Little Giant Ladder Systems

Spring is almost here. You know you have work to do - painting, cleaning, picture hanging, repair work. Why not invest now in this invaluable tool? Easy to use. Practical. Sturdy. Safe. The only ladder you will ever need.

Over the years I have owned several different ladders, all purchased at local hardware stores. Some were wood, others aluminum. I've owned 5 foot and 6 foot folding A-frames, I've owned extension ladders of various heights, with and without rope pulleys. A ladder's a ladder, right? You buy them, use them a while, they get wobbly, they break, they disappear. You buy another.  If you need a stepping stool, or a different kind of ladder, you buy one. If you need a scaffold, you improvise.

Over the past few years I have seen the infomercials touting the benefits of the Little Giant ladder system. My initial thoughts? Very nice, but very expensive. Recently, however, I have found myself with a lot of work to do around this old house, and no ladder that I want to risk standing on. Rain gutters need cleaning and repairing. Trees need trimming. I need to climb on and off the roof a lot. I have painting to do, inside and out. I have repairs to make. For much of the work, a ladder isn't enough. I need a scaffold too. So I finally succumbed, and purchased a Little Giant.

How did I ever live my life without this ladder? It is really neat! Lightweight, sturdy, stable. Adjustable. Multiple configurations, emulating both folding and extension ladders.  It is just plain fun to use, let alone work with.  I confess to sometimes just sitting on the porch practicing different configurations. A ladder as a toy. Imagine that!

Part of the package includes a handbook, and a DVD with demonstrations of safety, different configurations, how to use the joint and lock system, how to use the different optional accessories, and maintenance information.

Features I like about the Little Giant ladder system?

• lightweight
• sturdy
• easy to configure and reconfigure
• the 90 degree ladder hat allows me to set one leg of the frame right up against a wall. I use this feature for picture hanging and other work that requires me to be right up against a vertical surface
• the scaffolding feature, which allows me to separate the ladder into two A-frames, and place the optional aluminum scaffold between them. This is a lot safer than what I have done in the past.
• the optional work platform, that gives me a spacious and sturdy place to stand if I am going to be working for more than a minute or two at the same spot, such as when I am changing out ceiling light fixtures.

• Even the shipping box is a well designed pleasure. Because the Little Giant ladder itself folds into a very compact form, the box itself is not very large. I purchased the Model 13 type 1A ladder, which has a storage height of 3'7" , can become up to a 5' A-frame and up to 11' extension ladder, and has a weight limit of 300 lbs, which thanks to my current exercise and diet program I am well below. The shipping box for this model is less than 4' high and a little more than 7" thick. Hand holes - two on each side - make picking up and moving the box easy.  The outside of the box contains drawings of each of the 28 ladder configuration variations, which I have cut out and tacked to the garage wall for reference.

Features I don't like about the Little Giant ladder system?

• still looking
• haven't found any yet!

Well, I'm off to do some more repair work and painting on one of my outside walls. Let me close by saying that while the Little Giant ladder system can seem a bit pricy, the tradeoff is that you need only one, and it should last a very long time. Very highly recommended.  

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