Safety 1st Grow and Go Reviews (2023)
Table of Contents
When you are planning for a car seat for a very long term right from pregnancy and with extra comfort and convenience in mind, the Safety 1st grow and go all-in-1 convertible car seat gat you from the very get-go.
The Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 car seat is designed to transition your child right from infancy in rear-facing mode to forward-facing and then belt-positioning booster seat with extra comfort and safety all the very way till the end.
Carrying a lifespan of 10 years, you are sure to get the best value for money on all types of car seats in a single car seat. You also get to use the car seat for as long as possible in the rear-facing mode as it has an upper limit of 40 lbs. and 40 inches in weight and height, respectively. Ultimately, it can accommodate your child up to 100 lbs. in the booster seat mode.
Why You Can Trust the Assessment - Basis Of This Safety 1st Grow and Go Review
Many hours went into this research with a first-person approach/intent in mind, like I am getting one for myself. When I need to get something for myself or my family, I go the extra mile to read every available resource I can find and make valuable judgments about if it is right or not suitable for me. That stress has been taken off you.
This review makes further insights beyond just what the manufacturers provide but rather from what actual users have shared across boards.
So, take it that you are reading a genuine assessment without bias of the Grow and Go 3-in-1 convertible car seat. Do read through to absorb as much in.
Safety First Grow and Go Reviews
For readers who trust my verdict and want a quick summary of this review, here are highlights weighing the pros and cons of this car seat.
Nevertheless, you can read on to get more insights.
Pros and Cons
Unbiased Review on the Safety First Grow and Go 3-in-1 Car Seat
The Safety First Grow and Go all-in-one car seat is credibly an excellent car seat that features great comfort and easy-to-use features at an unbeatable price compared to its counterpart from other brands.
However, there is the complaint of difficulty in tightening the harness and LATCH straps, hence earning an 8.5 score, shy of 0.5 from a 9. While some parents find this an overwhelming challenge, a good number of parents are able to overcome it or they ask for replacement (when it’s the harness straps).
Nevertheless, it is a great seat that promises much value for money on the long run and doesn’t take up much space in the back seat.Â
Other than that, other boxes for an excellent car seat are ticked in this Grow and Go.
A lower version to this car seat with few differences, great similar features and at a more affordable price is the Safety 1st Continuum 3-in-1 car seat.
While the Graco 4Ever DLX car seat is a rival model from Graco featuring great similar features but at a higher price. You can read a comparable review of the Safety 1st Grow and Go vs Graco 4Ever.
- 3 recline positions for extra fit in the car and comfort for the child
- Takes less space in the back seat – more legroom in the front seat
- Super easy and secured installing system
- Great ease-of-use features
- Don’t need to rethread the harness
- Very comfortable for a child
- Machine washable
- Durability - excellent for long-term use (expiration – 10 years)
- Machine washable
- It has 2 cup holders
- Certified for Airplane use (label on the side of the seat) – forward-facing ONLY
- It has 2 cup holders
- Budget-friendly (mid-range)
- Difficulty in tightening harness straps
- Difficulty in tightening LATCH straps
- Heavy – not designed to be used as a carrier
- Difficult to find more cons
Safety 1st Grow & Go 3-Recline Positions
The Grow and Go car seat supports recline at three angles in rear-facing and forward-facing.
Note: These recline positions are very important as it helps to give your child the comfort they deserve. The recline position helps keep a child’s head in place.
Rear-facing recline position;
- Position 2 – semi-reclined
- Position 3 – full-recline
Forward-facing recline position;
- Position 1 – upright
- Position 2 – semi-reclined (ONLY use if necessary to install the car seat flush against the vehicle seat back)
Booster seat recline position;
- Position 1 – upright
- Position 2 – semi-reclined (ONLY use if necessary to install the car seat flush against the vehicle seat back)
Table 1: Safety 1st Car Seat Grow and Go Specifications
| FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Product Dimension | 31.75D X 28.75H X 19.25W (obviously big) |
Product Weight | 18.01 lbs. (heavy) |
Recommended Weight Range | 5 – 100 lbs. (really wide) |
Recommended Height Limit | 52 inches |
Rear-facing Weight Limits | min. 5 lbs.; max. 40 lbs. (enough room for growth) |
Rear-facing Height Limits | 19 - 40 inches |
Forward-facing Weight Limits | min. 22 lbs.; max. 65 lbs. (more comfort) |
Forward-facing Height Limits | 29 - 49 inches |
Belt-positioning Booster Seat Weight Limits | min. 40 lbs.; max. 100 lb. (more value) |
Belt-positioning Booster Seat Height Limits | min. 43 in.; max. 52 in. |
Life span (expiration) | 10 years from the date of manufacture (label on the side of the seat) (extra value for money) |
Table 2: Safety 1st Grow and Go Car Seat Features
| FEATURE | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Safety Features |
|
Installation |
|
Ease of use |
|
Longevity and Suitability |
|
Comfortability for a Child |
|
Quality Features |
|
Who is it best for? |
|
Key Decision-making Factors to Consider for the Safety 1st Grow and Go
Here is a quick overview of key decision-making factors to help you decide if this Safety 1st Grow and Go 3 in 1 car seat is the right one for you.
