Disclosure. I received a Diono Radian RXT to facilitate this review. All opinions are my own.
Years ago we had the opportunity to get our daughter a great car seat. Over the years, repeated wear and washings, and missing labels, had us concerned about how much longer it would hold up, as well as how close it was to being expired.
When I got the opportunity to review the Diono Radian RXT (a car seat I had been looking at for a while), I decided that it was a good opportunity to replace our daughters old one.
Normally at 7 we would be saying that since we only have a couple of years to go, it won’t matter. We might even suggest that we could probably get by with a booster seat even. However, our daughter is not most kids. She is a very active child, but she is definitely smaller then most kids her age, and will likely be in the seat for a while longer.
I was impressed with the various safety features when I started looking into the Diono Radian RXT.
The safety features on the Diono Radian RXT include.:
- Full steel frame and aluminum reinforced sides for unmatched safety
- Comfortably seats rear-facing children from 2.3 – 20.5 kg (5 – 45 lbs). It operates forward-facing for children from 10 – 29.5 kg (22 – 65 lbs) and up to 144cm (57″) in a 5-point harness. It then converts to a booster for children between 23 – 54 kg (50 – 120 lbs).
- Unique SuperLATCH system that makes installation easy.
- The seat fits 3 across in most mid-size vehicles, folds flat for travel and is FAA certified.
- NCAP crash tested, the industry benchmark for verifying child seat performance in severe accident conditions.
- Infant body support cushions and memory foam for added comfort.
- Energy absorbing EPS foam and side impact protection provides added safety.
- SafeStop® energy-absorbing harness.
- 12-position adjustable headrest, 5 shoulder and 3 buckle positions deliver a comfortable ride.
- Rear-facing tether capability.
- Expandable sides and long seat bottom allow proper leg support.
- Low-sitting profile makes it easy for your child to board.
- Angled cup holder keeps a variety of drinks upright and within easy reach.
- Cover is machine washable.
- Rubber bottom grips for no-slip installation.
- 10 year lifespan.
Most importantly, what did my daughter think of it?
However there is something even more important than all the safety features in the world. If your child does not find the car seat comfortable, then it simply will not work. Any parent that has tried to put a child into a car seat that they did not like will tell you. It is not a trip you want to make, if you child does not enjoy their seat. My parent’s told me this because, apparently, I actually used to get into a screaming fit when they tried to put me into their original rear facing car seat.
My daughter, however, was pleased right from the start. She had always loved her old car seat, but she was happy to switch when the time came. She loved the fact that it had a cup holder and she found that it was super comfortable. Overall I definitely think this was a great car seat choice.
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kathy downey says
My daughter is having her first come Feb. and i have shared this with her