Wing Little Jumbo Safety Ladder with Bar and Tray
Pros:
- Well designed, engineered, and manufactured. This must be the third or fourth generation of this product, as the kinks have been worked out.
- The rubber-clad, slip-resistant treads are large and much more comfortable to stand on than typical step-ladders. More like standing on a stair step than a ladder.
- This ladder is quite stable; no wobble, creaking, or feeling that the ladder might fall forward or to the side.
- Strong. I'm 6' 4" and 270 lbs., and this poses no problems with this ladder. Ladder is rated for 300 lbs.
- Safety. With other short step-ladders, the frame of the ladder is to the side of the steps. This is fine for strength, but if you lose your balance and have to jump off the ladder to the side, that very frame can trip you, resulting in a nasty fall. The Little Giant's frame is [mostly] under the steps, so there's little likelihood of being tripped if you jump off to the side.
- Versatile platform. While standing on any tread, you can work to either side, to the front, or even safely turn around and face the rear.
- Folds and unfolds easily and quickly.
- You would typically want to unfold the safety-bar handle and snap it in the upright position. However, you can leave the handle in the down position, and use the device as a staircase to walk straight onto a truck, camper, trailer, temporary construction platform, stage, etc.
- The integrated work tray on top of the handle holds paint brushes, tools, etc., and has two hooks for hanging paint cans or buckets.
- Reasonably light to carry around: 20 lbs.
- Rolls around (on smooth floors only) with the built-in wheels while opened up. (If it's folded, you have to carry it.)
- We bought ours from Wing at a Home Improvement show. It arrived on-time and undamaged via UPS. (Wing is a family owned company in Utah, so their products are "made in the USA".)
Cons:
- The most expensive step ladder of this height on the market.
- The built-in wheels could have been a little larger for better rolling on uneven surfaces.
- Heavier and bulkier than other step-ladders of this height (but of course, these attributes provide much better stability, safety, and comfort).
- Other Wing ladders carry a life-time warranty. Makes you wonder why this one has a one-year warranty.
Other:
- Storage requirements when folded: ladder height is 44" and width is 4.7"
Summary:
The 4-star rating is due to the Cons listed above.