TP Challenger Climbing Frame

[BorisCat]

DCs are 5 & 7. Have been looking at TP Challenger/ Explorer climbing frames and am wondering whether the older one would outgrow it quickly. I could get the high level monkey bridge.

Also, has anyone got one - how does it fix into the ground? I want to put it under some trees at end of garden to act as a way up onto a back raised bit of our garden (about 4ft high). Do you think this would work.

Here is link to their website
www.tptoys.com/OutdoorToys/Search-Catalog/Outdoor/Steel-Climbing-Frames/Explorer-Steel-Climbing-Fram e/Explorer-Climbing-Frame/TP838

We've had this (although with the lower walkway rather than the one that can fit a scramble net to) since DS was 18mths. He is now 7 and whilst still enjoying it, he seems very big on it IYKWIM. It just sits on the ground, no fixings. IMO I think it might be a bit late for teh 7yo - the 5yo would be fine.

might be too late.

we've had ours since early. mine are 9,7,5 now. they do still use it, but seem to choose to use it less in the garden now (the trampoline wins every time)

that said, we're probably going to have to get rid of it this summer (moving) so if you haven't decided in a few months, let me know and i can do you a bargain second hand lol.

Agree with Mad Woman - trampoline is FAR more popular these days - with both DCs

trampoline might be a hilarious way to bounce them up to the high end of the garden lol - but tbh i'd recommend a safety net

ours has got a slide and slide extension, tent in the middle bit, and that horizontal ladder thingy like monkey bars across the top... we never did have it on the toddler height, it's always been the high version. seeing a 2yo walking across the upper walkway thingy (if you have the plastic rather than the open 'monkey bar' idea,) was always enough to give me a breakdown lol. it didn't have a safety net like the tramploine

I know trampolines are popular but our garden is quite sloping and I don't think its flat enough for a trampoline.

MWA - thanks for second hand offer - have seen a few on ebay but the prospect of dismantling and remantling rusted up screws a bit challenging.

Was it easy to put up?

i let dh and fil do it... they are both engineers and attempted to proceed without instructions lol. the tricky thing is, because it all comes in different add-on sections, and each bit has it's own separate instructions, you have to work out how to 'combine' the instructions to get it to fit together... or you get five bits of perfectly put together completely separate tp...
it was quite funny to watch though. mil and i drank tea in the kitchen and snorted through the window...

once they actually read the instructions it was fine

a couple of hours tbh, but that was largely because they kept having to undo the really tight bolts they had done up to join another bit on that they had missed as it was on the other instruction sheet....

very funny

have you thought of digging in a trampoline? i've seen one friend do it as they had a really slopy garden... i have no idea how tricky it was tbh, but it does work! they have put that bark stuff underneath too, which seemed to me a really smart idea as the grass dies anyway - it's now a permanent-ish feature until the kids get too old and then they intend to fill it all in or landscape...

Hello

Don't suppose you still have climbing frame for sale m'dear?

oh, hello!

yes, still got to get rid of it some time before the summer holidays... had forgotten about this thread...

it will need a new tent if you are that way inclined, but the rest should be fine...

where are you? we're north hampshire/ surrey border...

my cat expired in a de-regging - i'll try and remember what my mumsnet e-mail was...

Oh golly mine too, you're not another secret flouncer are you?

We are Kent. I think I'd need to either hire a van, or get a courier to do it - what do you think? It's not going to go in a fiesta is it.

Is it the Challenger or a different one? Ooh v excited now, do let me know what you'd like for it...my MN email is sintypuppa @ googlemail dot com

I thought you actually meant a real cat had died, for a minute there.

lol.
if i could do that with the dogs it would save about two grand on shipping fees

it's a challenger with a slide and slide extension (just another bit of plastic... can't remember why we bought that - i think they were digging up the garden when they skidded off the end of the slide...)

anyway, it will need a new tent (at the mo we have the frame under trees and it's gone a bit mildewy, yerk)

i'll get dh to check it over the weekend (and jetwash it lol) and i'll take a couple of happy snaps and e-mail them to you some time before monday, will that be okay?

it's only lengths of tube and a few foldable bits of tarpaulin plastic stuff - my guess is it would probably go in a fiesta... but i'm not great at these things so will take advice from he who knows... lordy, i'm going to have to find the instructions...

i don't think i flounced as such lol - it was a case of too much going on in rl and not enough time to spend on my mn habit... i just came back with a new name which seemed a bit more explanatory i was romy7 before, but the very first time i posted someone asked me if i was x living in y, as they knew someone with a dd etc. t'wasn't me at all, but freaked me slightly i came back and discovered moldiegate had happened and everyone else had either namechanged or left. still haven't worked out who everyone used to be! v confusing for a girl...

i don't want much for the frame tbh - we haven't really got much choice but to disappear it before the summer lol. i'll have a look and see what a new tent will set you back and try to make a sensible decision. we're probably not buying a new one so any thing'll just go into the general 'moving' fund lol.

don't suppose i can interest you in a slightly used 14ft trampoline with net as well? no? jumpking? v.... bouncy?

you would need a van for both, but i can't get rid of the trampoline until the end of june lol...

i'll e-mail over the next couple of days.

Oh brill, you are a total star

I've actually (you won't believe this it's so nuts) bought a tent today...it was in the toy shop and I've been thinking about replacing our old climbing frame for ages as it's a bit knackered. So I saw this 'challenger den' thing and got it, thought 'Oh the frames can't cost much, I'll have a look when I get home' and they are about £200 new and then there's the slide etc so I thought I'd see what people had on MN and if they were any good.

Ta-da, there was this thread!

So we have the new tent and just need the frame.

I'm sure ds would LOVE the trampoline but sadly we don't really have the space!! 14ft you say?!! That's quite erm, large! Did you say you're going abroad? Wow, you are brave...see I get a bit anxious crossing the road...I don't actually believe in Scotland.

I do remember Romy though so from pre moldiegate!

I think you're right about the poles fitting into a car, but does the slide come apart? Tis probably around 3 metres long, no?

Perhaps I could tie the tailgate down!
Will wait to hear from you xx

(Thanks again!!)

ah, the slide... yes, that would be trickier with a fiesta lol... will measure it

i can't believe you have the tent already, that's very funny. it sounds like one of my 'good ideas' lol.

we're off to canada, and they are very picky about outdoors stuff being thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated, notwithstanding the costs/ space for shipping...

my whole life has turned into an 'everything must go' sale...

lol, we bought this climbing frame in scotland, ergo, it must exist

will e-mail once i have got over the embarassment of ralising you can't actually fold a slide...

lolol!!! @ folding slide.

Canada is a long way off but actually I've always fancied going there. It looks so beautiful and I'm sure lots of very good films are made there.

Hope you will enjoy it there.

madwoman, how much are you selling your trampoline for? Not that I'm anywhere near you, but just thinking if it could be dismantled I could possibly courier it? Asking a lot, I know.

hi 3tiny... um, don't know

have spent most of the day trying to find my camera to get photos of climbing frame lol... will speak with dh - trampoline can't go until nearer the summer hols though - i need to occupy 3 kids whilst i pack...

No rush, my email is [email protected] if you want to contact me nearer the time.

I know exactly what you mean - we are moving tomorrow - I sent the kids to my neighbour today!

ok both. have completely failed to find my camera - we have the surveyor coming for the shipping consignment and have been 'organising'... i'm hoping it will surface today, if not i'll borrow one... will e-mail hopefully in the next couple of days...

Don't worry about photos. Just let me know how you'd like to arrange transport, and how much you would like for it.

I have looked at loads of them on ebay so if you say it's in useable condition that will do fine!!