February 16, 2018 Viki

Diono Convertible Car Seats 2018: What’s the difference?

You’re looking at Convertible Car Seats, and there’s only one word on your mind: SAFETY. Diono’s Convertible Car Seats are made with a fully integrated steel frame that’s riveted together with thicker engineered plastic. How’s that for safe?

Diono Convertible Car Seats are also “Convertible to Booster” seats. Your baby will begin rear-facing in a 5-point harness, then forward-facing in a 5-point harness, and then in a seat belt as a booster! You likely already know that riding rear-facing for as long as possible is a must. To read up on why rear-facing children are safest, read up on this blog from our friends at The Car Seat Lady. Thinking of traveling with your seat? Diono Convertible Car Seats are FAA approved. For added convenience while traveling. they fold too! A Convertible Car Seat that folds is nearly impossible to find elsewhere, so that’s always one of our favorite Diono features.

All of these seats are suitable from newborn through 100-120 pounds, so choose wisely! Your child will ride in their Diono for quite some time. And they have an expiration date to match: all of these Diono Convertible Car Seats expire 10 years from the date of purchase! That’s 2-4 years longer than most other car seats. They’re also heavy, but they’re heavy for a pretty awesome reason — all Diono seats have a steel alloy frame and aluminum reinforced sides for side impact protection. But unless you’re installing one in an airplane, their weight won’t affect you much. Gone are the days of infant car seat bases, so you won’t be lifting this seat often. It’s certainly worth it for your baby to ride comfortably while protected by steel.

While all Diono seats are incredibly safe and perform impressively in crash tests, some may be more suitable for your family than others. Some factors you’ll want to consider are: your child’s age, your child’s height and weight, and the number of children riding in car seats. Alright, let’s get to it.

Diono Rainier Convertible Car Seat | Weight ranges: Rear-facing 5-50lbs, Forward-facing 20-65lbs, Booster 50-120lbs

The Rainier offers the most side impact protection of the three, and it’s your best bet for a newborn. It offers a bit more “oomph” with extra deep side walls lined with energy-absorbing foam. Because of the deeper side walls and extended side impact protection, the Rainier is about 18″ wide, and you won’t be able to install 3 across in your back seat. But if you’re only shopping for one or two children, no worries!

Diono Radian RXT Convertible Car Seat | Weight ranges: Rear-facing 5-45lbs, Forward-facing 20-65lbs, Booster 50-120lbs

Parents of triplets rejoice — the Radian RXT and Radian R100 seats are 17″ wide, which means you can install 3 of these in your back seat. The Radian RXT is just as plush and comfortable as the Rainier, so if you need to install multiple seats, the RXT is your top pick. Both the Rainier and RXT have a cozy infant insert if you plan on skipping the infant car seat phase.

Diono Radian R100 Convertible Car Seat | Weight ranges: Rear-facing 5-40lbs, Forward-facing 20-65lbs, Booster 50-100lbs

The Radian R100 is like a lighter-weight version of the Radian RXT. The major differences between the Radian RXT and the R100 are that the R100 is lacking the second level of side impact protection as well as the infant insert. This does not mean that it is not as safe as the RXT, as both of these car seats are NCAP crash tested. The R100 is a great option if you’re looking for a seat for an older child who is already forward-facing and almost ready for a booster, but not quite out of the 5-point harness yet. Given its light weight, the Radian R100 is also a great choice for a granparent’s or nanny’s car!

There’s a chance you’re still confused. And you’re not alone! We help confused parents pick their perfect car seat every day. Call our gear experts (866) 600-2326 or email us at questions@mbeans.com.