I just spent 2 days in hospital and went through 4 shoulder operations thanks to this setup. I had my little giant setup exactly like this fellow and it slid out on me. This ladder will kill someone, I am in very good shape and it almost did me in. Thanks to your efforts for pointing this out, without this video I would have fealt like I was the only person who had this problem - great honest demo. I have been kicking myself asking why this happened now I know clearly what happened. Great work!!
i totally agree man, i climbed one today for the first time in its extension form to get on a roof, and thank god i had the feet dug into some bushes, because im pretty sure that thing would of slipped out from under me just like in your vid. just looking down that ladder and seeing how much flex it had was scary enough for me.
The ladder was near $300.00 and while they make more expensive models I only weigh 180 lbs. and thought it would work. (It is rated for more weight) But now I know that $300.00 is a lot of money for such a piece of crap!
This comment is 4 mgurley25. Everybody else can save time and skip this worthless comment. (Sorry) Sticker? backwards? The ladders rungs are angled downward to the front. You must be a complete idiot if you need a sticker to tell you the front and back of a ladder. Now go play with your Legos and leave me alone!
I believe that complaints by people like myself led to the new design but the ladder is still far from being legal. (According to the ANSI Standard) How they get away with it I have no idea??? Maybe it's because they pay the salaries of the guys who set the standard. Look at the feet if nothing else! Compare them to EVERY extension ladder on the market. If you just want the step ladder it is fine but NEVER use it as an extension ladder unless your insurance is paid!
first off great video i almost asked for that ladder last Christmas, but after seeing this video maybe not that one. But i saw a new redesign of the little giant ladder. it was the Type 1A Revolution XE with 4 locking pins as appose to the 2 lock pin design. it looks more stable when its in the extension mode. you should get one and test it out and see if you can find if they fixed the problem that the older design failed in.
I've had a pair of these since 1987. This is an honest appraisal of their operation. I've grown accustomed to this drawback over the years which is offset by their utility.
I am not trying to "shoot down" your theory, but isn't there a sticker on the inside that says not to climb from that side. in a nutshell you have the ladder backwards.maybe by accident or your just some dude with an agenda.
@bahamascott how come you are not posting the comment the sticker is there right? it is fine that you are a hippy with an agenda. But you are purposefully mis-infoming the public. Which makes you a bigger asshole than you like using your ladder backwards.Good luck in the future I am sure this won't be posted.because of the sticker . . Best of luck in the future. a small piece of advice don't use tools that you are not qualified to operate. stick to the remote control
@mgurley25 I have had a serious injury caused by this ladder exactly as posted by bahamascott. I find your comments wrong and insulting. Had bahamascott not taken the time to post this I would still be kicking myself trying to figure out what happened. it's not like I have the guts to get back on thing again like he has to figure it out. This is a stand up guy who picked a valid battle. This ladder is junk. Why would you go out of your way to cut him down? What is your agenda?
I'm a contractor and have a lot of ladders of all types and weight ratings. The little giant (and it's clones) are about the most stable step ladders you can buy and the adjustability of them makes them very useful.
But... DO NOT USE THIS AS AN EXTENSION LADDER! for one, a real extension ladder is easier to use and secondly, the real extension ladder is much safer. If you have one of these ladders or an extension ladder and your going to get onto a roof, have a buddy sit on the bottom rung
@amigo1080 Could not agree more, great step ladder (if you don't mind you step ladder weight @ 200lbs) but using it fully extened is VERY scary and uncomfortable. I purchased for my all around ladder (I have a high, peired home) and now need to purchase a standard extending ladder for outside/rooftop use. Disappointing, but as a step ladder, things is exceptional.
That's a feature. It's the Little Giant Ladder and Roller Coaster. "Gets you to the top where you need to go, and the ride of your life back to the bottom."
The little Giant has 4 inches of play in the joint and that is what causes the unsafe movement.
Extension ladders are required to have a minimum overlap of at least 33" depending on the length. Somehow Little Giant paid someone off and only has a 13" overlap on 2 joints not to mention the really wobble joint in the middle.
