Sunshine Kids Radian XT convertible car seat

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(12 Reviews)

$239.99

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Our Review of the Sunshine Kids Radian XT convertible car seat

On Sale for $239.99! Regularly priced at $279.99. Save $40 (14%)

Raise your expectations with the Sunshine Kids Radian XT. This slim, adaptable, and comfortable car seat surrounds kids with energy absorbing EPS foam while the height adjustable, aluminum-reinforced head-support provides total Side Impact Protection (SIP). And with a rear-facing limit of 40 lbs and a forward-facing limit of 80 lbs, you'll drive worry free, knowing that your child is sitting in a truly elite car seat.

Awards & Praise for the Sunshine Kids Radian XT

The Sunshine Kids Radian XT is a Parent Tested, Parent Approved (PTPA) Winner!

Standout Features:

Total Side Impact Protection thanks to the aluminum reinforced head support with 7" deep sides and energy-absorbing EPS foam that surrounds your child's head and body.
Height adjustable head-rest to accommodate growth spurts.
2" more shoulder room than the Britax Marathon.
Fit 3 seats across in the back seat.
Folds flat to be carried over your shoulder or like a back pack. Great for travel!
Steel alloy frame for strength.
Thick memory foam padding in the seat for comfort.

Installation: The Radian XT from Sunshine Kids installs rear-facing from 5 - 40 lbs and forward facing from at least one-year-old and 22 - 80 lbs. Install the seat using LATCH or your vehicle's seat belts. What's more, it's v-shaped top tether allows you to use the top tether when in the rear facing position. Using the top tether in rear-facing installation accomplishes a more secure install and helps ensure that baby's seat is at the proper angle. And great news for parents of 3 - the Radian XT fits 3 across, even in small cars.

While installing the Radian XT isn't rocket science, a careful read of the instructions ensures proper installation. The good news is that once installed, the XT is rock solid.

Convenience: When customers call EliteCarSeats.com and want a slim, travel-friendly car seat with an 80 lb 5-point harness, we recommend a Sunshine Kids Radian XT car seat. Why? The Sunshine Kids Radian XT fits 3 seats across, even in 4-door sedans. The XT folds and can be slung over your shoulder for easy carrying. And of course, the high-harness weight limit and 3" more shoulder room than similar car seats means that the Radian XT will probably last until your little one graduates to a booster car seat.

Benefits for Baby: Thick, memory foam padding in the seat provides cushion for the tush, while the sophisticated look means the Radian XT appeals to older children. The XT also offers 3" more shoulder room over comparable car seats like the Britax Marathon and an adjustable headrest, adding extra comfort for growing kids.

Safety:

Side Impact Protection
EPS foam
5-point harness
Meets or exceeds FMVSS 213
Rear-Facing tether

Comparison: The older brother to the XT is the Sunshine Kids Radian 80. The Radian 80 forgoes the XT's adjustable headrest and SIP, but still offers a slim profile and high harness weight limit of 80 lbs. For a wider car seat, check out the Britax Frontier, which offer much more seat width than either the Radian 80 or Radian XT. The width also means that the Frontier is bulkier, which makes it a difficult fit when you need more than one car seat. The Frontier has an 80 lb harness weight limit and doubles as a car booster seat, but it cannot be used rear-facing like the Radian 80 or Radian XT.

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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Rear facing
Forward facing

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Click here to download instruction manual. (Adobe Reader required)

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: 40 lbs.
Min child weight - Forward Facing mode: 22 lbs.
Max child weight - Forward facing mode: 80 lbs.
Max harness weight capacity: 80 lbs.
Minimum weight for booster mode: n/a
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: 23.5 lbs
Seat Base / Foot Width: 17"
Seat height: 28.5"
Interior seat width: 13"
Bottom to lowest harness slot: 8"
Bottom to highest harness slot: 18"

Total Side Impact Protection thanks to the aluminum reinforced head support with 7" deep sides and energy-absorbing EPS foam that surrounds your child's head and body.
Height adjustable head-rest to accommodate growth spurts.
3" more shoulder room than comparable car seats like the Britax Marathon.
Fit 3 seats across in the back seat.
Folds flat to be carried over your shoulder or like a back pack. Great for travel!
Steel alloy frame for strength.
Thick memory foam padding in the seat for comfort.
The Radian XT from installs rear-facing from 5 - 40 lbs and forward facing from at least one-year-old and 22 - 80 lbs.
Install the seat using LATCH or your vehicle's seat belts.
V-shaped top tether allows for use of the top tether anchor in the rear facing position.
Folds and comes with a carry strap.
Memory foam cushion for comfort.

