Frequently Asked Questions

Combined user weight – 100kg  (15.7 stone / 220lbs )

Yes, testing is an extremely important aspect of our research, design and manufacturing; it’s not just about creating a beautiful open-ended product. Our products need to be safe and we have gone over and above with safety standard requirements. The Triclimb and its accessories are CE certified and have been independently laboratory tested and comply with EN 71 parts 1,2,3 and 8 regulations (Safety of Toys).

There are several accessories in the Triclimb modular range. All of them are designed to be enjoyed as stand alone products as well. Many of the accessories interlock with the Triclimb and with each other to create one super playscape using our innovative Trifix joints.

We’ve worked really hard on designing and building a range that is modular with many more products to come. These will be awesome and worth the wait!

Current accessories:  Miri (reversible slide),  Wibli (curvy ladder), Biri (reversible wipe/chalk/magnetic board) and the Archi (rocker/climber).

This was incredibly important to us and a great deal of research went into ensuring we encompassed as many body proportions as possible. There are quite a few areas we researched from the height, the width to most efficient  climbing angle. However the most important was how little people climb, they grip with their hands, they pull up with their hands and they feel secure and confident when they can grip with the fullest power grip.

The strength of that grip depends on the size of our body and the diameter of the item we are gripping. The ideal and maximum power grip is achieved when our thumb touches or is as close to our index finger as possible.

What does the perfect power grip look like? Well, that’s a difficult one, especially when you are taking into account a range of children. Their fingers should ideally be bunched firmly around the pole and touching or slightly overlapping the thumb. The wider the gap, the more strength is lost. To achieve the best power grip, your child’s fingers should be touching or slightly overlapping the thumb. The grip is strongest in this position because the forearm muscles have shortened half way and are at their most efficient.

SO there you have it our climbing rungs are specifically sized to a carefully chosen diameter tailored to younger climbers, which makes it extremely suited to aiding little hands to achieve the best power grip they can (as opposed to adult power grips sizing).

With a massive weight test of 100kg we know our poles have more than enough strength to accommodate the most appropriate sizing for little climbers.

The top joint on the Triclimb is unique.

It’s innovative, it’s strong and completely self supporting; it’s the power house of the Triclimb’s design.

In essence what we have done is to eliminate the need for a bracing triangle at the top of the climbing frame. This is extremely beneficial for many reasons. It removes the splaying pressure on the thumb screws so that they only act as a secondary locking of system. The interlocking wooden joint makes the Triclimb completely self-supporting, in that it doesn’t need thumb screws to keep it in place and won’t collapse on a little one if the thumb screws happen to be removed. The joint is essentially one massive stop which evenly distributes all the weight and pressure across the whole joint and leg as they are one unit.

The unique interlocking joints give us the freedom to use a dual top rung system. It creates a natural space to sit – the perfect viewing platform. This space allows children to pause, assess and rotate over the top effectively with many instinctive points of contact should they need them, before climbing down the other side.

The shape and design of the joint have been carefully calculated to ensure it is as aesthetically pleasing as possible; hence why the joint is symmetrical both in the open and closed position. The legs blend into the top joints in such as way as to ensure there is a gap between the legs when closed. This is a safety feature of the Triclimb; it means little fingers cannot accidentally be trapped when the frame is being closed. Because we don’t need to use a top rung as a hinge point, the Triclimb can use a bolt system to clamp the interlocking joint together. The bolt system runs right through the joint, which ensures the joint is under compression; without this system a joint of this nature will want to pull apart. This was a big deal for us, because a bolt compression connection provides an unparalleled level of holding strength. We also made sure that the bolt system is built to last. We all know that when things are opened and closed many times loosening can occur, but the Triclimb joint system has been specifically designed to be strong and to ensure that even after it has been opened and closed many times, it will not wear or loosen. The bolt is secured in place with a nut which also benefits from a secondary encased part that protects against any shearing force. The safety caps like those found on outdoor playground equipment are used to ensure clothing doesn’t catch and snag on exposed fittings.

So, it turns out, despite the frame’s overall clean and simple appearance, the top joint is extremely complex!

When open the Triclimb frames stands 65cm high yet only weighs 5Kg. The unique design combined with choice of materials allows for a slim profile reducing the overall weight. When folded Triclimb has an ultra thin profile of just 10cm.

Made from a combination of solid timber and ply wood to ensure long lasting strength that won’t suffer warping or movement. Triclimb boasts an upper weight limit of 100Kg (over 15st) which is testament to the strength of the frame design.

An innovative and unique hinge joint means that once open Triclimb supports itself and doesn’t rely on screws for strength. The purpose of the thumb screws on the sides is to lock the frame in place preventing small children from opening or closing it themselves. Triclimb is just as strong and stable without the thumb screws in place. All the work of bearing the load of the child’s weight is done by the increased surface area of the unique interlocking wooden joint.

