The Chicco Nextfit Or The Safety 1st Go And Grow Car Seat?

Between The Chicco Nextfit or Safety 1st Go And Grow, the Nextift has major safety features that the latter don’t have – all of which comes with a high cost.

Can you get the same safety and convenience with the Go and Grow car seat, for a cheaper price?

Let’s see.

Last Updated: September 8, 2017

Vs

Ideal Use

	Chicco Nextfit	Safety 1st Go And Grow
Rear-Facing Weight:	5 to 40 pounds
Rear-Facing Height Limit:	Under 49 inches	19 to 40 inches
Forward-Facing Weight:	22 to 65 pounds
Forward-Facing Height Limit:	Up to 49 inches	29 to 52 inches
Booster Weight:	N/A	40 to 100 pounds
Booster Height Limit:	N/A	43 to 52 inches

Although both seats have the same rear-facing weight limit, you can have your child seated rear-facing longer with the Chicco Nexfit because of its higher rear-facing height limit.

However, the Safety 1st Go and Grow car seat has a higher forward-facing height limit. It can also be used until booster mode. That’s something you cannot do with the Chicco Nextfit.

Will It Fit In My Car?

	Chicco Nextfit	Safety 1st Go And Grow
Width	19 inches
Height	29.2 inches	24 inches
Depth/Length	21 inches	23.75 inches

Both seats are as wide as each other. Although the Nextfit is shorter in length, its tall back can still occupy vehicle space, especially when fully reclined in the rear-facing mode.

Installation

	Chicco Nextfit	Safety 1st Go And Grow
Do I need to use a pool noodle/rolled towel?	No
Easy To Install Rear-Facing?	Yes	Relatively
Easy To Install Forward-Facing?	Yes
Easy To Uninstall?	Yes

The Chicco Nextfit’s LATCH straps have labels saying “pull first” and “pull next.” It’s as dummy-proof as one can only wish for. Tightening the straps is a breeze, too.

Installing the Safety 1st Go and Grow seems to be easily done only in the forward-facing mode. The LATCH installation in the rear-facing mode can be tough. But if you use the seatbelt, you’ll be able to install the seat in the rear-facing mode easily.

Safety

	Chicco Nextfit	Safety 1st Go And Grow
Country Of Origin:	China	USA
Steel Frame:	Yes	No
Five-Point Harness?	Yes
Side Impact Tested:	Yes
Approved For Airplane Use:	Yes
Easy To Buckle And Unbuckle?	Yes

Despite being made in China, the Chicco Nextfit has a steel-reinforced frame, something that the Safety 1st Go and Grow car seat don’t have.

Check Out The Chicco Nextfit Colors

Check Out The Safety 1st Go And Grow Colors

The Seat

	Chicco Nextfit	Safety 1st Go And Grow
Is The Material Breathable?	Yes
Seat Weight:	25.5 pounds	18.66 pounds
Machine Washable Cover?	Yes
Roomy?	Yes
No-Rethread Harness?	Yes
Comes With An Infant Body Support?	Yes	Removable Head And Body Pillow
Easy To Remove Cover?	No	Yes
Expiration	8 years	10 years
Comes With A Cup Holder?	Yes
Shoulder Harness Has Pads?	Yes
Leg Straps Has Pads?	No

Compare The Price Difference

Chicco Nextfit	Safety 1st Go And Grow
Check The Latest Price	Check The Latest Price

Conclusion

The Chicco Nextfit and the Safety 1st Go and Grow are USD 130 apart. The Nextfit is more expensive. Let’s enumerate what the added cost is for.

It has a higher rear-facing height limit.
It’s dummy-proof to install in all modes.
It has a steel-reinforced frame.

Are these three points good enough to justify the price difference? I think yes since the first three points are all connected to your child’s safety. How much are you willing to pay to keep your child safe anyway?

First, the higher rear-facing height limit means you can keep your child seated in the rear-facing mode longer. The longer they stay seated rear-facing, the safer they are.

Second, easy installation means a safe install. Nextfit is regarded to be one of the easiest car seats to install.

And lastly, the steel-reinforced frame of the Nextfit means sturdier seat.

With the above advantages of the Nextfit over the Safety 1st Go and Grow, I think the Go and Grow seat is also not bad for its price especially when used starting the forward-facing mode, right after your child has outgrown an infant car seat.

Also, the Safety 1st Go and Grow can be used until booster mode until your child is ready to be out of a car seat.

When getting the Nextfit, consider the type of vehicle you have. Its high sides, although they provide the utmost side impact protection, can hinder you to conveniently put your child in the seat, if you cannot position yourself directly, or almost across the car seat. Your vehicle should be large enough to give you a space in front of it to buckle your child up.

If you have a large vehicle to conveniently deal with the Nextfit’s high sides, then you are better off with the Chicco Nextfit.

However, parents with smaller vehicles can get the safety and convenience with the Safety 1st Go and Grow, as long as they start using it after their child has outgrown an infant car seat.