It's Decision Time
Deciding what brand of play equipment to purchase for your project can be a daunting task. The International Playground Equipment Manufacturers Association, (IPEMA) has over 100 manufacturer members of playgrounds or playgrounds surfacing products. This provides a wide variety of information to choose from. The problem can be narrowing it down to one company to work with on your next project.
Researching playground equipment suppliers is as easy as doing a Google search. Today's Playground, the National Recreation and Parks Association, and other groups have great websites that describe play equipment manufacturers' product strengths. Visiting individual manufacturers' websites will give you a feel for the company and provide you with an array of web pages filled with company and product information. Many suppliers also have informative catalogs with photo comparisons, charts, graphs, and testimonials of their products and services.
The Safety Factor
Some of the things you will need to know to establish an opinion about the product's strengths are what I call the Safety factor. An equipment supplier should be able to supply you with proof of compliance with ASTM and CPSC guidelines. The easiest way to establish this is to look for the IPEMA-certified seal on the playgrounds throughout the catalog or on the website. Never assume that just because a company is a member of IPEMA, all their products are certified. Likewise, just because a product is not certified does not make it a bad product. To err on the safe side is to only consider a modular or independent piece of equipment that is IPEMA, or third-party certified. Manufacturers are more than happy to show you such products, and the variety is huge.
Quality Materials
A comparison of the quality of the individual raw materials between different companies is a down-and-dirty way to truly understand the differences in equipment costs, as designs may appear nearly identical in a playground catalog. I like to use the clothing store analogy. My wife shops for clothing pretty much anywhere. She likes a bargain and doesn't mind looking through the sale rack. She'll probably only wear an outfit for one season anyway. For shoes, on the other hand, she shops for the best. She wants comfort, style, and a pair of shoes that will last several seasons. The fact that they cost more is not a factor in her shoe selection.
The selection of play equipment is very much the same. You get what you pay for. If you want the playground to last several seasons, so to speak, some research into the quality of the materials used is warranted. Some consumers feel that quality is secondary. They want a bargain and will purchase based on this factor alone. Cheaper up front does not always equate to less expensive down the road. Assembly and installation, and other items like excavation, border containment, and maintenance, all play a role in the outlay of a playground and may well be more costly if the initial equipment purchase was a bargain on the front end.
The durability of materials such as steel, is it galvanized? The aluminum, what is the thickness of the wall? And plastic components, are they double or single? All play into the cost of manufacturing, which of course, affects the cost to the consumer. Vandal-resistant hardware, chain fasteners instead of S-hooks, insulated PVC coating, and (of course) the process used for powder coating all have varying levels of quality. A great way to check equipment is to check the play structure deck; other parts of the playground will resemble the look and quality of the deck.
Recycled materials are a working example of materials that are a sound investment for consumers aware of the benefits and possibilities of using these products. Using post-consumer products has become increasingly popular. In fact, we have seen a recent surge in the use of recycled materials for playground equipment.
Design and Aesthetics
Equipment aesthetics, just like women's clothing, can all lend to the look of expensive versus bargain brands. Nearly everyone has enough of an artistic eye to see colors, designs, and contours that speak of quality and engineering inventions that are modern and give attention to the special details that will make your playground stand apart from the rest.
The best way to really understand differences in play equipment is to visit actual existing playgrounds. This way, you can compare equipment based on touching, climbing, and using the equipment.
Play equipment manufacturers all provide equipment warranties. These can be those fine-print documents that nobody reads. Always ask the manufacturer or manufacturer's representative specific questions about the warranty to put that fine
