Collapsible ladder
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Forum Name: Podmods, Maintenance, Tips and Tricks
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URL: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15094
Printed Date: 19 Jun 2025 at 2:28pm
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Topic: Collapsible ladder
Posted By: Tulefog
Subject: Collapsible ladder
Date Posted: 31 Dec 2021 at 4:32pm
I bought a collapsible ladder to reach the top of the trailer slider.  ------------- 2021 Rpod 180 2006 Ridgeline 
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Replies:
Posted By: Leo B
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 7:17am
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Excellent product, very useful! ------------- Leo & Melissa Bachand 2017 Ford F150 2021 Vista Cruiser 19 csk Previously owned 2015 Rpod 179 2010 Rpod 171 |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 11:33am
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I hate those. I just don't trust them. Much prefer something like what StephenH uses. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 12:23pm
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The average age for ladder falls is 55 and over 83% are male with the USA leading the world in ladder fatalities. It pays to be very particular about picking reliable ladders with adequate capacity and using them carefully. I agree with GlueGuy that those telescoping ladders may not be the best choice for safety unless they are EN 131 certified. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 12:52pm
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Thankfully my 195 has a ladder on the back, so gaining access to the roof is simple. I wonder why they don't just put them on all models. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 4:07pm
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I totally agree about ladder safety but one of these little telescoping ladders that you'd carry for your RPod needs to be about 8 or 10 long at the most. Yeah, you can break your neck falling off a curb I suppose, but the convenience of something like this while traveling probably outweighs any significant safety concerns. At least assuming one uses it with a modicum of common sense. I don't recall ever needing a ladder while on the road, but if I thought it was a good idea to have one just in case, this looks like a great way to go. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Tulefog
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 4:34pm
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I agree safety and its fitness for use should be first concern. My use for it is to inspect and clean off the top of the slider. My other solution is installing a slider cover, which I might try next if it's too time consuming. I get leaves, twigs that get under the rubber seal and let water in. ------------- 2021 Rpod 180 2006 Ridgeline
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 5:16pm
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I agree on the safety risk ladders pose. I fell off a ladder and broke my hip and elbow, 6 weeks in a wheelchair. Never again.
Many telescoping ladders are poorly rated for safety. There are some that are EN 131 certified as LA suggests. The Telesteps is both EN131 tested and safety approved by Consumer Reports. Expensive but ladders arent a place to go cheap. How much is not having hip surgery and/or months in a wheelchair worth to you? So if you must get a telescoping ladder that would be a good one. Personally I used a good quality normal stepladder to clear the slide of debris. It fits in my SUV just fine. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 7:32pm
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I took a dive off a scaffold when one of the boards broke. I was just about 6' above the ground. It nearly killed me. I was lucky to have just a broken arm, a torn rotator cuff, and the side of my face smashed in. $500K in medical bills and 15 years later I still am paying the price. Short distance falls can be more deadly than people realize. You don't have time to react and try to come to a manageable landing. You're on the ground before you even realize what is happening. Don't mess with cheap ladders of any kind.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Jan 2022 at 10:01pm
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I checked out some of these ladders on Amazon, just out of curiosity. Some of them are pretty expensive, but 'not cheap' is probably not the best metric anyway. You know, things can happen no matter what precautions you take, butjust guessing, inspecting your equipment before each use may have prevented your scaffolding accident. The OP suggested this ladder for cleaning off the top of his slide-out. You have to get your feet, what, 3, maybe 4 feet off the ground to do that? This ladder is probably appropriate for that use. (He's not suggesting painting second story eaves.) The OP didn't provide a link to his ladder, but some of them are EN 131 certified and cost over $400. He did not suggest going out and buying any old piece of crap that sort of looks like a ladder. Per my previous post, I did trip off a curb a few years ago. I didn't break my neck, but i did crack a rib which nicked my spleen which almost had to be removed, and I spent most of a week in the hospital. (I don't remember what I had to laugh about, but I did anyway. God, it hurt!) I still step off curbs, I still climb ladders, 18 or 20 feet in the air today, and I just bought some rappelling gear. Maybe I'm nuts. And I have always cut my own firewood, out in the woods by myself. I have the deepest respect for safety and common sense though, and I constantly remind myself not to become complacent about paying attention. Maybe I'm a lucky idiot, but heck, you take chances when you get out of bed every day, forget about driving to work, or eating food that someone else prepared for you. One of my minor paranoias is why in the world do we trust people driving on a country two-lane road coming at us at 60 miles an hour at night to stay on their side of the road?! Day or night for that matter. All due respect, and sorry for your injuries, but we've all heard horror stories about driving cars that make your scaffolding accident seem minor. Everything is a risk, but we all make choices, hopefully following safety guidelines and using some intelligence and common sense. If you don't like ladders don't climb them, no problem. I can't argue against the OPs suggested ladder for the purpose proposed though. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2022 at 3:26am
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As in all life activities there are right ways and wrong ways to to do things. Don't for example use a $150 angle grinder without also using a $5 pair of safety glasses to protect your eyes. Duh.
