Brand New Youngman Telescopic Loft Ladders Now Available

Midland Ladders are delighted to announce our product launch today of the brand new range of Youngman Telescopic Loft Ladders.

For some years Telescopic ladders have been providing safe access to heights to homeowners and trades, it was only a matter of time before the lightweight clever technology was transferred to one of the primary uses for ladders in the home, getting into the loft. This new product introduces 21st century technology to the loft ladder market which may well over time see the phasing out of the old style folding, sliding and concertina loft ladders, especially where space is at a real premium in those difficult to access hatches and lofts; taking up virtually no loft floorspace and requiring minimal vertical clearance.

The new Youngman Range offers 2.6m or 2.9m options both of which are simple to install and even easier to operate. They work on the same principal as the telescopic ladders we have all come to know and love over recent years and whilst we’re on the subject – let’s take a closer look at the more traditional telescopic ladders and the role they play in our lives:

Over the Christmas period last year, homeowners in Saxton, UK, were the victims of a break in, carried out by burglars who used the householders’ own step ladders to access the property. The couple had left a pair of step ladders in the garden and it was these which gave the thieves the opportunity to take presents, cash and valuables from the house. In previous columns we have looked at some of the precautions you can take to prevent ladders and other everyday items from being used in a break in, and this is a prime example of what not to do. Of course, the homeowners in this case might have made a poor choice of ladder, buying something that they could not safely and easily store indoors for lack of space. This is where telescopic ladders come into the decision making process, as this special type of ladder is especially suitable for people with a limited amount of space for storage.

Telescopic ladders are made from a range of aluminium tubes of varying diameters which sleeve one into the other rather like a telescope. Each pair of tubes is connected at the top by a horizontal rung and an ingenious internal mechanism locks each section firmly in place as it is extended, a thumb catch at either end of each rung is used to disengage the locks and close the sections of the ladder down for transportation or storage. This unique design of ladder was first designed and patented around twenty years ago and has become increasingly popular over the years with homeowners and tradesmen alike’. In fact anyone who needs an extending ladder up to a maximum 3.8m long but needs to carry or store it in a very limited space. Telescopic ladders can be extended rung by rung to exactly the required length, making them extremely versatile.

Telescopic ladders are perfect for caravans and camper vans as they take up so little space and can usually slide into a space that is unusable for anything else. Second homes, summer houses and outbuildings are also great places to use a ladder like this, as they take up so little space but are suitable for all maintenance jobs as well as internal tasks, such as cleaning, reaching high shelves and putting up curtains.

Midland Ladders offer a range of telescopic ladders from four different manufacturers, each one built to EN 131 the European trade standard so you can be confident in the build quality and durability of the ladder. We looked at the brand new Youngman Telescopic Loft Ladders range at the top of this post, now let’s look at the other three.

The first we will look at is the Pro-User 2.9 metre Telescopic ladder (Pro-user ‘Home’)

Although this ladder does not have the height of the other models (9ft5 compared to over twelve feet), it does pack down to 31 inches, making it the most compact telescopic ladder of them all. There are ten rungs and for most domestic tasks especially indoors this is enough. Designed more for domestic use than trade use, it is certified to EN 131 Trade standards, making it a very reliable and robust option for the home. It will, as is required by those standards, take a maximum of up to 150 kilograms or 23.5 stones.
Being the baby of our range it is also the lightest, weighing in at less than 9 kilograms.
The sacrifices in height that this model makes in order to be more suitable for the domestic market mean that savings are made on the weight and stowed size of the ladder. This one is ideal for caravans, holiday homes, pool houses, garden rooms and outbuildings where maintenance is light but still requires a good solid ladder for reaching anything at height. The ladder will also reach most lofts and ceilings so is a very versatile ladder for interior maintenance. It will fit in any car boot, even smart cars and sports cars and has a strap, which keeps the ladder snugly closed when not in use. The bottom rung also sports a padded grip to the underside making the ladder very comfortable to pick up and carry. In conclusion, a great little telescopic ladder designed primarily for indoor use and ideal for caravans, mobile homes and loft access.

