Photos courtesy Rainbow play systems inc.

Kids go ape for the latest in backyard play sets

It’s for the kids, of course.

But those one-upping neighbors will throw in the towel once they peer through their binoculars and spot the King Kong Carl McKee Custom jungle gym in your yard. They may not even need binoculars; with a name like that, it’s got to be the gorilla of Rainbow Play Systems’ domain.

Distributor Scott Schulz said, “It’s the pinnacle of play sets, with a footprint as big as a house.” And in some cases, the play-set comes with a price tag as big as the down payment for one. However, for those who treat their tots to such luxuries, it’s simply chump change to pay about $40,000 - plus $6,000 to install - for a set that spans 46-by-58 feet and towers 16 feet high (about half the size of a regulation basketball court that’s 94-by-58 feet, with hoops 10 feet above the floor).

“It weighs more than five tons and uses more than 4,000 board feet of lumber,” added Schulz, “and takes a little bit of know-how to set up. We require it be done by one of the Rainbow installers.”

Rainbow sells an average of six of these sets per year, said the Sacramento-based representative. Schulz himself has catered a few to some Sacramento Kings basketball team members and has sold about six sets to Hawaii clients, though none has the McKee.

Named after its designer, an associate based in Texas, where “big” seems to be a mantra, the McKee “requires a lot of land,” said Schulz. “For people who are ’space-challenged,’ the Space Saver series works well.”

A “King Kong Space Saver” made its way to Big Island and Honolulu clients, and a “Sunshine Clubhouse” to a Maui family who shelled out $5,500 and $4,800 respectively (plus $1,900 and $1,300 shipping), for monsters that eat up about 17-by-17 and 10-by-16 feet of ground.

“They’re modular - you don’t have to buy it maxed out,” Schulz said. “You can add on as activities become appropriate for your child, more challenging ones like a rock wall; the set can grow with your kid.” (Check their Web site at rainbowplay.com or call 1-800-RAINBOW for available jungle gym options.)

Protection also comes into play: “With the way the world has changed … where if you lose sight of your child for a minute you freak out, there’s been a huge transition from going to the local park to bringing it to your back yard,” Schulz said.

If you’ve got the acreage, the McKee entertains in every direction, with a 37.5-square-foot Castle Fort, 15-foot Super Scoop Safety Slide, a 32-square-foot Penthouse, two 73-square-foot multi-level clubhouse forts, a crow’s nest and more.

It’s not all about style, there’s substance, too. According to Schulz, “it’s backed by a lifetime warranty, built with replaceable solid wood and metal components.”

But to Schulz, what may be the best thing about the jungle gym goes beyond its structure and features.

“It’s made so adults can climb and swing and play right alongside their kids,” he said.