Weight Range (RF): 5 to 50 lb
Weight Range (FF Harness): 20 to 90 lb
Weight Range (FF Booster): 50 to 120 lb
Max Height: 44″ (RF) / 57″ (FF)
Average Age Range: birth to 12 years
Steel Frame: Yes
LATCH Weight Limit: 35 lbs RF / 40 lbs FF
The Good – The Diono Rainier comes with Super LATCH connectors for secure installation; Can be fitted using the adult seat belt if your vehicle does not have LATCH anchor points; Steel alloy frame with aluminium reinforced sides designed to provide added strength and Diono boldly claims that it should last a full 12 years of normal use; Reinforced deeper sidewalls are lined with energy-absorbing foam for superior head and body protection; Extra Wide Head Wings; Head rest adjusts to 12 different positions to ensure the best fit; NCAP crash tested; Multiple recline positions; Deluxe Infant Body Support Cushion; Folds flat for easy travel; Can fit 3 in a row due to its narrow profile (same as Radian at base – 17 inches, but wider at the top – 23 inches); Safe Stop 5-point harness; Rear-facing tether connector strap; machine washable seat cover; Rear Facing up to 50lbs (5 lbs more than the Diono Radian RXT).
The Bad – Expensive (but it may be the only seat you will ever need to buy for your child).
The Bottom Line – The Diono Radian RXT was one of the most popular child car seats on the market. The Rainier takes all of the good features of the Radian and improves upon them. I particularly like the wider, thicker side wings at the head area and the increased rear-facing weight limit (50 lbs) for reasons explained fully below. At 90 lbs it has the highest top weight limit for any harness to booster car seat. Whilst the Britax Pinnacle 90 and Frontier 90 seats can be used harnessed up to 90 lbs, they cannot be used from birth like the Rainier can. Overall I love the improved look and safety features on this seat.
The Diono Rainier’s Best Features
The Diono Rainier’s full list of technical specifications can be found towards the bottom of this page, but I want to explain a few of its best features in more detail.
#1 Super-Extended Rear-Facing Weight Limit
The Diono Rainier now leads the way when it comes to extended rear-facing weight limits. Most convertible car seats enable rear-facing up to about 40 lbs, but the Rainier extends this to 50 lbs. The Radian and Peg Perego convertible car seats are impressive at 45 lbs rear-facing, but the Rainier now offers an extra option for those parents that was to keep their child rear-facing for even longer.
There is now overwhelming research evidence to demonstrate that rear-facing is much safer than forwards facing for young children and any new car seat that seeks to prolong rear-facing longer than other car seats on the market is to be warmly welcomed.
The only note of caution that I would sound is that for many children this extra 5-10 lbs rear-facing weight capacity will be irrelevant, because they will have exceeded the 44 inch height limit before they reach the 50 lb weight limit anyway.
Data from the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention proves this point.
The data reveals that the the average height of a 5 year old boy is between 41.7 and 44.2 inches, but at the same time the average weight is 37.5 to 44.7 lbs.
This means that many kids will not be able to take advantage of the Rainier’s extended rear-facing – certainly those at the upper limits of the normal height/weight ranges will not get full use. However, there will be a great many smaller children that will be able to remain rear-facing for the full 50 lbs before exceeding the 44 inch height limit and for them this is a very nice added safety bonus.
#2 New Deeper Side Wings
The Diono Rainier comes with new side wings that are deeper than those that can be found on the older Diono Radian RXT seat.
Diono boast that the all important head area of the seat contains a new compression wall that features a rigid double wall design. It is claimed that this provides much improved side impact protection for your child in the event of a collision, due to the fact that the outside wall compresses to absorb some of the crash energy.
#3 Narrow Profile Means 3 in a Row is Possible
Despite the added side impact protection wings, the Diono Rainier remains a very narrow car seat and you ought to be able to fit 3 in a row in most larger sized family vehicles.
You should bear in mind, however, that although both the Radian RXT and the Rainier measure 17 inches at the base, the Rainier’s new deeper side wings make it wider at the top front apart of the seat (23 inches). So, if you have a smaller vehicle, it might be more sensible to stick with the Radian RXT. Having said that, provided you buy the seat from a retailer that offers Free Returns, you can always check the fit before fully committing to the purchase.
#4 Steel Alloy Frame & Reinforced Sides Designed to Last 12 Years
The 2 main benefits of this durable steel alloy frame and reinforced sides are pretty obvious. The frame provides an added degree of protection in the event of a collision and many other car seats are manufactured to “expire” within a few years of the purchase date. The fact that the Diono Rainier is designed to last a full 12 years goes a long way to justifying what would otherwise be considered a fairly hefty price tag.
If you can get 12 years of use out of this car seat, your $319 – $350 will have been an excellent investment in my opinion. If you chose to buy separate premium infant, convertible and booster car seats instead, you could easily expect to pay $500+.
#5 Folds Flat and Comes with Backpack Straps for Easy Transportation
Unlike many convertible / harness to booster car seats, the Diono Rainier is very easy to fold flat and transport using the carry straps or the backpack straps.
Given the danger and expense of trying to hire child car seats when you go on vacation, the usefulness of this feature should not be overlooked!
