Our Review of the Sunshine Kids Radian 80 convertible car seat
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We do our best to stay objective here at EliteCarSeats.com. We might be a retailer, but our goal is to inform and educate you about car seats while you shop. That being said, we're about to make a very bold statement:
"The Sunshine Kids Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need."
We'll get to the "probably' part in a second.*
The Sunshine Kids Radian 80 is one of two car seats produced that secures a child from birth up until they are 80lbs!! The other car seat is the Sunshine Kids Radian XT.
The Radian 80 is rear facing until your child is 35 lbs.
Once your child has reached 35 lbs or so, you simply spin the Radian 80 around your child has a comfortable and very safe forward facing car seat with a narrow profile that (and this is another one of Sunshine Kids trademarks) folds up into a slim, 7" thick package. What's more, its v-shaped top tether allows you to use the top tether when in the rear facing position. Only a select few car seats can claim this particular feature.
Tested again and again, the Radian 80 has Safety Feature after Safety Feature
Not only does the Radian 80 exceed all Federal Safety Standards, it has numerous additional safety measures in place to ensure that your child, no matter what their age or weight, will be totally secure. Along with Recaro and Safeguard, the Radian 80 is one of only a few car seats built on a steel alloy frame; most are made entirely of plastics. While this does make the Radian 80 somewhat heavier than the average car seat, this extra weight adds a level of stability that owners of the Sunshine Kids Radian 65 already appreciate.
This added stability, and a few other safety enhancing features, only improve on the Radian 80 convertible car seat's overall appeal. In addition, the fabrics of the Radian 80's seat are plush and comfortable.
(Note: Sunshine Kids seat fabrics are not machine washable. Hand wash and line-dry only)
A growing movement amongst car seat safety advocates encourages parents to keep their children in a car seat with a 5-point harness for as long as possible. While the Radian 65 works until kids are 65 lbs, few seats secure kids up to 80 lbs. The Radian 80 virtually eliminates the need for a booster seat.
*Bottom Line
If "the Sunshine Kid's Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need," the "probably" part of this statement comes into play when you directly compare the Radian 80 with the Britax Regent.
While the Radian 80 has a very high weight capacity, the seat width is only 10" vs. the Regent's 14" seat. However, the Radian 80 has 3" more shoulder room than the 65 lb weight capacity Britax Marathon.
The Britax Regent may be a bit wider, but it is very bulky, is only forward facing, and does not fold like the Radian 80. Because the Radian 80 is so narrow, you can potentially put three of them side by side in the back seat. Three Regents side by side? Impossible.
What's the difference between the Radian XT and Radian 80?
- The Radian XT has a height-adjustable headrest while the Radian 80 has a stationary headrest.
- The Radian XT offers amazing side impact protection thanks to 7" deep sides. The Radian 80 offers side impact protection, but the sides are not as deep as on the XT.
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- Manhattan
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- Monaco
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- Princess
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- Super Cool
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- Manhattan without pads
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- Manhattan with headrest
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- Manhattan folded
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- Super Cool folded
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- Installed rear facing
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- Safe-Stop and Super-Lock
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- Radian back
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- Forward facing
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- Rear facing
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Click here to download instruction manual. (Adobe Reader required) |
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Car seat specs
- Min child weight
- 5 lbs.
- Max child weight
- 80 lbs.
- Rear-facing minimum weight
- 5 lbs.
- Max child weight - Rear Facing mode
- 35 lbs.
- Min child weight - Forward Facing mode
- 22 lbs.
- Max child weight - Forward facing mode
- 80 lbs.
- Max harness weight capacity
- 80 lbs.
- Min child height
- n/a
- Max child height
- 53"
- Min child height - Forward facing mode
- n/a
- Max 5-pt harness child height capacity
- 53"
- Min height for booster use
- n/a
Car seat dimensions
- Product weight
- 20.5 lbs.