Height of the fall is only one risk factor, and not the most significant one. I fell off the second step of a flimsy ladder while cleaning the upper sides and top of a horse trailer, an activity very similar to clearing debris from an rpod slide. But I ended up falling on my left side onto concrete. My left hip and elbow suffered hairline fractures so I was not a surgical candidate but also could not put weight on my left side for 6 weeks. Couldn't use crutches either because of the elbow. Couldnt operate a wheelchair either except on perfectly flat smooth surfaces for the same reason. I just went around in counterclockwise circles. Essentially I was completely helpless and yet not badly injured at all. Gave me lots of time to think. It was a wake up call for me I was just being dumb using that crappy ladder. First thing I did when I could work again was dumpster it. Ask me if I would have gladly spent $300-400 for a proper ladder. I climb ladders still now but invested in proper ones, no more stupid shortcuts. Im not at all risk averse. Heck, I own and fly an experimental aircraft. But I dont take stupid risks, I maintain it carefully, spend what I need to (aviation costs make RVs look like a bargain) and obtain professional advice in areas where I'm not an expert. We don't know what certifications the telescoping ladder the OP bought meets, which is exactly why some of us have made suggestions as to what specs are appropriate and shared our personal experiences as to why that's important. As always, do what you want, and I might have misinterpreted the last post, but I strongly disagree with the suggestion that $300 is too much to spend to assure ladder safety. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2022 at 4:39am
I didn't say that or mean to imply that at all! I did say something meant to convey that spending more doesn't always equate to getting more (safety). I agree that it's not wise to skimp on safety. I guess I'm trying to say, match the tool and the level of safety required to the task at hand. For example, checking for debris on top of your slide-out simply doesn't require the same equipment you'd use to mount a TV antenna on your 2nd story chimney. You need to know something about what you're doing, be careful, and as I've said repeatedly, use some common sense. As far as proper equipment is concerned, you can have the best, newest, most expensive ladder in the world and still manage to kill yourself at least twenty different ways. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2022 at 6:39am
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Tars, I think you got the impression that my experience has stopped me from working at heights. That's not the case. I am currently working in home construction as a volunteer carpenter and work off ladders and scaffolds often. In another month or so, we'll start framing a 2 story house and I'll be involved in stacking the roof and sheathing it. My point is that one should not skimp when it comes to your safety. For example, I don't work using a type III ladder. By the time I add the weight of my tools I'm over the capacity of the ladder. I try to follow OG's suggestion of always having a healthy safety margin. And, as we get older, we have to recognize our balance is not as good as it once was, thus extra caution is warranted for geezers like me. Regarding my attempt to fly from a scaffold, you're right I should have inspected the boards. It was at the end of the day and there were only a few more fasteners I needed to install, so I rushed to get it done. That was a huge mistake on my part and I'm paying for it. Thankfully, I recovered pretty well and have learned to work around the resulting disabilities. So when it comes to climbing ladders, we all need to recognize the risk, use appropriate quality equipment, and be very careful because even a fall from a relatively low height can really do some damage. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2022 at 7:22am
I think this is where we disagree. Common sense might suggest that because the height is low a lesser ladder is acceptable. I am here to say that's not the case. One can be seriously injured by a fall of 2 or 3 feet. I was. OTOH you can fall 2 stories and walk away. It all depends on what you fall on, how you hit, how old you are, the luck of the draw, the phases of the moon, whatever. IOW, don't scrimp because your common sense says it's only a couple of feet up. I did and paid the price. That's not to say that more expensive is always better. That's where 3rd party testing and certification to a set of standards comes in. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2022 at 7:27am
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+1 to OG. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2022 at 9:00am
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This is getting silly. You can argue about ladders in the abstract all you want (but I don't see much, if any disagreement). Or we can talk about the OP's idea for a way to inspect the top of a slide-out. I think the gist of that idea was an easily stowable ladder that does that job. If you like that idea, you can go to Amazon, or wherever, and choose a ladder of that style that meets your safety requirements. The OP did not suggest buying some cheap piece of crap, or even a nice looking but unsafe ladder. We don't know what the safety specs are of his particular ladder though. I have no numbers to back this up, but I think ladder safety is more about the ladder user than the ladder itself. That applies to any kind of safety. Among the safety considerations are choosing the right tool, knowing how to use it, and using it correctly. If an accident happens, in many cases it will be a matter of user error or ineptitude, although it's usually easy to blame the tool. Makes us feel better. TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2022 at 8:30am
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No one ever said that using a ladder to clean the slide top of an rpod was a bad idea. In fact, I said that is exactly what I do.
