UPDATE: (July 13, 2005) Can you believe it??? We are still using the Cosco Alpha Omega car seats we purchased five years ago! Since the twins, we had another little daughter who is now using one of the seats, and another baby daughter transitioning into one in the next year. My husband and I have traveled extensively, via air and car, and took both seats with us on all trips. (It is wise, however, to replace carseats any older than four to five years -- for safety concerns over such long use.) My only problem with the seats are the shoulder straps, which twist easily within the chest harness and buckle. That aside, we will surely be looking at purchasing another Cosco brand carseat once more!

UPDATE: (November 30, 2000) My husband and I just purchased two Cosco Alpha Omega car seats for our 11-month old twin girls and have been delighted by using them. The girls are quite fascinated that they can finally see more. There are no negatives to speak of, other than the twisting shoulder straps. Also, we found that the recommendation by the American Academy of Pediatrics states that for an infant to ride front-facing, they must be either over one-year of age or 22lbs in weight, whichever comes first.

Original Review
My husband and I spent the past six months researching car seats for our eight-month old twins. They have grown too big for the infant seats, we were looking for information on the bigger seats. A very important factor for us is to find a seat that converts for all stages, like the Alpha Omega. The price of the product is also important for us since we have to purchase two seats at once. We definitely do not want to buy two forward-facing seats and then later, two booster seats. The convertible option of the Cosco seat is the best choice.

During our research of car seats, we went to Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City to do a check of our current infa-seats. This hospital is known for its advanced work on children and is noted as the best children's hospital in the West. At the time of our visit, the hospital was holding a free "safety check" of car seats for all parents with children. During the check, we discussed various types of car seats with the nurse in charge of the safety checks, including the Alpha Omega. As we were talking, the nurse informed us that the hospital's recommendation for a car seat is adamantly in favor of the Alpha Omega. She said that the 5-point harness is the best to buy on the market after review of recent safety issues, and that as of January 2001 all car seats will be required by law to come with tethers. The Alpha Omega comes with tethers. You can take your vehicle to any car dealer and it will install the tethers free of charge.

(For those of you who do not know, you may call your local hospital to set up a time for a car seat safety inspection. They will personally show you how to install your seat correctly. Our check was extremely helpful as we were shocked to learn that 70% of parents have their car seats installed incorrectly.)

Although there are many reviews on Epinions that complain of shoulder straps twisting, I think it is a small price to pay for the knowledge that your child is the safest they can be. I would prefer taking a little extra time untwisting shoulder straps than to put my children in a car seat that was not as safe as the Alpha Omega. The hospital's recommendation of this seat was the "clencher" for me and my husband.

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~Features of Infant/Toddler Positions:
The Alpha Omega is a 3-car-seats-in-1 miracle. The Infant Car Seat needs to be rear facing while your infant is between 5-22lbs.(or longer, if you wish). The Toddler Car Seat is forward-facing from 22-40lbs. The Booster Seat is belt-positioning between 30-80lbs. The Alpha Omega comes with a free instructional video to help you understand how the car seat works, and how to correctly install it. There is a tether kit included that can be installed by your auto dealer, as well as a 7-year limited warranty for the seat.

Infant/Toddler Position:
* Winner of the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association 1998 New Product Competition.
* 1-hand harness height adjustment that never needs re-threading.
* Harness automatically moves from closer together for smaller infants to farther apart as your infant grows for more comfort and extra security.
* 4-position headrest and harness adjust together to fit your growing child.
* Quick and easy harness length adjustment with A-Lock, the most popular, state-of-the-art harness adjustment system available.
* Posture-designed seat has thick positional padding for comfort and support.
* Racing-style 5-point harness.
* Rear storage compartment for diapers, pacifiers, and other baby needs.
* Seat adapts to fit bucket seats.
* Base design helps protect and preserve vehicle upholstery.

Auto Booster Seat Position:
* Shell design positions lap belt properly over your child's thighs.
* 3-position upper belt guides help you locate shoulder belt securely and correctly, away from child's face and neck.
* 5-position adjustable headrest allows longer use in vehicles with low seat backs.
* Fits in bucket seats.
* No tools required to convert from Infant/Toddler Car Seat to Auto Booster.

~Concerns:
* In the rear-facing recline position, the front seat does not leave much legroom for a tall passenger. My husband is 6'4" and has to fold himself into the front seat to go anywhere, and that is with a mid-sized car. You may not encounter this dilemma because we have twins, if you have only one child in the car seat -- at least one of the front seats will have leg room. Once the seats can be set face-front, my husband will shine with glee!

~Cleaning:
All pads are removable and can be washed in your washing machine. The installation instruction booklet has a section that shows you how to remove and replace the covers and pads.

~Price:
Most retailers sell this carseat anywhere from $150 down to $100. Our luck, for your information, pointed us to buy the Cosco Alpha Omega at Costco where the price was only $89.00! For anyone in our situation, this is a super reasonable price for what you obtain in return! I am extremely happy just knowing that my babies can obtain maximum safety at a reasonable price.

~Recommendation:
I highly recommend the Cosco Alpha Omega car seat to anyone wishing to make the safest yet economical car seat purchase for an infant. Not only is this a marvelous purchase, but it is also the last carseat we will have to buy! By purchasing this car seat, you will not be sorry -- take our word for it!

We will continue to post our comments on the safety and use of the Alpha Omega on a regular basis to see how the results stack up to the high recommendation by SLC Primary Children's Hospital. For more information, please visit www.coscoinc.com







Recommended: Yes