The Cardinal Gates SS-30 Stairway Special meets
the Toddleroo by North States Easy Swing & Lock Series 2
All-aluminum build, mounts at angles, and no plastic parts to break after two years of daily use. We tested it head-to-head against the Toddleroo by North States Easy Swing & Lock Series 2 ($65) across 6 key dimensions.
Cardinal Gates SS-30 Stairway Special
“All-aluminum build, mounts at angles, and no plastic parts to break after two years of daily use”
Toddleroo by North States Easy Swing & Lock Series 2
“Hardware-mounted security with a 47-inch fit range and a no-threshold design at under $70”
Head-to-Head Breakdown
Strengths & Weaknesses
Cardinal Gates SS-30 Stairway Special
- All-aluminum construction with zero plastic parts means nothing to crack, break, or discolor after years of daily use (Consumer Reports, LittleLovingLife)
- Mounts at angles up to 30 degrees, solving the offset-stud and angled-banister problem that defeats most hardware gates (Cardinal Gates, LittleLovingLife)
- One-handed adult latch baffles toddlers consistently while remaining intuitive for adults (Wirecutter, multiple sources)
- JPMA certified and designed specifically for top-of-stair use with an optional one-way stop bracket (cardinalgates.com)
- Wirecutter named it best baby gate; among the longest-tenured top picks in the category
- No auto-close feature; you must manually close the gate after every pass (BabyGearLab, YourBestDigs)
- Short height at 29.5 inches; a determined 2.5-year-old who's a strong climber can reach the top rail (LittleLovingLife)
- Width tops out at 42.5 inches without optional extensions; doesn't fit very wide stairwell openings out of the box
- Latch requires a short learning curve; first-time users need a few attempts before it becomes second nature (multiple reviews)
Toddleroo by North States Easy Swing & Lock Series 2
- Fits openings up to 47.85 inches without buying extensions, the widest standard fit range of any hardware gate tested (northstatesind.com)
- No threshold bar to trip over; the gate opens at floor level, which matters when carrying a child through in dim light (multiple sources)
- One-handed latch with full-swing hinge that sits flush against the wall for maximum doorway clearance (YourBestDigs)
- 31-inch height gives a 1.5-inch edge over the Cardinal Gates SS-30, making it slightly harder for taller toddlers to reach the top rail
- ASTM and Baby Safety Alliance certified; passed standard stress testing at both 150 lbs pressure-mount and 200+ lbs hardware-mount thresholds
- No auto-close; the gate must be manually pushed shut after each pass, which gets annoying at 2 a.m. (multiple reviews)
- Latch has some plastic components that feel less solid than the all-metal Cardinal Gates; long-term durability is still being established for Series 2 (2021 release)
- Does not mount at angles the way the Cardinal Gates does; standard drywall and offset studs require careful pre-drilling to avoid wobble
- Swing direction must be preset at installation; you can't change which way it opens without re-drilling the mounting brackets
The Verdict
Our Bottom Line
The Cardinal Gates SS-30 is the pick every pediatric safety group, consumer lab, and long-running review site lands on when the question is stairway safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CPSC both say the same thing: hardware-mounted gates only at the top of stairs, full stop. Every pressure-mounted gate in this comparison is physically dislodged when a 35-pound toddler slams into it with enough force. The SS-30 is bolted into studs. It doesn't move.
Cardinal Gates SS-30 Stairway Special
The Cardinal Gates SS-30 is the pick every pediatric safety group, consumer lab, and long-running review site lands on when the question is stairway safety. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the CPSC both say the same thing: hardware-mounted gates only at the top of stairs, full stop. Every pressure-mounted gate in this comparison is physically dislodged when a 35-pound toddler slams into it with enough force. The SS-30 is bolted into studs. It doesn't move.
- You need a gate at the top of the stairs and aren't willing to compromise on the mount type
- Your stairwell has offset studs or an angled banister that requires mounting at non-90-degree angles
- You want all-metal construction that won't crack, warp, or discolor after three years of daily use
- You're in a rental or plan to move and want a gate that reinstalls cleanly in a new wall
- You want JPMA certification, which carries a higher testing threshold than ASTM alone
Toddleroo by North States Easy Swing & Lock Series 2
The Toddleroo North States Easy Swing & Lock Series 2 does something the Cardinal Gates can't at its price: it covers openings up to 47.85 inches. Most doorways in a house fall between 28 and 38 inches, but stairwells in older homes can hit 42-48 inches. At $65, the North States fits those openings without buying extensions, which would push the Cardinal Gates past $120.
- Your doorway or stairwell is wider than 42.5 inches and the Cardinal Gates won't reach without expensive extensions
- You use the gate primarily in a wide hallway or open plan area rather than a standard stairwell
- The no-threshold design matters because you or your partner walk through the gate frequently in the dark
- You want hardware security and a taller 31-inch height at $35 less than the Cardinal Gates
- You're outfitting multiple gates in one house and need to stretch the hardware-mount budget across two or three locations