117 out of 117 people found this review helpful.
Superyard XT is a Super Product
Date of Review: Sep 3, 2006
The Bottom Line: This is a great product for kids and parents but it is even better if an extension kit is purchased, to increase the area.
Finding a place for young children to safely play isn't easy. Using the family room or living room as a large play space with gates on the doorways is one way to provide an area where little ones can be contained while they play. But what if a smaller space where there is no chance for mischief is more desirable? Further, what if you want your child to enjoy the fresh outdoor air but need a safe place for him/her to play? Several expensive options are available to solve these problems but one solution that is reasonable in cost and effectively protects children is
Superyard XT, a portable gate from North States.
Facts About This Product: Superyard XT is a plastic gate that features six panels. The panels are 26 inches (66 cm) in height and 32 inches (81 cm) in width. They come preassembled with the panels joined together and ready to use. When this gate is used as a full enclosure, it forms the shape of a hexagon and it covers a ground area of about 18.5 square feet.
How to Use: The individual panels of Superyard XT are easy to join together or to take apart. When you first use the unit, the individual panels will already be joined except, of course, for the two ends. These are joined together by lifting up one panel and placing the opening over the pin in the second panel; placing the pin into the slot on the side of the blue cylindrical shaped joint; and then placing downward pressure on the first panel and upward pressure on the second panel (the one with the cylinder) to join the two together.
Storing the panel involves folding the pieces in sequence so that the gate is compact and flat. It can then be stored in a relatively small space. There is no need to remove the panels from each other- it will be easier the next time you need to use the gate if the panels remain joined. There is also a carrying strap, making transporting that much easier.
Superyard XT is made from heavy duty, weather resistant plastic that wipes clean with mild soap and water. It can be used to contain kids or small pets and is designed to last a long time.
Final Thoughts: Superyard XT is one of the many products I never knew existed until I became a parent for the first time. I found out about this product one day while visiting a local baby store and when I first saw it, I felt it was just another useless product to get parents to spend their money. Why would anyone want a gate to contain their kids? I wondered. There are so many other ways to keep kids under control that I decided quickly that the Superyard XT would not become part of my household.
But as time wore on and my little girl started to grow, I realized that my anti- Superyard XT stance needed some revision. Getting out of the house is a good idea for youngsters but there needs to be some way to protect them and Superyard XT provides exactly the protection a parent desires. It isn't a very large gate- when fully extended, it covers an area of only 18.5 square feet which is about the size of a medium sized playpen. But it offers enough space to keep two kids (and their toys) safely occupied.
Superyard XT holds up well and I have left it outside during thunderstorms on several occasions. It takes little effort to clean and it is easy to transport. The panels easily fold together and the carrying strap makes the job even easier still. However, when folding the panels, don't be alarmed by the "snap" that can be heard. When I first heard this, I was convinced I had broken the joints in the panels. But I hadn't- this is just the normal sound that the gate makes when the panels are extended beyond a certain point.
Because the panels on Superyard XT are only 26 inches high, the gate is good for most toddlers and other kids up to about two years of age. Once children get taller, they will be able to climb over the walls of the gate, making it impractical as a containment device. But the shorter height makes it easy for parents because it can be stepped over. There is no need to dissemble the panels to get inside.
Superyard XT is also a good choice of containment for small pets. Again, whether or not this gate is practical depends on the size of your pet. Dogs that are medium- sized (40 pounds) or larger will be able to jump over the gate with little effort. I have one small dog but I don't use this gate for him. It is used strictly as an outdoor playpen for the baby.
Superyard XT is safe and sturdy but one must be careful to position it properly. The gates cannot be placed in a straight line because the design of the gate diminishes its effectiveness when used in this manner. Each one of the joints has to be bent in order to become sturdy. Placed in a straight line, the gate cannot resist pressure and it will fall over with the slightest push.
The only small complaint I have with Superyard XT is the small space it covers. Eighteen and one- half square feet just isn't much and depending on the sizes and ages of your kids, you may have difficulty fitting even two kids inside the closed walls of the gate. Depending on the number of toys your kids have, one child might be all that will fit. This is why I strongly recommend purchasing the North States Superyard XT extension kit. It consists of two additional panels. This doesn't sound like much, but two more panels creates an octagon shaped play area that is almost
double in size; increasing from 18.5 square feet to 34.5 square feet. It makes a tremendous difference and is worth the $20 investment.
Overall, Superyard XT is a very good device for child or pet containment and it allows kids a place to play where they are safe and sound. Parents should still keep an eye on their kids while inside the Superyard XT because it is, after all, only a containment device and not a babysitter. But it is a very good item to add to the household if you're a parent of a young child. I ridiculed it when I first saw it but now that I have owned it and used it, I can't imagine living without the Superyard XT by North States. It allows kids a place to play where they are well- protected, giving parents some much needed peace of mind.
Be Sure to Click the Link Below to Read a Review of a Related Product: Superyard XT Extension Kit And Be Sure to Click on the Links Below for Reviews of Other Baby Products: Baby Formula: Similac Advance DHA/ARA Nestle Good Start Supreme DHA/ARA Enfamil Lipil with Iron Similac Advance Soy Formula Baby Diapers: Huggies Supreme Diapers LUVS Diapers Pampers Baby Dry Diapers Huggies Diapers Baby Foods: Gerber Finger Foods Gerber Multi- Grain Cereal Baby Merchandise: Graco Snugride Baby Car Seat- Windsor Kolcraft Cuddle 'N Care Rocking Bassinet Cosco Alpha/Omega Elite Baby Car Seat Graco Open Top Three- Speed Swing Baby Cleanup: Johnson's Bedtime Lotion, Bedtime Huggies Baby Wipes with Shea Butter Johnson's Baby Shampoo Johnson's Bedtime Bath
