Swing Set Help!

[lhafer]

I am driving myself crazy looking at swing sets. I have posted before about it, and now I think I have come down to a few that I like and that will work in my yard. But I can't decide! My DH doesn't want to help me choose, and said he fully expects to come home one day and see it set up in the yard.

I have a just turned 5 year old and just turned 1 year old. The 5 year old is very active. They both LOVE to swing. I have a sand table that has gotten a lot of use over the years as well. We currently have a small metal swing set that I am looking to upgrade.

I want 3 swings (would switch one out for a baby swing for now, and a glider)
I want a rock wall

Questions that's keeping me from deciding:

1. Are wooden roofs worth the additional cost?
2. Are monkey bars with it for later use? The 5 year old can't do them yet, but she's always wanting us to help her with the ones at the park.

I have narrowed it down to the Gorilla brand because they have the cedar wood, and all have gotten really good reviews. The warranty is 10 years on the wood.

Here are the swing sets. I can get some of the models on a different site for less (prices reflected in the poll). These are all the SAME set - just with added features because you can't add on later like you can on a Rainbow or Kid Structures type of set.

http://www.gorillaplaysets.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=01%2D1005
~ Tarp, slide, rock wall, 3 swings, tire swing, rope ladder, metal rung ladder
~ Able to get for $1,390 from a different site, price includes glider swing and shipping

http://www.gorillaplaysets.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=01%2D1008
~ Wood Roof, slide, rock wall, 3 swings, tire swing, rope ladder, metal rung ladder
~ Able to get for $1,640 from a different site, price includes glider and shipping

http://www.gorillaplaysets.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=01%2D0011
~ Tarp, slide, rock wall, 3 swings, tire swing, rope ladder, metal rung ladder and flat step ladder, monkey bars, tic tac toe, slightly larger deck area
~ Not able to locate cheaper on other sites.

http://www.gorillaplaysets.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=01%2D0013
~ Wood roof, slide, rock wall, 3 swings, tire swing, rope ladder, metal rung ladder and flat step ladder, monkey bars, tic tac toe, slightly larger deck area
~ Able to get for $2,000 from a different site, price includes glider and shipping

[lhafer]

I forgot to add, if you think another brand/set is better - please tell me why.

[SkyrMommy]

We're getting a set from this company in Maine for DD this spring once mud season is over. I'm not sure of your location in the country so shipping might be an issue, but we loved the quality and the fact that the cedar will weather naturally, never splinter and never need staining. They have an amazing range of sets from $1200 to $50,000+.

http://www.cedarworks.com/

[o_mom]

One of the first two.

The monkey bars to nowhere on the second one are a total pain, IMO. They are either useless or dangerous.

We have a set from Sam's club from probably 7 years ago? It has been moved 3 times and still in great shape and looks good.

[lhafer]

We're getting a set from this company in Maine for DD this spring once mud season is over. I'm not sure of your location in the country so shipping might be an issue, but we loved the quality and the fact that the cedar will weather naturally, never splinter and never need staining. They have an amazing range of sets from $1200 to $50,000+.

http://www.cedarworks.com/

Thanks. I've looked at their website. I'm located in Houston, Texas (I can't just say Texas because Dallas is a 5 hour drive from me).

I've also looked at Rainbow, Kid Structures (a Texas based company that has excellent quality sets like Rainbow's used to be), and pretty much every set sold by Costco/Sams/Walmart/TRU/etc.

The reason I am going with this one (so far) is that the quality of the wood, the warranty, etc is pretty equal to Rainbow, etc.

Things like the tire swing is plastic instead of being a "real" tire. But frankly I like that as we live in the land of bugs/wasps/spiders and I would be afraid of bugs and/or spiders taking up a nest in the tire swing. They can't do that in the plastic one.

THe quality of the wood is very very good. I have a friend who has one of the sets I put in my poll, and I went and saw it. Extremely sturdy. Adults can play on the set.

I spent about 2 hours with the guy from Kid Structures, and a similar set from him would run me about $3,000 on sale. And while their structures are very customizable and I can add stuff later (like picnic tables, monkey bars, etc), that's just more money each time.

[lhafer]

One of the first two.

The monkey bars to nowhere on the second one are a total pain, IMO. They are either useless or dangerous.

We have a set from Sam's club from probably 7 years ago? It has been moved 3 times and still in great shape and looks good.

I asked the guy at Kid Structures about the monkey bars to nowhere as they had that same set up. He said it was a safety thing regarding fingers or something stupid.

He said during installation they put up that section of board. But it's easily removed later by some screws. I would assume that this set is the same way and that that section could be removed.

[o_mom]

I asked the guy at Kid Structures about the monkey bars to nowhere as they had that same set up. He said it was a safety thing regarding fingers or something stupid.

He said during installation they put up that section of board. But it's easily removed later by some screws. I would assume that this set is the same way and that that section could be removed.

I don't buy it. Even if there were space there (no railing), the height of the deck is well above where a kid's feet are going to be when they get to the other side. They have to either practically flip over to get their feet up on the deck (and then pull themselves up without falling out) or drop straight down right next to the structure. There should be a landing platform at the other end the same height as the starting ladder. Of course they can't put one there because the tire swing is right there.

