Anyone have the

[akc]

Hi - We're looking at a gate from www.babygates.com that is called the "Stairway Special." It looks just like the Kidco Safeway gates, but is designed so it can latch at an angle (instead of perpendicular). Here's a link to it:
http://www.babygates.com/WebComponents/Catalog/Public/showproduct.asp?id=198&cat=Childproofing

If someone has it, I'm wondering:
1) Does it actually work at an angle? (Ours is very slight - only about 4 inches over from perpendicular.)
2) Is it easy to open/close?
3) Does it open 180 degrees (swing all the way around to 180 degrees from open, so we could latch it open if we wanted to when we had an event or guests?)

Thanks in advance!

Alexa

[NancyB]

I have this gate is is by cardinal on the top and the botton of my stairs, it is difficult to install and can be a pain to open and close its got a strange childproof hinge. I had a professional childproofer install it and she worked on it a long time to get it level etc.. her comment was it was not made for the general public. However it does work on an angle and in stairways that have molding or need an odd install. Nancy

[NancyB]

I almost forgot it does swing both ways and you can remove the whole gate however it does not collapse so if you wanted to leave it open at the top or the bottom of the stairs when not in use it will be swinging out in the open, it has to be shut. If you have in on the stairs even if it swings it cannot swing around in some situations.

[akc]

Hi - thanks for the info. I think it will still work for us. My husband is able to professionally install it, but that is a good tip on getting it level. We're setting up a little latch on the opposite railing to hood around the gate when it is open (hard to explain in words, but we have little landings on the tops of our staircase on the 2nd and 3rd floor, if we want it open then we'll pull it around flush with the railing on the other side and hook a little latch around it.)

I read that it says you can remove the whole gate - interesting. I gathered it was not the easiest to open - one reviewer said the sort of slide their foot under it and nudge it up while doing the latch. I've tried most of the ones that say "easy" and they are all tricky. Suppose that's better than easy to open for the baby, right!?

Thanks again -
Alexa