Outrightly, an all-in-one car seat caters to your child’s car seat needs from infancy to near adolescence. However, you need to be sure you’re making the right choice of a seat from the onset.
The several factors to look out for in an all-in-one car seat include:
- Installation features: this would be the first feature to look into. What installation features does your vehicle have? What installation method would you prefer? There are two types of installation methods – LATCH/LUAS/ISOFIX system and the seat-belt method.
- Compatibility with a vehicle: what size of vehicle do you have? Do you intend to use the car seat in your bigger vehicle, or would you be willing to buy a suitable car seat for your smaller vehicle? How many car seats do you also intend to have in your back seat?
- Size: this goes hand-in-hand with compatibility. Then, do you intend to use this car seat as a carrier? It is heavy and is best suited to be permanently installed in the vehicle.
- Ease of usage: if your child will be riding with you very often, you want to consider how convenient it is to use the car seat, such as getting your child out of the seat, feeding in the car seat, and how easy it is to clean the seat.
- Comfort and growing room space: are also very important factors. You want to ensure that the car seat you are getting offers your little bundle perfect comfort and enough room space as they grow through the rear-facing and forward-facing modes.
- Weight and height requirement: as many states’ car seat laws are based on weight and height limits for each growth stage, you need a car seat that guarantees more in the longer term. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommend that infants ride rear-facing for a minimum of 2 years and to an upper limit of 4 years, possibly.
- Safety: this shouldn’t have come last, but since all car seats are made to meet stringent federal safety standards, it is safe to say are car seats are safe. Nevertheless, some manufacturers go the extra mile to beat the bars and even add more features, such as the Side Impact Protection for the Grow and Go car seat.
- Extra features:Â removable body pillows, removable cup holder
Table 3: Comparing the Factors above with What the Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1 Offers
| Key Decision-making Factors | Grow and Go Features | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
Installation Features |
| Excellent |
Compatibility With Vehicle |
| Excellent |
Size |
| Excellent for regular cars |
Ease of Usage |
| Excellent |
Comfort And Growing Room Space |
| Excellent |
Weight And Height Requirement |
| Excellent |
Safety |
| Excellent |
Detailed Insight on the Features – PROS and CONS
To give you more insight on this review assessment from actual users and not just word of mouth from the manufacturer, the Pros and Cons earlier listed at the beginning of the review have been expanded with more details.
PROS
Safety
In terms of safety protection, even though car seats are made to federal standards to guarantee a level of protection, it is another thing to experience the benefit of its effect. However, we don’t pray to be involved in an accident.
Parents who have been involved in one crash attest to the maximum protection their kids had when involved in a crash. Some even explain the aftermath of the experience saying their kids were still fast asleep, not a hair strand missing.
It goes to show the safety protection the Grow and Go gives. However, it is very important to ensure your car seat is properly installed. Luckily, the Grow and Go offer a super easy installation with either the safety belt or the LATCH system.
Disadvantage:Â none.
Super Easy and Secured Installing System
The Grow and Go car seat is super easy to install in rear and forward-facing positions.
This is an edge as it makes you properly install the car seat securely. Parents often install car seat the wrong way without knowing, thinking it is well secured.
However, a simple way to confirm the tightness is to hold the seat at the belt path and move forward and sideways. The car seat should not move more than 1 inch in any direction.
Disadvantage:Â The Grow and Go LATCH straps can be difficult to tighten.
Great Ease-Of-Use Features
The Grow and Go is super easy to clean. The intriguing thing about this easy feature is that, compared to some other models of safety 1st seats, parents complain of the difficulty of cleaning the seat pad and fixing it back.
Parents attest the Grow and Go is easy to disassemble for cleaning and fixing back. Not only that, but the padding is also removable while the car seat remains installed. This makes this seat super easy to use in terms of cleaning.
Very Comfortable for a Child
The seat gives extra comfort you don’t even expect. Well, you do want some comfort, and you get more. From parents’ assessment, the cushioned headrest provides head support even when a child falls asleep, not leaving out the shoulder pads that add extra comfort.
The seat pads also add more comfy. Parents also report their kids love and enjoy the car seat, falling asleep pretty quickly due to the comfort in this car seat.
3 Recline Positions
The 3 recline positions offer this car seat more options to fit a car. It can fit well in the back seat of a crew cab truck just by adjusting the recline angle accordingly.
The recline position is also very easy to adjust.
