Cosco’s newest offering is a backless booster seat that comes in at a ridiculously reasonable price! The Rise retails for $9.99. That’s right, it’s less than $10! Let’s take a closer look at this extremely budget-friendly option.
CSFTL Quick Stats
- Backless booster weight range: 40-100 pounds
- Backless booster height range: 43-57 inches tall
- Expiration: 10 years
Measurements
- Width at narrowest part of the seating area: 8.5 inches
- Width at widest point: 15 inches
- Seating area depth: 13 inches
- Weight: 2.2 pounds
Carpooling Essentials
- Easy to set up without (very much or any) adult assistance
- Easy to carry
- Consistent belt fit
Assembly
The Rise is about the simplest booster ever to “assemble.” Just open the box, pull it out, and you’re ready to go!
Unique Features
The Rise is pretty simple as booster seats go. It doesn’t have cupholders, lower anchors, or any frills. But what it is — a lightweight, reasonably priced booster seat — is what it does the best. In the end, that’s what matters, having a seat that fits the child well.
Shoulder Belt Routing
The Rise’s predecessor was the Topside. The two seats are pretty darn similar except for one key difference — the Rise has a traditional vehicle seat belt routing where both the lap and shoulder portions of the belt go under the armrest. This makes the Rise easier for kiddos to setup and use correctly every time.
Seat Pan Depth
At just 13 inches deep, the Rise is pretty shallow. This translates to it not having a ton of thigh support. This may be an issue for children who have longer legs but still require a booster.
Installation
The Rise does not have lower anchor connectors (LATCH) so setting it up in the car is pretty simple. Just set it on the vehicle seat, thread the vehicle seat belt through the belt guide and it’s ready for a passenger! My oldest daughter calls this kind of booster seat a “plopper” because you just plop it onto the seat.
Three Across
The Rise is 15 inches across at the widest point — the front edge of the seat. That makes it a solid choice for 3 car seats across a vehicle seat. We tested it with a Cosco Finale outboard, a child who passes the Five Step Test in the center seat, and the Rise in the other outboard position in a 2012 Mazda CX-9. The Rise was a great option — our center seat passenger said it was great because the Rise is narrow enough that it didn’t overlap her seating area at all!
Fit to Child
7 Years Old
This model is just moments from her 8th birthday. She weighs 64 pounds and is 52 inches tall. She’s well within the Rise’s height and weight limits. The Rise’s curved shape means that it sits nicely on my vehicle’s recessed outboard seating positions, allowing her access to buckle the Rise with ease. This is a big issue for us so I’m always happy when a booster works well in my car.
8 Years Old
This model is 8 years old. She weighs 65 pounds and is 50 inches tall. She thinks the Rise is great. She found it easy to buckle and the belt fit is quite good.
Important Information: Where to Find
Manual storage: the manual is the shortest manual I’ve ever seen. It’s so short, it’s a single sheet of paper! It folds into a smaller version of itself, then tucks under the cover for storage.
Date of manufacture label: the Rise expires after 10 years from the date of manufacture. The label is on the underside of the seat.
FAA label: like all booster seats, the Rise requires a lap and shoulder belt. Since airplanes only have lap belts, the Rise isn’t permitted for use on aircraft. However, it’s so small that it would fit nicely in the overhead bin or underneath the airplane seat during travel, then be ready for use upon arrival!
Overall Thoughts
The Rise has a lot to offer — it’s easy to use, it fits most children well, and of course it rolls in at less than $10 so it’s the most budget-friendly option on the market. Families who need a low cost option for everyday use or a spare seat for carpooling would be well suited to choose the Rise!