We decided we wanted a playset, but due to the pandemic shortage of playsets as well as the rising costs of wood, we were afraid we just wouldn't find what we wanted. We were willing to spend pretty good money for a good one, but realistically we were at the mercy of just finding one when it was in stock. Prior research, we had narrowed down which ones we liked and which price ranges applied to us, so when the Skyfort II came in stock we got it immediately. We bought it through Backyard Discovery, and glad we did because it went out of stock again within 3 hours. Free Shipping was a plus given that this product ships using freight. As soon as we bought it, the confirmation e-mail was immediate and very detailed regarding steps for shipping and delivery as well as what to expect with packaging. The e-mail contained tracking information and connected us to the 3rd party freighter. That freighter connected with us regarding delivery date. The freight man that delivered was amazing and the company was within the delivery window and met all my expectations for shipping. Now, one of the e-mails detailed that many freighters will not do much for you beyond dropping your 4 playset boxes on a pallet and drop it by the curb, unless you pay extra. These boxes are a total of 736 lbs. so don't underestimate this. Luckily, my freighter used his drop gate on the back of his semi to load the packages onto my trailer, which he did for me for no extra charge. He also said he delivers them all the time and gave me a few pointers. I then used my trailer to take the boxes to the backyard. This made things so much easier but would not have been possible without the freighter helping with this. My advice is expect the least but hope that you get a great driver and freighter like I did (the trucking company was YRC). The boxes were in perfect condition (No puncture holes or signs of damage. I still took pics for proof just in case but all was well). I also know that they were shipped in good condition because it arrived strapped to a pallet. This made me feel better that these individual boxes weren't tossed or slid around. Organization for Pre-Construction - 4 boxes, all between 150-250 lbs. each. I backed the trailer to the backyard. From here, I followed advice from reviews. I read how important it was to organize the nuts/bolts per step as well as organize the wood and supplies by alphabetical and numerical order. THIS HELPED SO MUCH. We spent very little time searching for anything during assembly. I took out the box of nuts and bolts (mine was in Box 2, the heaviest box). I went through the instructions and sorted every single step into individual Ziploc baggies. This was so helpful, ex. Step 1, use the step 1 bag, already filled with what we needed. Helped us know when we complete a step as well as knowing if we forgot to use anything or not. Secondly, I spread the boards all across the backyard in alphabetical order. Putting them in numerical order wasn't as important for the stacks that were small, but the H and M categories have a lot of boards, so for sure number these stacks in order. So far, this all took about 5 hours total and I did most of it alone. Day 1 - Next is assembly. Now I read through the instructions ahead of time and realized that there are about 8 sections that can be done by one person (Glider, Ladder, Slide, Rockwall, porch roof, etc.). The Fort section is a 2 person job, and then parts of the Observation Deck, Monkey Bars, and Swing Set could use more hands. There were 3 of us working for about 7 hours. One person worked on the parts that can be done by one person while the other 2 of us worked on the Fort assembly. At this point, I learned a few things: 1) Use the instruction book. It is more detailed than the Bilt App. The Bilt App really only helps if you want to see an angle that is not shown in the book. The book is very simple to follow. - within the book, notice that the orientation of the image can change from step to step. Failure to notice this will result in certain boards being backwards. 2) Make sure you may attention to the details. Know the difference in types of bolts, screws, and locks. They can look similar but are for different things. 3) If you mess something up, fix it ASAP! Don't move on thinking it won't bite you in the butt. It will. So many of these steps have predrilled holes so at some point, your mistake will become known, and at that point you will wish you had fixed it to begin with. 4) I would be sure to decide on where the final place for the set will be by the time you get to the step where you attach the flooring for the fort. After this, it can get heavy and difficult to maneuver. Obviously, flatter ground is best. Myself and one other person then worked another 3 hours later that day. At this point, the Fort was completed through step 54 (pic attached), and many other parts were done (Observation deck, ladder, glider, rock wall, porch roof). Day 2 - The Calvary arrived. With 7 people for 4 hours, we finished it. Most of this day was people working in two person groups, but I would definitely say attaching the swing set could be a 3 person job, and building the observation deck could be a 3 person job at some points. Do not under estimate building the observation deck. It is time consuming because of you being up and down a ladder constantly. Absolutely everything was perfect. No problems with shipping or delivery. All boards were in good condition, no bolts/nuts or pieces were missing (most bags had at least one extra of every piece for good measure). The rain held off and we will put on a stain once it dries up here (instructions advise it even though it comes pre treated). Last advices 1) Reviews I read were so helpful. Some of the stuff I read there I have already reiterated, but following detailed instructions with attention to the details is so critical. So many pieces and so much meticulous engineering went into this playset. The instructions were spot on the whole way through so as long as you do what it says, it will be right. I don't know about other instructions for other playsets, but I can verify this one. 2) These boards don't feel like true, solid cedar boards, and can at times feel somewhat flimsy. However, the more you build, the more sturdy the whole structure feels. Its very solid. We had 60 MPH winds the day after it was built and it didn't move a muscle. And it does smell like cedar so that is a plus. 3) The bolts and nuts come with T-40 and T-30 tools so that helped a lot (never stripped out or slipped.) 4) We have not put anything on the ground yet for cushion, but we plan to at some point. The set is supposed to be on the ground, per the instructions, so we will add that later. Total Suggested Assembly time per instructions - 20 hrs for two people = 40 Hours My total time 5 hrs x 1 person = 5 Pre-Construction 7 hrs x 3 people = 21 Day 1 3 hrs x 2 people = 6 Day 1 4 hrs x 7 people = 28 Day 2 Total Man Hours = 60 Hours

