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Email: info@airstream.co.uk
by Peter Brett - July/August 2008
For more information call Christine
01444 440188
01444 440188
3x7 Rungs
Versatile, Valuable and Safe
As I have got older I have developed a greater respect for safety, and I need to be reassured when I am at the top of a ladder that it is as safe as it can be and the situation as safe as I can make it. Therefore it was very reassuring to read the safety and set-up instructions on the Zarges SKYMASTER ladder sent for review. Safety starts with sound design and construction and it is very clear from looking at the quality of the parts and finish of this ladder that it is well designed and made. For example there are no sharp edges on any of the extrusions, they have all been well finished or rounded over. The quality of the materials, from the straps to the rubber feet, is self-evident. On a Trade rated ladder, as this one is, these should ensure a long and safe service life.
What is also clear from the design of the ladder is that it is meant to be very versatile. This means that it should be the only ladder that many tradespeople (or demanding householders) might need. In no particular order of priority it can be a 2 or 3-part extension ladder, a free-standing ladder, a stairway ladder, a single ladder, a work platform (by buying the platform) and a trestle step ladder. I managed to set it up and use it on most of these in my efforts to provide a thorough test for it.
Once out of its plastic wrapping, the Zarges needs only a few minutes with a couple of 13mm spanners to fix the base stabilizer bar on the bottom section.
From there the user makes choices as to how it can be used depending on the height or configuration needed.
In extension mode the ladder can be extended to nearly 5 metres, enough for me to reach the upstairs windows of the rear of my house quite comfortably. This enabled a long overdue cleaning of seagull mess and gained considerable number of brownie points for me. Although the treads, of necessity, get smaller towards the top of the ladder, they were wide enough and felt stable and strong enough for two feet. It helped that I have a permanent screw-in loop attached to my fascia that enabled the ladder to be tied at the top. This always make me feel a lot more secure and reduces some of the “wobble” I always feel when I am near the topmost rungs of a long ladder.
The most useful configurations for me when I tried the Zarges out was as a freestanding ladder and stairway ladder. Both configurations involve making a triangulated base by temporarily removing the top section, unlocking the ladder tabs moving the base section back until it pulls the nylon straps tight and locking the metal side arm. This creates a sturdy triangle. The top section can then be slid into place allowing a height of about 2 metres to be worked at safely. This configuration allowed me to clean the high side windows of the house on the side where there is a flat concrete to sit the ladder onto.
On the other side of the house I have a series of large steps made with concrete paving slabs. By using the asymmetrical stairway configuration I was able to reach windows some three metres from the ground with ease and safety. Although it is always safer to have a person holding the ladder bottom, because the base material was flat and the height I needed to reach was relatively little, I was able to work quite safely.
Finally, just using the short top extension I cleaned the front gutters and removed the creeping plant that was growing rampantly on my flat felt roof.
It is not that often that I get so much done and so much value from testing various bits of equipment! Thank you Zarges.
I have experienced, in another context, the idea of using a ladder with a short work platform. Provided it is used within its clearly defined limits, it is a very good way of painting or fixing ceilings, fixing low gutters or painting walls in a domestic height stairwell for example. The work platform can be set at a variety of heights and even asymmetrically to take into account the varying heights of stairs.
If I were a painter decorator for example, I would have no hesitation in buying the platform to go with this particular ladder set-up.
What’s in it for independent retailers? The usual dilemma is the one between price and quality. Also, ladders are stocked by DIY sheds at very competitive prices, so there is not much temptation to bring in a range of expensive stock.
The quality of the Zarges product speaks for itself. For the independent, this will probably mean fewer returns or complaints. This particular ladder configuration has a wide appeal over a number of trades, so its versatility may reduce the need to stock a huge range. Stocking platforms and added extras to improve the basic ladder’s appeal is cheaper than stocking a whole new product range too.
Its definitely worth a look!
Independent Review by Peter Brett
Airstream Communications