What LA and I are concerned about is using the proper ladder. Many, probably most, telescoping ladders are unsafe. That is not just our opinion, it is the evaluation of the professional testers at Consumer Reports. So, we shared our personal experiences and pointed out that there is an objective standard that can be applied to ladder selection here (as opposed to leaving it to the buyer's subjective opinion). You seemed to object to that based on cost. If so that is an area of disagreement. If not then no issues. Yes, it is silly to try to separate whether an accident is due to use of the wrong equipment or user error, because selecting the wrong equipment for a job is user error. Studies have shown that accidents are nearly always the result of several factors lining up wrong. That's why they are perceived to be accidents rather than inevitable outcomes. But statistically if you choose to take shortcuts to save time or dollars it will eventually catch up with you. So, safety requires a change in the operator's underlying work culture. Safety must not be an afterthought with cost or time savings coming first. That is how you break the chain of events that leads to injury or death. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2022 at 10:52am
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+1 to OG's comment. If you have ever been injured in a ladder or scaffold fall, the issue is far from silly. Most ladder deaths involve falls from less than 10'. Telescoping ladders can be very convenient for inspecting the roof and slide outs of a travel trailer, but they have to be well constructed and used safely. Telescoping ladders that meet OSHA standards are probably just fine, but they're very costly and heavy. Safety standards for consumer ladders, as opposed to those used in the work place, are sketchy and it's hard to be sure what you are buying is made of quality materials with a safe design. Personally, I would not use any ladder with an OSHA duty rating of less than type I. Perhaps an alternative to do a slide out roof inspection with out taking much of any risk, would be to use one of those cell phone camera masts that home inspectors use to take pictures of roofs. You could get a pretty good view of the slide out without having to lug around a heavy ladder and with relative safety, provided you're not in the middle of a lightning storm. This one reaches up almost 10' plus the height of the user: http://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Lightweight-Extendable-Wireless-Compatible/dp/B074SGNWY9/ref=asc_df_B074SGNWY9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309973029349&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9865401153636862017&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003304&hvtargid=pla-569148332320&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60473698983&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309973029349&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9865401153636862017&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003304&hvtargid=pla-569148332320 - https://www.amazon.com/Bluetooth-Lightweight-Extendable-Wireless-Compatible/dp/B074SGNWY9/ref=asc_df_B074SGNWY9/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309973029349&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9865401153636862017&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003304&hvtargid=pla-569148332320&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=60473698983&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=309973029349&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=9865401153636862017&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9003304&hvtargid=pla-569148332320 ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Tulefog
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2022 at 12:32pm
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The camera extension is a good idea. A small broom with a flexible handle or joint at the base just above the broom head would probably work to clear debris. The bristles would have to be a little stiffer than the rubber seal, because things do get pushed under there. ------------- 2021 Rpod 180 2006 Ridgeline
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Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2022 at 7:39pm
But, but, it's aluminum! What if you accidentally touched it to a hot wire?! And couldn't it act as a lightning rod? Forget about the fact you could poke someone's eye out with it. No thanks, I'm just gonna let anything on top of my slide stay there until it rots. This sounds way too dangerous to me. I didn't see any OSHA approvals or other safety certificates. No, sir, not me. You can risk it if you want! TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2022 at 3:40pm
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Well, heck, then, how about one of these? http://www.industrial-platforms.com/products/industrial-man-lifts/scissor-lifts/heavy-duty-scissor-lift - https://www.industrial-platforms.com/products/industrial-man-lifts/scissor-lifts/heavy-duty-scissor-lift You could tow it behind your trailer.
 I've used them. They're really fun to drive and get you up plenty high so you can use your leaf blower.------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Tulefog
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2022 at 5:14pm
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I'm sorry if this thread brought back some bad experiences, the information that everyone put in is important to consider for the situation I was dealing with.
Thanks ------------- 2021 Rpod 180 2006 Ridgeline
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Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 04 Jan 2022 at 7:36pm
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When you want to clear your slide of debris pull out your blackwater hose, clamp one end to your leaft
blower and the other end to a telescoping window cleaning extension rod. Turn on the leaf blower. First blow out any sewer water remaining in the hose, then lift it up and blow the leaves off the slide. Use LA's camera idea to inspect for any remaining debris. Clear again as needed. Put away leaf blower, hose, and extension rod. Done! Or, buy this invention and go into business. https://forsalebyinventor.com/products/rv-slide-out-sweeper/ - Slideout brush ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: BH&MH
Date Posted: 07 Jan 2022 at 11:02am
| I have had two of those ladders, paying around $130 each. One of the things I like about them is that they fit in the front exterior storage compartment of our 180. Neither of my ladders have lasted longer than two years before they became too dangerous to use. After a while, the latching mechanisms fail and the ladder collapses. My son-in-law bought one and it failed after two uses. If you want a telescoping ladder, I recommend getting a contractor-grade model, which will probably cost at least $330. I replaced our last telescoping ladder with Class A1 rated, multi-position ladder. It won't fit in our storage compartment, so I will carry in the back of our pickup. |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2022 at 10:33am
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I don't know about the rest of you, but collapsible ladder sounds like an oxymoron to me. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 08 Jan 2022 at 11:49am
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This is a different brand, but essentially the same one as I have: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CF2O1EC/ - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CF2O1EC/ I got it used at a campground from a person selling it because it was too short for his motor home use. It has been good for the RPod. Even though I put a slide-out cover on, I still have been carrying it just in case. If I were to purchase a new one though, I would get one of the double-sided ones like this: https://www.amazon.com/GP-Logistics-SLDD6-Compact-Folding/dp/B000XNX7VS/ - https://www.amazon.com/GP-Logistics-SLDD6-Compact-Folding/dp/B000XNX7VS/ This one is the same brand as my single-sided one. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 10:12am
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Gotta love when we beat a freakin topic to death. I especially like the ridiculous scenarios people will make up, so they can warn of some great unforeseen danger, that only THEY can see. This all could have been covered by a simple, "hey, be careful climbing on those ladders, some of the cheaper ones could be dangerous" . ok, you can rip into me now. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 11:15am
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We can't bubble-wrap our lives. Everything we do entails some degree of risk. The key is to make sure those risks are not excessive. Making sure one's equipment is in good shape reduces the degree of risk, but we can't eliminate risk. ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 11:57am
mj, maybe we should limit posts to 280 characters? That'd shorten it good.
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 12:25pm
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I've been hurt falling from a lot less than 280 characters! TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: mjlrpod
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 12:27pm
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LA, I must admit, you and tars did give me a good laugh near the end. Tars sarcasim was great, and The scissor lift was pretty freakin funny. ------------- 2017.5 Rp-172 2020 R-pod 195 2015 Frontier sv 4.0L 6cyl I'll be rpodding |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 1:10pm
------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 1:39pm
Hey. If we can't beat dead horses, then who or what can we beat? ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: offgrid
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 2:42pm
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No horse beating allowed, dead or alive. Just ask my wife.
You can only beat inanimate objects any more, and if you do that too much then you need to attend anger management therapy. ------------- 1994 Chinook Concourse 1995 RV6A Experimental Aircraft 2015 Rpod 179 - sold |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 5:51pm
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I'm pretty sure we're also no longer allowed to say, "I'm so hungry I could eat a horse." TT ------------- 2010 176 FJ Cruiser |
Posted By: Tulefog
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 6:02pm
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You could beat sawhorses, I am pretty sure they are not sentient and are a renewable resource. ------------- 2021 Rpod 180 2006 Ridgeline
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Posted By: StephenH
Date Posted: 09 Jan 2022 at 7:20pm
What about hobby-horses? I think they fit in the non-sentient category as well.  ------------- StephenH Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,... http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=7712 - ouR escaPOD mods Former RPod 179 Current Cherokee Grey Wolf 24 JS |
Posted By: GlueGuy
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2022 at 4:22pm
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Termites would be happy with your wooden hobby horse. ------------- bp 2017 R-Pod 179 Hood River 2015 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4WD 3.5L Ecoboost |
Posted By: TheBum
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2022 at 4:35pm
It will, but my problem is that the ladder is only rated up to 250 lbs and I weigh in around 280. So, I still carry a collapsible ladder with me. ------------- Alan 2022 R-Pod 196 "RaptoRPod" 2022 Ram 1500 Lone Star 4x4 Three cats |
Posted By: lostagain
Date Posted: 11 Jan 2022 at 5:02pm
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I hope the collapsing ladder is rated over 300#. As for dead horses, all my saw horses are plastic big box specials and there is utterly no satisfaction in beating them. ------------- Never leave footprints behind. Fred & Maria Kearney Sonoma 167RB Our Pod 172 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 2.7 EcoBoost |