Sunshine Kids Radian65 Convertible Car Seat Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)REVIEW
- Foldable seat - This is the key reason that we purchase this as opposed to buying another Britax Marathon.Once the seat is folded, it is about 7" thick.There are tabs on the frame to allow you to carry it with a strap (sold separately).
- Carry bag (sold separately) - We also purchased the bag/backpack to carry the seat onto planes.It fits the seat like a glove and can be converted from shoulder-carry to backpack.BTW, if you want to go minimalist, you can also unbuckle these straps and hook them onto the seat's frame.Very convenient.
- Steel frame - Although the Radian is slimmer than the Britax, it is still quite heavy (20 lb.) due to its steel frame.Since we only plan to lug the seat on infrequent plane trips, this was not much of an issue for us.
- Fabric - Suede feel, less velour-like, more fitted than Britax.Padding is about the same thickness as Britax but looks less as the suede fabric is more tailored (not as puffy).
- Seat Size - definitely a narrower seat (many board members have reported that you can fit 3 of these seats in the back seat).
- Comfort - My 3 year old son has not had any complaints about the seat.I did notice that the seat belts are a bit closer together when buckled and thus making the padded epaulettes (comes with the seat) essential to prevent seat belt burn on the neck.
- Chest Clips - They do feel a bit flimsier than Britax (has extra rubber pad (HUGS in their lingo)).
- Rear Facing - We are using it forward facing so we did not need to install the additional based for rear facing.I am annoyed that the car seat is not all in one piece but I suppose it lowers the weight for traveling for those who only need forward facing.
- Recline - There are only 2 options - recline or upright with very little recline.We chose the recline position and my son is comfortable napping in this position.It is also not overly reclined to prevent him checking out the road.
- Installation - Some people complained of installation problems.We used LATCH (forward facing) on our 2006 Mazda5 and did not have any problems with the installation.We have yet to try installing it with a seat belt.Overall, I think the Britax is easier to install with its clip locks for seat belt installation and versa tether to allow for front tethering options.However, if you plan to use LATCH forward facing, both the Britax and the Radian65 are equally easy to install.

CONCLUSION
The Radian65 is a very nice seat that is far more portable due to its folding seat than the Britax Marathon.I especially like its innovative portable features with the carry bag and the tabs on the seat for carrying it.This is a cool feature that I did not find in any other seat.

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Product Description:
Radian is a Convertible Car Seat for rear-facing children 5 to 33 lbs. and forward-facing children up to 65 lbs in a 5-point harness. Maximum child height is 51 inches. It features a high-stength steel alloy frame and 5 harness slot positions that are all reinforced for forward-facing use. Includes SafeStop, which absorbs harness load energy in an accident. It's also the only car seat in the world that folds to just 7". Advanced safety and performance features set new standards since it exceeds current regulations used to measure safety, convenience and comfort for the car seat industry. Champagne is tan and charcoal gray.
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