Diono Radian for older kid?

My oldest is 5 years old and my daughter is going to be 4 soon. Both are over 40 pounds and fairly long kids. They have Graco Nautilus seats that I am very pleased with. They fit very comfortably in them
however, I am due for another baby this summer and as a result I will need to fit three carseats in the back row of my van. The Nautilus seats are too wide for that. I used to have the SK seats for them which i liked so i am looking into the Diono Radian seats, but im wondering if anyone has an older child in them that can tell me how it fits for them? I know their weight/height requirements are just as high if not higher than the Nautilus, but considering how slim the base is, I worry that they will be uncomfortable.

i will be looking into one for my 3yr he will be a 4 yr old or a bartix frontieer 85.

We are able to comfortably fit 3 across in our vehicle with 2 nautlilus and 1 radian. I have skinny kids and before we installed the seat for the baby, they liked to play in it. They seemed comfortable.

Why not keep your Nauti's for the older kids and the Radian for the newborn? The radian should fit between the 2 Nautis.
I say this because it is kind of redundant to get a convertible seat for kids who are already FF. Also, by the time the Radian is outgrown by the harness, it is basically outgrown in the booster mode as well.

Quoting Piecey.:" We are able to comfortably fit 3 across in our vehicle with 2 nautlilus and 1 radian. I have skinny kids ... [snip!] ... 1 radian. I have skinny kids and before we installed the seat for the baby, they liked to play in it. They seemed comfortable. "

My back row could only maybe fit one nautilus and two radians. But honestly im thinking it would still be a tight squeeze. The seats they have now, there is just no way to fit them. Aside from the two Nautilus seats, my youngest has a MyRide which is really wide.

Quoting l☮j:" Why not keep your Nauti's for the older kids and the Radian for the newborn? The radian should fit between ... [snip!] ... are already FF. Also, by the time the Radian is outgrown by the harness, it is basically outgrown in the booster mode as well."

A radian will not fit between the two Nautilus seats. And its not for the newborn anyways.. I have three kids already. Those three need to fit in the way back. Newborn will be in the middle row. Plus, the Radian will fit the kids up to 85 pounds.. That's another 40 pounds away. Im sure I could get at least another 2-3 years out of the seats. Then the newb could take over one of these seats if they remain in good enough shape, as they have am 8-year expiration if I remember correctly.

<blockquote><b>Quoting MunchkinWrangler:</b>" A radian will not fit between the two Nautilus seats. And its not for the newborn anyways.. I have three ... [snip!] ... take over one of these seats if they remain in good enough shape, as they have am 8-year expiration if I remember correctly."</blockquote>


I know that stats of the Radian. I'm saying getting a Radian for a FF child is redundant because you're paying for 2 features you're not even going to use.

Look on Walmart.com there is a seat called the Harmony Defender. It has the same stats as your Nautilus, but much more narrow.

Quoting l☮j:" <blockquote><b>Quoting MunchkinWrangler:</b>" A radian will not fit between the two ... [snip!] ... Look on Walmart.com there is a seat called the Harmony Defender. It has the same stats as your Nautilus, but much more narrow."

Just looked it up... The Harmony Defrnder is .10 inches WIDER than the Nautilus. Lol. Thanks for the suggestion, but no thanks... If I want to waste my money on a seat that rear faces for kids that no longer rear face, I will do so.

<blockquote><b>Quoting MunchkinWrangler:</b>" Just looked it up... The Harmony Defrnder is .10 inches WIDER than the Nautilus. Lol. Thanks for the ... [snip!] ... but no thanks... If I want to waste my money on a seat that rear faces for kids that no longer rear face, I will do so."</blockquote>



I don't know why you're getting an attitude.
The seat base, where it matters, of the defender is more narrow than The Nautilus. You cannot trust the websites stats.

The defender is 17" at its widest point. The Nautilus is 19.25"

https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0AvfUm4x64h3AdHpYd2k4RlQ1TnhUSGx4VEZaY09KUXc&hl=en

OP I just bought DD a Radian because we have a small Toyota Carola and her Nautilus made it so nobody but her could sit in the back seat with her. She is (almost) 2 and with the Radian I can fit her and two adults on the small backseat.

Quoting l☮j:" The defender is 17" at its widest point. The Nautilus is 19.25" https://spreadsheets.google.com/spreadsheet/lv?key=0AvfUm4x64h3AdHpYd2k4RlQ1TnhUSGx4VEZaY09KUXc&hl=en"

I can't click the link but thats not what the seat specs said. More so, thats still only a 2 inch difference if true, whereas the radian is more than that.

My attitude is probably connected with the fact that you are here telling me its a waste of my money, when im looking for reviews as to how your child fit in a radian. Clearly, you are not offering any advice regarding that. i dont care about the specs of this ugly Harmony seat. I want to know about how the Radian fits a bigger child. Period.

Quoting ℳonster's ℳom:" OP I just bought DD a Radian because we have a small Toyota Carola and her Nautilus made it so nobody ... [snip!] ... could sit in the back seat with her. She is (almost) 2 and with the Radian I can fit her and two adults on the small backseat."

Yeah,my kids had the seats at that age, and until about 3 years old. I totalled my car and had to get new ones. Since they were FF I just got the Nautilus seats... Which were fine until now when im crunching for space. Im more worried that it will be too narrow for their bottoms and be uncomfortable. Nowhere around here sells them so I can't really test them out.

Quoting MunchkinWrangler:" Yeah,my kids had the seats at that age, and until about 3 years old. I totalled my car and had to get ... [snip!] ... it will be too narrow for their bottoms and be uncomfortable. Nowhere around here sells them so I can't really test them out."

I know your kids are much older but if it makes any difference DD is 35'' and is leggy like me and can sit Indian style in her seat. Like yoga crossed legs and she seems completely comfortable.
In fact this is the FIRST and ONLY convertible car seat we have purchased that she actually passed out in! With her nautilus she would cry and cry until we got home because she was so tired but couldn't fall asleep because her head kept falling forward and with her safety first seat she would scream until we unbuckled her because she could never get comfortable.

<blockquote><b>Quoting MunchkinWrangler:</b>" I can't click the link but thats not what the seat specs said. More so, thats still only a 2 inch difference ... [snip!] ... that. i dont care about the specs of this ugly Harmony seat. I want to know about how the Radian fits a bigger child. Period."</blockquote>


 

I'm offering you cost saving alternatives. Smurf me for trying to save people money, right?

The Radian fits big children fine, the R120 more so than the RXT because it doesn't have head wings.
That being said, again, I would not waste money on a Radian for a 5 year old who would most likely be in a booster by 6. Contrary to popular belief there is no data stating that a harnessed 6 year old is any safer than a 6 year old who sits properly in a belt positioning booster. A 4 year old? Sure, they'd get some use out of it, but a 5 year old might as well start booster training, to save you money, and installation space(boosters are generally narrower than convertible/combination seats).