 Not as portable as you'd think |
| Review Date: March 9, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Frid Nage, Cambridge, MA |
| I've had this seat for several years. It's a reasonably good seat. However, there are several issues worth mentioning. It does fold flat, which sounds great in theory. The problem is that the seat is so heavy that schlepping it through an airport is truly unpleasant. I've also found it very difficult to weave an airplane seatbelt behind the seat in order to secure it (complicated of course by everyone else trying to board the plane around you). It almost negates any benefit provided by the ability to fold. I've also had trouble securing the seat with lap and shoulder belts in an older Honda Accord that doesn't have LATCH. Securing it in our newer car with LATCH worked fine. On the plus side, this seat is pretty narrow and low profile, which may help in smaller cars. It's also tall enough to fit older children. The bottom line: if you think the folding feature makes this a good portable seat, look at one in person to determine if the weight will be an issue. |
Wonderful "skinny" carseat!!!
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| Review Date: January 6, 2010 |
| Reviewer: C. Dewey, Ohio |
| This carseat is great! I bought it b/c it was a "skinnier" carseat and I have a honda civic and have a 6 yr old who needs to be in a booster seat (new law just passed) and 3 yr old and a 5 month old, both in car seats. I didn't want to buy a new car so I opted to buy new carseats, which was the cheaper option obviously. My son loves the carseat, he fits perfectly in it and will take naps in it no problem if we go on longer drives. It is very sturdy and seems like it would do well in an accident- you can tell it's not cheaply made. However it is a little on the heavy side but I'm ok with that since I won't be taking the car seat in and out of the car. Overall the best skinny carseat I've found! |
Narrow enough to fit 3 across the back seat
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| Review Date: November 2, 2009 |
| Reviewer: DC parents, |
| The only car seat we've found that will fit 3-across in the back seat of a car. Weighs about 30 pounds, so it's a little heavy, but excellent quality. |
Compact Seat, Super Safe, Super Heavy
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| Review Date: October 18, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Pamela D. Gunderson, Hollis, AK |
I love this seat for a variety of reasons. The latches are like seat belt clips- easy to undo as well as do. The frame is solid- certain of its ability to hold up in the worst of crashes. There is a safestop belt to connect to the harness for smaller children in the seat. It folds with a velcro closure. It can recline a bit. It is well padded, even though it doesn't look like it. My son can't unbuckle himself across the chest like other seats I have. It fits in the back of my Subaru Forester with two other seats.
The downside is there is no way I would carry this seat through a big airport. It weighs close to 30 lbs and I've worn it just to transport around from car to car and it is quite a feat- very uncomfortable. I also have a Combi Coccoro and I would gladly tow it around in an airport with my three kids and pregnant belly. So, unless you have a carry bag to put it in or only have one kid I wouldn't buy this for its portability.
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Radian 65 enables 3 carseats across the bench
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| Review Date: October 3, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Danelle Jones, Florida |
| I needed a carseat that is narrow enough to allow 3 carseats across the backseat of my lexus rx350. Most carseats are too wide to allow this. The carseat installs quickly and seems to work well. |
On the heavy side, but a very good seat
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| Review Date: October 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: E. Morton, atlanta, ga |
| Purchased for my 7 mo old son who outgrew his infant carrier. We still have it rear-facing, so have no opinion on its use forward-facing. Was a bit awkward to install and is heavier than the average seat. It's also narrower than most convertible seats, which is nice if you have a smaller vehicle or have other back seat passengers. The strap to tighten the shoulder harness can be a touch on the stubborn side. Other than that, we've been very pleased with it. Have the same model in my husband's vehicle. |
LOVE IT!
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| Review Date: September 12, 2009 |
| Reviewer: melissa, seattle |
We purchased our Sunshine Kids Radian65 a while back. I was concerned about the reviews which said it was difficult to install. I have had no problems whatsoever! I have used the latch using my Toyota van, and the seat belt installation in an older Dodge van. I have used so many car seats over the years since I have five children, and this is for my youngest. I am very impressed! The straps holding our son in place are nice and stiff, meaning they do not wrinkle. My very thin, six and a half year old really likes his seat and I am so happy to find a solid and safe seat for an older child. He LOVES his seat and tells me it is very comfortable! I really like how slim the seat is, and how low it sits. It is easy for a kid to climb into, and does not look like a huge and bulky "baby" seat. This is the most positive I have felt about ANY review I have given on any Amazon purchase.
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Sunny Days Ahead!