This is why it is unsafe and other extension ladders are safer.
Bit confused by the terminology. Always thought an extension ladder is one with two or more sections with extend out vertically, while the Little Giant appears to be a straight or leaning ladder which folds to form a step ladder. Personally, have little use for either an extension or straight ladder today and the absense of a hand rail extension when configued as a step ladder would ultimately prevent me from buying the Little Giant.
You might be correct about defects in the foot of the ladder, but I should point out that you are using the ladder incorrectly. You have overextended it, and are pushing against it as if it was a lever with its pivot at the point where the ladder is in contact with the roof. ANY ladder will exhibit this behavior when used in the manner you were using this ladder.
FWIW, when I am working alone I don't have someone to hold my extension ladder, I secure the feet with a pair of 40# sandbags.
I only used this roof because it was low and safe. I did another video with a higher roof so that people like you do not have to use their imagination. The ladder is still unsafe!
The 40# bags are probably a good idea when using the little giant. But then that really kills Little Giants marketing when you have to carry those with you everywhere you go. LOL
Look at my other video we did on a higher roof because of comments like yours. If you have the ladder at least 3 feet above the roof line as recommended it wobbles.
Hey Flavor, 1st off it is probably impossible to have a foot flat on the ground unless you use a swivel foot such as the ones found on every true extension ladder just because the possibility of a slopped driveway.
2nd the friction you refer to is molecular friction pertaining to the smallest of surfaces.
If size does not matter then why do race cars have fat tires for better traction? Why do boaters where deck shoes?
You're correct on this point. Size does matter! =) At least when it comes to the contact patch. I ride a bike and I want the thickest tires I can put on it. I even here of some valkyrie riders who put car tires on the rears of their bikes.
I am interested in knowing which part of the standard you say Little Giant doesn't pass, because I am reading the section under articulating ladder feet (6.7.7) and the very last sentence says "the tread surface may be a radius."
I agree. The ANSI 14.2 standard says the same thing but Little Giant has made the foot oval making it impossible to have anything but a fraction of the foot touching the ground. Why are these ladders still being sold when they do not meet code?
Have you ever considered the fact that if the foot were flat and you set it up at the wrong angle you would in fact have much less in contact with the ground than you do now? Also, are you familiar with the fact that friction is determined by the coefficient of friction rather than the surface area of contact? These feet more than surpass the foot slip test as found in the ANSI requirements.
It seems to me that the way it's designed, it shouldn't be set up at such an angle. If the foot isn't flat on the ground I imagine that might be part of the problem...no ladder in the world will be safe when it isn't flat on the ground..
I purchased a copy of the ANSI 14.2 standard and the Little Giant does not comply with all of the specs as they claim. (I just though that everyone should know)
1. The only ladder that is not being made is the Type II. You said ladders were off the market. You do not know what you are talking about.
2. I work for little giant as a high school student, while helping dad with his roofing company. In spare time I go to wherever Little Giants are made. Brilliant, you are (not).
3. A moron -- you said ladder was dangerous, and then you set up ladder in a dangerous fashion ... warned against ... who is the moron?
Hey Little Giant employee or Hal, (Owner of L.G.), and everybody else that wants to. Go now to Home Depot or Sams club and see if you can find one. The Home Depot guy told me they were removed and the computer at Sams says they carry it but they have none and cant get it. Same with Bed Bath and Beyond. Dont take my word, please go check it out yourself.
Did you ever find a lawyer to represent you? Also, you say that the ladders were removed from stores that sell them because of you ... The Type II ladders were removed some time ago, and long before your videos. The Type IAs are still sold. I am confused where you get your facts and sense of self-importance.
I thought you were going to get an attorney. Did you do so? Could you even find one that would take your case?
Hey Little Giant employee or Hal, (Owner of L.G.), and everybody else that wants to. Go now to Home Depot or Sams club and see if you can find one. The Home Depot guy told me they were removed and the computer at Sams says they carry it but they have none and cant get it. Same with Bed Bath and Beyond. Dont take my word, please go check it out yourself.
