Sunshine Radian 65 or 80?

[Anonymous]

I am researching these 2 seats.

From the pictures online the 80 appears more plush.
Also, the specs of the products - they appear to be the same size (base / height / depth)

Has anyone seen them side by side? What are your thoughts? I currently have Britax car seats but need to transition to these for size issues. (Ability to eventually get 3 seats across a sedan)

Also are these carried anywhere locally?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I've seen the 65 at Burlington Coat Factory, but haven't seen the 80 in person.

[Anonymous]

We have the Sunshine Radian 80 and love it. Honestly, it is what they had in stock at Buy Buy Baby which is why we bought it over the 65.

[Anonymous]

You can probably see them in person at Great Beginnings in Gaithersburg (call first if that's a hike for you).

I love these seats, they are well-built.

[Anonymous]

We love our Sunshine Radian 80s. I can't speak to the 65.

[Anonymous]

We have the 65; got it at Buy Buy Baby. Good seat, but be warned that it is VERY heavy (not ideal for dropping off at school for a field trip, e.g.). Also initially our kids didn't like it that much because it's much lower than the Roundabout, and they couldn't see as well out the window.

BTW, although the dimensions seem relatively small, they are somehow not that small in real life. We can get three Roundabouts across in our A4; not sure about 3 Radians. Currently we have 1 Radian 65, one Roundabout, and a backless booster in the middle. Definitely try before you buy if space is a prime consideration.

[Anonymous]

To PP - thank you so much as I have an a4 as well so that info is very useful!

[Anonymous]

Just to the clarify--to fit the 3 Roundabouts, we have to install the middle one so that its "wings" slightly overlap those of the seats on either side. But it's quite secure.

[Anonymous]

The 65 and the 80 are the same except for the weight limits (can't even tell them apart without reading the label). So the 65 is not anymore plush than the 80. With that said, we bought the 80, but I've read on a lot of sites that the 65 is fine if your dc is on the bigger side, as he/she will be too tall for it before reaching the 80 pound limit.

[Anonymous]

How does the Radian compare to the Roundabout/Marathon? I'm not the OP but I'm in the market for one of these seats pretty soon. Can the Radian rear-face? Is it a good seat for a 6-9 month old?

[Anonymous]

To 22:10 - The Radian can rear-face. It's much slimmer than the Roundabout/Marathon, but just as heavy (if not heavier). I didn't get the Radian for my son until he was 3, but I wish I'd had it as soon as he was out of his infant seat.

[Anonymous]

One key way that the Radian differs from the Marathon/Roundabout is that the Radian sits much lower in the car because it doesn't have a base. In the Radian, the child is elevated about 4 inches, and this means that toddlers and most preschoolers can't see out the windows.

This becomes an issue if your child is prone to car sickness, I found.