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| Review Date: August 27, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Junior Princess, Germany |
| My daughter was about 8 months when we finally purchased a new car seat. Since I'm overseas, I don't have the luxury of actually going to stores to find the carseat that I like. The reviews for this seat were great! And the reason I picked it was that it can be folded and carried with you where ever you go. You can also buy the carrying bag seperately if you don't want to carry it like a backpack. I have a Ford Fusion and it fits fine in there rear facing. I'm a short person though and my seat is close to the wheel. Anyway, my daughter absolutely LOVES her new seat. She doesn't fight or cry when I'm putting her in her seat anymore. I'm really excited to see how it is traveling with the seat. THNX SUNSHINE KIDS! |
Love it
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| Review Date: August 21, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Lissa B., Ronkonkoma, NY |
| This is my second purchase of a Radian 65 from this seller. They are always prompt with shipping and delivery and I'm very pleased with the product. Box came a little beat up from transit but items were fine. We love this car seat because of the ratings and the ability to fit all three kids in the back seat (two radian car seats and one booster for my oldest son) in our Santa Fe. It's slim and easy to install. It has a very sleek look which fits well in our car. We traveled with one seat in the past (non stop flights round trip) and found it very heavy and cumbersome at times. I would recommend getting the arm strap and carry the seat that way. Maybe even a device that will let you roll the seat and/or child in the seat while traveling. |
Can't go wrong with this one
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| Review Date: July 15, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Cynomoon, W. Sacramento, CA |
There are 5 reasons (in no particular order) why I am so pleased that I purchased the Radian 65:
1) Although it's heavy, it folds up and a carrying case can be purchased for ease of handling when traveling. This makes it much more manageable all around. I just got tired of having to deal with the weight, bulkiness, and awkwardness of installing other brands of car seats, as well as having to deal with the frustrations of untangling harness straps.
2) Speaking of bulkiness, I was seriously considering a Britax; however, the Britax, I've noticed, is just as wide as many other brands and takes up a lot of room. Having a sedan, I don't have the luxury of extra room, so I opted for the Radian 65 because it was not only narrow, but sturdy! My 4 year old is very comfortable in it, and I've noticed that when she falls asleep, her head can rest on the pillow cushions on the sides.
I can fit the Radian 65 and an infant car seat side-by-side, and still have a full seat for a passenger. AWESOME!
3) I consider myself fairly strong at only 5'2" and 110 pounds, but I noticed that I had to enlist my husband's brute strength in order to install other brands of car seats so they wouldn't budge. This was not the case with the Radian 65. I am able to install and uninstall the Radian 65 with only a little effort without compromising the safety during installation. I consider this a very liberating feature as I don't have to depend on anyone else to safely install my own Radian 65. I just love the Radian 65 LATCH system! They are EXTREMELY user-friendly!
4) It goes up to 65 pounds! Although many parents are in a hurry to put their children in boosters once they reach 40 pounds, I choose to err on the side of caution and take every PREcaution to keep my child safe--and I believe they are SAFEST when harnessed--especially in a car seat with a steel frame!
5) The color choices match virtually every interior!
When my baby outgrows her infant car seat, we will be sure to purchase another Radian 65. In a world where it's always nice to get a good deal, I also believe you get what you pay for. The Radian 65 is worth EVERY cent! |
this is the car seat to get!!!
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| Review Date: July 8, 2009 |
| Reviewer: elizabeth b., germany |
it is so narrow, yet holds our children comfortably and safely in a 5 point harness using our vehicle's seat belt system until they are 65 pounds!! and we can fit 3 across!! there is nothing better!!!
heck, i recommend getting the radian80 if you can afford it! |
Radian
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| Review Date: June 11, 2009 |
| Reviewer: B. Sadler, |
| I love this car seat. It was easy to install in my Honda CRV, and it is easy to adjust the straps when the child it buckled in. I have two, and they fit next to each other (one rear facing, one forward) with room on one side for another passenger or another car seat. |
A perfect carseat for small cars!
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| Review Date: June 10, 2009 |
| Reviewer: C. J. Bueno, Brooklyn |
I have two of these in the backseat of my tiny Honda Civic. I initially chose the Sunshine Radian 65s b/c they're the narrowest car seats on the market. Even with two installed, I still have room for a 3rd (slender) person in my backseat.
- They are convertible seats. They can be used rear facing or forward
facing. That said, it's always safer for your baby or toddler to ride rear facing, so the guideline to move from RF to FF is generally 1 year AND at least 20lbs ... or longer. Go head and research extended RF'ing, and I think you'll be convinced that there's no hurry to turn your kid just because it's his birthday.
- The difference of the Radian 65 to Radian 80 is max harness weight. Meaning, you can use the R65 until your kid reaches the top harness slots and weighs <65lbs, or you can use the R80 until your kid reaches the top harness slots and weighs <80lbs. The kicker is that the harness slots are the same on both seats (max child height 49"), so unless you think you'll have a really stocky kid, he'll likely outgrow the seat in height before weight.
