When I first heard the words, “convertible car seat” I thought, “WOW! They actually make car seats specifically for convertibles? They must have a special structure to protect children’s heads should the convertible roll.” Imagine my surprise when I realized that “convertible” meant the car seats could be used in both rear facing and front facing situations. All I could do was laugh and think, “I know my kids are older now, but do I really live in the dark ages?”

When my children were younger we didn’t have the option of buying one car seat and having it last for years. We had to buy the rear facing infant car seat, then the front facing toddler car seat, and finally, just when we thought we were out of car seats, we had to purchase the dreaded booster seat!

When I was told that my sister-in-law would be arriving by plane with her two boys to spend a month with us, I said to my husband, “I know we can borrow a car seat from our neighbor, but we will need another car seat. After all, we’re not going to be sticking around the house all month.” Little did I know at the time that she’d be dragging two car seats from California to South Dakota.

At any rate, a week after the boys arrived, my brand new Radian 80® convertible car seat arrived and I couldn’t be happier. You see, one of the twins has actually sprouted and his car seat was just too tight and uncomfortable.

So I opened the box and sat dumb-found as I stared at the countless straps, the instruction booklet and the extras. “I’m not mechanically inclined for something like this,” I told my husband.

He looked at me, opened up the instruction booklet and laughed. “Seriously, Alyice. It’s really easy to install and use. But I’m not so sure about carrying this thing on my back. Look there’s no cushion and it’s heavy.” And with that, he had strapped the car seat onto his back, like a backpack, and began walking around the room. “Hey, this isn’t half bad! Nothing is poking me in the back. This could really work when changing flights in an airport.”

“Okay Mr. Smarty Pants, let’s go install this thing in our Uplander,” I laughed.

And with that, we effortlessly installed the car seat and put my now sprouted nephew into the car seat for a test run. Our thoughts were to let the boys take turns using the car seat but once he took that test run there was absolutely no turning back to the old car seat. He was in heaven!

There are many things I like about the Radian 80®–all of which were pleasant surprises.

First, you have four options for carrying the Radian 80®: a small red strap at the base of the seat, a plastic handle on the side of the car seat, the long shoulder strap, and of course the best feature of all, the two shoulder straps work together like a back pack. For many this might seem like the most trivial part of the car seat, but for me it’s an important aspect because trying to get car seat, diaper bag, and child into the car at one time can often be a struggle—especially when you only have one car to work with and two adults who use it or need to alter between two vehicles. Now, all I have to do is put the car seat on my back, place the diaper bag over my shoulder, and grab the kid—no more trying to juggle it all in one trip or making two trips.

Second, there is a detachable base that helps keep the car seat in proper rear facing position, thus securing the infant into place. I like the idea of this feature being detachable because when guests visits, I can easily adjust the car seat to fit the age and weight of each child.

Third, the forward facing latch installation system can be easily adjusted to fit a variety of cars—which is a good thing considering we own three cars and often vary use depending on where we are going or how many people are going with us.

Fourth, the car seat as a feature that helps further secure the seat to the car. It’s called a “Top Tether”. Basically, it means that there is a strap at the top of the car seat that can attach to a specific part of the car and help maintain stability of the car seat.

Sixth, the harness buckle system can be altered according to the height and weight of the child. I really like this feature because it means that the child is properly secured at all times. I hate to put a child into a car seat only to pad it with blankets because the straps are too loose—that’s not safe. And I definitely hate the idea of worrying that I’ll pinch the skin because the straps are too tight.

Seventh, there is a locking clip that helps secure the lap-shoulder seat belt. This is a great feature because it prevents the lap belt from becoming loose over time, thus making sure the car seat is tight and secure at all times.

Eighth, the car seat is so compact and sturdy that it’s been tested and approved to be used on an aircraft which is a good thing since my sister-in-law is considering buying two before she returns home. (See company photo I was able to acquire of the car seat in use on an aircraft!)

And finally, the car seat comes with support cushions to help support infants and toddlers, a plastic harness clip, and two metal restraint buckles. The five point harness system is also important to note because it keeps children snug and prevents them from wiggling out of the car seat while protecting them during impact.

I know I’ve gone on and on with this review, but I really do like the Radian 80®.

To learn more about the Radian 80® visit http://skjp.com