Customer Reviews

Cosco Summit High Back Booster Seat - Mocha

5 star:		(39)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(27)

 

 

We had the Cosco Alpha Omega for our two boys, 1 and 3, (and loved it!) but moved up to the Summit after a car accident. We knew it had received the best ratings from Consumer Reports and liked the fact that it was the same brand as the seats we liked so much. Briefly, here are some things that I didn't see addressed completely in the other reviews:

* First, the facts. We have a 2003 Chevy Suburban and have used this car seat in every location except the front seats. Our boys were 20 months and 3-1/2 years when we first purchased the seats. We've had the seats for about 9 months, but have not yet used them as boosters. Our boys are now roughly 38" tall/35 lbs and 34" tall/25 lbs.

* Installing the car seats using the LATCH system is a breeze. Installing them with the seat belt is also not difficult. I agree that the tether system is not very good -- it's easy to hook the tether on, but not to get it tight. We just do the best we can and don't worry too much about it because it's a redundant system anyway.

* The recline issue: We originally had the car seats directly on our leather seats, and the recline was easy, although it usually required two hands. You do not have to recline the vehicle's seat -- the base of the car seat just slides forward to allow the car seat to recline. We have since put non-slip shelf liner under the car seat to protect our vehicle's seats, which makes it more difficult to recline the car seat, but it's still not too bad. We usually keep the seat slightly reclined, which is comfortable for the boys when they're awake and keeps their heads from bobbing around if they fall asleep.

* Extras: The removable head rest/pillow thing that is supposed to cradle their head is useless. It fits on the top of the headrest, but is so high relative to where the shoulder straps come out that I can't imagine it being in the right position for any child's head (unless they had a 9-inch long neck). However, my children have always just leaned their heads on the deep, well-padded sides of the seat and don't really have a problem with their head bobbing around, especially when the seat is reclined. The little cushions around the shoulder straps are nice and keep the straps from digging into the neck. The front-adjusting straps are very convenient -- I will never again buy another car seat where you have to tighten the straps from the back.

* This is a big car seat. While the Alpha-Omega allowed my boys' legs to dangle comfortably over the edge, the bottom of this seat is longer, so they can't dangle their legs like they would in a chair. My 2-year old usually just folds his legs on the seat (kind of Indian-style), and my 4-year-old stretches his legs out in front of him, allowing the edge of the car seat bottom to hit him mid-calf. It doesn't look very comfortable to me (and encourages him to kick the seat in front of him), but he's never complained.

* Why kids like it: Although I preferred the Alpha-Omega, my boys say they like this seat better, "because of the arm-rests." The kids love the arm-rests, I guess because they make them feel grown-up. The arm-rests are very easy for adults to move up and down, although my boys haven't yet figured out how to do it while they're sitting in the seat. The kids also like the cup holder, and have been able to reach it from the seat since the beginning. The seat sits nice and high, so the kids can easily see out the windows.

* Washing the cover: Compared to other car seats, even the Alpha-Omega, this cover is extremely difficult to remove for washing. There are a number of plastic parts that have to be pried off with so much force that you're sure you're going to break something. We had to combine my husband's brute strength with my little hands (to reach in the small crevices and re-thread the harness) in order to remove and replace the cover. We won't be washing it very often. However, I do have to say that it looks just as good as new after washed.

* Twisting straps? I haven't had any problems with this in 9 months of use.

* The bottom line -- it has all the bells and whistles I would expect in a car seat of this price, installs easily and safely, is durable, looks good, keeps them securely strapped in, and my kids love it! Like all car seats, you'll want to check to make sure it fits well in your car. This seat is definitely meant more for bigger kids -- if your child is small to average in size and you're looking for a first front-facing car seat, I would recommend the Alpha-Omega instead, just because it seems to fit smaller kids better.

After spending hours researching carseats, my search quickly ended when I read the May 2003 Consumer Report on Carseats. Others of this type (the combo 5 pt harness/booster) are ok when the 5 pt harness is used, but not as a booster. This is the only one that they recommend to take to the next level as a booster, as its shoulder belt guide will allow the belt to retract properly in a crash.

So we bought this seat, and I'm so glad that we did. It's well-constructed, has adequate padding, and the harness straps are easy to adjust with the moveable/locking metal bar on the back seat. You may have to initially adjust the lap buckle (between the legs), depending on your child's size. To do so, the instructions detail how to remove the harness, make the proper adjustment, and then reinstall the harness. It took about ten minutes.

It has two tether straps: one is located at the very top of the carseat, the other is at the bottom that can be used as part of the LATCH system. Depending on what your auto has available for anchors, it may be a very secure, easy initial fit into your backseat. If you have any difficulty or want a pro to check the set-up, you can get a free seat inspection. For more info, go to www.seatcheck.org.

This carseat does have a cupholder, pillow, reclining options, and armrests as additional features. We use the cupholder frequently, especially for long trips. It slides out when needed and can be put back into place when not in use. The armrests are a big hit with my 3.5 yr old. We don't use the pillow - instead I bought an $11 seat belt pillow for naps. I haven't used the recline option because we keep it upright.