Sunshine Kids Radian XT convertible car seat Reviews

All Customer Reviews

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Number of Reviews:: 12

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sunshine kids car seats XT

Reviewer: Anonymous , Dallas, TX Date: October 14, 2009

I originally have 2 britax car seats, some how one of the car seat's cover is shrink after washed. after tons of searching, I finally found this car seat, sunshine kids Radian XT (Nassau). I bought this car seat for my older son who is 3.5 years old, this is a strong car seat, love the fabric, its come with all the extras. I can see my son use this car seat for years to come. I am ordering another one for my 15 month old son, so they both can have the same car seats in each of our car. It is everything it is says in the description, definitely worth the money. it is expired in 8 years meaning its only cost $2.5/months.. well, good car seat is not a luxury item, it is for safety & peace of mind knowing we can do the best to protect our children. This is way better than our britax, I wish I know about this seat earlier

5 of 5 people found this review helpful

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Super Solid Seat

Reviewer: Anonymous , Brewster, MN Date: August 29, 2009

My son is 5 months and has outgrown his infant seat, so he's a big baby. We've been researching car seats for a while now. I had read about this one, but it wasn't high on my list. I thought I had it narrowed down to two others. I then called customer service to ask a few questions. I didn't get the reassurance I had hoped for on my top two choices so I started dropping down through my list of seats. The elitecarseat.com rep suggested I look at the Radian XT because my son would likely quickly outgrow the others. It's here now, and it's such an impressive seat. It really is heavy, but I see this as a positive...the frame is steel. Getting the straps set up and getting this installed is harder than just popping it out of the box, but it isn't rocket science either. I used the seat belt straps rather than LATCH because my owner's manual had a top limit for weight on LATCH. Between the seat and my son's combined weight we were pushing that limit. I drive a Mercury Mariner and this fits perfectly rear facing in the middle of the backseat. It would not fit on the sides as my husband and I are both tall. If you are driving a smaller vehicle, you're probably going to have issues with this one in rear facing position. One minor disadvantage is that it does not have strap holders to keep straps out of the way when putting your child in. The adjustable side impact protection doesn't come far enough down for an infant to use, but the sides of the seat are deep enough to accomplish this. I feel like this is the most study and solid seat out there, and I'm glad we tried it. Even with our monster baby, we'll be using this for years to come. Radian is an excellent investment. Also pleased that free shipping took only 2 days.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

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Only one for us

Reviewer: Anonymous , Reston, VA Date: June 20, 2009

This was our only choice because it fits up to 80 lbs. in a 5 pt. harness. We want that safety! I realize my child might be too tall before he is 80 pounds, of course. The police safety check installed ours, and the seat is a monster at 26 pounds. Why having it fold and including a carry case is beyond me. It's too heavy to move around! We never plan to move it though. We did forward belt installation, and two guys had to really pull the belt to get it tight. They said Latch is not the best choice for ANY size kid with this seat because the seat is so heavy. We would not use this seat rear-facing because the back is so high that the passenger in front would have no leg room. I think an infant would be much more comfy in an infant or convertible seat. For my tall 3-year-old, this seat is the one for us. I bought a second one in pink for my 19-month-old girl. We have two Radians next to each other, plus a Britax Companion on one end. Three kids across the back of a Chevy Malibu 2004! I am happy with my purchase overall.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

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Good seat, but less life in it than you think

Reviewer: Sarah Lancaster , Fort Collins, CO Date: June 02, 2009

We just bought an XT a couple weeks ago for my 4-1/2 year old daughter. Her daily seat is a Britax Regent (love, love, *love* it). We bought this for Daddy's truck, since daughter outgrew her current seat and we need a narrow seat to fit in the truck. Overall, we really like this seat. It was easy to install. It's heavy, but not ridiculously so. I wouldn't want to carry it through an airport, but it's not a big deal to tote it from car to car. It's also very easy to install forward facing, and fits very snugly in the van. We need a lock-off in the truck, as it tends to work itself loose there. I like that it is safety rated for higher weights *without* the rear tether, which no other seat is, in my understanding. This is a must, since there are no anchors in husband's truck. Daughter found it comfortable, though it's not nearly as padded as any of the Britax seats we own. The headrest didn't seem to obscure her vision or bother her. She can buckle herself in, which is helpful, and she can't do in her Regent. She can also unbuckle the chest clips - not a big deal for us, as she would never do it while driving, but something to consider if you have a Houdini. I also found the harness easy to loosen and tighten, much easier than the Regent. One big downside: the seat claims to go up to 80lb, but there is no way my daughter is going to use it that long. She is average for height and slightly lighter weight than average, but she has only about 2" of growth room in the shoulder before she outgrows the harness height. I can't imagine any normal weight child making it anywhere close to 80 lb in this seat. I only hope that my daughter lasts a few more years in it. On a less serious note, we got the grey seat, and I have a feeling it's going to be a total mess soon. We got some mud on the seat that I scrubbed off immediately. It came pretty clean, but the light grey fabric is slightly stained. One of my favorite things about our Britax seats is how easy it is to pull the covers off and throw them in the wash. That obviously isn't going to happen in this seat. Overall, a very good seat, with just a few flaws.