- Seat Base / Foot Width
- 17"
- Seat height
- 28.5"
- Interior seat width
- 11.4"
- Bottom to lowest harness slot
- 8"
- Bottom to highest harness slot
- 18"
- Seat weight (without base)
- 20.5 lbs.
Sunshine Kids Radian 80 convertible car seat Reviews
All Customer Reviews
- Average Rating:
- Highest Rating:
- Lowest Rating:
- Number of Reviews:
- 127
ten months later
Reviewer: Mommy , Ohio
Date: September 25, 2009
(Continuation of first impressions continued). Well, it has been ten months and we still love our Radian. We have had no problems with it, other than the difficulty tightening/loosening the straps in the forward facing position. We pull the strap from the back of the seat and all works out fine. Small glitch for such a great seat. If we ever need another car seat, the Radian will be tops on our list.
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I just wish the straps wouldn't tangle...
Reviewer: Anonymous , Dallas, TX
Date: July 21, 2009
We went to the Radian 80 from Britax Boulevard when we had our third child. The Boulevard seats are HUGE, but we absolutely LOVED those seats. Our minivan has been adapted because my husband is a wheelchair user, and we needed to get three seats across the back row. We were able to fit three Radian 80 seats across the rear seat of a Chrysler Town & Country (extended wheelbase) although it was a tight fit because the rear seat of the van fit over the rear wheelbase which is the narrowest portion of the rear of the vehicle. We really like these seats. They were relatively easy to install although if you are installing them with the shoulder belts and not LATCH, it's a bit tricky because the area that you thread the belt through is tight. Smaller hands work best here. We like that our twins who are four and a half can get themselves out of their seats. This makes getting through the carpool lane of their school easier. (They know that they are NEVER to work on their straps until the car has to a complete stop and I say, "The car is in PARK.") However, the strap clips are difficult enough to unclip that our two-year-old cannot get out of the seat himself. There are two major downsides to these seats as I see it. 1) The straps get tangled easily. I wish these seats had the rubber strap guides along the top of each strap above the crotch clip (I didn't know what else to call this clip!) like the Britax does. These guides REALLY DO help keep the straps from tangling, especially after your child gets taller and there's more strap length to tangle. Also, the guides on the Radian 80 that bring the straps into the waist are too loose. Because of this, the straps frequently get turned around in the guide and you have to reverse the orientation of the straps to keep them from twisting. 2) Be careful about the fabric you select. We got the Super Cool fabric for the boys because every dealer we searched did not have Manhattan in stock. Almost all small children wear shoes with Velcro closures. The Velcro absolutely ruins the Super Cool fabric. The texture of the Super Cool is rough and catches and attaches itself to the Velcro. The boys' seats look as though we've attacked them with sandpaper or worse. This fabric may not show dirt and wear and tear because of the color but this fabric is a beast to clean if you have a major clean-up to handle. Our daughter picked out the Princess fabric for herself, and although I personally hate pink, I'm so glad I bought her the seat with the Princess fabric because I've found the fabric to hold up to repeated climbing in and out by a child whose shoes have velcro straps. The fabric has been easier to clean as well. However, since we MUST have three across the back row, Sunshine Kids is our only choice. Apart from the two things I've mentiond, we're quite happy with them and feel that our children are very safe in them. And, of course, that's the most important thing! (By the way, I would have mentioned the crotch buckle strap is too short, but I read a Elite Carseats' response to a different review and will be ordering the exstended center buckle strap for my boys! Buying from Elite Carseats has been such a great process. We believe that they offer the most extensive consumer information of any site that we've used to purchase baby/child products.)
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Nice Car Seat
Reviewer: Anonymous , Eugene, Oregon
Date: May 05, 2009
I really don't have anything else to compare it to except for my infant carseat. I like how compact this seat is and that it doesn't take up a lot of room in the backseat. It is a bit heavy to carry but at least it folds and you can carry it--which is really nice when travelling. IT did get stuck on the airplane seat (embarassing) and I ended up being late for my connecting flight because of it... Also I would have gotten different fabric, the manhatten (?) (the one with the little holes) gets picked from my daughters shoes, so it doesn't look as nice. Would be great if you could switch out the covers...