Due to the safety, great construction, and overall quality of the seat, I would highly recommend this seat to others.

I bought this car seat for 2 reasons, 1) it would last until my 18 month old hits 100lbs and 2) it is the ONLY car seat that Consumer Reports can RECOMMEND as a safe booster seat to use with the seat belt.

I've already had to wash it - it came apart and went back together so easy. There was no guessing on how to put it back together. The straps have not twisted after washing either!

I'm so happy with it I'm buying another one for my 4 year old (38 lbs) so she can use it. It is safer than the one I bought her last year. The latch works well in my 2002 Grand Caravan. I can still tip the seats for people to get in the back seat.

Bottom line - my kids are as safe as I can make them. That is ALL that should matter when you are looking for a car/booster seat!

I purchased this seat on the day it was released due to the open slide for "belt positioning" mode. This is the best seat for this use. I love all the features. The harness adjustment is a snap by simply sliding up a bar in the back (no rethreading harnesses). The reclining feature is a must for preschoolers who still nap on car trips, but it does make the seat slide forward due to the VERY BROAD base. If you have narrow seats, this car seat is not for you. I have a Chevy Venture Minivan and it does extend over the edge of the captains chair by about 1/2-3/4", so I purchased a grippy pad for under it.

NOW, for the DISLIKE part...my daughter is 41" and 34#!!! I just measured last night (after attending a car seat inspection) and this "technically" places her out of the height range for this seat. But, her shoulders are still about 3/4" below the topmost slots, so it is still safe to use...FOR NOW!! If you have a tall and skinny kid, you will be in LIMBO for another seat option way before the 40# weight limit as we are. NHTSA recommends that children not be moved to belt positioning mode until BOTH 40# and 40"...so, I am now in the market for another harnessed seat, with higher height limits! The other drawbacks we have encountered are the harness straps can be kind of difficult to adjust and the cup holder (in the base) is WAY too low for any kid to reach. (Maybe they could in booster mode, but we haven't made it that far!)

Try this seat out in your car before you commit! And, keep in mind your tall, skinny kiddo!

This is a great seat, especially for older children. I don't think I would use it on an infant, but once the child can hold his (her) head up, it's great. Sure, the straps twist as noted in another review, but this is a problem in all car seats. We have a Honda Odyssey and it fits great. Easy to put in and take out. Our daughter has been using the seat for about two years - she loves it. It's big enough so she does not feel she is in a "baby seat." Our son also uses it when he gets the chance. In fact we are buying a second Summit for our son to use. Note that this is one of the only seats recommended by Consumer Reports as having an appropriate (safe) seat belt guide for use on older children (when you remove the 5-point harness and move to the standard seat belt). This is the best seat we have every tried.

My husband and I were a little afraid of buying this car seat because of the bad reviews we saw. Being safety freaks, we made an extensive research on car seats for our 2 year-old, 35 pounds and 38" toddler. At the end, we were undecided between the Cosco Summit High Back and the Britax Roundabout. We came to the conclusion that the Cosco Summit High Back would be a better buy because the Britax Roundabout was on recall not too long ago. Also, this one is the safest (according to Consumer Reports) and because of its safety, it would be worth facing the pre-installation issues that other parents reported here. So we bought the seat and we are extremely happy with it. First, keep in mind that reading the manual is the first thing you have to do - it's boring, but very important, specially when it's for your children's safety. So here's what we found out about the problems and complains:

1 - IT DOESN'T RECLINE - Yes, the seat reclines, but our understanding, contrary to what some people wrote here, is that the car seat should to be reclined once is installed on the car. Remember that, once installed, the car seat should not move more than one inch in any direction. So it looks to me that you shouldn't recline the seat once installed, period. The seat reclines to better fit the different inclinations of the back seats that different cars may have. For example, our Saturn VEU (where the car seat was installed) has a very upright backseat, but other cars have a backseat more inclined. The reclinable option of the Cosco car seat gives you the chance to change the inclination of the car seat so you can find the perfect fit for the back seat of your car. So before installing, check how inclined the back seat of your car is. Then try to find the angle of inclination on the car seat that will better fit the inclination on the back seat, and stick with it. I cannot tell for sure, but I guess some folks had trouble getting the seat tight enough on their cars because of the wrong inclination. Actually, my opinion is that, in order to avoid confusion, Cosco should change the description "reclinable" to "adjustable inclination", so consumers wouldn't be induced in error when buying the seat.

2 - TWISTING STRAPS - Yes, the straps tend to twist, but that's only if you pull them just in one side. If you pull them together and as even as you can when you are going to adjust the straps on your child, they won't twist. We were getting upset with the twisted straps, but then we realized it was our own fault. Now that we know the trick, it didn't happen anymore.