Expiration
This car seat has quite a long extensive usage duration of 10 years. The expiration date is calculated from the date of manufacture, which can be found on the label on the back of the car seat. You can find the expiration dates for other safety 1st car seats here.
Advantage: owning to the higher weight and height limits, you’ll be able to maximize the life span of this car seat. That also depends on the car seat laws in your state and if you decide to follow the laws or the car seat manufacturer’s instructions which most states’ laws recommend.
Disadvantage:Â none.
Budget-friendly
This car seat’s features beat the pricing of other car seat brands with similar features. Many parents choose the Grow and Go over their preferred brands because of the price, among the other features.
However, for some reasons, you may read in the cons below, and if you think it would be a challenge for you, you may want to consider the alternative brands. You will also find links to read my unbiased assessment in the same section.
CONS
Where does this product lack?
The Safety 1st Grow and Go all-in-one convertible car seat does not have major cons; however, it is necessary to mention some challenges some parents faced that were common with many but were not serious issues, and they could resolve them.
Difficulty in Tightening LATCH Straps
Some parents find installing the car seat with the LATCH/LUAS/ISOFIX system difficult. They find it difficult to tighten and secure the LATCH straps.
Difficulty in Tightening Harness Straps
Some parents find it difficult to tighten the straps when securing their child in the car seat. It’d take extra effort to tighten the strap. While some parents could get along with it, others contacted Safety 1st customer service and were offered a replacement.
You can decide to test this feature when you receive your car seat, and if you find the challenge, you can contact their CS.
Safety 1st Grow and Go Installation
Installing the Safety 1st Grow and Go all in one car seat is straightforward, though some parents complain about the difficulty of the LATCH straps. Remember, a car seat must be properly installed to maximize the full benefit of its safety protection in the event of a car crash.
More than half of car seats are not installed correctly in the US. To ensure a car seat has been properly installed, it should not move more than 1 inch when pushed front-to-back or side-to-side.
Here’s a guide on how to install safety 1st car seats. You are also recommended to follow the car seat manual, which can be found in the section below.
Safety 1st Grow and Go Manual
You are recommended to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions as provided in the manual as applied to car seat registration, expiry date, car seat installation, cleaning, maintenance, etc.
You can find the Safety 1st Grow and Go manual here. You can also find expiration dates for other safety 1st models and learn more about car seat expiration here.
Frequently Asked Questions for the Grow and Go Car Seat
Is the Grow and Go Car Seat Crash Tested?
Yes, the Grow and Go has been crash tested and it meets and exceeds stringent federal safety standards.
Can a Newborn Ride in the Grow and Go?
Yes, the car seat is suitable for a baby right from birth and fits comfortably. The minimum weight for a newborn to ride in this Grow and Go is 5 lbs.
What Does the Max Weight Mean?
The maximum weight recommended in rear-facing and forward-facing only accounts for the child’s weight and not the seat’s weight. That means if your child weighs 35 lbs., they can continue riding rear-facing.
Does the Grow and Go Car Seat Recline?
Yes, the Grow and Go reclines. The Grow and Go comes with a permanent base that allows the car seat to be reclined up to 3 angles in forward and rear-facing modes giving the child the extra comfort they deserve.
Can I Install the Car Seat With Both the LATCH System and the Seat Belt?
No, it is NEVER recommended to install a car seat with both. A single one is the right way, and either is equally secured.
Is the Grow and Go Certified for Airplane in the 3 Modes?
The Grow and Go is certified for an airplane in the forward-facing mode ONLY and using the internal 5-point harness system. The car seat should not be used in rear-facing or as a booster seat in an airplane.
How Long can I Use the Car Seat?
The Grow and Go have a life span of 10 years. That means the expiry date is 10 years from the date of manufacture. The DOM label can be found on the side of the car seat.
Can the Grow and Go be Used After an Accident?
According to the manufacturer, it is not recommended to use the car seat after an accident. You are recommended to replace the car seat after an accident, irrespective of the severity.
Final Wrap-up
Why you should consider the Grow and Go and why you may need a second thought.
Finally, to wrap up this Safety 1st Grow and Go Review, I’d like you to have a second thought which may help you decide whether to buy it or look at a second brand?
- Are you within a budget?
- Do you consider the challenge of tightening the straps, or do you think you’ll be able to get it done like other parents??
- How often will you need to change cars or will it be permanent in a one car?
- Will you be considering more kids very soon?
If you answered confidently in the affirmative to three or all questions, it is a big yes for this product.
If you answered two confidently and were shaky for the others, you may consider a different brand.
If you had just one positive answer, this model is not for you.
On the other hand, this Safety 1st Grow and Go all-in-1 Car Seat is credibly an excellent car seat that offers premium features for unbeatable price compared to other brands.
Besides the challenge of tightening the straps, every other box for an excellent car seat is ticked with this Grow and Go car seat.
Thank you for reading.