LOL! The rollers do not touch the ground and other than that the ladder is identical each direction. I just shot another video yesterday with many witnesses and it was set up many ways and it ALWAYS wobbled. There is no way to prevent this wobble. We have also proven that the wobble creates about 3 times the energy outward than a ladder without the joint! (FACT)
But I must say that you guys are funny! It is like you think that everybody else is blind and can not see the joint move. IT MOVES!
If the Little Giant was so safe then how come they just changed the hinge system and removed all of their ladders from all of the stores that sold them.
That is because of me!
I will also ask you as I did the other Little Giant employee that responded above: I challenge you to use this ladder as an extension ladder to access a roof and have the joint not kick outward!
Please send me a copy of your video and the correct usage. (If you can.)
bahamascott just so you know right off the bat you have the ladder upside down the wheels should be at the top. other than that you do have a little movement between the joints but that joint has been tested for over 1000lbs of weight so should hold you. I'll get a video of me climbing on and off the ladder for you tommorrow.
@bahamascott I used my little giant quite a few times ( 10 or more ) to climb onto a roof with absolutely no problems. It was'nt until I put it on a smoth hard surface that I had a problem. The woble is probably benificial for grabbing into a soft surface like grass but deadly when placed onto a hard smooth surface like concrete or wood decking. This thing is a death trap.
The Little Giant is one of the safest ladders made, and I have had no trouble with it. Of course, I set it up correctly, and at the proper length. Perhaps if you read the instructions that come with it on the ladder, in the book, or if illiterate, even the instruction video that comes with it, you would not have had problems. Any tool can be unsafe if used improperly.
Dear SIR; I strongly suggest calling the Customer Service at Little Giant. Ask them if you can send this link to them. I'm sure they can give you some pointers on the CORRECT USAGE of their product.
@Garlits Why would you feal the need to post this comment? It looks to me like the ladder is setup correctly. The thing should be dummyproof not require an engineering degree to setup. You are a troll with limmitted capabilities to view the hazzard this fellow is pointing out. get a life
I just spent 2 days in hospital and went through 4 shoulder operations thanks to this setup. I had my little giant setup exactly like this fellow and it slid out on me. This ladder will kill someone, I am in very good shape and it almost did me in. Thanks to your efforts for pointing this out, without this video I would have fealt like I was the only person who had this problem - great honest demo. I have been kicking myself asking why this happened now I know clearly what happened. Great work!!
gsjodin 4 months ago
i totally agree man, i climbed one today for the first time in its extension form to get on a roof, and thank god i had the feet dug into some bushes, because im pretty sure that thing would of slipped out from under me just like in your vid. just looking down that ladder and seeing how much flex it had was scary enough for me.
guisande76 1 year ago
The ladder was near $300.00 and while they make more expensive models I only weigh 180 lbs. and thought it would work. (It is rated for more weight) But now I know that $300.00 is a lot of money for such a piece of crap!
bahamascott 1 year ago
why do you use the cheapest ladder they make?
capnkrik1 1 year ago
@mgurley25 - Give me your address so I can send you some Dora stickers that my 6 year old has outgrown!
She has one with an arrow you can put on a glass so you know which way to use it.
"STICKERS" LMFAO!!!!
bahamascott 1 year ago
Great video. Your examples prove your point well. Will try the Werner MT-17 multi-purpose ladder instead.
jeffhanson1 1 year ago
This comment is 4 mgurley25. Everybody else can save time and skip this worthless comment. (Sorry) Sticker? backwards? The ladders rungs are angled downward to the front. You must be a complete idiot if you need a sticker to tell you the front and back of a ladder. Now go play with your Legos and leave me alone!
bahamascott 1 year ago 3
I believe that complaints by people like myself led to the new design but the ladder is still far from being legal. (According to the ANSI Standard) How they get away with it I have no idea??? Maybe it's because they pay the salaries of the guys who set the standard. Look at the feet if nothing else! Compare them to EVERY extension ladder on the market. If you just want the step ladder it is fine but NEVER use it as an extension ladder unless your insurance is paid!
