Grow and Go ARB Canada review

Safety 1st Grow and Go ARB

Safety 1st is replacing their Canadian Grow and Go multi-mode seat with a new version – the Grow and Go ARB which features an anti-rebound bar. With plenty of fun covers to choose from, the Safety 1st Grow and Go ARB is a colourful addition to the Canadian market. How does it stack up against the version our US readers know and love? Let’s take a look!

Safety 1st Grow and Go ARB

The anti-rebound bar (ARB) ships attached to the Grow and Go ARB’s harness, which makes it impossible for caregivers to miss. We were very excited to see this, since this piece is required when using the Grow and Go ARB rear facing.

Grow and Go ARB bottom of seat without ARB installed

Installing the ARB would be easier with three hands (or two people), but since I was impatient to set up the seat, I was able to awkwardly balance the Grow and Go ARB upside down against my knees so both hands were free to shimmy the ARB into the holes in the bottom of the seat.

Grow and Go ARB bottom of seat with ARB installed

Grow and Go ARB pins

One of the pegs needed to be pushed on with one finger while I used my other hand to push the ARB on, but after speaking with some other CPSTs this does not appear to be a common issue (I guess I am just lucky?). The ARB installed fairly easily once I figured out how to balance everything, and it locks into the seat nicely.

Grow and Go ARB In and Out harness holders

The In and Out harness holders on the Grow and Go ARB are handy hooks on the side of the seat that hold the harness conveniently out of the way while you’re loading your kiddo into the seat.

Grow and Go ARB Recline 1

Grow and Go ARB Recline 2

The Grow and Go ARB features three mechanical recline options. Recline 1 is for forward facing only, and Reclines 2 and 3 are for rear facing. If recline 3 is not enough to achieve the correct rear facing recline (line level to the ground), a rolled towel or pool noodle may be used to recline the seat further.

We were a bit confused by the manual’s guidance around the recline settings and when to use a rolled towel/noodle so we reached out to Dorel’s engineers for clarification. Their response was:

“If the level to ground can be achieved in position 2 or 3 without a tightly rolled towel or noodle, that would be the best option.  The key word is that [a rolled towel or noodle] can be used if needed .  The addition of the rolled towel or noodle should only to be used to correct the level to ground if it cannot be achieved in position 2 or 3 without it.  The correct time to use a noodle in position 2 would be if position 3 is over reclined and position 2 is too upright. We would not want to use a towel or foam noodle for other reasons.” In layman’s terms that means to try recline 3. If the level line is level to the ground, great! If it’s too upright, try a rolled towel or noodle to recline the seat further. If it’s TOO reclined, switch to recline 2 and, if necessary, use a rolled towel or noodle to recline the seat so that the line is level to the ground.

Grow and Go ARB Recline 3

To adjust the seat’s recline, pull on the recline handle located at the front of the seat and pull or push on the top of the Grow and Go ARB.

Grow and Go ARB top tether storage

The top tether stores at the bottom of the back of the shell. Always use the top tether in forward facing mode. Not only it top tether use required by Transport Canada, it reduces head excursion in the event of a crash.

Grow and Go ARB premium UAS

The Grow and Go ARB features premium lower anchor connectors. These are significantly easier to use than the standard hook-on lower anchor connectors.

Grow and Go ARB lower anchor storage

The lower anchors clip to the side of the seat for easy storage when installing the Grow and Go ARB with the vehicle seat belt. To move the LUAS from one belt path to another, simply remove them from the one belt path and rethread them through the other belt path. The lower anchor webbing is attached to the side of the shell of the seat.

Grow and Go ARB – reaching through the cover for a rear facing installation

Installing the Grow and Go ARB with the vehicle seat belt is very straightforward. Simply thread the vehicle seat belt through the rear facing belt path, buckle the seat belt, and remove the slack. We found that pulling the seat cover back to expose the rear facing belt path was a very handy trick with the Grow and Go ARB.

Grow and Go ARB – rear facing with seat belt in a 2012 Dodge Ram

Ensure the level line is parallel to the ground and the seat is in recline 2 or 3. If recline 3 is not reclined enough, a rolled towel or pool noodle may be used to recline the seat further. When the correct rear facing recline is achieved, lock the seat belt, and ensure there is less than 1 inch of movement at the belt path.

