Convertible Car Seats for Extended Rear Facing
Sunshine Radian XTSL vs. Britax Advocate 70 CS vs. Safety 1st Complete Air 65 LX
For many parents, their child’s one-year-old birthday signifies exciting transitions: starting to drink whole milk, learning to walk, and until recently, turning around the car seat to face forward. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently updated their policy on car seats and now advocates keeping toddlers rear facing until age two, if not longer. Rear facing seats do a better job at distributing the force of a crash over the entire body and protecting toddlers’ delicate necks, spines, and brain. Not all convertible car seats are created equal, so read on to determine which seat is the best for keeping your child safely rear-facing to age two and beyond.
Sunshine Radian XTSL
If you’re determined to keep your child rear facing for as long as possible, the Sunshine Kids Radian XTSL is your best bet. It can rear face up to 45 pounds – five pounds more than its competitors - and its tall shell means that your child will not outgrow the height well before the weight limit. It also is the only seat that allows you to use LATCH installation up to 80 pounds. Parents rave about the low profile that allows kids the ability to climb into the seat easily. While it’s a heavy seat due to its all-steel construction, reviews tout its sturdiness. While it can difficult to install due to its tall shell, if you are committed to keeping your child rear facing as long as possible, the Radian is our top pick.
Unique Features
- The Radian’s all steel construction allows a narrow shell (only 17” across)
- SuperLATCH means you can install the seat with LATCH up to its weight limit of 80 pounds
- The Radian folds flat for travel
Best for
- Parents of multiples or parents with midsize cars who need to fit three car seats across
- Tall toddlers or kiddos with long torsos
- Parents who want to keep their children rear facing and in a five-point harness
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Britax Advocate 70 CS
While the Radian is slim and sleek, the Advocate is cushy and cozy. It’s got all the creature comforts your little prince or princess could desire: plush padding, a cupholder, and harness holders to ensure you won’t have dig underneath your baby to buckle her in! Britax owners love the ease of installation and use. The straps can be adjusted from the front without rethreading. However, if you have a narrow backseat, the Advocate might take up more space than you have to spare. Despite its generous dimensions, it only rear faces to 40 pounds.
Unique Features
- Click and Safe technology (CS) helps you know when the harness is snug enough
- Tangle-free harnesses that are easy to tighten
- Fashionable prints combined with functional safety features
Best for
- Parents of smaller children - Britaxes have the shortest shell of the three brands we compared. They also sit up higher than other seats so babies can see out.
- Commuters who want a comfy seat for long rides
- Parents who frequently install their seats in different cars
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Safety 1st Complete Air 65 LX
The Safety 1st Complete Air 65 is known for its air filled side impact protection. In contrast to the typical EPS foam, the Safety 1st seat protects your child’s head by the slow release of air that increases the “ride down time” – the time that it takes for a body to come to a complete stop in a crash. It’s the only seat to offer this technology. Sounds great, and the seat is widely available for far less than the Radian and Advocate. However, reviews for this seat routinely bemoan its bulk. “It’s huge!” is a frequent comment. So, unless you have a large vehicle, it’s best to keep looking for another seat.
Unique Features
- Generous shell height and shoulder strap height options make this a great seat for taller kids. It’s also easy to rethread the harness from the front.
- Four position recline makes the seat comfortable for any age range
- Made in the USA
Best for
- Parents with large vehicles
- Bargain hunters
- Parents of taller children who want to keep them rear facing until age two and possibly longer
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