3 - IT DOESN'T FIT MY CHILD - Some parents are complaining that the straps don't fit well on their children. If you read the manual, you are going to see that they recommend you take the straps out and put them back together again before you install the seat. That's because you have to adjust the straps and the seat's features to fit your own child. We had to move the shoulder straps from their place and the in-between-legs lock as well so it would fit our son. At first it didn't seem to fit our kid, but once we read the manual and made the necessary arrangements, it now fits like a glove. Again, I can't speak for other people's children, but it worked for us. Just remember that is a question of how you do it, and not of how much strength or force you put into it. So if it looks like your child isn't comfortable and snugly secure, don't use force - take the child out, readjust it, and try again.

4 - IT DOESN'T STAY SECURE IN OUR CAR - We are lucky enough to have a car with LATCH system. It took my husband literally two minutes to install the car seat, and it doesn't move a single bit in any direction. If it did move, I wouldn't have let my son ride in the car at all until the County's inspection, since I am "the" safety freak. But it is very secure and it doesn't move at all, so I'm very happy to say that I think we are fine. Of course, even being extremely tight on our car, I'll go through the inspection (something I recommend every parent to do). But I'm positive the car seat will pass the inspection. I cannot rate the car seat installation using the seatbelts, but it works very well with the LATCH system.

Well, that's it. We are happy with our purchase and so is our son, who loved his new roomy and comfy seat. (I can't wait until he finds out that there's a place for his cup too!). Just read the manual and, most importantly, go through a car seat inspection conducted by a certified car seat installation technician. You can call your local police department and they are going to be able to direct you to where you can find such person. I hope this review helps!!!

While I think this is a really good choice for most people, I would like to point out that it is not an ideal choice for families with very tall kids. The 5-pt harness is only good for kids up to 40 inches in height, after that you need to use the seat as a belt-positioning booster. This is not a problem for most people, but if you have a very tall kid like my son (who was over 40 inches at his 3rd birthday), you will be better off getting something else like a Britax Marathon or a Husky because all of the safety organizations strongly recommend that you do NOT put a child under 4 yrs of age in a belt-positioning booster. The Summit is actually one of the shorter seats if you measure the distance from the seat to the top slot. The top slot cannot be used with the harness (per the mfr's instructions), so you only have 3 positions to put the straps before you run out of room. Hope this helps!

When my daughter outgrew her infant seat, we purchased this carseat because the shoulder strap adjustment is fast and easy, it reclined, had armrests, and went from infant seat to booster seat so you got alot for the money. A few months back I was stopped waiting for traffic to clear so I could make a left hand turn and was rear-ended. I was taken to the hospital, my car was totaled, and my daughter was perfectly fine. The car seat had protected her so well that she suffered absolutely no injuries. The insurance company had to pay to replace our carseat, (never reuse a seat after a wreck!) and we bought another identical one because we were so impressed with its performance.

WE BOUGHT THIS CAR SEAT WHEN MY DAUGHTER WAS ALMOST TWO. I LOVE THE FEATURES, SUCH AS THE ONE HAND ADJUSTMENT FOR THE SHOULDER STRAPS THE PUZZLE-LIKE BUCKLE - WE HAD TO GET USE TO IT, BUT SHE COULDN'T WORK IT. A DOWN SIDE TO THE SEAT IS IT IS NOT VERY PADDED AND THE RECLINING FEATURE ONLY WORKS IF YOUR SEAT RECLINES. ALSO THE BELTS DO TWIST, BUT I DON'T KNOW OF A CAR SEAT THAT DOESN'T- JUST UNTWIST IT! AN UP SIDE TO THIS SEAT IT WASHES WELL, WE HAVE HAD TO TAKE APART AND WASH MANY TIMES IF NEEDED IT CAN BE USED UP TO 100 LBS. MY DAUGHTER CAN REACH THE CUP HOLDER JUST FINE AND HAS SINCE WE BOUGHT IT. THE CHEST LATCH FINALLY BROKE AFTER HAVING IT A YEAR AND A HALF AND COSCO SAID THEY WOULD SENT ME A REPLACEMENT FOR FREE! SO NOW MY SON CAN USE IT WHEN HE REACHES OF AGE. MY DAUGHTER CURRENTLY USES IT AS A SEAT BELT BOOSTER AND LOVES IT. THE SEAT SITS HIGH AND SHE LOVES WATCHING EVERYTHING GOING ON OUTSIDE. I THINK COMPARED TO OTHER CAR SEATS THIS ONE IS GREAT FOR THE MONEY.

Bought this on the recommendation of Consumer Reports (the only one they actually recommended in their review -- all other seats failed their tests). So far we have loved it and will probably buy another for the other car. Have no problems like the other reviewers reported and it adjusts many different ways (including location of the crotch buckle). We have not yet used it as a seatbelt-positioning booster so I can't review that yet.
The only problem: the rear tether anchor has a dumb strap design that I can't get to tighten. On our Britax seat you just pull on it and it tightens, this one is a loop-de-loop and the designers must have never actually tried to do it. This keeps it from the 5-star rating...