I have 2 fiberglass stepladders, a 6ft and a 12ft. The 12 footer is so unwieldy it's almost useless (I had cathedral ceilings in my old house).
This Little Giant folds to a compact size, so I feel confident about carrying it up and down stairs without tearing up the wall. Because of this, it's also easier to store than your average extension ladder.
When you go to unfold it, it's design genius begins to shine. The locking tabs in the middle stay open until the next stop. Then they 'pop' into place with a solid click. Whether unfolded to a stepladder, or out to a full extension ladder, it feels safe and solid, even for a large guy like me. As a stepladder, one can ascend either side.
Since the length is adjustable, it can be made into an offset angle to accomodate stairs, etc. Also, when using it as an extension ladder, you can make it just as long as you need. For example,last week I did my gutters: as I moved downhill, I just extended the ladder as needed.
Unless I drop it off my 2nd floor deck on to a rock, I expect this to last longer than I will.