Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport
The search for a booster seat with a tall shoulder belt guide is often a challenging quest. There aren’t too many models that go past the 21 or 22 inch top guide position, so when one comes along that has an unusually tall top position, we’re all ears. The Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport is a variation on an existing seat but brings some new comfort features to this lightweight, long-lasting booster option.
The existing Store ‘n Go is being phased out and replaced with this model. The main difference between the two is the 110 pound weight limit on this version of the seat.
CSFTL Quick Stats
- High back booster weight range: 40-110 pounds
- High back booster height range: 43-57 inches tall
- Backless booster weight range: 40-110 pounds
- Backless booster height range: 43-57 inches tall
- Highest belt guide position: 23 inches tall
- Expiration: 10 years
- Requires head support behind it at all times
- 2014 IIHS Best Bet when used in high back mode (previous version)
Measurements
- Width at widest point (shoulder area in high back mode): 18 inches
- Width at widest point (backless mode): 18.5 inches at the cupholder
- Seat pan depth: 12.5 inches
- Seating area width: 11 inches
- Weight, high back mode: 8.7 pounds
- Weight, backless mode: 5 pounds
Carpooling Essentials
- Easy to set up without (very much or any) adult assistance
- Easy to carry
- Consistent belt fit
Assembly
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport requires assembly
The Store ‘n Go Sport ships in a very tiny box, given how big the seat can become! It arrives in three pieces with the cover (soft goods) in a separate bag. Put the corresponding cover on each piece first, then assemble the seat.
The cover doesnt attach with any annoying elastic loops, which is sort of nice. However, this translated to the middle part of the cover slipping off quite a bit while I was wrestling the headrest up and down.
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport requires assembly
I found that laying the pieces out on the floor, then lining each cover piece up on top of the corresponding piece of the booster seat helped keep track of what goes where.
Features
The Store ‘n Go Sport’s storage drawer open
“Whoa, are you kidding me???” was the excited squeal from the back seat when my model discovered the cubby and the cupholder. That was before I showed her the the Store ‘n Go Sport’s nifty drawer on the backless portion of the booster. Once she saw the special place to store her trinkets, she was hooked!
Installation
The Store ‘n Go Sport 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 shoulder belt guide if the seat is in high back mode, make sure the lap portion of the seat belt is routed under the armrest, and it’s ready for a passenger!
Shoulder Belt Guide Adjuster
The Store ‘n Go Sport does not include a shoulder belt guide adjuster.
Width of Seat
Our biggest struggle with the Store ‘n Go Sport came when my kiddo tried to buckle herself in. My reviewmobile, a 2016 VW GTI, features some very recessed seating areas in the back seat. That setup means that car seats and booster seats that are either pretty narrow or sit on a high base fit best in that spot. The Store ‘N Go Sport is fairly wide and square, so when my kiddo tried to buckle herself in, it was a challenge. She had to scoot the booster out toward the door so she could access the buckle. Once she buckled herself in, she’d scoot the booster toward the buckle and we were good to go. Over time, she grew pretty frustrated with this requirement. During our review, the Store ‘n Go Sport worked better in vehicles that have a flatter and wider seating area than my car does.
Adjusting the Headrest
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go headrest adjuster
The headrest adjusts via a plastic piece on the back of the top portion of the booster. It’s a little different than some other boosters that adjust via a handle that you squeeze. The Store ‘n Go’s headrest goes up or down by pressing the piece in toward the seat, then sliding the headrest up or down. It wasn’t the smoothest process, and it required a bit of strength to push the piece in. I was able to adjust it with a little bit of brute force while my fellow reviewer Wendy had a harder time with it.
Vehicle Seat Belt Retraction Issues
The shoulder belt guide works just fine in some vehicles, but in others — like the notoriously bad-for-booster-seats Town and Country — we found that the vehicle seat belt could get stuck in the belt guide. We’d suggest making sure that the vehicle seat belt slides freely through the belt guide in your particular vehicle and seating location.
Fit to Child
High Back Booster Mode
7 Years Old
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport 7 years old
This model is moments away from her 8th birthday. She weighs 64 pounds and is 50 inches tall. The Store ‘n Go Sport fits her well, and she’s got plenty of room to grow. She could not possibly be more fond of the cubby, cupholder, and storage drawer.
She did have some trouble buckling herself in when the seat was in my 2016 GTI, home to some very recessed seating areas and a recessed buckle stalk.
8 Years Old
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport 8 years old
This model is 8 years old. She weighs 65 pounds and is 49 inches tall. She thinks the Store ‘n Go is great. There were a few issues with the vehicle seat belt slipping out of the belt guide when the headrest was higher.
She had no trouble buckling herself in, and the belt fit is good. She likes the drawer on the Store ‘n Go, but it doesn’t fit an iPad in a case.
Backless Booster Mode
8 Years Old
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport backless mode
Here’s our model from earlier demonstrating the fit in backless booster mode. She’s still 8 years old, weighs 65 pounds, and is 49 inches tall. The Store ‘n Go fits her equally well in backless mode as it does in high back mode.
Important Information: Where to Find
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go Sport manual storage
Manual storage: the manual stores on the bottom of the backless portion of the booster.
Safety 1st Store ‘n Go FAA and date of manufacture labels
Date of Manufacture: the date of manufacture label is on the side of the backless portion of the booster.
FAA label: like all dedicated booster seats, the Store ‘n Go cannot be used on an airplane. That’s because airplanes only have lap belts; booster seats require lap/shoulder belts to secure the child in place.
Overall Thoughts
The Store ‘n Go has a lot of great things to offer — it’s lightweight, has a ridiculously tall top shoulder belt guide, and works well in vehicles that don’t have contoured seats.
CSFTL Celebration
To celebrate our big milestone, Safety 1st has generously offered to give away a Store ‘n Go Sport to a lucky winner! Please read our terms and conditions, then enter below for your chance to win!
