Best Telescoping Ladder – Buying Guide & Reviews
A telescopic ladder as we all know will have compact size when slid inwards or outwards. However, these telescopic ladders might have comparatively longer length than other normal ladders.
It would be silly and a waste of time if I start explaining about telescoping ladders, however, for those who are new to this product. Here are some of advantages and benefits of having a telescoping ladder.
- A telescoping ladder can be slid inwards or outwards that make it compact, in turn, can be stored or kept somewhere without any issues.
- Telescopic ladders are often flexible and can reach remote places at ease.
- Telescopic ladders have more balancing than other types of ladders
Advantages of Telescopic ladder
- Flexible – flexibility is one of the key advantages of a telescoping ladder, the height of the ladder can be adjusted like you desire, but not beyond the limit available.
- Safe – ladders have to support high weight and it depends on the weight of the person climbing it. This is why most of the telescoping ladders are made of very durable material. It can support a weight up to 100 to 150 Kgs.
- Convenient storage – telescopic ladders can be retracted and also can be stored anywhere with ease. However, this being told, length of each telescoping ladder varies with each model.
- Portability – telescopic ladders are made of lightweight materials. Most of the telescopic ladder come with weight less than 25lbs and so can be carried anywhere easily.
Now, you might have an idea of what a telescopic ladder is and why it is a best choice for you. However, there are certain factors that should be considered while purchasing a telescopic ladder.
- Material
- Load capacity
- Safety ratings
- Max height
- User-friendly
- Budget
Material – Telescopic ladders are made of different material, fiberglass, aluminum, wood etc. are some of the most common material used to make telescopic ladders.
- Aluminum telescoping ladders have lightweight, they are resistant to corrosion and comparatively more portable. However, they conduct electricity and so cannot be used for wiring and power grid works
- Wooden telescoping ladder – this type of ladder is expensive and comparatively heavier than aluminum ladders. Wooden ladders can also be used for electrical and power grid works.
- Fiberglass telescoping ladder – this type of telescoping ladder is not common but, it is durable, non-corrosive, and is highly dependable.
So, while purchasing a telescoping ladder, consider the type of material suitable for your purpose, and trust me you won’t appreciate getting electrocuted.
Load Capacity – Telescopic ladders come with different load capacity, here are some of the common load variants available.
- 200lbs – suitable for household work, and for lightweight load
- 225lbs – suitable for heavy duty household, for painters, carpenters.
- 250lbs – suitable for commercial and industrial purposes
- 300lbs – highest load capacity.
So, while purchasing a telescopic ladder consider the load capacity of the product.
Safety ratings – the safest collapsible ladder is that one which has the highest rating for the maximum weight carrying capacity. You should remember that fact that, whichever the material type is, safety rating is very important. Be careful enough to check the rating and purchase a product with maximum highest safety rating. Now, with this being told, here are some of the terms that you should check while purchasing a ladder.
- ANSI – American National Standards Institute
- OSHA – Occupational Safety and Health Organization
- EN 131- European Safety System
Remember that, it is never safe to purchase a product without any of these terms inscribed on it. No matter what the manufacturer claims and however, grant the marketing is do not fall for it. Products without safety rating are definitely a risk.
Max height – Telescopic ladders come in different heights, the maximum normal height available is 16-feet and any telescopic ladder offering a height above this level should have extra strength and weight to ensure proper safety to the product and user. So, while purchasing telescopic ladder make sure that if the product has extended height (more than 16-feet) then the product should have extra strength and should be wide to balance the weight and load.
User-friendly –Telescopic ladders have to be user-friendly this means that the ladder should be easy to retract and to slid back to normal. At the beginning of the introduction of telescoping ladder, one of the issues faced by users were that their fingers jammed in the product resulting in deep cuts and wounds. But, today things have changed a lot; telescopic ladders come with anti-finger jamming feature and multi-height adjustment features, and also easy locking feature that enables the user to lock the ladder at the desired height. So, always prefer buying a product having maximum user-friendly features.
Budget –It is very important to know the fact that good quality products are costly. Considering purchasing a product with cheap price is definitely compromising the quality of the product. It is important that you should know that considering cheaply priced product is as equal to buying a poor quality product.
These are the key factors to be considered while purchasing a telescopic ladder. Here is the list of best telescopic ladder available on the market right now.
Table of Contents
1. Xtend & Climb 770P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder Type II Home Series, 12.5-Foot
This Telescopic ladder from the brand Xtend & Climb is made of aluminum. The ladder can be retracted into very compact size and can be stored in small area. This ladder can be extended up to a height of 12.5-feet and has a load capacity of 225 lbs. The aluminum used for manufacturing this product is aerospace engineered 6061 alloy. At the first look the product looks exciting and the product looks like it is designed with safety in mind. The manufacturer has incorporated a no-pinch closure system on this product and also has a red/green tab indicator to alert the user if the rugs are locked or not. The product is safety rated by OSHA and ANSI.
2. Ohuhu 12.5ft Aluminum Telescopic Extension Ladder, EN131 Certified Extendable Telescoping Ladder with Spring Loaded Locking Mechanism Non-slip Ribbing 330 Pound Capacity
The Ohuhu 12.5ft Aluminum Telescopic Extension Ladder is from the brand Ohuhu. This telescopic ladder is a 12-step foldable ladder that can be extended to a length of 12.5-feet and the product is made of aluminum alloy. The material very durable and sturdy and has wider steps. The product comes with locking mechanism and an extra strap for enhanced safety. One of the best features of this product is that it comes with anti-pinch function. The product is certified by the EN131, CE, and SGS. However, the manufacturer recommends that the user should not climb or stand at the top of the ladder as you might lose the balance and fall.
3. OxGord 12.5 Feet Aluminum Telescopic Extension Ladder – EN131 Certified – Extendable with Spring Load Locking Mechanism Non-Slip – 330 lbs. Max Capacity
The OxGord 12.5 Feet Aluminum Telescopic Extension Ladder is from the brand OxGord. This product is EN131, CE, and SGS safety certified and the product can be extended up to a height of 12.5-feet. The product maximum load capacity is declared to be 330 lbs and can be used at an angle of 75o. This telescopic ladder comes with locking feature and has automatic locking pins that ensure the rungs get locked at the exact position without causing any trouble. The product is ideal for industrial, office etc.
4. Generic EN131 Std. 12.5Ft Aluminum Telescopic Tel escoping Ladder Extension Extend Loft
This telescopic ladder from the brand Generic comes with an EN131 safety certification. This product is made of heavy-duty aluminum and features properties like lightweight and durability. The product can be extended up to 12.5-feet and comes with spring loaded locking mechanism that makes sure the rungs are safely locked. This telescopic ladder has a maximum load capacity of 300lbs and has 11 different height adjustments.
5. Telesteps 1800EP OSHA Compliant Professional Extension Ladder, 14.5-Feet
The Telesteps 1800EP is a telescopic ladder from the brand Telesteps. This product can be extended up to 14.5-feet and the product weighs 30.5lbs. The ladder is a made of high-quality aluminum alloys and has a maximum load capacity of 300lbs. The product is OSHA, ANSI, EN131, and AS/NZ certified and is easy to use. The product is safe, strong, and reliable to use. The feet’s of this ladder is incorporated with silicone to avoid slipping. The product also has red/green indicator to alert the user if the rungs are locked at the right position.
6. WolfWise 15.5ft EN131 Upgrade Telescoping Ladder Decoration Aluminum Telescopic Extension Tall Multi-Purpose
This telescopic ladder comes from the brand WolfWise. This product is made of high-grade corrosion-resistant aluminum and the product has a maximum load capacity of 330lbs. The manufacturer has incorporated an extra heavy-duty strap on this product for enhanced safety. This telescoping ladder can be extended to a maximum height of 15.5-feet. The product when collapsed has a comparatively greater compact size.
Conclusion
As mentioned in the beginning telescopic ladders should be bought only after learning in deep about it. If this is your first telescopic ladder, then read the buying guide and consider the factors mentioned above while purchasing the product.