Here are the cons to this otherwise fantastic seat:
- They are HEAVY, and I'm not joking. They are steel alloy and not plastic, so they weigh a LOT more than your average car seat. The idea of someone ever folding this thing for travel is ridiculous.
- They can be tricky to get a really tight install, esp. in the middle backseat. Be out of eatshot of young children b/c you will curse a lot. If you can use it, the outboard LATCH system is the easiest installation.
- Oviously b/c of the weight and the fact they're hard to install, these are NOT good as an occasional seat for rentals or ZipCar trips.
- You will still need to buy a booster seat a few years from now when your kid is 49"+ tall or weighs 65+ lbs. But compared to the investment of a really good car seat, boosters are inexpensive.
Despite the cons, I highly recommend these seats. I'm happy that my boys will be safely secured in 5-pt harnesses for a long, long time. |
Nice car seat
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| Review Date: April 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: R. Smith, Bellevue, WA |
| I purchased this car seat for our daughter who grew out of her infant car seat. She is still under age before she can face forward. After reading the reviews, I felt this would work for us. It was easy to fold, unfold, and install in our car (passat wagon). The only thing is that the back is a little too tall - so we have to adjust either both seats so the car seat can fit in the middle, or adjust one fully so that it can fit behind one seat. So seat adjustments are kind of a pain only because we have to have our daughter facing backwards. Once she get's older, it will be perfect in our car. Other than that - I am very happy with this purchase and would recommend it. I took it with us when we made a trip to CA and it fit with plenty of room in my parents Sequoia. It is a little heavy - but if you're use to picking up a kid and toting them around, this shouldn't be too bad. For those that find it too heavy, I would suggest either getting the strap for carring it, or strap it onto a little foldable rolling cart. |
Great Seat, bottom buckle is only problem at all
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| Review Date: April 19, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Angela Price, Warsaw, IN |
I have a toyota corolla and needed to fit a 4 yr old, a 2 yr old and a newborn in the back and this seat made it possible.
I have heard great things and they are all true...
only thing that I noticed that I would change is that the buckle at the crotch is tight on my 4 yr old...could be a little more room, especially if she were to need to sit there till she was 65lbs...and right now is only 37lbs. I am constantly reminding her to scoot her bottom all the way back so we can snap it.
Best thing about it...she can actually snap all THREE of the buckles on her own and I don't have to break any of my fingers Undoing the buckles. They are all nice and smooth! |
Fits 3 Across!!
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| Review Date: April 17, 2009 |
| Reviewer: J. Fugate, |
| Unbelievably sturdy construction. I bought 3 and they all fit 3 across, forward-facing in my Pontiac G6. It is a tight fit, but they are all in there and aren't going anywhere. Very happy. |
Radian 65 has kept us safe in 2 rear end collisions.
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| Review Date: April 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: MamaBear, Jacksonville, Florida |
We've been rear ended twice while my son was sitting in his Radian 65. The insurance companies have replaced the car seat each time - which means we are on our 3rd Radian 65 (one granite, and two champagne's) Both collisions happened while we were stopped, with the other vehicle hitting us pretty hard from behind. My son in the Radian 65 (7 yrs old) was never injured, and my daughter (1 yr old) in a Britax Boulevard acted as though she hadn't even felt the impact. I attribute this to the energy absorbing foam and for the Radian, the steel frame.
We have been very happy with our Radian 65. My son will be outgrowing it in about 5 lbs, but we will pass it down to my daughter so she can stay in a 5 point harness for as long as she can. |
Solid, slim car seat
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| Review Date: April 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Mark Bovair, Detroit, MI USA |
| We have had this seat for over a month and it is exactly what we were looking for. A thin seat to fit 3 across in a back seat. It is solid, made of steel. Very comfortable for my 3 YO son. The buckles and straps are very high quality. They do not get twisted, and they adjust very easily. Very long tether strap allows for easy attaching behind the seat too. Highly recommend. |
Heavy and low
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| Review Date: April 1, 2009 |
| Reviewer: S. Forman, Elkton, MD USA |
| We got this seat for my daughter so her care provider could fit 3 in a row in her back seat. It is a sturdy seat - very, very heavy. It folds, which is nice, but I can't imagine carrying it anywhere. I feel she is safe in this seat. However, it is very low and even at 3 years old she can barely see out the window in it. Plus, the strap is starting to shred where it rubs against the clip. This is frustrating. However, the narrowness of the seat is a big plus when it was used in a 2-door with a small backseat. |
Radian 65
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| Review Date: March 23, 2009 |
| Reviewer: P Shaw, MN |
| I have two of these car seats and love them. I installed the two myself and my husband was impressed with how solid they felt in the car. My boys are comfortable and have no problem sleeping in them. I have triplets so I will be buying another Radian. |
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