What kind of gate are you using for top of stairs?

NoleGirlKEF

Pressure or hardware mounted?  Regular or extra tall? I'm struggling with this.  We live in a rental so I don't want to put screw holes in the wall, but everything I read says that is the safest way to go.  DD is in the 75th percentile for height.  I feel like ultimately the extra tall might be a better option, but I like the ability to just step over the regular height gates.

happy_family

I understand you do not want to put holes in the wall of a rental, however; that's what spackle and/or toothpaste was made for!  Please, please do not use a pressure mounted gate at the top of stairs, in fact, I'm pretty sure every pressure mounted gate out there will say "not for use at top of stairs".   We have a very inexpensive Safety first gate at the top of the basement stairs (used infrequently) which works well and with a coupon was less than $20 at Babies R Us.  We have what I think is a very expensive retractable gate at the top of the stairs on our bedroom level (used often and a narrow hallway, no room for a swinging gate), it retracts quietly and on it's own (no cranking) and sticks out only a tiny bit further than the bannister.  I did a lot of research and this gate seems to be the only one that retracts without cranking, can open and close with one hand and is QUIET, essential to us on the bedroom level.  I don't have any financial interest in the company, but it's www.retract-a-gate.com - oh, the one issue I have is that the color is UGLY.  Oh, well.

cchill01

Yeah, you'll drive yourself crazy with the pressure mounted gates.  They don't stay up.  And a good solid push and they will fall down. 

And even the pressure mounted ones leave little scratches and bumps in the walls.  I don't think you're going to get away without a little bit of touch up.