The Triclimb uses a basic ‘outrigger’ system. By adding small, unobtrusive feet, we increase the base width of the Triclimb and thereby effectively double the frames side-tip stability. It’s an intuitive safety features which means Triclimb passes stability testing to twice the recommend weight for EN standards.

This was the first thing we worked on once we knew from extensive research that a dual rung top would be extremely beneficial for the climbing experience. But we also knew that it had to be done well and be the safest we could make it. After many calculations we settled on the perfect spacing, not too narrow and not too wide. The gaps between all the rungs are uniform (even between the top two rungs) which is an important safety feature to prevent misstep. The rung spacing has been carefully placed in order to conform to and in fact surpass stringent EU safety standards which actually only applies to frames over 60cm. This means that while little climber legs might be able to dangle between the gaps, which is perfectly safe, even a very small child’s torso will should not be able to fit between the rungs.

Our unique interlocking joints gave us the freedom to incorporate a dual top rung system, creating several benefits. The Triclimb is an angled unit, which means that whichever rung you put your weight on, the downward force is always applied within the footprint of the unit – so you don’t need to worry about tipping. That means that we can safely have two rungs at the top of the unit instead of a single rung without affecting stability. Once little climbers get to the top they will naturally use their body as a point of contact,  with our dual top rung system providing two further distinct points of contact. As the child climbs over the top of the unit– the hardest part of the climb – this helps them maintain the Rule of Three over a wider area.

Three distinct points of contact help aid a superior traverse stability.  When young children first learn to climb to the top of Triclimb it can be a daunting prospect to traverse over the top. The dual top rung system also provides a mini platform for little ones to pause, asses and rotate  over the top effectively with many instinctive points of contact should they need them before climbing down the other side,  building self confidence through their own actions.

For those children who have mastered the Triclimb but enjoy the height it offers benefit as the dual top rung system can be used as a seat. It creates a natural space to sit – the perfect viewing platform. There’s another clever reason why Triclimb has two top rungs but we can’t reveal it just yet.

 

 

Every part of the Triclimb is designed to aid climbing, all the way from babies to school age. Everything from the rung diameters (which are carefully chosen to allow maximum power grip for a variety of ages) to the dual top rungs to aid the up-and-over transition and the protruding top joints that act as handles to aid very little ones as they climb over the top.

Wood endures. If looked after properly your Triclimb should last for a generation or more.

We’ve done everything possible to ensure Triclimb products will last. For example, the Triclimb legs are connected together in a way which allows the frame to be opened and closed without creating wear and tear as there is no direct screw to wood method of joining. Triclimb uses a bolt system to clamp the interlocking joint together as bolts provide an unparalleled level of holding strength. The bolt system is encased within safety caps to ensure clothing doesn’t catch and snag on exposed fittings.

Triclimb is made from solid timber and high-quality birch core engineered wood. Our wood is sourced from responsibly managed forests. There are several schemes which are key to making sure timber is sustainably managed. Without these schemes many of our forests won’t be around for long. We at Triclimb want to help protect our trees and to be part of the solution and not the problem for our future generations. Buying responsibly sourced timber products help to ensure the products are tracked through the supply chain to minimise waste and provide a sustainable source of income for local people. Trees are responsibly replanted in place of those harvested whilst maintaining respect for the environment, local wildlife and the well-being of people who work and communities that live in the forests.

As far as is possible, we aim to source our materials and packaging as locally as possible in a bid to support local businesses whilst limiting our carbon footprint.

Wood is a product of nature and nature is unpredictable – it can be beautiful and maddening at the same time. It moves, twists, swells, and scratches with humidity. You can end up with twists, bows and cups where there was perfection. And then there are the natural flaws, colouring, changes in grain direction and knots to consider. There is a raw charm surrounding a good solid piece of timber. BUT using solid wood is expensive to our planet – it’s a resource that is on the decline. We’re on a journey of commitment to becoming as environmentally responsible as possible and responding to changes and advances. For us we questioned – was there a need to use solid timber for the main construction, and if not, what could we use? Our answer – PLYWOOD, designed and built to take a beating so nature doesn’t have to.

Plywood is a re-formed wood product. It’s an incredibly efficient use for fast-growing wood that is renewable and produces very little waste. It is generally made when a log is hewn, and a carpet-like roll of very thin wood is produced. It is then sliced into sheets and each layer is layered at 90 degrees to the previous. The result is a product that is affordable, durable, strong and stable and most crucially not affected by the central heating in our modern homes. Many of our precious trees are wasted in producing the ‘right’ cut for the production of solid timber, coupled with the time taken to grow hardwood trees. Using plywood in our designs gives you one of the strongest materials around. We ensure all products manufactured within our product line come from sustainably managed forests and are  and are engineered to meet the lowest VOC compliant emission requirements. We aim to combine beauty, performance, and environmental friendliness. In a bid to ever become more resource efficient we do use all of the plywood boards, otherwise we would be contributing to wasteful manufacturing. So you will find natural flaws, colouring, changes in grain direction and knots. These are only cosmetic and part of this naturally occurring living product.