13 of 14 people found this review helpful

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Possibly the perfect seat for me

Reviewer: Anonymous , Northern Virginia Date: May 25, 2009

I purchased this seat for several reasons: 1) I needed another convertible for my nephew so that he could remain rear-facing to 35 pounds. 2) I needed a narrow seat that would puzzle next to a Graco Nautilus and would still allow for an adult passenger on the other side. 3) I wanted a seat that would compliment my Nautilus so that I could transport any child from birth through booster age. The Radian XT is the "perfect" seat for me. The Radian XT installs beautifully in my car. I have installed it both rear-facing and forward-facing, using both LATCH and seatbelt (NOT at the same time. These were separate installations), in both outboard and center positions. It has installed easily in each situation. The shell is quite tall, so it should allow my nephew to rear-face for at least another year (until he is over two). The cover is SO soft and all the padding makes it easy to customize for each child. The cover blends well with my vehicle's tan interior and with my gray Nautilus cover. My only complaint is that the D-ring attachment, which is for use with the rear-facing tether, is extremely short. It is approximately three inches shorter than the D-ring on my Britax seat, which makes it practically impossible to wrap around the seat track in my car. My D-ring is even shorter than the D-ring of other Radian owners, and it is *almost* useless because it is so short.

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

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No more screaming!

Reviewer: Michelle , Oakland Twp, MI Date: March 13, 2009

My 9 month old daughter HATED riding in her infant seat. She actually smiles and laughs when we put her in the XT. The seat is solid as a rock. We installed it rear facing in my compact car and it fit! Installation was easy and quick. The only issue we've experienced is that in the rear facing position, the harness adjuster is smashed against the seat back and is extremely hard to pull. We found that reaching behind the seat and pulling the harness tight and then pulling the adjuster strap works much better. Very minor issue in the grand scheme of things. My daughter is too tall to use the infant head rest but the side impact wings give her enough support to sleep comfortably while in the lowest position. Overall, a great seat that we will get many years of use from!

7 of 7 people found this review helpful

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Solid seat

Reviewer: Anonymous , Downstate, Illinois Date: February 18, 2009

We purchased this seat and found that the forward facing installation was straightforward, the seat seems as solid as the Radian 80, and the additional side impact wings do not interfere with our child's sight lines. On the down side, we experienced the same frustration as the Feb. 01 reviewer did when trying to move the straps to the highest setting. I finally discovered that the problem was that the moveable headrest ALSO needed to be moved to the top setting to reveal the slots. This was NOT at all obvious from the seat itself (looked like the headrest was at the highest setting already) and a call to SKJP and an e-mail to them resulted in no assitance (they have ONE tech person, apparently, and he's out of the office for a week). Four stars because although the product seems great so far, the less than clear instructions and no tech support when needed are serious negatives.

Comments from The Staff:

Glad to hear that you are happy with your Sunshine Kids Radian XT! If you ever run into problems with our products, you can always contact our customer service department. We are available by e-mail, chat, or phone!
Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!
Michelle, EliteCarSeats.com Team

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

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Heavy , but safe.

Reviewer: Colleen , Birmingham, AL Date: February 10, 2009

I decided on the Radian XT after an extensive search for a new seat for my 3 1/2 year old who had graduated from her Britax Roundabout. I wanted a very safe seat, easy to use, with good side impact protection and a 5 point harness. My daughter is just over 30 lbs. and 38 inches so I was not ready for her to be in a regular booster. This seat seems to be the answer. I loved the Britax and would have gone with the Frontier except for all of the reviews I read about difficult installation and straps that twist. The Radian XT seems to be working out great, my daughter loves her new seat and thinks she is in a booster. I do have a few complaints though. The seat is VERY heavy. We do have to move her seat rather often so the weight of the seat is inconvenient but worth the trade off for a safe seat. The plastic chest buckle is a little too flexible. When my daughter buckles herself the buckle will close incorrectly, with one of the prongs going on top of the buckle instead of inside it. We never had this problem with her Britax, the plastic seemed to be stiffer/studier and wouldn't bend. The Radian is a very slim seat on the bottom but the top of the seat is almost as wide as her Roundabout. My last complaint is that I wish this seat converted to a booster. Overall, I am satisfied and know that my child is buckled into a very safe seat.