bahamascott 1 year ago
first off great video i almost asked for that ladder last Christmas, but after seeing this video maybe not that one. But i saw a new redesign of the little giant ladder. it was the Type 1A Revolution XE with 4 locking pins as appose to the 2 lock pin design. it looks more stable when its in the extension mode. you should get one and test it out and see if you can find if they fixed the problem that the older design failed in.
randyvac01 1 year ago
I've had a pair of these since 1987. This is an honest appraisal of their operation. I've grown accustomed to this drawback over the years which is offset by their utility.
stp479 1 year ago
I am not trying to "shoot down" your theory, but isn't there a sticker on the inside that says not to climb from that side. in a nutshell you have the ladder backwards.maybe by accident or your just some dude with an agenda.
mgurley25 1 year ago
@mgurley25
It is NOT backwards and I do have an agenda. This ladder should not be used as an extension ladder. PERIOD!
bahamascott 1 year ago
@bahamascott how come you are not posting the comment the sticker is there right? it is fine that you are a hippy with an agenda. But you are purposefully mis-infoming the public. Which makes you a bigger asshole than you like using your ladder backwards.Good luck in the future I am sure this won't be posted.because of the sticker . . Best of luck in the future. a small piece of advice don't use tools that you are not qualified to operate. stick to the remote control
mgurley25 1 year ago
@mgurley25 I have had a serious injury caused by this ladder exactly as posted by bahamascott. I find your comments wrong and insulting. Had bahamascott not taken the time to post this I would still be kicking myself trying to figure out what happened. it's not like I have the guts to get back on thing again like he has to figure it out. This is a stand up guy who picked a valid battle. This ladder is junk. Why would you go out of your way to cut him down? What is your agenda?
gsjodin 4 months ago
@mgurley25 I posted your stupid comment!
bahamascott 1 year ago
I'm a contractor and have a lot of ladders of all types and weight ratings. The little giant (and it's clones) are about the most stable step ladders you can buy and the adjustability of them makes them very useful.
But... DO NOT USE THIS AS AN EXTENSION LADDER! for one, a real extension ladder is easier to use and secondly, the real extension ladder is much safer. If you have one of these ladders or an extension ladder and your going to get onto a roof, have a buddy sit on the bottom rung
amigo1080 1 year ago
@amigo1080 Could not agree more, great step ladder (if you don't mind you step ladder weight @ 200lbs) but using it fully extened is VERY scary and uncomfortable. I purchased for my all around ladder (I have a high, peired home) and now need to purchase a standard extending ladder for outside/rooftop use. Disappointing, but as a step ladder, things is exceptional.
vogellied 1 year ago
I wish I had been warned. Good luck!
bahamascott 1 year ago
That's a feature. It's the Little Giant Ladder and Roller Coaster. "Gets you to the top where you need to go, and the ride of your life back to the bottom."
fjccommish 2 years ago
I do agree that it is fine for most household chores. But it should never be used as an extension ladder as advertised.
bahamascott 2 years ago
The ladders are set EXACTLY to specs!
The little Giant has 4 inches of play in the joint and that is what causes the unsafe movement.
Extension ladders are required to have a minimum overlap of at least 33" depending on the length. Somehow Little Giant paid someone off and only has a 13" overlap on 2 joints not to mention the really wobble joint in the middle.
This is why it is unsafe and other extension ladders are safer.
bahamascott 2 years ago
bahamascott > "Extension ladders are required .."
Bit confused by the terminology. Always thought an extension ladder is one with two or more sections with extend out vertically, while the Little Giant appears to be a straight or leaning ladder which folds to form a step ladder. Personally, have little use for either an extension or straight ladder today and the absense of a hand rail extension when configued as a step ladder would ultimately prevent me from buying the Little Giant.
stewartx5 2 years ago
Consumer Reports reviewed ladders and the LG didn't come out on top, more like below average! It was also the most expensive.