Comments from The Staff:
Thank you so much for your review. I wanted to drop a quick note and let you know that Sunshine Kids does offer replacement covers. Please check out their accessory page for details.
Thanks,
Michelle
EliteCarSeats.com
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Perfect Fit
Reviewer: Aylin Gay , Cary, NC
Date: January 17, 2009
We decided on the Radian 80 because of its compact size and its "life expectancy". We use the Sunshine Radian 80 in our Honda Accord along with a European made Britax Rommer. I was worried that it would be too tight for my 3 year old daughter but she is comfortable in it. It sits low and is not wide and bulky like the Britax and when one my one year old outgrows the Britax, we will probably upgrade to the Sunshine 80. The only major worry I have is the buckle in the seat. Others have said that it does not have enough space. My daugher fits into it well for now. She is almost 30 pounds. It has 3 spaces and is set to the largest one right now. The second concern is that it does not recline like my Britax but my daughter has slept in it with her head falling forward or to the side(it has side cushions) for at least an hour at a time on 3 hour car trips.
The seat arrived quickly and as expected. It was quite easy to set up as a forward facing seat using the latch system. I have had to move it into a small mazda and use it with the seat belt once and that turned out to be an easy move.
I will be watching my daughters ability to use it because of the buckle but we are satisfied with its size, its safety record and comfort for our daughter. I do wish it would recline in a forward facing position.
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First impressions CONTINUED
Reviewer: Mommy , Dayton, OH
Date: December 28, 2008
Well, we have been using the seat backward facing for several weeks now and I can say that we are still very happy! As others have stated, the seat is very large. We have a saturn outlook suv and the top of the car seat is pressed between our front seats. It fits fine but you will really want to check this factor out before buying the seat if you plan to use it backward facing. Installation was no more difficult than any other car seat. It took my husband about 15 min. We did not have a floor latch for the top tether so we ended up tethering it to a part of the seat frame that is bolted into the floor (as per instructions). The seat did not seam stable without the top tether secure. With it, its a tank! Also, as others have stated, it is very difficult to tighten the straps the traditional way in the backward facing position. We reach behind the seat, tighten the strap by hand and then pull on the lower stap as normal to secure it. Its an easy solution and doesnt really take that much more time/energy. My daughter loves this seat. The seat is made in such a way that her view is no longer impeded, so she can sit and watch the world go by to her hearts content. She is a reflux baby and has had no trouble sitting in this seat. She is 14 months and 90% for height and has no problem sitting in this seat backward facing. Also, when she sleeps her head stays upright rather than lulling forward. She was never comfortable enough to sleep in her old seat, and it was a nice seat. I dont think you would want to have to transfer this seat around a lot, simply because of its weight and size. It could be done though. This is also not the type of seat you would take out of the care and place in say a shopping cart to secure the baby in while you shop. Something we did a lot when the baby was little, so you may want to keep that in mind. We all love this seat and would buy it again with no hesitation. In fact, once she is forward facing we may buy a second one for daddys car!
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First impressions
Reviewer: Mommy , Dayton, OH
Date: December 13, 2008
Trying to find the right car seat has been a daunting task. I wanted to write a review that would hopefully help others suffering through this process! I ordered the Radian 80 with Princess print cover. It was ordered late in the evening, shipped the next day and arrived the day after that! Way to go elitecarseats.com! My husband and I are very pleased with what we have seen thus far. This seat is very sturdy! Our 13 month old, who is average weight and 90th percentile height, has plenty of room to grow. The shoulder straps are in the second of five slots and the buckle strap is in the middle slot. Contrary to the instructions, I decided to risk washing the cover in my newer style front loader. I washed the seat on the hand was setting, cold water and low spin. It came out great and is currently air drying. I plan to write periodic updates as we experience more of what this particular seat has to offer. The only other thing I can tell you at the moment, is that the baby loved the seat the moment she saw it! She spent most of the afternoon sitting in it while she played with puzzles/books or watched TV in the living room!