Grow and Go ARB – rear facing with LUAS in a 2012 Dodge Ram

Installing the Grow and Go ARB with LUAS is also very straightforward. Simply thread the LUAS webbing through the rear facing belt path, attach the LUAS to the vehicle’s lower anchors, and remove the slack from the webbing. Again we found that pulling the seat cover back to expose the rear facing belt path was a very handy trick with the Grow and Go ARB. Ensure the level line is parallel to the ground and the seat is in recline 2 or 3. If recline 3 is not reclined enough, a rolled towel or pool noodle may be used to recline the seat further. When the seat is set to the correct rear facing recline angle, pull the LUAS webbing tight and ensure there is less than 1 inch of movement at the belt path.

Grow and Go ARB – rear facing with lap-only seat belt in a 2000 Chrysler Cirrus

The biggest obstacle we ran into when installing the Grow and Go ARB rear facing was ensuring that we did not inadvertently make the seat more upright than the level line while tightening the seat belt or LUAS. It can be difficult to achieve the correct recline angle on the first try, so don’t be frustrated if the installation requires a few adjustments! We installed the Grow and Go ARB in a couple of different vehicles and were pleasantly surprised that although it is a fairly large seat when installed rear facing, we were able to accommodate the recline in the centre back seat of some mid-sized sedans like the 2000 Chrysler Cirrus pictured here.

Grow and Go ARB – forward facing with seat belt and top tether in a 2000 Chrysler Cirrus

Installing the Grow and Go ARB with seat belt is very straightforward. Simply thread the seat belt through the forward facing belt path, buckle the seat belt, and remove the slack. Once the slack has been removed from the lap portion of the belt, lock the seat belt, and ensure there is less than 1 inch of movement at the belt path. Be sure to use the top tether (legally required in Canada)!

Grow and Go ARB – reaching through the cover for a forward facing installation

Grow and Go ARB – forward facing with LUAS and top tether in a 2012 Dodge Ram crew cab

Installing the Grow and Go ARB with LUAS is also very straightforward. This method can be used for children who weigh between 22 and 40 pounds.  When the child weighs more than 40 pounds, a vehicle seat belt installation is required. Simply thread the LUAS strap through the forward facing belt path, attach the LUAS to the vehicle anchors, and remove the slack. Ensure there is less than 1″ movement at the belt path, and be sure to use the top tether (again – this is legally required in Canada)!

Unsnapping the seat’s cover and reaching through the seat to tighten the vehicle seat belt or LUAS is a trick that makes installing the Grow and Go ARB a quick and easy process.

Grow and Go ARB – strap on right side of the photo is using the harness loop for a smaller infant

For a smaller infant, the Grow and Go ARB has an interesting setup that helps to ensure the seat fits babies as small as the seat’s 19 inches tall and 5 pound minimum height and weight.

While the seat itself includes a no rethread harness, for a smaller infant there is an additional set of slots that are quite low at 6.5 inches. To use these slots, the headrest MUST be in the lowest position, and the body pillow MUST be used. With the crotch buckle in the slot closest to the child, fully recline the Grow and Go ARB, and access the metal retailer at the bottom of the crotch buckle. Push the retainer up through the middle slot to shorten the crotch buckle. Next, loosen the harness and rethread the straps through the lowest slot on the seat – through the body pillow and the seat’s shell. When attaching the straps to the splitter plate at the back of the seat, use the 2nd harness strap loops to attach the straps to the splitter plate. This shortens the straps to ensure a tight fit for a small infant.

Grow and Go ARB – crotch buckle setting for smaller infants

This setup must be used until the child is tall enough for the lowest harness position of the no rethread harness setting to be positioned at or below the child’s shoulders.
We were lucky enough to have two newborn models to test in the Grow and Go ARB. For both babies we have moved the harness to the setting for smaller infants (including the mandatory body pillow), have removed the head pad and harness covers, but have left the buckle cover on the seat. For some babies, the buckle cover may need to be removed, as the buckle can be a bit short when in the required “doubled back” setting here.

Grow and Go ARB – 3 weeks old, 19 inches and 7 pounds

Our first model is a 3 week only baby who, at 19 inches long and 7 pounds, just meets the height minimum of this seat. He was not at all impressed with being used as a seat model, but he fit the Grow and Go ARB beautifully, with the straps well below his shoulders in the smaller infant setting, and his airway was well supported by the steep recline of the seat.

Grow and Go ARB – 3 days old, 9 pounds and 21 inches

Our second model is only 3 days old. She weighs 8 pounds and is 21 inches long. She had started the day in a bit of a grouchy mood, and her mom was very impressed to see her settle into the Grow and Go ARB and sleep through our entire photoshoot. Like our 3 week old model, she obtained an excellent fit in the seat, and the recline supported her airway perfectly. She was obviously very comfortable, and objected loudly to being removed from the seat when we were done!

