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View Full Version : Some wooden swinget thoughts for big parents



joyelyse
07-13-2006, 08:31 PM
So, I have been doing my swingset research and I cam across an issue I've never seen addressed. Both my DH and I are overweight. I'm about 180 and he's about 280. We want to be able to swing with my DD and climb up with her where ever she can go.

Childlife and Creative playthings have 150lb/swing weight limits. (As does the set Rainbow makes for Costco!) Cedarworks has no limit, but still didn't seem to like our weight. We really found Rainbow and Woodplay to be the two systems designed to handle 300lb adults. And not all their models either. The Carnival line from Rainbow wasn't really geared towards heavy adults either.

Now this may not be an issue for most folks, but I wanted to bring it up. I figure any set that can hold my DH can stand up to my DD and her friends jumping hard together on one step as they get older IYKWIM. Not to dis the other companies. No doubt, they weren't designed with obese adults in mind. Still, I'm glad we figured it out before we bought.

I'm really quite in love with the Rainbow, but the Woodplay is nice too for less money. I wish I saw more discussion of it here. I'm trying to get a Rainbow, but we might end up with a Woodplay.

Joy Elyse

dules
07-14-2006, 07:49 PM
It was really, really important to us that DH and I be able to play too on our set so we went with Cedarworks. Their sets are tested to "at least" 2000 lbs (no kidding) and when I asked about the swing ladders they said that there was no adult weight limit on those either. Meaning, I assume, don't pile 3 adults/swing but it will handle large adults as well as small children.

I weigh close to what you do and our Cedarworks set doesn't even budge when I climb on it, go down the slide, etc. The swing ladder has a bit of "give" if I swing high but if it didn't, it would break (that's why it's wood, KWIM).

Good luck in your search - I replied to you on Around the House re Craigslist earlier. :)

Best,
Mary

joyelyse
07-23-2006, 10:34 PM
I didn't tink about the need for give. Thanks!

I just wanted to say that Backyard Adventures also holds a heavy adult swinging high. They make nice treehouse-like club houses. I found the workmanship to be inferior to Rainbow, especially given that they seem to cost as much, but others might disagree. We decided to find a way to get the Rainbow. I'm in love.

Joy