37 out of 37 people found this review helpful.
XT Gate: Keeping the littlest Insiders safe!
Date of Review: Oct 4, 2006
The Bottom Line: The North State Superyard Gate is a great way to keep your children safe when outside at play.
When I first saw the North State XT Gate, I was a little upset. It looks like a smaller version of what Big John Studd and Hulk Hogan wrestled in about 15 years ago. I couldn't see why I'd ever want to stick my kids in it.
But, as I often do, I missed the point entirely. It's a great thing to have for your backyard. Especially if you've got more than one younger child. First, it's not confining for children 6 months to 24 months. It opens to an area of 18.5 square feet -- more than enough for a just walking child to get 10 steps in. Plus, since the walls are thick plastic and rather high (26"), children can pull themselves up and hang on.
Since the finish on this is very tough, we leave it outside. It's weather-resistant, and has not faded at all after 10 months!
It's super-portable. We rarely even put it in the same place twice, and when folded up it's only about 3' by 2'. I'd estimate it weighs only 20lbs, so you'll have no trouble hefting it. To set it up, you only need to flip the sides out into an octogonal shape, and connect the two edges. The clasp fits easily into place to complete the structure.
One of the best features is the fabric sunshade that you can fit on top of the gate. For days when the sun can be a factor, you can simply pull out the cover and let baby sit in the shade.
The reason this product is so important is that with two children, there's a lot to watch. When our oldest wants to play sports like baseball, it's tough to keep tabs on what baby is doing. So if the gate is employed, we don't have to worry about her wandering into the field of play. It's a great thing to have off our minds!
