Sunshine Kids Diono Radian
Doing side by side comparisons of the weight of each car seat, the Sunshine Kids Diono Radian R100 is the Mac Daddy of them all. It’s up there almost in the stratosphere, bested only by the expensive Peg Perego Primo Viaggio. But despite that, this seat is well worth a second look. The 23-pound Diono Radian R100 handles infants from five to 40 pounds in the rear-facing position, and kids 20 to 65 pounds and up to 57 inches tall in the forward-facing position. As a booster seat it holds up to 100 pounds. The manufacturer made this with a steel alloy frame, aluminum reinforced sidewalls, a SafeStop energy absorbing five-point safety harness and its own brand of latching system for easy installation.
The seat has five shoulder and three buckle positions, two forward-facing recline positions and rubber bottom grips to keep it from sliding around on the back seat. It folds flat to make traveling and storage easier, plus it lasts 10 years. With a life span that long, the Diono Radian R100 can easily outlast more than one child. It sits lower on the vehicle’s back seat than other car seat brands and has a longer seat bottom for extra leg support. You get all this for $198.99 to $259.99. The price varies depending on the website or retailer.
Quick Specs
- 28.5 by 17 by x 16 inches (open)
- 28.5 by 17 by 7 inches (closed)
- Weight: 23 pounds
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Strengths
The 10-year life span is great. It lasts plenty long enough to handle another baby when the first one outgrows the seat, so you get your money’s worth. Its sturdiness makes it a good choice in booster seats when the time comes to abandon the car seat, since it’s made with steel alloy and holds up to 100 pounds. Parents really like the easy LATCH system. They also love how easy it is to fold up when traveling by airplane. Weaknesses Compared to other car seats more suited to the budget-minded, this one is fairly expensive. It sits extra low on the back seat to easily plop the baby in the seat, but with sides that low there could be a risk of a very young infant slipping off to the side. Compared to the higher sides on a seat like The First Years True Fit Recline or the Safety 1st Comfy Carry Elite, this one provides very little side support. Sunshine Kids recently changed its name to Diono, so anyone trying to look up any recall information on this seat will have a tough time for a while. This is a new model and it’s not even listed on the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s recall web page. |
Prices
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| Valerie Baldowski is passionate about writing about everything from childrens safety and juvenile products to gardening tools. She is the mother of a high energy 8 year old child so she is accustomed to researching childrens products and services. Her writing and researching began at an early age… See more about Valerie |