SuccessWithDany 2 years ago
You might be correct about defects in the foot of the ladder, but I should point out that you are using the ladder incorrectly. You have overextended it, and are pushing against it as if it was a lever with its pivot at the point where the ladder is in contact with the roof. ANY ladder will exhibit this behavior when used in the manner you were using this ladder.
FWIW, when I am working alone I don't have someone to hold my extension ladder, I secure the feet with a pair of 40# sandbags.
MarcosElMalo 2 years ago
I only used this roof because it was low and safe. I did another video with a higher roof so that people like you do not have to use their imagination. The ladder is still unsafe!
The 40# bags are probably a good idea when using the little giant. But then that really kills Little Giants marketing when you have to carry those with you everywhere you go. LOL
bahamascott 2 years ago
Its is a short roof.
Look at my other video we did on a higher roof because of comments like yours. If you have the ladder at least 3 feet above the roof line as recommended it wobbles.
bahamascott 2 years ago
Hey Flavor, 1st off it is probably impossible to have a foot flat on the ground unless you use a swivel foot such as the ones found on every true extension ladder just because the possibility of a slopped driveway.
2nd the friction you refer to is molecular friction pertaining to the smallest of surfaces.
If size does not matter then why do race cars have fat tires for better traction? Why do boaters where deck shoes?
bahamascott 2 years ago
You're correct on this point. Size does matter! =) At least when it comes to the contact patch. I ride a bike and I want the thickest tires I can put on it. I even here of some valkyrie riders who put car tires on the rears of their bikes.
MarcosElMalo 2 years ago
you are right man.
angie4josh 2 years ago
I am interested in knowing which part of the standard you say Little Giant doesn't pass, because I am reading the section under articulating ladder feet (6.7.7) and the very last sentence says "the tread surface may be a radius."
flaversome 2 years ago
I agree. The ANSI 14.2 standard says the same thing but Little Giant has made the foot oval making it impossible to have anything but a fraction of the foot touching the ground. Why are these ladders still being sold when they do not meet code?
bahamascott 3 years ago
Have you ever considered the fact that if the foot were flat and you set it up at the wrong angle you would in fact have much less in contact with the ground than you do now? Also, are you familiar with the fact that friction is determined by the coefficient of friction rather than the surface area of contact? These feet more than surpass the foot slip test as found in the ANSI requirements.
flaversome 2 years ago
This could be true but if they would have built this ladder to the minimum specifications it would be better.
bahamascott 3 years ago
It seems to me that the way it's designed, it shouldn't be set up at such an angle. If the foot isn't flat on the ground I imagine that might be part of the problem...no ladder in the world will be safe when it isn't flat on the ground..
TheRealPsychoJawa 3 years ago
An articulated ladder, such as the Little Giant, cannot be, by its very design, as safe as an unsegmented ladder. Stability is lacking.
msteven515 3 years ago
Glad i could help.
I purchased a copy of the ANSI 14.2 standard and the Little Giant does not comply with all of the specs as they claim. (I just though that everyone should know)
bahamascott 3 years ago
LOL. I knew you worked for LG and now you have confirmed it for all to see and you still question who the moron is? LOL
Go ahead and run your little happy self over to Home Depot and take a photo of the LGs on the shelf. You will not find ANY!
I rest my case.
bahamascott 3 years ago
Thanks for the videos. I'm in the market for a multi-extension ladder.
There is a LOT of movement in that ladder.
I see some people just have a problem with your honest observations. There are mine as well now.
Thanks you
Adkhunter 3 years ago
I never said anything about a Type II ladder.
You blew it there! Now we all no that you do work For LG and that you know all about my case. LMAO
What a MORON!
bahamascott 3 years ago
1. The only ladder that is not being made is the Type II. You said ladders were off the market. You do not know what you are talking about.
2. I work for little giant as a high school student, while helping dad with his roofing company. In spare time I go to wherever Little Giants are made. Brilliant, you are (not).
3. A moron -- you said ladder was dangerous, and then you set up ladder in a dangerous fashion ... warned against ... who is the moron?
