Best Low Profile Convertible and/or Booster in New Sienna

ValVal · Mar 29, 2009

We just got a pre-owned '06 Toyota Sienna and we're ready for some carseat shuffling!

I want a baseless seat for both children.. so they will sit low. I am short and hate hoisting them in. Although the Sienna is SO much easier to load them into than my older VW SUV...

My dd is almost 3 and is 30 lbs .... Looking at the Radian or the SafeGuard Go. Is the Radian lower (the seat part) than the Recaro Young Sport?

She's in the Evenflo but sits too high. I'd like her to be able to climb in on her own soon : ) (We have the Young Sport in my hubby's and sometimes in Grandma's car)

My son is almost one and is in the Graco Safe seat. We want to keep him RF in his next seat... We're thinking the Radian for him as well, but RF. He's 19 lbs and 30"..

thanks : )

wendytthomas · Mar 29, 2009

At 3 and 35 pounds I'd look at the Nautilus or Frontier. The Radian is a convertible sat, and she's too heavy to rear face in it. The Go doesn't have a shell, turns into only a backless booster, and has a 60 pound harness limit. You'll get more seat and more time in the Nautilus or Frontier.

For your son I'd look at the True Fit. The Radian may work, but it's HUGE front to back and it can be a bear to install rear facing. The True Fit is very small to 22 pounds when the headrest gets put on, but it's so much easier to install and use than the Radian (says a current Radian owner and soon to be True Fit owner). The top slots are pretty comparable, the True Fit has much more infant padding, it's easier to install, it's easier to adjust, it seems far more comfortable. The only bad thing about the True Fit is where the harness adjuster is located, but to me while it's annoying it's not a deal breaker.

Wendy

ValVal · Mar 29, 2009

Edit: She's 30 lbs and 36".... : )

wendytthomas · Mar 29, 2009

Are you interested in rear facing her? If so I'd look at the Radian and True Fit. If not I'd look at the Nautilus or Frontier. I still wouldn't go for the Go.

Wendy

ValVal · Mar 29, 2009

The Radian looks to have a lower profile than the True Fit. Correct? How about when compared with the nautilus or Frontier?

My daughter will FF.

The True Fit sounds like a good idea for my son... : )

wendytthomas · Mar 29, 2009

The Radian and True Fit are probably about the same forward facing. The Nautilus and Frontier sits an inch or two higher. Not a lot.

Wendy

NannyMom · Mar 29, 2009

I'd be ok with using the Radian for either child. I found they installed very easily RF and FF in the 2nd row of my 08 Sienna. As the 3 year old gets older and bigger, the Frontier and Nautilus raise higher. I have a Nautilus in my 3rd row, and it's impossible to see over it (only next to it). The Radian would be easier to see over as it doesn't have a headrest that raises up, and it sits lower on the seat. My 2 year old could climb into J's Nautilus herself, but the Radian would be easier because it is lower.

If you bought a radian for your daughter, she'd need a booster seat later. If you bought a Nautilus or Frontier, that would keep her harnessed for awhile longer (at least a couple more years), then it would become a booster. The Nautilus also has a cup holder and little cubby holes. That may be helpful since the Sienna's 2nd row doesn't have any reachable cupholders.

ValVal · Mar 29, 2009

Thanks so much!!! Just curious why no one is into the GO...

BW1426 · Mar 29, 2009

ValVal said:
Thanks so much!!! Just curious why no one is into the GO...

People tend to use them as travel seats over full time seats. Given the choice, I'd personally prefer to see a child surrounded by a hard plastic shell over the foam on the GO. Also, there are seats that will last longer for the same price point.

wendytthomas · Mar 29, 2009

Because it's a good seat for a specific market, but those who have it tend not to appreciate it for daily use. There's no hard shell, so no additional side impact than just what the harness offers. It requires a tether (fine in your car, what if your car breaks down, you go in Grandma's car, you ride with a friend, etc.?) to use the harness. It turns into a backless booster, not high back. The harness isn't very high unless you're getting a new one, and I would guess you're excited about it because you've found it at a lower price so you may be getting an older one. Those have about 17" top harness height rather than 18.5" of the Nautilus and 17.5/18" of the Radian. It's a tricky install with the seatbelt, though a breeze with LATCH. It's great for travel or the occasional seat if you know that you'll have top tethers. Otherwise people tend to go for something a little more sturdy for a daily seat.

Wendy

ValVal · Mar 29, 2009

I saw a side by side photo of the Radian and TF and the TF is a little taller...
Just wondered b/c you mentioned the Radian is so large.

Does one have more legroom for RF? Is the TF on a base?

Thanks!

Pixels · Mar 29, 2009

The TF does have a taller shell, but the Radian is very difficult to adjust the angle on the RFing install. The TF can be put a bit more upright, taking up less front to back room in the vehicle.

wendytthomas · Mar 29, 2009

The TF isn't on the base. You asked for baseless seats.

Wendy

ValVal · Mar 29, 2009

Oops! Sorry about that!

Kat_Momof3 · Mar 29, 2009

I agree... I'd either do one Nautilus/Frontier and one Truefit or two Truefits.

the Radians can be tricky when you use the seatbelt to install them in toyotas... so when there are other options that will work, I'd stick with them.

emandbri · Mar 30, 2009

I can get the radian installed forward facing or rear-facing in my sienna if I recline the seat back and bring it back up which toyota says not to do.

I have a picture of my dd RF in a radian and will take a picture of her in a true fit and post it later this afternoon.

ValVal · Mar 30, 2009

I appreciate everyone's help!

Does the Avenue have a place in this discussion? Someone mentioned it to me awhile back.

I hadn't considered the True Fit for my daughter as well... hmmm...

Pixels · Mar 30, 2009

The Avenue does sit low, but it won't last you too long. It has a 35 pound RFing limit, 40 pounds FFing, and high enough top slots and shell height that it will likely get you to 40 pounds. But since your daughter is already 30 pounds, she'll need another seat fairly soon. You could pass it down to your son when she is 35-40 pounds, and get her a nice dedicated FFing seat, but then you'll end up needing another seat for your son when he gets close to 40.

ValVal · Mar 30, 2009

I was thinking of the Avenue for my son..

I assume this takes up less space RF than the radian or True Fit? I'd love a side by side pic of the three. Actually I've seen the pic of the Radian and the TF side by side... Just curious about the Avenue : )

christineka · Mar 30, 2009

I have the avenue, installed rfing in my '07 sienna on a captain's chair. I really like it, except that the buckle tongs always fall all the way down and the buckle is so heavy that it falls into the butt area of the seat. I went out and put sticky velcro on it all (hope that's okay) and one of the buckle tongs can still slide over the velcro. Argh! Anyway, it fits great behind the driver.
I have my 30 pound 4 year old rfing in the radian (in the third row, middle seat) and I so love the radian. It's a great seat and has the velcro to keep the buckle tongs from sliding. The crotch buckle doesn't fall into the seat. It is very low profile. Oh- my dd was sitting in the avenue one day when little bro wasn't in the van. She could reach the van's cupholder.

Best Low Profile Convertible and/or Booster in New Sienna

New member

Admin - CPST Instructor

New member

Admin - CPST Instructor

New member

Admin - CPST Instructor

Well-known member

New member

Well-known member

Admin - CPST Instructor

New member

New member

Admin - CPST Instructor

New member

New member

Well-known member

New member

New member

New member

New member

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics