Thread: Xtend & climb ladder

Looking at buying one. 15 foot $269.00. Anybody have one or used one?

Similar Threads:

• Scuttle ladder repair
• Ladder Usage
• Vertical Ladder
• Attic Pull down ladder door panel - insulation
• Short Attic Ladder

Originally Posted by Aaron Frasher

.
Looking at buying one. 15 foot $269.00. Anybody have one or used one?

.
Got one Type I rated 250lbs. ( a little whipey fully extended but very useable.)
Got the 10.5 ft model as well gets on most 1 story roofs, inside closet scuttle holes,up top for chimney and additional access to upper roof lines instead of pulling your ladder up behind you. Both are easily carried and fit in the trunk of a car.
.

Originally Posted by Kevin Wood

Go with the little Giant and you can't go wrong. One ladder multi purpose. 6 feet long.

Little Giant Ladder presented by The Cal-Ell Group

Little Giant Revolution XE Ladder by Little Giant

.
Werner makes a good multi purpose as well.

Accordion Style Ladders have their niche but are not primary use equipment.
.

JLT Series – Jaws Telescopic (375lb) « Featherlite Ladders

I have the latest 15.5' X&C:

Amazon.com: Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder Type I Professional Series, 15.5-Foot: Home Improvement

which gets used at 2/3 of my inspections.

The latching mechanism is much improved over previous versions, with a visual indication that each section is locked.

I find the the "Little Giant" type folding ladders rather heavy and very awkward to extend in tight spaces, whereas the X&C can go straight up and down.

YMMV.

Accordion Style Ladders have their niche but are not primary use equipment.

Agreed. Consider this:

X&C 785P - weighs 36 lbs - 15.5' height - rated 250 lbs. - 6 mo. warranty - $250 - Waves in the breeze.

JAWS JLT18 - weighs 36 lbs. - 18' height - rated 375 lbs. - lifetime warranty - $325 - Solid as a rock. Makes a step ladder and other configurations.

No-brainer.

Each has strengths and weaknesses, can do some jobs better than the other, and can do some jobs the other just can't.

The JAWS is 4' 9" tall when closed, and must be rotated through its length to be fully extended.

The X&C is 36.5" tall when closed, and can extend straight up.

The X&C is the better ladder for use in tight interior spaces such as short hallways and closets, is often easier to get to where you need to set it up, and can be used in some situations were you just cannot transport or extend a pivot type ladder. However (except for the SL-675) the X&Cs can not be used when there is nothing to lean them against.

The pivot type are more rigid and tend to have a wider and more stable bases, and can be used as step ladders when there is nothing to lean them against. But they can be the devil's own work to extend in tight spaces, and sometimes just cannot be extended there at all.

Normally, in/on my vehicle are 7 foot conventional stepladder, a 15.5' X&C and a 28' extension ladder - between the three I can access 98 % of what I feel I should. (I used to carry both a 24' and a 32' extension ladder, but after a few scares I decided that the 32' was just a *bit* too long / heavy for one person to handle safely).

Someone in a different market, or with a different inspection style, would likely prefer some other combination.

But in my market, for the way I work, experience has taught that this is the best combo for me.

X+C is better than Telesteps.

I use a Telesteps for short climbs inside, Jaws for medium climbs outside up to 1 1/2 storeys, and the 28' extension ladder for the 2 storey jobs.

To raise the Little Giant or Jaws in a tight spot, lock the center first, then push the middle section straight up. With the top section stored in the truck, my Jaws only weighs about 25 lbs and is perfect for a 1 storey job..

Originally Posted by Aaron Frasher

Looking at buying one. 15 foot $269.00. Anybody have one or used one?

I have used a 12' Telestep ladder for 5 years without a hitch. You do have to make sure the locking pins are set and be aware of how the ladder feels when climbing. Horror stories have been out for some time, including on this site, about how dangerous these ladders are. You are taking a big risk if you just throw one up, jump on and start climbing. CHECK THE PINS before and as you go up. Get off if you feel any slip at all.
The ladders do have to be maintained. I called the factory for cleaning and lubricating instructions. The black rubber tops should be wrapped in masking tape or you will spend time trying to get the black skid marks of walls and attic ceiling hatches.

