Anything to watch out for?
Are they much of a muchness, is a cheap one instant death?
I wouldn't climb one.
Buy a surveyors ladder instead - short 3 ft sections - fits in the boot of the car / cupboard under the stairs.
They're a bit flexy, but fine for sporadic use. The higher you go, the more shallow the angle needed, which means the flexier it gets!
Unsurprisingly, they flex even more if you're a bit of a lump
Oh, and watch your fingers when collapsing them down again
Will be climbing 8 ft up.
We have one, use it to get to the attic hatch and I can just stick the ladder under the spare bed when not in use. Seems fine to me. You see a few surveyors using them for similar stuff....
I have one, 3m I think, used for the loft runs. I did worry pre purchase that it would be a bit flimsy but it's rock solid.
Do you know which make it is?
If its for compact storage these types of folding ladder are surprisingly solid - I use my ones in preference to my ordinary stepladders - the just seem much more stable. Bit heavy though (but thats probably what aids the stability) and although compact they're still a fair bit more bulky than the telescopic ones, but the benefit is they're useful in more applications
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Have one of those ^^^^^ but need something that can be opened in a really tight space.
I have one and use it relatively heavily as a stove fitter. Not the cheapest but not the priceiest ither, think it was about £90, can't remember the make.
Yes, they flex. So does my bike and my 'normal' ladders. Not a problem, and I'm a bloater too.
Dead handy, I use mine mostly for taller chimney stacks where the ability to open 5 or 6 rungs as required allows perfect height to work from. Also for lazy access to bungalow roofs when I can't be bothered taking ladders off the roof of the van.
Probably used mine more in 4 years than most will see in decades.
Mine seems good, also got some step ladders that I use when I do the hedge trimming, and also got the proper loft version that attaches to the bottom of the loft hatch, so don't need the recess a normal loft ladder would take.
need something that can be opened in a really tight space.
I have a Xtend and Climb 'Pro' model from Screwfix. Was c£200 but has been used for everything from painting the stairs insidea and loft access to putting up christmas lights and clearing gutters outside. I'm not a feather weight @ about 105kilos and although it flexes it feels solid.
db
Watch you fingers when.lowering!!!
Will act as a od gilitine
They are absolutely fine as long as you double check that each latch is truely clicked in place and remember to extend it from the bottom upwards, i.e. wide bit first.
I just mine at least once a week and its been fine even for a very fat boiler engineer to climb!
badllama - Member
Watch you fingers when.lowering!!!
Will act as a od gilitine
Yes, this!
zippykona - Member
Will be climbing 8 ft up.
Just jump.
I bought a cheap one, that was a false economy. Got a proper ladder instead now.
The bang when one of the aluminium sections split was interesting.