Need help picking a seat for the newbie!

[Ariel]

Need help picking a seat for the newbie! **Pics of 6yo in Pria in post #26**

Hi all! I am so sorry my first post is immediately asking for advice. I have spent over a week researching and still have no idea what I am going to get. This may get long so again, my apologies.

I have two kiddos right now in Britax Frontier 85s in both of our cars. I absolutely love those seats. DD is almost 6 and DS is 4 1/2. They are broad shouldered so they fit well in the Frontiers.

I have previously had a bucket for the infants but have decided to go straight to the convertible this time. My babies are in the 8 pound range and to be honest I don't want to spend $100 now and another $200 in 6-8 months.

I took the big kids with me car seat shopping and tried them out in every seat on my list. Both did not fit well in the shoulder area for the Boulevard, Marathon, and the MyRide 65. They both said they were uncomfortable and didn't want to stay in the seat for long.

We have had the Radian xtsl before and they fit well in those. We used it rear facing with DS and forward facing with DD. (Before I found the Frontier love) I hate the head slump it causes forward facing but found it great for rear facing.

Here are the details: We have a 2011 Chrysler Town & Country (mine) and a 2001 Dodge Caravan (his) so space really isn't an issue for us. My plan is to move this little one (DD2) to the Frontiers her sister will outgrow (one purchased last year, one this year) so the longevity I am looking for is 3-4 years.

I have narrowed the choices down to the Radian RXT (I really want the plum!) or the Maxi-Cosi Pria 70. Both will get me rear facing until at least 3 and both are comparable in price. My kids fit well in the Maxi-Cosi and both said it was very comfortable. I have no desire to use the Radian forward facing so it will be sold as soon as she moves to the Frontier. I have many people tell me they will never buy a Dorel product so I did some searching and found out about their recall track record. Oh, and I need to get two seats due to work schedules, practice schedules, etc.

So, if you made it all the way through, #1 thank you!!! Please give me any advice you see fit.

 

[wendytthomas]

Both of those seats are in my top five. Why not one of each?

Wendy

 

[Ariel]

LOL! I have thought about that actually. Then I can take the one I like best for my car and put the other in DHs car!

Should I put any weight in the apparent wide spread concern over Dorels track record?

DH just shakes his head and walks off when I ask him. He says I am car seat crazy. I have been through them all since DD1 was born. We currently have two Nautilus for backup seats.

 

[Ariel]

Oh, and I feel like I am in a bit of a time crunch because BRU is doing the trade in event until Feb 20th so I can get the Pria for $200 out the door. I found a site to get the Radian for $248 shipped.

 

[wendytthomas]

Dorel produces perfectly safe seats, just like other brands. I own Dorel products (one now, more in the past) and have and do put my kids in them. Just like any brand they have their hits and misses (Combi Zeus 360, anyone?), but they produce safe seats.

I would definitely do one of each. You've found good prices. And tell your DH to read here a bit if he wants to think you're normal. Stick around. We'll have you properly crazy in a few months. The way I figured it, when I started, I would need to get certified as a tech, or I'd just be certifiable. hehe

Wendy

 

[Ariel]

Thanks for the help!! I really liked the Pria when I saw it in person. It was easy to adjust, the kids were comfy in it, the side wings will make good pilows, etc. Then I came home and asked around and got many of the "Never buy Dorel....Safety first is a joke brand...etc."

I tried to tell him I'm not as crazy as he thinks....he won't listen!

I may go ahead with one of each. I was thinking of putting the Pria in my car since I have captains chairs. That way I get the added side protection and the seat room. DH is putting her in the center of his bench seat so the Radian will fit fine and be further away from a side impact.

Now, WHY didn't I think of this before???

 

[mylittlet]

I agree. One of each.

Another thing someone else said (maybe Wendy) that dorel has lots of recalls but they are probably the most sold brand. They are the only brand of carseat sold my the walmart in the town near my parents. Walmart is the only store within 60 miles that sells carseats. Also dorel makes several of the same seat but under different covers (safety1st alpha omega, cosco alpha omega and eddie bauer alpha omega) when they have a recall they have 3 for the same seat.

 

[Ariel]

Well, now I am reading threads about the headwings and am not so sure about the RXT. I obviously do not plan on using it as a crappy booster or really as a forward facing seat. The xtsl I have is fine with the wings....as in they don't fall down on their own or anything. My only complaint is how stupid the wings adjust.

So, now I don't know about the Radian.

 

[wendytthomas]

How about a Radian without the headwings?

Just so you know, there are no standards for side impact protection. The wings could do nothing (the Safety 1st Boost Air, which has wings bigger than the Pria requires support from the car because the headrest does not offer support on its own in a crash). And in fact on the XTSL and RXT, you cannot use the wings until the shoulders are at the third slot.

