Joy

Mommyloves2stroll said:

My BIL has the Bebe Confort Iseos Neo installed RF

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Thanks, I hadn't heard of this seat. Looks nice. I'll have to check it out.

Mommyloves2stroll said:

Are you planning on coming back and staying in the states or just visiting?

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Just visiting, but we visit fairly often. Wondering if we should get a dedicated US seat...

ketchupqueen said:

I still have one of my boxes, I think, I can measure it for you if you want.

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I would love it if you could measure it for me! I called Sunshine Kids but they transfered me to a voice mail. Haven't gotten a return call. (Don't know if the voice mail is just for show. If you can measure it, let me know which model it is. Target gave some measurements that are different than Amazon, but seemed to indicate the XT is both heavier and in a bigger box than the other two.

joyride said:

The Concord is only 13kg (28lbs) rearfacing!!!
Joy

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That's what I thought. I'm seriously considering getting a Brio Zento for when we are in England and then bringing it to German for MIL. It's RF to 25kg and about 30% cheaper than any of the ERF seats available in Germany.

Which reminds me, car seats in France seem to be ridiculously expensive. You can get identical seats in the UK or Germany for much less money??? Strange.

joyride said:

The Concord is only 13kg (28lbs) rearfacing!!!
Joy

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Sorry, you're right, I was translating late at night.

I have a 65 box. Measurements are 17.5" x 8.5" x 30". I don't know what an XT box looks like, wouldn't be surprised if it had an extra inch or two in depth to accomodate those head wings, but the 80 and the 65 have the same size box (but different weights.)

Wow, that is a small box! Well within checked luggage dimensions. I don't even know if 3 rounds of bubble wrap (per AD's recommendation) would fit in there with the seat...

Thanks for the measurement. Now for some fun with USPS.com. Interesting that the Radian65 is the lightest. I didn't even think about that factor when contemplating which one to get. I was going to go with the XT as I thought those side wings would make it more comfy for sleeping on long trips/flights. But from what I have been able to glean from the internets the XT weighs quite a bit more.

Hmm. So many factors to consider. Anyway, thanks again.

I would get the 65 and just get the Comfy-Soft head pillow if you're going to want it just for sleeping. I would ONLY get the XT if I had an older, forward-facing child who could not use the middle seat and was in a car without side impact protective features (and from what I've read, all European cars tend to do better on this than most U.S. cars.) For rear-facing, many kids won't even be able to use the wings (we've had a few threads on this over in Carseat Chat; they are just too new and design kinks haven't really been worked out yet.)

The 65 will last most kids quite long enough in a harness, and it's lighter for shipping.

I wouldn't worry about bubble wrap. they come quite well packed and the box itself is very sturdy, very highly protective. I might write "FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE" on it in Enlish and French, but other than that I think taking it in the original packaging would be quite protective enough. Because of the way it folds it is able to be packed in a regular, rectangular, symmetrical box, which is actually quite a protective way to travel.

FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE" on it in Enlish and French

You can´t use this method with parcels to and from the USA. I asked myself in December last year. The answer was that this service was no-longer available neither handwritten nor printed. So the bubblewhraping and extra padding inside the box is a fine idea as the postal services aren´t obliged to pay attention to this kind of message.

Lena

Thanks for the tips on which Radian to get. I am definitely thinking I will get the 65 now. (I've been lurking on some of the threads you mentioned.) It's already a heavy seat. I don't want even more to carry when we'll be using it so rarely.

About handle with care: Interesting! I'm learning so much about the postal service. Even if they are not obligated to provide this service I still don't understand why the person who delivers the majority of my packages to the US seems to be especially harsh with packages that have these words written on them!

lenats31 said:

FRAGILE, HANDLE WITH CARE" on it in Enlish and French

You can´t use this method with parcels to and from the USA. I asked myself in December last year. The answer was that this service was no-longer available neither handwritten nor printed. So the bubblewhraping and extra padding inside the box is a fine idea as the postal services aren´t obliged to pay attention to this kind of message.

Lena

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They're not obliged to but I know several postal workers who say that even though they don't HAVE to if you mark it "Handle With Care" they will do their best to.

Honestly I think even if it gets thrown around a little it won't be hurt. Because of the way it comes packed, it will be protected. It doesn't have room for bubble wrap but it comes with cardboard pieces holding things in place so it won't slide around and if it is tossed roughly or smooshed, the cardboard should take the force, not the car seat.

Maybe you should email the company that makes the Radians and ask them for advice regarding sending it across the pond.

Personally I would feel uncomfortable with sending it in just the box and a plastic bag unless the company told me this would be safe.

Car seats can sustain damages that no-one can see. But a minor damage can make a quite a difference in crashes.

Lena

Hi!

Thanks for your thoughts on my dilemma. Wow, it's taken me awhile to get back to my own post. I will try to hunt down an e-mail address for Sunshine Kids as I haven't been very successful by phone.

I am now thinking maybe I'll just have someone bring me a Cosco Scenera, use that to fly back to the US, and then bring the Radian over with my son sitting in it. That would probably be cheaper than having the Radian sent over and I wouldn't be left wondering if the Radian was damaged as checked luggage, which would be unfortunate to have to think about since I want to use the seat until it expires. Thanks to Wendy, I think it was, for suggesting this.

Still mulling it all over though.

How about a Frontier..... OH sorry. HE, HE.

I know this thread is ancient, but sometimes I find old threads where people are having the same problem I am and I always wonder what they did in the end so I thought I'd come back and update.

In the UK: We lucked out and found a UK-based friend with an outgrown ComfortSport that they gave us to use for our trip and the flight back. This was awesome as it solved our problem of not having an FAA-approved seat for the flight. As a bonus my son fit great in this seat, I got excellent help here on learning how to install it, and I ended up liking it as a travel seat a lot more than I thought I would from reading posts.

We decided to buy a dedicated car seat in each country for each set of grandparents.

In the US: We bought a TFP. I think this is the ultimate grandparent car seat and the right US seat for DS, but I am still not sure it was worth the $$$ for what is right now a very fancy occasional use seat. I guess I'll have to wait 6+ years to decide, seeing how much use it gets etc. I really love the TFP now. The only major drawback to it for us so far is too wide for 2 adults + the car seat in the backseat.

In the EU: We picked out a Britax Hi-Way for MIL. I really thought I would buy the Two-Way since DS is tall, but in the end I wanted the Hi-Way for the entirely pragmatic reason that I hope to convince SIL to use it someday for her own LOs and didn't want her to have option to FF it at 20 lbs. I struggled with the install of this seat, but with Adventure Dad's help I got an install I feel is acceptable and MIL decided to leave it installed in her car so I'm glad we shelled out for a legal seat for her!

I also bought an Avenue on sale to swap out for the ComfortSport when DS outgrows the short shell, but I am not thrilled with that purchase. I think we may go straight from the ComfortSport to the Radian for a travel seat. We'll see.

Some of the reasons I picked these particular seats ended up not being relevant and made me wonder if I made the right choices, but I'm happy with our car seat situation now. And I'm glad I never bought a Radian because now I have the option of getting an XTSL with that beautiful flora cover when DS outgrows...something.

Thanks for all the excellent advice on this thread. As you can see, I decided not to ship or check any car seats after all and I feel happy with out decision to use legal seats in each country that are either permanently installed (MIL) or that the owners/users know how to install themselves (my parents).

I thought radians often did not fit rear facing on planes? I know it doesn't matter for transporting it without the child but what about when the child is in the seat and still too young to foward face?