baby gate recommendations for traveling?

In a couple of weeks we are going to the beach for a week and I would like to be able to take a baby gate or two. But I don't want to have to haul our heavy pressure mounted metal gates. And we don't want to spend too much money on the new ones. We just spent the weekend at a lake house and were constantly having to place big rubbermaid bins, coolers/etc at the bottem of the steps to keep our boys from trying to scale them. Then I forgot once and while I was changing Colin's diaper my husband found Brandon on step 2 For the beach I would like a real gate. Does anybody know of an inexpensive baby gate that is easy to put up that they would recommend? Or do you have other recommendations for blocking off small areas? Thanks for any advice.

 

We have a gerber gate that is mesh material in the middle. I got it from one step ahead.

It is like this http://www.onestepahead.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=5916&parentCategoryId=85183&categoryId=85217

But I honestly don't think we spent that much on it.

 

Is your gerber gate pressure mounted or did you drill holes to mount it? Since we will be in a rental we will have to have one that pressure mounts. Though I would love to be able to get a "soft" gate. My MIL bought this soft portable gate from walmart.com but she said that she and my SIL had a hard time getting it up and that it wasn't sturdy, so she returned it. She bought it specifically to try out for taking it to the beach. It got good reviews though so I'm surprised it was difficult to install or not sturdy. I can't help but wonder if my DH would do a better job putting it up, heh.

 

Ok, this is the gate we have. Maybe we did get it at BRU. It is pressure mounted and good as just a barrier

http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3393816

It rolls up compact so easy to travel with.

 

Ha, that's the one my MIL tried out and didn't like. I'm thinking about ordering it myself from walmart.com, so that we can return it to the local Walmart if it doesn't work out. But I bet DH could get it put up pretty easily. Do you have any problems mounting it? I thought it looked and sounded great which is why I recommended to my MIL, but she didn't like it.

 

In about another year, I would probably not use it on anywhere critical. Right now with them just crawling, it is a good barrier. It won't be good for when they really want out and start shaking it. My pet peeve with those types of gates is that you have to remove the whole thing to go in and out (or go over). It does the job and is cheap and easy to carry. I think it is fine for a vacation period but would not suggest having it at home where you need something more convenient.

 

We have that same mesh gate and used it when my oldest ds was younger to block our kitchen, it worked just fine. You have to get it really tight so it's almost difficult to get into place, and then it's plenty enough for crawlers/early walkers.

The one thing to watch though is it won't fit in a standard doorway, it's too long enough on the shortest setting, but it works well for bigger openings like hallways.

 

I'm really having a dilemma now. I just went and looked at the beach house pictures in more detail, and the stairways just have a round banister thingy on one side, instead of two walls! Click here for a picture and you will see what I mean. I've been racking my brain on how to rig something to baby proof that stairway!! The only thing I can think of right now is to slide that oversized chair over to block the stairway. We will be staying on the top level of the house which consists of the living room area (that you can see), kitchen, our MBR, and another bedroom for the babies. Everybody else will be sleeping on the bottom floor. So there will be a good deal of traffic up and down those stairs as my MIL, FIL, and SIL and her family will be using the kitchen often. Anyway, if anybody has any other suggestions I'm all ears. Though the more I think about it the more I think that chair is going to have to serve as the "baby gate" :-/


ETA: The good news is that I found that Evenflo travel gate on my local Craigslist for only $10! Of course, I didn't think to check there until after I spent $30+ buying a new one at walmart.com, LOL. Oh well, that's why I like to buy things at walmart.com if possible, so I can return them at my local store without paying shipping.

 

That's a tough one. Does the end of that wall on the left side of the staircase, end right there where the end of the stairs and the banister is? Or does it continue on?

Could you take your superyard (I think i remember you have one...), and make a make-shift gate with that, by folding one or two panels around the right side of the banister, 1-2 panels across the stairway, and either wrapping the other two panels around the end of the wall, or laying them flat against the wall. Then you can use wire ties, bungee cords or rope to tie the FIRST two panels to the banister tight, so it won't move anywhere. And you can move a chair or table to the LAST two panels, if they are flat against the wall, to keep it in place. If it's tucked around the wall they probably won't even think to try to pull it out.

Does this make sense? :lol: I have something vaguely similar behind our couch to block our front entrance off, with 3 panels of superyard up against the back of our couch, and two panels across our entrance opening with them bungee'd to the back of our bench by our front door. The babies don't even think to go along the back of the couch, between it and the superyard, to get around the end of it and get to the front door!

 

I think I understand what you are saying Danibell And I don't think the left side of the stairwall is an ongoing wall, well not in the way that would help us. I think on the left side of the stairwell is a very short wall and then the entrance to our MBR is there. And yes we do have a super playard, but I'm not sure I want to pull 2 panels out of it given the hell I went through to get them attached to it, LOL. But I do see how a "jointed" gate like that might be handy, depending on the wall. My MIL and SIL say they are planning to bring a cheapy wood and a plastic gate, so I'll bring some bungee cord and other stuff in case there is a way to secure it to the banister on one side, and then to the wall or door on the other side. If all else fails we'll just use that oversized chair. I'm betting it is lighter than it looks and probably slides pretty easily. Most beach condos don't put "fine" (heavy) furniture in them anyway Thanks for your suggestion! We'll come up with something