Rear facing provides all the SIP you'd want. Anything more, if there is any more, is a bonus. If you're worried about the wings, get an R100 or R120.

Wendy

 

[Ariel]

I would like to shamefully admit that I really like the Plum cover...and that is not offered on the other models. I am so sad the Pria is only available in black at BRU.

 

[wendytthomas]

Well, I can't argue with Plum. Personally for me it'd be between that and Cobalt. Go for it then.

Wendy

 

[mylittlet]

I agree. They need more colors in the R100 and R120. I want a pretty seat without the headwings for our newbie.

 

[Ariel]

Side Note: Wendy, my husband was born in Seattle and has been on my case to move back there for a while now. I am sure we will end up there in the future!

Yes, Stefanie!! Why can't they offer the same cover in the other seats? I guess since we aren't planning on using it as a ff seat the wings really aren't that big of a deal though. Plus since we plan on using it for the baby straight from the hospital we will need the infant insert.

I'm going to BRU today to play with the Pria again to make sure I like it.

 

[featherhead]

You may want to test install a Radian in your vehicle as well. If you have very sloped seats the Radian may install too upright for a newborn. I was not able to use the Radian in my car for a small baby because of this. If your seats are relatively flat it should work fine.

 

[Ariel]

You may want to test install a Radian in your vehicle as well. If you have very sloped seats the Radian may install too upright for a newborn. I was not able to use the Radian in my car for a small baby because of this. If your seats are relatively flat it should work fine.

Good point. They do slop backwards a bit. I "gave" (read, let my brother in law borrow but he has yet to buy his own and give mine back) a radian 80 a few years ago. I can try to install it rear facing before ordering. Thanks!!

 

[jourdysmom]

You cannot get a 45* angle with a Radian in the new gen Chrysler vans... even yanking the Top Tether as an angle changing part of the seat could only get me to 38-40*. Its pretty upright!

The Complete Air (similar to the Pria) needs a pretty hefty stack of noodles/rolled towel to get a newborn angle. I assume the Pria would be the same. I have photos of both on my photobucket that I can post for you when I get home tonight...

Sent from my DROIDX using Car-Seat.Org

 

[Ariel]

You cannot get a 45* angle with a Radian in the new gen Chrysler vans... even yanking the Top Tether as an angle changing part of the seat could only get me to 38-40*. Its pretty upright!

The Complete Air (similar to the Pria) needs a pretty hefty stack of noodles/rolled towel to get a newborn angle. I assume the Pria would be the same. I have photos of both on my photobucket that I can post for you when I get home tonight...

Sent from my DROIDX using Car-Seat.Org

Thanks for the info and the photos!

Okay, well I guess the Radian is out for my van at least. I think it would work in DHs though....it is a 2001 with bench seats.

The pria has totally different recline features than the CA. I did not like the CA at all when I looked at it in store. It seemed cheap to me. The Pria has three recline levels and once you add in the Tiny Fit it reclines a little more.

So, in the case than neither of these will recline appropriately in my car, what am I looking at then? I need something to get us to a minimum of 3 years old rear facing. The Prias rear facing limit of 40" should be okay with us since both of my children were 3ft 2in at three years old and neither was 40 pounds by then.

 

[featherhead]

What about an Evenflo Triumph65 or Momentum? The Momentum is a little taller, but also a little narrower inside due to the side impact pillow things. The Triumph65 is really one of my favorite seats.

 

[Ariel]

Thanks for the suggestions! I am going to BRU today and plan on taking the Pria out to the car to see how it fits. I will look at what else they have I can try in person. If I have to I can drive about 45 min - 1 hour north of us and go to Buy Buy Baby. I know they sometimes have seats BRU doesn't carry.

 

[Ariel]

Okay, tried out the Pria in my car. I didn't get very good pics because the sun was going down, the wind was blowing, and we were all freezing. I think it is going to work fine though. It don't think it will need something under it, but I need to get it actually installed on a flat parking area to make sure. If anything, a pool noodle will do the trick. Oh, I also didn't have the Tiny Fit in it because it wasn't threaded through and I didn't want to drop it.

So, here is the one descent pic I have of the Pria in my car. It is braced against the front seat but like I said it wasn't secured in properly. I went with my 6 yo so I really didn't have much help moving the Frontier out of the seat and putting this one in. If you can see the top line of the green sticker on near the wings of the seat....that top line should be parallel with the ground. I was on a slope pointing downward toward the front of the car. The base of the seat is flat against the vehicles seat but it is not tightened down at all.

What do you all think?? Would it be waste of my money to get this one? I checked out the Evenflows mentioned above and they didn't recline as far.

Also, just for fun, here are some pics of my 6yo in the Pria. She is 47ish inches tall and 47 pounds. Her seated shoulder height is 16.75"