Older rear facing children in radians?

kandamom · Jul 21, 2009

I ordered a radian 65 for my 24-month-old son. I really wanted to love this seat, but I don't yet. I really don't like how reclined the seat is, and I don't think he does either. (I had read here that this might be an issue.) Do your older rf children get used to being so reclined? Do they mind it? Since he just turned two, he can't quite describe if he is uncomfortable, but he fusses more than he did in the marathon. There is just no way to get it more upright.

The radian seemed like the best 40 lb rear facing option for us, since he is really tall. (assuming I would stick with the arbitrary 40" & 45" limits on the dorel seat) My 7.5-year-old is 90th percentile for height and still has plenty of harness room in the radian. I'm sure I'll love the seat when ds2 is ff, since it will last so long. Now I just wish skjp would make an official announcement stating that the rf weight limit change is retroactive.

DS1 has a Monterey, and ds2 always wants to get out of his seat and ride in his brother's seat. (He never did this when he was in his MA, but he is now right at the 33 lb. rf limit for that one.) I'm sure he would love his radian if he were ff like his brother, but that would defeat the whole purpose of getting the radian in the first place. Maybe I'll consider that when he is closer to 3.

I'd love to hear about your older kids in their radians. Pictures would be great as well, if you have some that would be convenient to post.

Thanks,
Rebecca

shorty393 · Jul 21, 2009

i dont have any pics, but my son loves his radian. he will be 3 in a little over 3 months and hasnt ever complained about it. i had him ff for almost 2 months at the beginning of the year and turned him back rf with no issues. i really love our radian, i hope it grows on you!

firemomof3 · Jul 21, 2009

I have my 2y/o & 3y/o in Radians and they both love them. My 3y/o is picky, she loved her boulevard but she is too tall to rf in it. I tried her in the true fit but she didn't like it because when she tried to sleep she had to stretch her head way over to reach the side to rest her head. Both of them have lots of leg room and don't mind the recline. Here are some pics:

NannyMom · Jul 21, 2009

I don't have any pics because I'm not on my home computer right now. But my daughter will be 3 in sept and has no problem wit the Radian. Mine is very reclined as well. Have you tried the tips to get it installed more upright?

skylinphoto · Jul 21, 2009

I just recently got my radian xt for my 3 year old.
Here is my thread with pictures.

http://www.car-seat.org/showthread.php?t=91207

I got a nice upright install ..partly because of the very sloped vehicle seats..but also by standing in the seat (right where his feet would go rfing) and tightening the seatbelt at the same time.

MANDY1234 · Jul 21, 2009

Payton turned 3 in May and is RF in a Radian 80. If you go to my profile there are pictures of the girls there....

She loves it

For some readon she was bothered by the recline of the MYRide but is fine in her Radian. IDK crazy kid lol Oh Pay will be the only child in pre-k refacing...then again my kids are the only on in anything. Most are just in a seatbelt not even a booster

pastrygirl · Jul 21, 2009

My son turned 3 last month, and had been FF since October. He had no problems RF again in the RN once we heard the news a couple of weeks ago. It's more reclined than I'd like, definitely much more than a RF MA in my car, but he doesn't seem to mind.

In fact, he tells me every day that he loves his "new" seat (it's not new, he used it for months FF). So cute!

christineka · Jul 21, 2009

Dd is 4.5 year old and has no problems rfing in the radian.

Recently I turned ds' seat ffing just to see and let her ride in it. She loved it and I thought it was the ffing part. I turned it back rfing and dd still keeps asking to sit in ds' seat. She just likes the novelty of riding in a different seat.

Here's dd' in ds' seat back when she was 3.5 years. She had no leg room and yet a year later she wants to rf in this seat? (She's 1.5 pounds over the rfing weight anyway.)

tarynsmum · Jul 21, 2009

DD was RF in Radians until she hit the weight limit at 3y4mo (I have older 33lb Radians). She never complained about it and preferred the Radian to the Marathon (because she had more leg room and could also hang her legs over the sides).

wendytthomas · Jul 21, 2009

Piper liked being reclined and often asked for a 45 degree angle well past her fourth birthday. But my backseat is so sloped that the Radian doesn't get to 45 degrees without help (putting a newborn in there is going to require a store's worth of noodles).

Here she is at five years and a week.

No complaints.

Wendy

joolsplus3 · Jul 22, 2009

Leah never cared... http://picasaweb.google.com/joolstag/LeahInCarseats#5296727218524439154 and the huge amount of legroom she has in this seat compared to the True Fit Premier makes it all the better for big kids.

AtTheSouthDam · Jul 22, 2009

This is very reclined, 43-45* and it is the most upright I can get it in my car. Ciara didn't care and actually adjusted to having fairly reclined quickly. She loved the extra leg room and had no problems leaning forward to see out the window. She fell asleep in the XT as often as the Como it was so comfy. If I could get a better install in my van I would put it back in

Pixels · Jul 22, 2009

wendytthomas said:
Piper liked being reclined and often asked for a 45 degree angle well past her fourth birthday. But my backseat is so sloped that the Radian doesn't get to 45 degrees without help (putting a newborn in there is going to require a store's worth of noodles).

Wendy

Wendy, I'm sure you know this, but I want to say it anyway for the benefit of anyone who may be reading this who does not know. Pool noodles are not allowed with the Radian, period. You may tighten the rear facing tether to get the seat more reclined.

canadiangie · Jul 22, 2009

pixels99 said:
Wendy, I'm sure you know this, but I want to say it anyway for the benefit of anyone who may be reading this who does not know. Pool noodles are not allowed with the Radian, period. You may tighten the rear facing tether to get the seat more reclined.

I believe Wendy intends on using a TFP with her new baby, and that is when she'll need a store's worth of noodles.

wendytthomas · Jul 22, 2009

canadiangie said:
I believe Wendy intends on using a TFP with her new baby, and that is when she'll need a store's worth of noodles.

Exactly. But any seat back there needs help. I wouldn't put a Radian in my backseat and call it ok for a newborn. I helped a parent with a Snugride and literally used five noodles to get a proper recline. It's just that bad.

My Radian is borrowed out, I can't remember where I last saw the foot, and I want a TFP anyway for the baby. And a store's worth of noodles.

Wendy

canadiangie · Jul 22, 2009

is this the Xterra that you speak of as being so extremely sloped?

I worked in one the other day, and had a horrible time with a Peg SIP base. (and let's just be honest, those Peg bases are not walk in the park to start with).

wendytthomas · Jul 22, 2009

Yeah, the Xterra. The Peg base isn't necessarily the easiest, and in an Xterra I can see it being quite a challenge.

Wendy

kandamom · Jul 27, 2009

Thank you for sharing your stories! I loved all the cute kid pictures, too.

I've tried all the suggestions I found on here, and the angle is still right around 45, using latch and tether. (It was closer to 50 when not tethered, but the dang thing bobbed up and down so much that I was worried it would bother ds2.) It's "rock solid" at the belt path, though. I'm not so good with rf seatbelt installs, but I wonder if I could get it more upright using the seat belt? Is it okay to use a locking clip so the seat doesn't twist, but still lock the seatbelt?

I need a more sloped seat... He still fusses more in this seat than he did in his marathon. I wonder if dh would mind if I sold our back-up seat (a regent) and put that money toward a complete air. I could then use the seat ds2 likes best in the primary car. I appreciate that DH was fully supportive of buying another seat to keep our two-year-old rf, so I'd don't really want to push my luck.

Thanks again!

Rebecca

K - 7.5, 51.5", 57", Monterey
A - 24 months, 37.5", 32 lbs, rf in a Radian65

Older rear facing children in radians?

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