Marathon, Regent or Radian? Help me decide!

[hapahaole]

Please help me finally pick a carseat. My DD has outgrown her snugride and needs a new seat. Sorry, this is really long, but trying to give all the details...

DS is 2 1/2 and about 37", 33lbs. He's got one more slot to go on his Marathon.

DD is 10 months. 22lbs and 29". Yes, way too big for her infant seat.

We come from a family of long torsos.

I drive an Acura MDX (suv).

So I'm trying to decide if I should:
(A) Get another Marathon and put DD in that and keep DS in his Marathon.
(B) Upgrade DS to the Regent and put DD in the older Marathon.
Or
(C) Upgrade DS to a Sunshine Radian and put DD in older Marathon.

Currently I have DD in the middle seat in her infant seat and DS is behind the driver in his Marathon. I like this set up since it allows us to have a 3 passanger sit with them. It also allow me to move the 3rd seat down so I can put our 3rd row up and down (which we use on a rare occassion).

I would LOVE to be able to have them sit side by side and keep our current set up, but I'm not sure if I would be able to fit 2 Marathons side by side (center and driver side). Any other MDX drivers out there? I'm positive I won't be able to do that with the Regent. And I probably could do that with the Radian.

I like the Marathon more than the Radian since it seems more plush and comfy and our DS loves his seat. But I like how the Radian can fold up and it's narrower footprint. I would probably get the Radian65 over the Radian80 since I think the top shoulder slots are the same on both and DS would probably outgrow the seat in height before weight.

If I can't get 2 Marathons side by side, it might be worth it to get a Regent since I'd have to split up the kids anyway.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on any of the seats or the setup(especially the Radian since I don't have any experience with it besides having DS sit in it at the store...he said he liked his Marathon better).

Thank you!!! Any advice is much appreciated,
hapa

	Infant Car Seats Infant-only rear-facing seats are for babies up to about 22 to 30 pounds, depending on the specific car seat. You will need a new seat when your child gets bigger. Infant-only seats have handles that allow you to move the seat from the car to the house or other locations. Some have a base that you can leave installed in the car, so you can just click the car seat into place each time you use it.

	Britax Marathon - Click for more info Increasing the time a child can safely stay in their convertible car seat is a big issue and Britax engineers have come through in a big way with the introduction of the Britax Marathon with LATCH. A LATCH Compatible Convertible Child Seat, the Britax Marathon can be used rear facing 5 to 33 pounds and forward facing from 20 to 65 pounds. Compare the numbers and you will see it is hard to find a seat with these weight limits that is safe and functional.

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

	Graco SnugRide - Click for more info The Graco SnugRide with EPS infant car seat is a highly popular and top-rated infant car seat that provides first-rate transportation safety for your baby, plus convenient mobility options for you. Even with its relatively low price, the Graco SnugRide with EPS receives unmatched praise for its safety by leading consumer magazines and websites.

	Sunshine Kids Radian 80 or 65 - Click for more info If "the Sunshine Kid's Radian 80 convertible car seat is (probably) the only car seat you will ever need," the "probably" part of this statement comes into play when you directly compare the Radian 80 with the Britax Regent. While the Radian 80 has a very high weight capacity, the seat width is only 10" vs. the Regent's 14" seat. The Britax Regent may be a bit wider, but it is very bulky, is only forward facing, and does not fold like the Radian 80. Because the Radian 80 is so narrow, you can potentially put three of them side by side in the back seat. Three Regents side by side? Impossible.

	Forum Speak DD: Dear Daughter DS: Dear Son DH: Dear Husband DW: Dear Wife SO: Significant Other BF: Boyfriend GF: Girlfriend

[2 kids mom]

I drive a Suburban with 3 rows. I can fit my Regent and Boulevard side by side like you have your 2 now (Boulevard RFing). What I used to do was have my Regent in the 3rd row, left the small part of the 2nd row bench down and have my Boulevard in the middle of the second. I really liked this the kids can look at each other but not touch! Now I can't remember way I moved them? Anyway, I totally recommend the Regent...it's heavy and takes a bit to get installed until you're use to it, but it's so nice and comfy for my DS and I know I can keep him harnessed for a long time still even with a long turso.

CS

	Rear Facing Car Seats A rear-facing seat is one in which the infant faces the back of the car. Always install a rear-facing seat in the back seat of your car. This is the safest position for an infant. NEVER place a rear-facing seat in the front seat of a vehicle with passenger airbags.

	Britax Boulevard - Click for more info It is all about the wings with the Britax Boulevard convertible car seat - head and torso safety wings help keep your child from harm in a side-impact crash. And this matters - side-impact crashes are the leading cause of death for 6 - 14 year-old children. Of course, the safety wings are only one of the many safety features that the Britax Boulevard offers: built-in lock-offs, 5-point harness with front adjuster, tangle-free webbing, a push button release LATCH system with Versa-Tether®, and a sculpted base, ensuring an easy installation with a secure fit.

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.

	Forum Speak DD: Dear Daughter DS: Dear Son DH: Dear Husband DW: Dear Wife SO: Significant Other BF: Boyfriend GF: Girlfriend

[hapahaole]

2 kids mom
Hmmm...that's a thought...actually use our 3rd row....
I will have to think about that one, but that is another good option. I do like using the back row to haul stuff around (trips to Costco, road trips, strollers) and having the 3rd row up would hog up a lot of that space. But I'll check it out today to see if it would work. It would be nice having a Regent so I don't have to go out and buy another seat down the road.
Thanks for the idea!

	Britax Regent - Click for more info The Britax Regent is the safe way to carry your older and larger passengers, all the way up to 80 lbs. Known as the "king of all car seats," the Britax Regent will accomodate your little king or queen for far longer than traditional car seats or booster seats. The Regent features a large roto-molded shell, comfy extra-thick comfort foam, washable covers, Patented Versa-Tether™, flexible buckle LATCH system, patented HUGS™ system, and tangle-free polyester 5-point harness.