Grow and Go ARB – 3 years old, 39.5 inches, 32 pounds

Our bigger rear facing model is a 3 year old who at 39.5 inches tall and weighing 34 pounds, is one growth spurt away from outgrowing the Grow and Go ARB rear facing by height. At 5 months shy of her 4th birthday, she is very safe forward facing if she happens to hit that growth spurt soon.

Grow and Go ARB cup holders are perfect for dragons!

The two inner crotch buckle positions can be used rear facing, and we have moved it to the middle slot for her because she is sitting on the first slot and the next slot is more comfortable for her. We have removed the body pillow and head pillow but have left the buckle cover and strap covers on. She finds this seat very comfortable and loves that the cup holders are the perfect size for her pet dragons. Her mom loves that the cup holders are easy to wipe out for those times when she decides her cup holders are also a good storage space for her muddy pet rocks.

Grow and Go ARB – 5 years old, 47 inches and 47 pounds

Grow and Go ARB – 5 years old, 47 inches and 47 pounds

This model is 5 years old, 47 inches tall and weighs 47 pounds. The harness is adjusted to the highest setting and as we can see by the close up of her shoulder, she is very close to outgrowing the Grow and Go ARB by torso height. At 5 months shy of her 6th birthday, now might be a good time to work on moving her to a booster. She rode in the Grow and Go ARB for a few weeks forward facing and found it to be quite comfortable. She was able to buckle herself in to the Grow and Go ARB but struggled undoing the chest clip herself (she is able to unbuckle the crotch buckle using her UnbuckleMe). We like that the manual mentions that the Grow and Go ARB has a maximum seated height of 17 inches – that’s a great piece of information to include in the manual (and it’s always nice when our measurements match the manufacturer’s!).

Grow and Go ARB in booster mode

The first step in converting the Grow and Go ARb to booster mode is to remove the crotch buckle from the seat by pushing the retailer clip through the seat. Be sure to store the crotch buckle in a safe place so you can find it later! Next, store the LUAS and top tether as they cannot be used in booster mode. The final step is storing the harness.

Grow and Go ARB – converting to booster mode

To store the harness:

• Adjust the headrest to the highest position
• Undo the snaps attaching the headrest pad to the seat cover and pull the headrest cover off the bottom of the headrest
• Undo the snaps from the bottom of the harness pad
• Thread harness straps into the storage slots on the sides of the headrest
• Place chest clip, harness straps, and buckle tongues behind the headrest and seat pad
• Tighten the harness and pull the headrest pad back down over the bottom of the headrest

Grow and Go ARB – 5 years old, 47 inches and 47 pounds

Our 5 year old model agreed to test fit the Grow and Go ARB for us in booster mode, but did not ride in it because she isn’t quite mature enough yet for the responsibility of a booster seat.
She experienced a bit of trouble when attempting to climb into the seat – the Grow and Go ARB is a robust seat on a smaller base, so the seat was quite “tippy”. Eventually we picked her up and set her down on the seat to ensure that neither our model nor the seat fell over.

The Grow and Go ARB provided her with an excellent seat belt fit – the lap belt is low on her thighs, touching her hips, and the shoulder belt is centered on her shoulder beautifully. As she has just about outgrown the Grow and Go ARB in harness mode by torso height, she doesn’t have a ton of growing room left in booster mode, but she should have about a year of growth left in booster mode. The Grow and Go ARB manual indicates that the maximum seated height in booster mode is 18.5 inches. We measured the top belt guide at 18 inches, because we measure to the bottom of the belt guide (as that is where the shoulder belt rests when the seat is in use). Again – we’re happy to see this measurement included in the Grow and Go ARB manual!

Grow and Go ARB – National Safety Mark

National Safety Mark: Located on the side of the seat

Grow and Go ARB – Airplane Approval

Airplane Use Approval Sticker: While the National Safety Mark is all that is required in Canada to show that a seat is approved for airplane use, Safety 1st has added an additional sticker indicating clearly that the Grow and Go ARB is approved for airplane use in harness mode.

Grow and Go ARB – Date of Manufacture

Date of Manufacture: Located on a sticker on the side of the seat.

Grow and Go ARB – Expiration

Expiration: Stamped into the plastic on the back of the shell.

Grow and Go ARB manual storage

Manual storage: Located at the bottom of the back of the seat’s shell.