I have a 12ft Telesteps - don't like it at all, flimsy when extended, the release levers are plastic with small pullstrings ("McGyverd" with Dog Chain by me) and, the rubber pads on the bottom wear out fast and the sharp edges cut doughnuts out of carpet pretty easy. Hardly ever used it in the two years I've had it.

Telesteps did have problematic latch system which resulted in several collapses and lawsuits.

I know one colleague who had a telestep collapse and he was seriously injured. As a result the manufacturer improved the latch system.

Any older model should be reconsidered for use due to latch problems.

I've been using one for about six years with no problems (taller model). You do have to make sure each rung is latched, and sometimes that can take a few tries, before you use it.

Jaws is the best primary ladder. Yes, you need 5 feet of space. I have hauled mine in the trunk of a Toyota Corolla loaner car with the back seat folded.

The Little Giant is a loose copy, and Werner makes a good copy.

I have the Type II (yellow). Had it for a couple of years (maybe 3??). I've used it a lot - inside and outside. Never a problem; however, I ALWAYS check every single latch, EVERY time I set it.

I don't want to be like the Telesteps guy that fell off and seriously injured himself.

I custom-fabbed a turntable and sliding mechanism, welded to the ladder rack of my pickup. Attached a commercial 3-section, 42' firefighters' ladder to it, and it easily and safely got me more than 40' off the ground. A real breeze to maneuver to exactly where I wanted it against the structure, and always had a good solid feel to it, even when fully extended.

Originally Posted by BridgeMan

I custom-fabbed a turntable and sliding mechanism, welded to the ladder rack of my pickup. Attached a commercial 3-section, 42' firefighters' ladder to it, and it easily and safely got me more than 40' off the ground. A real breeze to maneuver to exactly where I wanted it against the structure, and always had a good solid feel to it, even when fully extended.

If you have a picture, by all means post it here. I want one of those.
Speaking of a real breeze, did the truck have stabilizers, too?

Speaking of a real breeze

I think it already blew through . . . but, BM could surprise us all.

I've long since gotten rid of the truck, so no pix, sorry. And no stabilizers were needed on the truck, as my overturning-moment calculations showed I could put 900+ lbs. at the very top of the extended ladder before it reached the tipping point (ladder angle confined to less than 14 degrees by the truck's ladder rack side rails). I may be a large fellow, but not quite that large.

I used an Xtend & Climb for about 3 years with no problem and now a Telesteps for the last 2 years. As of yet...never a hitch. I've got the 12.5 ft which gets me nearly anywhere on any building (roofs from balconies, etc.). I prefer the Teleteps. Is does flex, but it certainly is not flimsily.

Okay, I finally broke down and got one late this summer. I bought the 12.5' for about $200 to compliment my ladder selection. Find it's much easier to lug around than my heavy Gorilla.

I suggest checking Sherwin-Williams paint stores if you have them where you are and see when the Xtend & Climb's go on sale. A friend just bought a 15' for a little more than I paid for my 12.5'.

Originally Posted by Hank Spinnler

Okay, I finally broken down and got one late this summer. I bought the 12.5' for about $200 to compliment my ladder selection. Find it's much easier to lug around than my heavy Gorilla.

I suggest checking Sherwin-Williams paint stores if you have them where you are and see when the Xtend & Climb's go on sale. A friend just bought a 15' for a little more than I paid for my 12.5'.

I would stick with the shorter length, which is lighter. 12 feet is a long way to go on a collapsing ladder. 15 feet? Use the LG.

Here's why I need a ladder rack and an extension ladder sometimes. This side of the roof had a skylight, and a couple of vents not visible from any other angle.

Well I bought one 15.5 foot $269 so far it's great. I could have probably sold it acouple of times.LOL no more driving my gas guzzling truck around. Everything in the trunk of my 30 MPG Honda Accord. One guy laughed at me when I told him I had a 20' ladder in the car. After he saw it he was like "I'm going to buy one right now"

I bought nine Telesteps when they first came out. Same time I was setting up my company, so I put the expense into the capital expenditure category. Not a single ladder lasted more than 18 months, and seven of them didn't even last a year.

I bought the X&C as replacements. They were $300 less expensive, had better latch release mechanisms, and have lasted almost ten years now.

X&C is all I use at inspections. Never did like Little Giant because an individual, especially a smaller home inspector (5'8", 126#) simply could not set it up on his own. Heck, I'm 6'4" and 200# and I can't set them up by myself.

X&C it is.