The next model we will look at is: Titan 3.8m Telescopic ladder

Offered with a free carry case making this an incredibly portable option, especially for tradespeople, this ladder has a maximum extended height of 3.8m or 12 feet 6 inches, and slots down to a tiny 90cm or 36 inches when not in use.
When it is closed and packed in the carry bag it is easily stored away under a bed, in a car boot, down the side of kitchen cupboards or really in any small space, and is also easily transportable making it extremely popular with surveyors and tradesmen who use a car rather than a commercial vehicle and don’t wish to carry a long ladder on a roof rack.
The Titan 3.8m telescopic ladder will close down small enough to fit easily into the car boot. The double locking rungs are extended one by one (there are eleven in total) allowing you to extend the ladder as much or as little as you need to.
Made from high grade anodized aluminium, this ladder weighs only twelve kilograms, an unbelievable weight for a ladder with this quality of construction, especially when you learn that the ladder can take a load of up to 150 kilograms! The safety features of this ladder include flat, comfortable rungs with deep serration for extra grip (while the flat rungs also aid in the packing down and storage of the model) as well as large rubber feet for good grip in all conditions.
Sliding thumb catches on each rung give a positive visual indication of the locked status of every rung, so important with this design of ladder.

Titan Ladders are one of the most respected ladder manufacturers in the UK and although this model is made in China ( as are all telescopic ladders) and not in their UK factory, you can rest assured ladders that carry the Titan name are of premium quality and will give years of unfailing service
The ladder is comfortable to use with no sharp edges and all rung ends are finished with a robust heavy duty black plastic shrouding for protection and comfort . All together a fantastic telescopic ladder which no home owner or tradesman should be without. The Titan 3.8m Telescopic ladder is sold with a no fuss 12 month guarantee and the thousands we have sold bare testament to the quality of this ladder.

Finally we will take a look at the Daddy of our range –  Xtend & Climb ‘Pro’ Telescopic ladder

The clue here is in the name – this ladder may have the same extended height as the Titan telescopic ladder, but when closed, the Xtend & Climb is only 32 inches tall, but it does weigh in at over thirteen kilograms; slightly heavier than the Titan model. If storage space is the main deciding factor in your ladder purchase, then the Xtend & Climb will give you maximum extended length from a slightly smaller package giving it the edge over the Titan model, despite being slightly heavier. Although the stowed height is not that different between the two models, sometimes this can make all the difference.

The Xtend & Climb model is an all American design, but shares the same basic technology as the other models in this review with many of the same features – all have double locking rungs and can be extended one rung at a time for flexibility on height, all have solid rubber anti-slip feet and comfortable serrated rungs for safety. However the Xtend & Climb rises above the crowd when it comes to quality of construction, the side tubes (stiles) of the ladder are of a larger diameter than the cheaper models adding to it’s feel of professional robustness and improved rigidity.

This is definitely the model for the serious tradesman for whom nothing but the best will do. Manufactured to the highest standard EN131 as well as the more demanding American ANSI standard, the Xtend & Climb telescopic ladder has the option of a high quality carry bag, which is available separately. This not only makes it very easy to transport, but protects the ladder from knocks and scrapes in the boot of a car. It is not cheap, but if the ladder is going to be moved around a lot, it is probably worth investing in the proper bag for it. The bag itself has a little pouch on the front for tools, pens, screws etc., which is useful for a busy tradesperson or surveyor who can keep their most-used items with the ladder.
The Xtend & Climb is sold all over the world and has set the quality benchmark for telescopic ladders – invest in one of these and you will never regret it.

Going back to the homeowners in Saxton who were robbed by burglars using their own ladders, it looks like the best solution for them would have been to invest in a good telescopic ladder. They could have stored it indoors – It would fit down the side of the washing machine, thereby not taking up any valuable space in the house and it would be suitable for almost all the jobs a normal ladder can be used for (except perhaps changing lightbulbs).

All of the ladders we have looked at here are built to the European wide EN 131 Trade certification, so they are all strong and reliable. This especially important with these types of telescopic ladders, because they can sometimes be seen as less sturdy than a ladder constructed as a whole piece. Having the trade standard in force here gives the purchaser peace of mind that the ladder is as safe as it can be.

If your requirement is for domestic interior use, the Pro-User Home is the clear choice. However the Titan model has the extra length making it far more versatile and useable outdoors as well as in and at it’s sub £100 price point it has to be given serious consideration and will definitely appeal to the more thrifty amongst you … it ticks all the boxes at a budget price. However, if it just has to be the best. there’s no getting away from it, the Xtend & Climb ‘Pro’ definitely has the edge. The American quality design and uncompromising build quality shines through.

Finally, don’t forget the new telescopic products available from today on the main Midland Ladder Company website. Specifically designed for accessing the loft this great new range we described in detail earlier are ideal for home or commercial use. Manufactured from strong but lightweight aluminium, having a clean, fully anodised sleek finish, these latest additions to the Youngman range are fabulous, click on the following link to see the entry level 2.6m Youngman Telescopic Loft Ladder along with a comprehensive installation manual and pdf user guide, there’s even a link to our 5 minute video showing visually step by step the whole fitting procedure!

Perhaps you have used one of these ladders and can share your experiences in the comments below? We’d love to hear from you.