need new seat for ff 3.5 year old

[Unregistered]

My youngest is 3.5, 36in, 38lbs. He has been riding FF in a Radian 100, but that seat needs to be replaced following an accident. My first thought was to buy the same seat since both me and ds were happy with it and it did an amazing job protecting him in a serious accident, but I wanted to make sure I'm not missing anything better. Factors to consider....

Other drivers insurance will be paying for the seat, but they haven't said anything about it other than to buy a new seat and submit the receipt. They didn't say anything about it needing to be the same seat. Does it?

I do have another seat from dh car (another radian 100), so I have time to order online.

Ds is already FF and we don't plan to have more kids, so seat doesn't need to RF.

I'd like him harnessed until at least 6. My kids are tall and thin, my 8 year old still fits in the r100, but barely (by height). Ds that the seat is for is using the harness slots 2nd from the top.

I know the radian makes a poor booster. I don't care if I have to buy a booster later.

Seat will be on a middle row captain chair of a minivan, so it doesn't need to be narrow, but the flexibility that provides is nice. Carseat does get moved to grandmas car once in awhile, but not often.

I don't care that the seat is heavy, I actually like that about it.

I know the radian can be a hard install, but I have had no issues with it. I've had it checked by a tech.

 

[ketchupqueen]

Usually they pay for either the same or a "comparable" (either in type or price or both) seat. It would be good to clarify their policy.

If you can get a different seat, I'd get a combination. Since your child is tall, you probably won't make it past 5 (if that) in a Radian. There are many good choices in combination seats ranging from an Evenflo Securekid or Harmony Defender to a Britax Frontier, depending on desired price and features.

 

[mping]

I'd get a Frontier Clicktight so you can harness pretty much as long as you want and it's easy to move from car to car.


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[Unregistered]

I'm the OP. Thank you for the replies so far.

Insurance company said I can either submit the receipt for the seat he was in at the time of the crash or buy a replacement and submit that receipt. Since I bought the last seat on Amazon, I'm thinking I can print the receipt for the crashed Radian and submit that and then use the money to buy whatever I want. I'll gladly pay the difference between the Radian and a more expensive seat if it will keep him the safest.

What's the difference in top slot height for a Radian vs a Frontier?

Ds really liked the low sides and big kid feel of the Radian, looks like the Frontier is similar in that regard?

Does the Frontier make a good booster when he gets to that point?

Does the Frontier install well in most cars? I know the Regents that everyone liked when my older kids were little were a pain in some cars. Is there anyway to get it 3 across once in awhile with backless boosters and/or a preteen or small adult next to it? Although I could always pull the Radian out of the other car for that.

What's the difference between a Frontier and a Pioneer?

Never been a big fan of Evenflo, might see if I can check out the Harmony in person, but I think I like the Frontier better.

 

[ketchupqueen]

A Frontier 90 has top slots 3.5" taller than a Radian. The G 1.1 makes a decent booster once kids have outgrown the harness in most cars. It is super easy to install with Clicktight.

The Pioneer is shorter and difficult to install in many cars. Pioneer has not got the Clicktight. Both are pretty wide which is why I also suggested narrower options.

 

[Unregistered]

Ok, so no Pioneer. Wide is not an issue in my van, since he'll be on a captain chair and I can always take the Radian from the other car if I need to. So narrow is not essential. From what I've read he'll have to use a seatbelt install with the Radian soon (he's 38lbs) and that's not always easy. That's a big difference in harness height between the Radian and the Frontier. I'll have to see if I can find anyplace local to look at the Frontier in person.

 

[Unregistered]

One more question. You mention a Frontier g 1.1 and a Frontier 90, but the Britax website only lists one Frontier?

 

[ketchupqueen]

Right. The Frontier 90/Clicktight has had revisions to improve the belt path. New ones are G1.1 and have had that redesign while the original Frontier 90 from when it first came out has belt path issues in some cars. If you order from a high volume retailer like Amazon you should be getting a newer (G1.1) version.

 

[Unregistered]

I'm the OP
I bought a Frontier G1.1. Thanks for your help.