Customer Reviews

ClimbTek CT416 Four-Section 300-Pound Duty Rating Aluminum Articulating Ladder, 16-Foot

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I have a good deal of experience working from ladders and I have been using this for a year now. I work as a contractor doing small jobs. The versatility of this ladder is great. saves a lot of time and trouble having a double step ladder and a straight ladder in one. Overall it is well made and seems stable. The rungs are not as comfortable on the feet as standard ladders, and not even close in comfort to a standard step ladder. But they are fine for people not using the ladder all day, day in and day out. You do pay a price for the versatility of these ladders.

on the plus side

-one handed latch mechanism is easier then the others to use.

-300# rating

-two sided step ladder

- seems strong as scaffold

- made in USA

- big time versatility

on the minus side

- rungs are not comfortable

- a bit heavy, compared to some other non-folding ladders

- narrower then some other ladders

Remember -

ladders account for a huge number of injuries each year, a moment of stupidity can affect the rest of your life.

This is the BEST folding ladder out there. Just the 1 handed release is enough to earn your purchase. I bought this when it was sold by Krause as a Multimatic (Krause went out of business...must have sold the patent) and use it all the time. This is pricier than the Krause, but NOT double! It is only 33% more than what I paid for it in 1996. The other reviewer must be comparing it to the smaller 12' Krause.

This is MUCH better than [my local store's]import.

I compared this ladder to a copy at Home Depot. The Home Depot 16 ft model cost [money amount] + tax. The construction was not nearly as good, it had a two hand release (compared to one hand for Climbtek) for the articulations and was rated at 250 lbs. (compared to 300 for Climbtek). The ClimbTek costs a little more, but is a much better value.

I bought this ladder when first starting my business as a faux finisher/ decorative plasterer.

I've stood on this ladder for many many hours for the past 2 years.

I've upgraded to a Little Giant ladder and am very glad that i did.

PROS:

cost- this ladder is very worth the cost. Its really only comparable to the cost of one A-frame, and one straight ladder. I'm not impressed with the scaffolding layout. the other configurations require rather exact circumstances to make them useful.

size- that it folds up so small was great for me as i was conducting my business from a hatchback. it was the pricipal reason i bought it.

-i do sometimes use the scaffolding config. as a high work table

CONS

-The rungs are more uncomfortable than any ladder i have ever used. I work in anything from comfy sneakers to big workboots. doesnt matter. after a day up and down this ladder my feet hurt.

- the locking mechanism. i dont really trust it and you need to double/ triple check it each time you change positions. it doesnt feel secure to me.

-configuring tha ladder is a bit tricky, and for some changes you need a rather large area.that the joints only swing one way is limiting.

In comparrison to the Little giant.

-Its less than HALF the cost, so thats great.

-Way less comfortable

-way less configuarable/adaptable

-the extras with the little giant rock

My conclusion.

If you are a pro, this is NOT the ladder for you.

If you need an adaptable ladder and are on a budget, this MAY be for you, but i would seriously consider the LG.

After reading the various other reviews I first contacted the Werner company and was informed that they no longer have a 16 ft 300 lb rated ladder. One of my neighbors has an articulated ladder from another company and noted that on one occasion he almost suffered an injury due to the locks not being fully engaged. The ClimbTek ladder lock system is better designed. An excellent choice given the nominal cost and at the time I ordered, free shipping.

I found out about this climbtek ladder while searching for articulating ladder when I was always finding werner brand. I weight 160 pounds and 5'9" tall and can carry the ladder in folded position just by one hand. Its easy to manage and work with. you can pull the lever by one hand and 'click' works fine. The square steps provides secure standing. The only problem is does not lock in folded/storage position but that's ok. and yes this is the 300# while the werner is only 250#

strongly recommend to buy this if you can afford it.

I've gotten more use from this ladder than I had expected, including as a scaffold. Even when not in use as a ladder, I put it into the M shape with the center hinge unlocked and use it to store lumber in the garage. It's nice and sturdy, but my only complaints are that it's a bit heavy, I wish it included a stabilizer on the other end (for when its used as a scaffold and to go around windows as a ladder), and the scaffold platform boards. I use a hand truck to move it around while it's folded.

I used to have the Kraus version of this ladder when it was still available in the U.S. I was dumb enough to loan it to someone who left it outside and it was stolen.

I found after doing a lot of research that this is basically the same thing. From what I can tell, there is no difference other than the name and the color of the plastic feet.

I can't tell you how many jobs I have done with this and how many configurations I have used it in. My wife really loved it when she was painting the stair walls and ceiling.

It fit in the trunk or back seat when I had my 1990 Toyota Corolla and hangs nicely in my shed taking up little room.

It is very light weight especially compared to some of the other versital ladders.

Highly recommended and I see the price has come way down since I purchased mine.

I purchased this ladder in November of 2005. It performed exactly as specified. However, it had a problem with one of the hinges (it wouldn't open). I called ClimbTek's customer service and they said to tape it shut and put it on the front porch. The UPS guy picked it up without a call tag and in two weeks I had a brand new ladder delivered. I assume it was just a flaw in that particular ladder. I'll post again if I have anymore problems.

The biggest thing this ladder has, is that it only takes two hands to fold it, not three like the designs sold at the Major Retail Outlets.

The Climb-Tek is built under license from Krause. Krause did NOT go out of business, they just stopped doing business in the USA, after losing a lawsuit, and not over this ladder. They are still the largest(?) ladder maker in Europe

Cimb-Tek does cost a LOT more then the old Krause, but I think it's worth it (I own both a Krause and a Climb-Tek).

The two combined make a great scaffold system.