Our stains and paints use the latest developments in waterborne technology and are safe, light-fast, tough, durable, non-toxic, environmental and child friendly – BS 5665-EN 71/3 Toy Safety Regulations 1995 certified. Products are then sealed with an eco-friendly water-bourne finish, which gives a ‘just visible grain’ look and feel to the finish. The product is designed to have a slight roughness to it; this helps to ensure your little Triclimber has enough grip for their adventuring.

Made from wood Triclimb is visibly part of nature, tactile and beautiful. All the wood used is from sustainable managed forests. The stain and lacquers used to finish Triclimb are non toxic, environmentally friendly and water based which allow the natural features of the wood to shine through. If looked after after Triclimb will last for generations and when its use is finally over it will soon return to the earth peacefully without any negative impact.

Triclimb has been manufactured as an indoor toy but it can be used outside with care. Just be mindful that the finish is an indoor finish and being left out in the elements will damage the properties of the materials.

Caring for your Tri Climb is not only essential for improving safety but will also add years to its life for your children to play on and enjoy it as they grow. To clean, wipe with a damp cloth and mild detergent. Dry immediately. Leaving water or cleaning agent on the surface may damage the finish. Do not use abrasive cleansers.

Yes, we don’t want your frame to wobble, but it’s an easy fix and can happen when assembling the frame.

To fix:

You will need a book (or something similar) start with about 40mm thick to act at a raiser.

1) Open the Triclimb frame and insert the thumb screws.

2) Place the book or similar under one of the two opposing legs that are flat to the ground.

3) Push down on the top joints. You may hear a creaking sound – do not be alarmed, this is just the frame moving into correct alignment.

4) Remove the book or similar (if rocking remains repeat adding further height to the raiser, you may need to do this several times until the frame aligns).

Designed and built in Wales, United Kingdom. We’re proud that Triclimb utilises the carpentry and design skills of local businesses and people.

As a society, we have a love-hate relationship with flat pack furniture. We all know there are significant benefits for our planet to shipping smaller packages and these should outweigh our convenience. We know flat pack assembly can be difficult, so we wanted to make sure we did as much of the assembly as possible without compromising on the phenomenal reduction in our carbon footprint; a box a fraction of the size. So we ship the Triclimb semi-assembled; the two sets of legs are pre-assembled to make putting it together really simple.

Because of natural tolerances in the wood and manufacturing processes, some customers may find that their attachments can move from side to side along the rungs of the base unit. This is perfectly normal and does not pose any safety hazard. The aim of the Trifix joints is not to prevent sideways movement, but to make sure that the climbing/sliding attachment will never come off the frame and fall onto a little one.

The MIRI is designed to be reversible. The smooth side is for sliding, and the side with the cut outs is for climbing. The cut outs are designed to allow little climbers to grip into them as opposed to gripping onto them (the Triclimb does that job). The climbing points are specifically sized to accommodate little fingers and toes, helping to develop finger and toe strength for your little climbers. The slots are placed at a variety of different angles and there are cutout circles to help encourage contact finger power and strength as they climb up the board. The cut outs also allow and create space for a variety of other open ended play experiences; colour sorting, counting, bean bag throw etc.

The Miri is designed so that both sides can be used straight out of the box without the need for additional extras. However Miri sticks can be added to the slots as an optional extra; these will allow little climbers to experience the climb with external points. They also double up as a ball run. We are currently working on more additions that will fit the existing cutouts on the same premise – so watch this space.

Our climbing/sliding attachments connect to any of our Triclimb frames including the Archi and will lock at various height settings. The innovative and unique joint system ensures the attachments lock safely in place as opposed to simply ’sitting’ on the rungs. The locking mechanism means that children can use the attachments in a variety of ways – jumping from it, crawling under it, sliding on it – without any fear of it accidentally falling during active play.

The Trifix joint simply hooks onto the base unit with no tools required. Simply lift the base unit off the ground slightly, set the recesses in the joints over your desired rung and drop the base unit gently to the floor – that’s it! It takes seconds to lock and unlock the unit.

If you’ve lost your locking thumbscrews just get in touch and we’ll get replacement sent out for you.

Slim, strong and natural. Triclimb suits any home environment and décor. Available in various colour options to suit your own family style. A minimal design which is beautiful to look at adding an aesthetic expression to the rest of the room.

Designing and perfecting the Triclimb range has taken a lot of time, blood, sweat and tears. It is therefore imperative that we protect our designs. All products are Design registered with the IPO, UK and EU. This means that they cannot be copied or emulated for commercial use.