This is all theoretical, as we are still TTC, but I'm a planner and a dreamer and a CPST, so today my thoughts are on car seats for a newborn.
My original "plan", if you will, was to purchase 2 radian xtsl's - 1 for my car and 1 for my husband's. We have a Corolla (in which I've received confirmation that it is possible to achieve the necessary newborn angle, though I haven't tried it myself) and a 3 door hatchback Yaris (which, because I'm shorter and don't usually have a front seat passenger, actually has just as much or more backseat space than the Corolla, where my husband is tall and where we would also need the front passenger seat back away from the airbag). I think regardless of what we started with, we would end up with radians down the road because of our intent to RF as long as possible and also to drive compact cars until absolutely necessary to purchase something larger - thus needing the narrow footprint to fit 3 across.
However - kink in my original thought - we live in the NW and have family in the midwest, so we would definitely be flying 3+ times a year, and would definitely be using the car seat on the plane. I don't mind a challenge, but I've heard that radians can be near-impossible to RF on a plane, especially at a newborn/young infant angle (would love for someone to refute that!). We're never on flights long enough that I think it would absolutely necessary for the person in front of the car seat to recline (really I think it's funny that people even complain about 2", but hey, whatever makes you happy) and we could arrange for one of us to ride in that seat if necessary.
Anyways - other seats I'm considering besides the 2 radians are the Chicco Keyfit 30 (w/ second base for other car) and the Combi Coccoro. I've been looking at those Google Docs spreadsheets for infant and convertible seats, to compare things like top harness and shell height. If we went with the KF30, by the time it's outgrown, would we be able to install the radian at an upright enough angle to fit in a plane (or, conversely, would you find it acceptible to FF on the plane and RF in the car, safety records being what they are?), or would we end up purchasing all 3: the KF30, then the CCO for flying, then the radian for the car? I also don't mind just starting with 2 CCO's - I have no particular attraction to the bucket seat, but it is a little cheaper to buy a second base than 2 CCO's and has a little added convenience factor.
Lots of words to say - help me plan for fun? What would YOU do?
My original "plan", if you will, was to purchase 2 radian xtsl's - 1 for my car and 1 for my husband's. We have a Corolla (in which I've received confirmation that it is possible to achieve the necessary newborn angle, though I haven't tried it myself) and a 3 door hatchback Yaris (which, because I'm shorter and don't usually have a front seat passenger, actually has just as much or more backseat space than the Corolla, where my husband is tall and where we would also need the front passenger seat back away from the airbag). I think regardless of what we started with, we would end up with radians down the road because of our intent to RF as long as possible and also to drive compact cars until absolutely necessary to purchase something larger - thus needing the narrow footprint to fit 3 across.
However - kink in my original thought - we live in the NW and have family in the midwest, so we would definitely be flying 3+ times a year, and would definitely be using the car seat on the plane. I don't mind a challenge, but I've heard that radians can be near-impossible to RF on a plane, especially at a newborn/young infant angle (would love for someone to refute that!). We're never on flights long enough that I think it would absolutely necessary for the person in front of the car seat to recline (really I think it's funny that people even complain about 2", but hey, whatever makes you happy) and we could arrange for one of us to ride in that seat if necessary.
Anyways - other seats I'm considering besides the 2 radians are the Chicco Keyfit 30 (w/ second base for other car) and the Combi Coccoro. I've been looking at those Google Docs spreadsheets for infant and convertible seats, to compare things like top harness and shell height. If we went with the KF30, by the time it's outgrown, would we be able to install the radian at an upright enough angle to fit in a plane (or, conversely, would you find it acceptible to FF on the plane and RF in the car, safety records being what they are?), or would we end up purchasing all 3: the KF30, then the CCO for flying, then the radian for the car? I also don't mind just starting with 2 CCO's - I have no particular attraction to the bucket seat, but it is a little cheaper to buy a second base than 2 CCO's and has a little added convenience factor.
Lots of words to say - help me plan for fun? What would YOU do?