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Great Car Seat Will last long
Reviewer: Chu , Breckenridge, CO
Date: December 10, 2008
I have a Britax Roundabout that my infant son is using and my 2yr old son is now upgraded to the Radian80. My 2yr old LOVES his Britax Roundabout and was upset to switch. When I said that this Radian is now his new big boy seat, he's been a happy clam ever since. I was concern that the Radian has a lower seat and the sides might cover his view. But it didn't affect him at all. He's able to see outside and sleep really well in his Radian. I just have to buy the neckwings from Kiddopotomus and he was comfortable. I have used this seat for both infant and toddler and they are easy to install in both ways (front and rear facing). I have also traveled w/ them to Seattle and St. Louis. The only problem with Radian is that it is really heavy to carry. But that is fine with me, just get the Gogo Kidz and you don't have to worry about lugging it around the airport. As for the problem with the bottom buckle that was hurting a couple of kids, both my sons (skinny and husky size) are comfortable with the buckle. And if you want the front facing to recline back, just pop up the plastic incline on the bottom of the seat. It doesn't recline as far back as the rear facing, but it is still very comfortable.
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I've got 3 Radian 80 car seats!
Reviewer: Anonymous , Virginia Beach, VA
Date: November 20, 2008
I have 3 of these seats in the back of my 2004 Toyota Corolla for my children ages 3, 2, and 6 months old; the center seat is rear facing at this time. The seats feel sturdy and secure. My husband and I even hauled these seats on an airplane trip across the country because our older children can easily unbuckle airplane seat belts and dart off. I like that the seats can be carried like a backpack with the purchase of 1 additional strap. My youngest seems to enjoy the comfiness of the additional cusions that can be installed for smaller riders now that she's grown too big for her Combi Connection carseat (with the base attachment the Combi Connection can also fit in the back of a 2004 Corolla along with 2 Radian 80 seats).
I didn't give this seat 5 stars because installation can be a bit of a pain. When anchoring these seats to LATCH in the forward facing positing the strap often becomes bunched before feeding through the tightening mechanism (not sure what to call that part) and will not budge. It appears that the reason for this is the strap is forced into a curved position through the forward facing belt path rather than having a flatter surface to be pulled against. I found the best way to prevent the bunching into the tightening mechanism is to use your fingers to ensure the strap does not bunch while the strap is tightened. Other than that I love the seats, their size and their ability to travel well when folding the seat bottom. I would recommend this seat to anyone with a small car and 2 or more children needing car seats.
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Update... What we were looking for...
Reviewer: Anonymous , leonardtown, md
Date: October 24, 2008
Please see my previous review, "What We Were Looking For". We have been using this seat forward facing now and wanted to add some updates.
Pros: Ease of use. Fits great in our Honda van forward facing. Slim profile. Easy to maneuver around. Seems comfortable for now 19 month old son. Travelled with... HEAVY but folded easy. Used straps to carry like a backpack and worked great. Got many comments about how much easier it would be to carry a seat like that... It is
Cons: HEAVY...not such a big deal to us still but be aware. The fabric (SuperCool) is our biggest disappointment. It has not held up well. I would highly recommend a different fabric. Every drop of liquid continues to show. Even more frustrating is the pilling by our son's feet. He wears some shoes with velcro...like many kids?!... and the fabric gets pilled and pulled from the velcro. Looks horrible for such an expensive still fairly new seat. We have contacted the company to see if we can get a new cover. It is frustrating to have to buy the second strap to carry seat like a backpack. It would really be impossible to me to carry with one strap for any amount of time. Straps are not the best quality. Very plasticky and cheap feeling to carry such a heavy seat. I don't know how many trips they will hold up for.
Overall: We would still buy this seat... in a different fabric.. the pros to us outweigh the cons!
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