Cosco seats - Apex and Alpha Omega Elite - so confused!"

[symesa]

Yowzers - this is confusing! There is a lot of discussion regarding the Apex convertible/booster from Cosco...technically the Safety 1st division of Cosco. So, can someone tell me what the deal is with these seats?

1. Is the Safety 1st Apex 65 (by Cosco) still a current model?
I found it on Amazon.com but it does not appear on the Cosco or Safety 1st website. Is it discontinued? Is it available anywhere else?
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0009N1KB6/qid=1144181204/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-8984080-8417617?v=glance&s=baby

2. Is the Alpha Omega Elite (by Cosco) simply an upgrade to the Apex?
http://www.coscojuvenile.com/product.asp?productID=562

3. Does the Alpha Omega Elite have the benefit of the Apex -- high harness slots?

This question is a cross post on the TB board.

Thank you!
Alison

[Splash]

You do NOT want the AO. It's the worst seat on the market.

Cosco apparently has a REALLY HARD time thinking of names for their seats, so they give them all basically the same name and then make consumers figure it out. The AO and the Apex and nothing alike.

The Apex is still available as the Alpha Elite (see? almost the same name) at most BRU at TRU that I have been to.

But do NOT confuse the alpha elite with the alpha omega elite. OR the alpha omega, or the alpha omega sport. Or a hot dog.

[o_mom]

Actually, Cosco and Safety 1st are divisions of Dorel Juvenile Group....

1. The Apex is still available - BRU and some TRU have it and apparently now Wally World (for about $17 less): http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4631191

2 & 3. No, no, no.... The Alpha Omega Elite is a really bad seat. The Apex sometimes goes by the name "Alpha Elite": http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007XIEPI/102-1374347-7012159?v=glance

Because they didn't want it to be too confusing... ;-)

[mommyof1sweetboy]

Why is the Alpha Omega Elite a "really bad" seat???? I just bought one on reccomendation of the Babies R Us employee who uses it for his son and loves it???



>Actually, Cosco and Safety 1st are divisions of Dorel
>Juvenile Group....
>
>1. The Apex is still available - BRU and some TRU have it and
>apparently now Wally World (for about $17 less):
>http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4631191
>
>2 & 3. No, no, no.... The Alpha Omega Elite is a really bad
>seat. The Apex sometimes goes by the name "Alpha Elite":
>http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0007XIEPI/102-1374347-7012159?v=glance
>
>Because they didn't want it to be too confusing... ;-)
>
>

[jeanum]

The Alpha Omega Elite and some other Cosco/Safety 1st 3-in-1 seats purport to be the only seat your child will need but it's unfortunately misleading that the seats are marketed this way. These seats are notorious for having fairly low shoulder harness positions that are often outgrown by height before a child is at an appropriate age, 40 lb. weight, and maturity level to use the seat as a belt positioning booster. Kids should be a minimum of 4 years and 40 lbs. before using a belt positioning booster, and most kids won't be this age or size before they outgrow the harness unless they're extremely petite and/or short torsoed. Also, the top harness/headrest position in this seat is meant for booster use only rather than the with the built-in harness, techs complain that it doesn't make a very good booster, and it has a reputation of being difficult to install in some cars. It's actually recommended that kids stay in a 5-point harness in a higher weight limit seat as long as possible even after 4 years and 40 lbs. because it's safer than a booster and offers greater crash protection.

[mommyof1sweetboy]

So you are speaking on the far end of things (4 yrs).

My son is 6 months, 21 lbs & 27 3/4 in long. We bought it because it seemed to have high shoulder harness slots.

Is this seat unsafe??

I was going to get it professionally installed by a tech (today and ran out of time)

Thanks,
Mindy

[jeanum]

Not unsafe as long as it can be installed properly and your child doesn't outgrow the seat's harnessed size limitations. It's just not the long term use seat it's marketed as in most cases and odds are pretty high that you'll need to buy another carseat in the future. HTH.

[Joolsplus2]

As a convertible, it's fine...you should be able to keep him rearfacing till 35 pounds and about age 3 in that seat, and that's awesome. Yeah, the slots 'seem to be high' but they are almost the lowest available, because you CAN'T use the top harness position (there's an imprint on the back of the seat to that effect).
Everyone at BRU loves those things, it's an epidemic :D. For less money, the Alpha Sport is a better seat, I think, but for truly long term use, the Marathon (or Decathlon or Boulevard) are your best bets (they last 5-6 years for almost all kids), so you don't have to buy another seat later with taller top slots.
But to reiterate, the AOE is a fine convertible seat, and you should get 3 years out of it. Be sure to have the tech TEACH you to install it... you'll be taking it in and out more than a few times and you don't want to feel clueless when you do :)
Julie CPS Tech and mom to 3 in seats
http://www.cpsafety.com/articles/RFAlbum/SarahMA.aspx