Also, the top of the monkey bars is even with the top of the railing... and having watched kids on these type of sets, they will climb over the railing and out on top of the monkey bars. Not all kids, but enough that we took them off our set when we moved it. It really is a very poor design and I don't think it is worth paying more for (that seems to be the biggest difference in the two sets).

[lhafer]

I don't buy it. Even if there were space there (no railing), the height of the deck is well above where a kid's feet are going to be when they get to the other side. They have to either practically flip over to get their feet up on the deck (and then pull themselves up without falling out) or drop straight down right next to the structure. There should be a landing platform at the other end the same height as the starting ladder. Of course they can't put one there because the tire swing is right there.

Also, the top of the monkey bars is even with the top of the railing... and having watched kids on these type of sets, they will climb over the railing and out on top of the monkey bars. Not all kids, but enough that we took them off our set when we moved it. It really is a very poor design and I don't think it is worth paying more for (that seems to be the biggest difference in the two sets).

Good point! I want to hear stuff like this. Since my husband has decided not to be part of the buying process...I feel a lot of pressure to get a good set that he can't complain about later.

[lhafer]

What about this set:
http://www.gorillaplaysets.com/PhotoGallery.asp?ProductCode=01%2D0009

What are the issues you can see with this set? It would be exchanging the tire swing for sandbox/picnic table, and having more of a true fort on the upper half. I have 2 daughters if that makes a difference.

ETA: Never mind....I can't move the slide to the side.

[Jo..]

The tarp roofs are crap. They fade, rip, blow away.

I prefer the final set you posted with a true playhouse. 75% of our playset use is the kids climbing into the fort and just pretending. The other 25% is swing, slides, and rock wall.

I didn't want monkey bars.

[Binkandabee]

We are going with this one from Costco. It's commercial grade metal as opposed to wood. It doesn't come with 3 swings, but you could trade out the trapeze for a 3rd swing.

http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11610679&search=lifetime&Mo=45&cm_re=1_en-_-Top_Left_Nav-_-Top_search&lang=en-US&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&Sp=S&N=5000043&whse=BC&Dx=mode+matchallpartial&Ntk=Text_Search&Dr=P_CatalogName:BC&Ne=4000000&D=lifetime&Ntt=lifetime&No=27&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Nty=1&topnav=&s=1

[lhafer]

This is the company I am comparing the Gorilla sets to: http://www.treefrogsswingsets.com/productcart/pc/showsearchresults.asp?idcategory=3&priceFrom=0&priceUntil=999999999&sku=&keyWord=&customfield=0&resultCnt=90&order=0&Submit.x=35&Submit.y=9&Submit=Search+

It's a Texas based company and they have 2 showrooms here. I've visited both places, looked at like 20+ models. LOVED them. Just trying to see if the cost is justfied or not.

The set I would be look at is Design 1. It's extremely configurable. You can switch around the slide and rock wall, etc. You can add stuff later like the picnic table, add monkey bars, add a ramp, add the playhouse panels, etc. You can start basic and add on later at any time. So all the Design 1 sets you see in the catalog, start with the basic set up, and all the rest are basically add-ons, and of course whether you go with a tarp roof vs wood roof (but again - you can alway change that later). You can have 2 swings together, and the 3rd on the outside of the A frame, or have all 3 together. VERY configurable.

So the Design 1 basic set up starts at $1,750 (I have a brochure which shows slighlty different prices than online). It's a sale that ends this month, so I need to make a decision (retails @ $2,700). If I wanted to wood roof it would run me $2,000. That's without the rock wall ($250 add on). Installation is also on sale at $199 right now.

SOOOO, my question is...is going with a company like this better than going with the Gorilla brand - which has a VERY similar warranty, uses the same wood (Cedar), only I would have to put it together myself? Or I could hire some playground professionals who said that they would put together the gorilla set (the Sundance one) for $275.

[lhafer]

Another point of reference...

The Gorilla Sundance set is slide, rockwall, 2 swings, trapeze, plastic tire swing, rope ladder, tarp cover, cedar wood, 10 year warranty on all the wood. I can get this set for $1,000 (not including shipping or a glider swing).

The Kid Structures (now called Tree Frog) has the same set up (Design 7) - slide, rockwall, 3 swings (1 extra swing), trapeze, true tire swing, rope ladder, tarp cover, 10 year warranty on pretty much everything from wood and a 5 year warranty on the hardware (little better warranty), and 1 year on the rope. I can get this set for $1900 on sale for imported wood from China (not cedar and it cracks pretty easily - which warranty won't cover as long as the integrity of the structure is not compromised) or $2,200 for domestic cedar.

Sorry I can't change the size of the second picture.

Gorilla Sundance:
1605

Kid Strcutures (Tree Frog) Design 7:
1606

[sewarsh]

Just something to consider...monkey bars are really dangerous. You can google it and see tons of stories. I think 80% of all swing set accidents are due to monkey bars. Sooo....if you go with monkey bars, just be sure you have a soft surface underneath.

[khalloc]

We got one from Costco. I think the brand might be something like Sunshine something? I forget. It has a house with wooden roof, 3 swings, hanging bar, rope ladder, slide, rock wall. I believe it was maybe $850? DH put it together.

[lhafer]

monkey bars are not a deal breaker. Just trying to determine the differences, if any, between sets like Gorilla and companies like Rainbow or Kid Structures.