Costco convertible seat

[cerollins]

Costco convertible seat

What about the Costco convertible seat that will hold babies rear facing, then forward facing, then booster seat up to 80 lbs.?
Costco seems to be the only company who make a seat like this... what is the quality of this? Will it be safe enough for my 4 month old? How does compare to buying just a convertible seat?

Will I need this extra booster?
Thanks for help!

 

[CPSDarren]

Re: Costco convertible seat

I believe you mean the Cosco Alpha Omega, which is also marketed as the Eddie Bauer 3-in-1. This is a nice convertible carseat. In particular, it is one of the best carseats for keeping your child rear-facing as long as possible ( www.car-safety.org/rearface.html ). As with any convertible carseat, it should be fine for an infant. Some will fit small infants better than others, and the only way to be sure is to try it yourself.

Some parents do find some complaints on this model. Like some other models, the straps can twist. Another complaint you will hear is that if your child is in a higher percentile for height than weight, they may outgrow the harness before 40 pounds. That could mean they have to use the seat as a booster too early. Keep in mind that this limitation is the same with most other convertible carseats, and they don't even have the ability to convert to a booster. Overall, the Alpha Omega is very reasonable when compared to other convertible models that have a harness both front and rear-facing.

Another seat that has extended limits is the Britax Marathon. It rear-faces to 33 pounds, and goes front-facing to 65 pounds. The tallest children will outgrow it before 65 pounds, though. It's top slots are higher than those on the Alpha Omega, so it should last most kids beyond 40 pounds in the harness. It does not convert to a booster.

Good luck!

Darren

 

[UlrikeDG]

Personally, I'd get a convertible now and a booster later...

Cosco seats expire after 5 years, so even if it does fit your child well (and I've read quite a few posts this month about 2-3 year olds outgrowing the harness on the A/O), you will need to buy a new seat then.

Personally, I'd get a decent convertible seat now (e.g., the Britax Roundabout, Britax Marathon, Evenflo Triumph or Graco ComfortSport) and then get a booster or booster/combo seat when that is outgrown. The products available to keep kids safe in the car are advancing very quickly, so by the time the convertible is outgrown, the seats available will probably be safer and easier to use than anything available right now!