Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I bought this seat for my tall (38in) and thin (28lb) 2 year old daughter. I was impressed with the height the seat allowed for, given that my child will out grow a seat in height long before weight. I needed a seat that would fit in a 2012 Focus and was FAA cerified. The seat is very compact. It was easy to install using the seat belt and the latch. Since the seat is so compact I had enough room to get in the car and put my knee in the seat to help get a solid install. I was able to do this myself in just a few minutes, even in an airport parking lot. My kiddo loved the purple color. That particular color is a micro suede type fabric that is super easy to clean. The wings support her head well when she is sleeping. She can climb in and out of the seat very easily since it is much shorter in rise than her old seat (an Evenflo Symphony). The clips are all great quality and the shoulder pads are nice and soft. She feels less boxed in sitting in this seat. She loves that she can reach things if she drops them next to her seat. I used this seat for air travel shortly after purchase. I found it fairly simple to deal with. I am a 5'5" woman with a broader frame. I travelled by myself with two kiddos, 2 and 8 years. We did not check anything, we carried all our luggage on. So that fact that this seat can be carried like a backpack was very helpful. Some tips for air travel with this seat: Get two (2) carry straps for the seat so you can wear it as a backpack. This makes the weight easier to bare, is better for your back and keeps your hands free. Have rubber bands handy to roll up extra strap length. The latch straps are very long and can get in the way when trying to install on the plane. Pros: Compact Easy to install (FF, I have not used it RF) Easy to clean Weight and Height limits Mulitple (up to 4) cup holders can be used Easy to carry as a backpack for travel Cupholders can be removed and washed in the dishwasher if they get icky. Cons: Heavy Cup holders can be removed by child (This has never bothered me.) Pricey Overall this is an awesome seat. I'd recommend it to all that can afford it. Diono Radian RXT vs. Britax Frontier 85: If you're like me your decision has probably come down to these two seats. My daughter rides in both seats. I have the Radian in my vehicle (2012 Focus hatchback). My husband has the Frontier in his vehicle (2009 Vibe). She is equally happy with bith seats. My husband and I are pleased with both seats. We have likes and dislikes for each. I'll try to give a good comparision. Seat installation: The Frontier wins here simply because it is lighter. Both seats were super easy to install in either car. The bothe all install well in our 2005 Trailblazer on the odd occassion we use that car. I have never in stalled the Radian RF so I can not comment on that. We use th latch system on both seats. I have also used the belt paths when using in other people's cars. Belt path installation is also easy. The Radian is much heavier than the Frontier, making it more difficult to lift. Seat Maitenance: Here I feel the Radian wins. The cover on the Radian is machine washable and is easily removed. The cover is one piece. The straps do have to be unthreaded to remove the cover. The cup holders can be put in the dishwasher. The cover on the Frontier is supposed to be handwashed- not machine washable. Seriously... hand wash something my kid vomited on. Anyway, my washing machine has a handwash cycle so I used that. It turned out fine. Britax sells the cover for $80. The cup holders are intergrated into the seat so you have to wipe them out. Seat adjustments: It's a tie. Both seats have to be completely remove from the car to make adjustments. The Radian has straps that need to be rethreaded to adjust. But, it's super easy. The crotch strap is easier to move than the Frontier. But, the head wings can be a pain. I have to put my knee in the seat and apply a lot of force to move them. But this means the stay in place once adjusted. When putting a kiddo in the seat the ratchet mechanism to tighten the straps can be annoying. My husband does not care for it. The Frontier has a mechanism on the back that moves the straps and head rest up and dowm. But the adjuster is the piece I always seem to grab when picking up the seat causing the straps to move. I then have to wrangle my daughter to sit in it so I can adjust the straps again. Sort of annoying. Once she is in the seat adjustments are easy. But we didn't like the HUGS. They made her sweat under them so we took them off. Seat size: The Radian is much narrower than the Britax. This could make a big difference if you want to fit 3 across a back seat or have a tiny car. Otherwise It does not matter. Travel: I have only used the Radian for air travel. It is easier to bring into an airport, hands down. I wouldn't even consider air travel with the Frontier. All in all, either seat is a good pick. It will just depend on your needs. I have found I really like them both and would recommend them equally.