We love the playset. The crows nest and swings are my sons favorite so far. He’s a little too little for the monkey bars and rock wall by himself just yet. The slide is super fast too. Everything is awesome. When building we were short a few washers and some would was splinting otherwise really awesome set! Plus we put our dog up to cool off he loves it.

[This review was collected as part of a promotion.] We love it, the kids love it! It was a bit difficult to follow the instructions and sort through all the lumber and hardware when building yourself and some of the pre drilled pieces were drilled a bit off but overall with many hands and a good chunk of time we were able to get the job done and now enjoy this awesome play set!

I've had this for one year now. It's held up pretty well in Missouri. However, the finish from the factory is mostly worn off already, so I will need to stain the entire thing this summer to prolong its life. It was easy to assemble as long as you're organized. I did it by myself in about 6 hours with no issues. The wood is a little soft, so you have to be very careful if trimming grass around it. I've accidentally shredded a few of the boards.

This was bought by my grandmother for my 2 children and it has been a hit! That are on it from the time they wake until bed time. It was time consuming to put together but once done it is very sturdy and is going to last for years. Only down side is delivery was very slow and could not be tracked. We had to keep calling company to see where it was and it sat in various locations for days before being moved.

For the price of this compared to a Rainbow play system, this is totally worth it. I would recommend it to those who can't afford the true cedar rainbow playsets, if you are just looking at the cheap rainbow sets they are the same wood, why pay more for the same wood with less activities. You get a lot more activities and the kids can grow into it just the same. The wood isn't as strong as I would like but I didn't pay 3 times as much for the other play system (that uses the same type of wood) so this is what we have. My 3 yr old loves it and with the exception of the monkey bars is able to do every activity. It took us 2 full weekends, and 1.5 wks of after work time to put it together with the help of my 2 bother-in-laws. I would probably pay the $600 for Sam’s club to install it if had to do it again. The boards are very thin throughout the playset; we ended up splitting some boards during installation and breaking the crow's nest floor during assembly as it doesn't rest on the beam it's just floating above it. Once we supported/braced it against the swing beam it's been fine. The instructions could have been a little clearer in a couple spots: roof installation, ladder and rock wall construction, and crows nest construction but overall were easy to follow. We were missing one floor board, 3 wall boards, and one board for the rock wall. After calling CS twice to get them they finally arrived 2-wks later. Over-all my son loves it and he will be able to grow into it, I just hope the thin boards hold up to the weights they claim to support because we have a solid little boy who loves to jump and play rough.

We just had a Skyfort II playset installed this past week and absolutely love it! We have two young boys and they have been enjoying it everyday since we had it installed. Perfect solution to help the kids get outside more (especially since parka are temporarily closed where we live). The actual playset is extremely sturdy and everyone we have had over since installing it had complimented us on it. Thanks Backyard Discovery for making awesome, safe, and affordable playsets!

My wife and I had been looking for a swing set for our two girls. I came across the Skyfort II and was amazed by all of the features it included. This thing has the works! Wave slide, rock wall, monkey bars, teeter-totter swing and two additional swings. That doesn’t even include the tower section that has a functional picnic table, sandbox, fort, and crows nest with a telescope. If you need your children to burn off some energy this is how you do it! The Skyfort II is a majestic addition to any backyard. You kids will never run out of friends if they have one of these kids playgrounds. The neighbor children have a blast learning sharing, playing, and communication skills. It does take some time for delivery, however the drop off went very smooth and the friendly folks placed it nicely in my garage. I highly recommend getting a crew together for assembly. It took 5 of us 12 hours to complete and that was with 2.5 hours I spend prior to that just unboxing and sorting parts. The wood is a tad soft so make sure to not over tighten the hardware as it will dig into the wood. I also recommend using a sealant to prevent any splintering from wear and tear. There is tons of space in the fort for your young ones to have fun. My 6’6” brother cab stand up in the inside without hitting his head! They bay windows also give a great view all around the yard for “home base” during hide and seek. I highly recommend this product and plan to help build more of these with my friends for their children.

We purchased this as a Christmas gift for our 3 grandsons (ages 2, 5 & 8) to replace one that was old. It has great features & the kids love the fort. They prefer to eat lunch at the picnic table rather than come inside even when it’s cold. It is good for all ages & very sturdy. With the size of this play set, numerous kids can all play at the same time & it not be crowded.

We bought this for the summer last year for our kids and they absolutely love it. They use it every day they can. It’s always a focal point especially when their friends come over for a play date. It’s keeps them entertained and adds a great look to the yard!