Clearly, not every ladder can or should be replaced by a telescopic model. Still, it’s hard to deny that we love telescoping ladders around here. Why? Portability, weight, and convenience make the top of our list. The Lionladder telescoping ladder arrives at a decent price and has the build quality to make for a convenient tool to keep in your work vehicle.
Lionladder Telescoping Ladder Portability
The Lionladder telescoping ladder comes in three heights (8.7. 10.5, and 12.5 feet). We chose the 12.5-foot version, and it promises a truly compact design that still fulfills the ANSI Type 1 rating (250 lbs capacity). The models break down as follows:
- Lionladder 8.5 ft. ladder – 17.4 lbs – Price: $69.99
- 10.5 ft. Lionladder – 22.5 lbs – Price: $89.99
- Lionladder 12.5 ft. ladder – 28.4 lbs – Price: $129.99
Our 12.5 foot telescoping ladder collapses down to just 2.8 feet in height when not in use. Other models are very similar. And we thought the 3-piece 6 foot 4 inch Werner D6216-3 16-foot ladder was impressive! A cinch strap with clip ensures the ladder doesn’t open up accidentally during travel.
Because it stores in such a small space, the telescopic Lionladder can fit in the trunk of your sedan, or the back seat of your small SUV. You don’t need a ladder rack, and you don’t need to lower your back seat and feed it through the trunk. That never ends well, anyway…trust us.
Weight
This particular Lionladder model features aluminum construction and weighs just 28.4 lbs. Compare that against some other similarly-sized ladders:
- Little Giant 13-foot Velocity Multi-use Ladder – 25 lbs – Price: $149.98
- Toprung 12ft. 2IN1 Aluminum Extension Ladder – 21.4 lbs – Price: $129.97
- Louisville FE3216 16 ft. Extension Ladder – 30 lbs – Price: Price:
$235.00
- Giantex 12.5 ft. Multi Purpose Folding Step Ladder Platform – 28 lbs – Price: $82.99
While not the lightest ladder in the group, it beats a 16 foot fiberglass model. It also packs up considerably smaller than the rest of these extension and multi-use models.
Features and Warnings
One thing to note—the ladder collapses completely. No spacers or bumpers exist between the steps. While you get some additional space-savings here, it also presents a pinch hazard. If you do bungle the close, or the ladder somehow allows for a more rapid collapse—either over time or due to an event—you could conceivably pinch a finger or toe between the steps.
This ladder indicates—with an anodized red aluminum step—its maximum step height. This is put in place so you ensure enough of the ladder rises above the work platform. OSHA requires portable ladders to have their side rails extend at least 3 feet above the upper landing surface to which the ladder is used to gain access.
Using the Lionladder Telescopic Ladder
While the portability and weight of the Lionladder telescoping ladder equate to convenience, more can be said. You raise up the ladder rung-by-rung and each step locks in place as it goes up. More than that, however, Lionladder did something smart with their release mechanism. The ladder doesn’t drop quickly and pinch your fingers when you release each step. Instead, when you press the red buttons to lower each segment, they close gently as air escapes from the tubular legs.
In order to use the ladder at anything other than full extension, you need to extend starting from the top. This makes sense, and we found it intuitive. The reason for this is that once you begin the collapsing process, all subsequent steps below will also collapse as the step above hits the red trigger and activates it. We shortened the ladder by a couple of steps simply by leaving the bottom two rungs closed.
Lionladder Telescoping Ladder Review Conclusion
We used the Lionladder telescoping ladder to reach an aluminum roof for some pool-side gutter cleaning. It’s tall enough for any typical 8-9 foot wall. For anything larger, you’ll need an actual extension ladder. While it’s possible to make a longer telescopic ladder, I think 12.5 feet probably makes sense as the top size for this type of device. Any larger and it becomes unwieldy and defeats the purpose. Check out how easily it fits into the back seat of our work truck:
The price on this telescoping ladder is about right at $129.99, though there are less-expensive brands online. So far, we can only speak to the quality of this model, which seems very well-built. It’s also one of the most compact designs on the market.
Are you going to replace all of your extension ladders? Absolutely not. Will it serve as a nice addition to your ladder collection? Unquestionably. If you want a super-compact ladder between 8 and 12.5 feet, we find it hard not to recommend this one.
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