4 of 4 people found this review helpful

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One small flaw, but overall a superior product

Reviewer: Wendy Stallings , Silver Spring, MD Date: February 02, 2009

I bought the Radian XT for my 46" tall, 55 lbs., five year old son. I wanted to keep him in a harness as long as possible. Our big boy seems comfortable in it and we love that it doesn't eat up so much room in the backseat of our Toyota Highlander. ** This is an extremely heavy car seat. Although it is FAA approved, I can't imagine lugging it through an airport. Given the weight of the seat, carrying it with the strap provided would dig a deep hole in your shoulder. You might have to shell out for a little luggage cart to wheel it around. ** We found installation quite easy. It's as simple as guiding your car's shoulder/lapbelt through the slots on the back. For added good measure, I also used the LATCH strap simultaneously (underneath the shoulder/lapbelt so as not to interfere with it). That seat doesn't budge. Be aware that you cannot use just LATCH to secure the car seat for a child over the LATCH weight limit (48 lbs.). ** However, even though installation is quick and easy, again think about the weight if you plan to take this car seat out often to transfer it to another car. ** Since I bought this for a child who was already past the point of needing a rear-facing car seat, I cannot speak to the ease of installation in that direction, nor can I say anything about the comfort of a small child using this car seat. Also, be aware that once your child reaches 80 lbs. this seat cannot be used anymore. It does not convert to a booster seat that uses the shoulder/lapbelt across the child. However, I'm betting that my son will be in this seat for at least two to three more years. If I had bought this one when he was a baby, I would have gotten at least seven years of use out of it. I think it would have been well worth the investment. As it is, I'm still glad I spent the money for the two or three years my son will be safer than if he were in a regular booster seat. ** My son's head does not flop forward when he falls asleep. His head rests against the Side Impact Head Support (SIHS), which, by the way, doesn't seem to impede his view out the window when he's awake. ** It's a very sturdy, well made car seat, with lots of little pockets in back to store various straps. I'll give an update later to report how well the fabric wears. One nice thing: No Velcro patches on the straps to get caught on the fabric. Almost everything is adjustable, including the crotch strap. ** I found only one small design flaw, but it's not really a big deal breaker. When I went to change the harness strap to use the very top slots, I found that the slots were under the SIHS. As far as I can tell, the SIHS is not removable and there seems to be no way to move it out of the way to get access to those slots. After working with it for awhile, I managed to slide the straps under the SIHS and jam them up in the slots. Then I used a strong paperclip to pull the harness straps through the holes from the back side. But now that it;s done, I'll never have to do it again. However, now that we are using the top slots, I find it takes more strength to pull the harness straps tight against my son since the SIHS restricts their movement. ** The Radian XT is expensive, but worth it. A good car seat is not a luxury item. We have a squirmy boy who was able to unfasten his seatbelt at inappropriate times when restrained in a non-harness car seat. While I loved the convenience of him being able to get out of his seat and out of the car without my assistance (when the time was appropriate), I have traded that in for a car seat that is safer for him. With the Radian XT, the buckle does require some strength to undo, so my son cannot get out unless I reach back to unbuckle him. ** Most importantly, keeping your child in a harness car seat as long as possible gives him or her a better chance of survival if you're ever in an accident. And in the immortal words of wisdom from the Hokey Pokey, "That's what it's all about!"

Comments from The Staff:

Hi there,

Thank you SO much for your extremely detailed review! We really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience on our site and we're happy you're satisfied overall with the Radian XT. I did want to comment on one thing you mentioned just to clarify installation for everybody who may read this.

You mentioned that you installed the seat using both the car seats shoulder/lap belt AND LATCH.

"**We found installation quite easy. It's as simple as guiding your car's shoulder/lapbelt through the slots on the back. For added good measure, I also used the LATCH strap simultaneously (underneath the shoulder/lapbelt so as not to interfere with it)."

Now, I apologize if I am misinterpreting what you meant but according to installation instructions and use of this seat you should install the Radian XT by either using the car's shoulder and/or lap belt OR LATCH - not both. You may install with your vehicle's shoulder/lap belt and use the top tether part of LATCH for extra stability, but NOT the Lower Anchors of LATCH along with the seat belts for installation. Pretty much all car seats follow this same recommendation - one or the other but never both. This is the most common mis-use involving LATCH and you'd think using both would just make the installation tighter and therefore safer, right? Well, the problem is that car seat manufacturers are currently only testing LATCH installation or seat belt installation and not both so the results of installing with both methods may impact safety performance in the event of an accident.

I hope this makes sense. Let us know if you have any questions and thanks again for the great review!

Kelly
CPS Technician
EliteCarSeats.com

47 of 51 people found this review helpful

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Sunshine Kids Radian XT convertible car seat

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