4. Did you ever get a lawyer?
IamAppleboy 3 years ago
Hey Little Giant employee or Hal, (Owner of L.G.), and everybody else that wants to. Go now to Home Depot or Sams club and see if you can find one. The Home Depot guy told me they were removed and the computer at Sams says they carry it but they have none and cant get it. Same with Bed Bath and Beyond. Dont take my word, please go check it out yourself.
bahamascott 3 years ago
Did you ever find a lawyer to represent you? Also, you say that the ladders were removed from stores that sell them because of you ... The Type II ladders were removed some time ago, and long before your videos. The Type IAs are still sold. I am confused where you get your facts and sense of self-importance.
I thought you were going to get an attorney. Did you do so? Could you even find one that would take your case?
IamAppleboy 3 years ago
Hey Little Giant employee or Hal, (Owner of L.G.), and everybody else that wants to. Go now to Home Depot or Sams club and see if you can find one. The Home Depot guy told me they were removed and the computer at Sams says they carry it but they have none and cant get it. Same with Bed Bath and Beyond. Dont take my word, please go check it out yourself.
bahamascott 3 years ago
Hey Everybody!
I want you to notice that the laddersrus guy said he would have a video for us. It has been 5 days and still no video.
bahamascott 3 years ago
LOL! The rollers do not touch the ground and other than that the ladder is identical each direction. I just shot another video yesterday with many witnesses and it was set up many ways and it ALWAYS wobbled. There is no way to prevent this wobble. We have also proven that the wobble creates about 3 times the energy outward than a ladder without the joint! (FACT)
But I must say that you guys are funny! It is like you think that everybody else is blind and can not see the joint move. IT MOVES!
bahamascott 3 years ago
If the Little Giant was so safe then how come they just changed the hinge system and removed all of their ladders from all of the stores that sold them.
That is because of me!
I will also ask you as I did the other Little Giant employee that responded above: I challenge you to use this ladder as an extension ladder to access a roof and have the joint not kick outward!
Please send me a copy of your video and the correct usage. (If you can.)
bahamascott 3 years ago
bahamascott just so you know right off the bat you have the ladder upside down the wheels should be at the top. other than that you do have a little movement between the joints but that joint has been tested for over 1000lbs of weight so should hold you. I'll get a video of me climbing on and off the ladder for you tommorrow.
laddersrus 3 years ago 2
Additional info for you as well make sure your ladder is 1 foot out for every 4 feet up to the point of contact that might help.
I use the ladder every day and have multiple Little Giants. I would recommend them to every one. I consider it to be the safest ladder.
laddersrus 3 years ago 2
@bahamascott I used my little giant quite a few times ( 10 or more ) to climb onto a roof with absolutely no problems. It was'nt until I put it on a smoth hard surface that I had a problem. The woble is probably benificial for grabbing into a soft surface like grass but deadly when placed onto a hard smooth surface like concrete or wood decking. This thing is a death trap.
gsjodin 4 months ago
The Little Giant is one of the safest ladders made, and I have had no trouble with it. Of course, I set it up correctly, and at the proper length. Perhaps if you read the instructions that come with it on the ladder, in the book, or if illiterate, even the instruction video that comes with it, you would not have had problems. Any tool can be unsafe if used improperly.
IamAppleboy 3 years ago 2
How come they NEVER show you a demo of someone getting off their ladder on a roof?
Because then everybody will see this wobbly piece of crap in action.
bahamascott 3 years ago
I challenge you to use this ladder as an extension ladder to access a roof and have the joint not kick outward!
Please send me a copy of your video and the correct usage. LOL
bahamascott 3 years ago
Dear SIR; I strongly suggest calling the Customer Service at Little Giant. Ask them if you can send this link to them. I'm sure they can give you some pointers on the CORRECT USAGE of their product.
Garlits 3 years ago
@Garlits Why would you feal the need to post this comment? It looks to me like the ladder is setup correctly. The thing should be dummyproof not require an engineering degree to setup. You are a troll with limmitted capabilities to view the hazzard this fellow is pointing out. get a life
gsjodin 4 months ago