#6 Can be Installed Using Super LATCH up to 35 lbs (RF) & 40 lbs (FF)
The new LATCH laws that came into force in February 2014 mean that there is now a maximum weight limit for installing convertible car seats using LATCH connectors. The limit is generally when the combined child + seat weight exceeds 65 lbs. With the Rainier, you have a choice of either reinstalling the seat using the seatbelt at 35 lbs if you want your child to remain rear facing, or doing it at 40 lbs if your child is forwards facing.
Full List of Specifications
The Diono Rainier comes with:
- Full steel frame and aluminum reinforced sides
- Reinforced extra deep sidewalls with energy-absorbing foam for superior head and body protection
- Rear-facing from 5 to 50 lbs (up to 44″ in height)
- Highest forward-facing capacity of any car seat in a 5-point harness: from 20-90 lbs (up to 57″ in height)
- Booster mode for children between 50 and 120 lbs. (up to 57″ in height)
- SuperLATCH system makes installation easy (see video above)
- Space saving design allows extra room for passengers while providing spacious interior for child
- Folds flat for travel and is FAA certified
- NCAP crash tested in severe accident conditions
- Infant body support cushions and memory foam for added comfort
- Energy absorbing EPS foam and side impact protection
- Extra Wide Head Wings
- Extra-long leg support for comfy road trips
- Multiple harness and buckle positions for custom fit
- Safestop® energy-absorbing harness
- Additional forward-facing recline position to accommodate different types of contoured vehicle seats, 12-position adjustable headrest, 5 shoulder and 3 buckle positions deliver a comfortable ride.
- Rear-facing tether capability
- Additional set of harness pads included to use only when the child is over 65 lbs in the 5-point harness
- Expandable sides and long seat bottom allow proper leg support
- Sits low on vehicle seat for easy child boarding and improved safety performance in a crash
- Angled cup holder keeps a variety of drinks upright and within easy reach
- Cover is machine washable and dryable
- Rubber bottom grips for no-slip installation
- Industry leading 12 year product life (from date of purchase)
The Diono Rainier’s User Manual
If you want to read more about the Diono Rainier’s installation and safety instructions, you can download a PDF copy of the User Manual here.
The Car Seat Lady Demonstrates How to Install RF with LATCH
Where to Buy the Diono Rainier
Check Price of the Diono Rainier.
Read User Reviews of the Diono Rainier.
Diono Car Seats in Canada
Find Diono Car Seats in Canada here.
Safety Information
After purchasing any child car seat, you should always read the User Manual thoroughly before using it. It is also advisable to visit your local Fire Department or NHTSA Child Car Seat Inspection Centre to ensure that the seat is definitely suitable for your child’s specific requirements and that you have installed it correctly. These services are usually provided free of charge.
You can find your nearest NHTSA Centre here.
Leave a Comment
If you have any feedback or questions about my Diono Rainier Convertible Car Seat Review or want to share your views on extended rear facing car seats, please feel free to leave a comment below or send an email to kristian@kidsafetyfirst.com
I am trying to find some sort of review on the fabrics. Orchid, graphite and glacier all seem to be wet suit material, shadow seems to be windbreaker material, and houndstooth likely just normal fabric. Do you have any reviews on the different materials?
Thank you for taking the time to ask this question.
Since the seat is so newly released, I can’t find many in-depth reviews of the different seat fabrics to help you to make your decision.
I found this YouTube video which simply contains the opinion of one little girl that has been using the Orchid seat.
I also found this positive user review on the subject of the orchid fabric.
Here is a positive review of the Glacier seat.
I hope that this helps a little. I certainly haven’t heard any complaints of any of the Rainier’s fabric options.
Good luck with your car seat purchase and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any other questions.
Does the Rainier fit in any strollers?
Unfortunately I am not aware of any strollers that are compatible with the Diono Rainier. These convertible car seats are not designed to be used as part of a “travel system” or carried around with your baby inside the seat. Instead, they are left installed within your vehicle and you would need to physically transfer your child from the seat to their stroller each time.
Convertible seats are much heavier and larger than infant car seats and do not come fitted with the necessary “click and go” mechanisms even if you were strong enough to carry one. The other problem is that they are often more complicated to install and uninstall, and each time you did this you would increase the chances of making a mistake. With infant seats used with a base, once the base is installed correctly, you just click the seat in and out of the stroller or vehicle as and when required without having to remove your baby.
You have identified one of the biggest dilemmas faced by parents of newborn babies who are trying to choose the best car seat for their circumstances. Convertible seats will last longer than infant seats, but they generally can’t be used with strollers and so are considered to be slightly less convenient. There are a number of other pros and cons to consider when deciding between a convertible or infant car seat, but I hope that this is sufficient to answer your question about stroller compatibility.
I have written a number of posts about infant car seats here.
Thank you for your comprehensive review articles and especially the article, Best Convertible Car Seats For Tall Kids Posted by Kristian on Jul 7, 2014. You are absolutely right, the Diono seat head cushion hits my 3 year old in the shoulders on its highest setting and she is just 42 inches tall, but her long torso gives her a seat height (tush to shoulder) of 15-16 inches.