Review of the Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder
As of this writing, there are 1,283 customer comments and 110 answered questions for the Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder. I’ve read the customer feedback and then condensed the results into this review. I hope that this review helps you when shopping for the best ladder for your home.
Best Features
- Easy to store
- Opens up to 15.5 feet and retracts down to 36.5 inches
- Rust resistant
- Indicates when it is locked in
- Lightweight
Item Specifics
The Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder is a heavy-duty telescoping ladder. As Xtend & Climb’s tallest telescoping ladder, it opens by the foot to 15.5 feet and retracts down to 36.5 inches. With a 19.5 ft. average reach height, it’s the perfect alternative to the traditional extension ladder, lightweight enough to be carried with one hand, and small enough to be stored in the front or back of a truck. Compact and portable, it’s easy to transport to and from the job while also saving space in storage.
This multipurpose ladder is made from strong aluminum alloy, allowing it to be lightweight but sturdy and able to withstand the weight of most adults. Because a finish has been added on, this ladder will not rust. You can easily lock it by the foot after extending it rung by rung to the required height. This telescoping ladder features red and green indicators that let you know if it is locked in place and safe to climb. Its non-slip end caps hold it firmly in place while you work. Its compact design ensures easy storage.
Slightly Heavy
At 34.9 pounds, this ladder may be too heavy for some people to easily carry. Keep in mind that it is a telescoping ladder with an extended height of 15.5 feet. A customer had this to say about the weight, “I purchased this ladder at a very good price but now have buyer’s remorse for acting on impulse rather than good judgment. I’d say to only buy this if you are young and fit and regularly need to reach the height this ladder offers. It is just too heavy for general use and not as easy to carry as promotional videos suggest. I have used it only once and that was to remove a storm-damaged limb from a tree. I found that, while it offered the perfect reach, extending the ladder to maximum height was cumbersome as one must be able to easily lift the majority of the ladder’s weight as well as overcome the friction of the mechanism itself. Lowering the ladder was more difficult than extending it. The buttons are easy to push when the ladder is collapsed but a real chore when extended. I now wish I’d have purchased a slightly shorter version or gone with the lightweight “tactical” ladder offered by another manufacturer. This one will soon be donated to charity and hopefully purchased by someone wiser and much stronger than I am.”
Easy to Extend, but Easier with a Buddy
There were mixed results on how easy this ladder is to extend. It does work best with a second person helping. A customer explained how it works, “My friend and I extended it to the full 12.5′, fairly easy enough. I found the best way to do this is start with the top rung of course. What I like about this ladder compared to other telescoping ladders is that this ladder; LOCKS AT EACH INDIVIDUAL RUNG. Thus, you have a safety feature that locks the ladder every 12”. Extending was easy, and as the green locking levers slid into the locking position, I could hear a distinct “click” as each section locked. If you go the full 12.5′, lowering it can be some work, but because the way the retraction works, the fear of smashing your hand goes away. I’m going to get this out of order, but you’ll get the gist. When lowering, you start from the bottom. As you unlock the slides on a rung, at times, the rung will full retract, but others, it will only 1/2 retract. This is NOT a defect. It’s a safety feature. The next rung that half retracts, won’t fully retract until you retract the rung above it. This is a genius as you don’t pinch your hand or finger when lowering.”
Compact for Easy Storage
One of the best features of this ladder is how compact it can be stored away. If you don’t have a lot of storage, or just don’t want a ladder taking up a lot of space, this may be the ladder for you. A customer described the measurements here, “I researched a couple of telescoping ladder products and found the Xtend & Climb 780p to be a perfect choice. The measurements were conflicting on the Amazon website so I will give a definitive measurement. If you were to build a storage container it would fit inside of 4.75×19.75×32″. The 4.75×19.75″ measurement is at the base…at the top, it tapers to 18 1/8x 3 1/8″. It comes with a velcro strap that keeps the ladder compacted while transporting it. Built into the strap is a padded base that creates a natural holding position while transporting. The measurement from where your hand cusps the handle to the top of the ladder(which would be under your armpit) is 15″. So someone with a shorter arm could easily carry this ladder.”
Good for Light Use
If you plan on using a ladder often, you may want to go with a better quality ladder. This one is a good price, but not as sturdy nor durable as some of the other telescoping ladders on the market. A customer offered this advice, “This unit is a lower cost version of the Class 1 telescoping ladders, you get what you pay for. In this case, this ladder has considerable flex when fully extended. I had used a contractor’s telescoping ladder which is a Class 1 and it was far superior but the cost was double. If you will be using this ladder often spend the extra money and get a higher quality unit. If like myself, you use this about 6 times a year to get into the attic this unit works fine. Be careful in extending this ladder as the locking mechanism may click in place as you extend it but both sides may not be locked, it has happened to me and nearly fell off the ladder. Also in lowering this unit, like all telescoping ladders care must be taken not to injure yourself as the unit is coming down.”
Multiple Reports of Accidents
The following is one of several customer comments left about the dangers of using this ladder, “DANGEROUS Ladder – Be very careful. The first time I retracted this ladder, it cut my finger badly…Now being very wary of this product, I asked my wife to trial test it first so I extended it (according to the enclosed instructions by the 3rd rung) and leaned it against a wall. It collapsed under her 100-pound weight, and fortunately, I was able to catch her without injury to either of us. It is completely UNSAFE – should not be sold.”
Good Price
The Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder is priced well. Keep in mind that this is not one of the high-quality telescoping ladders. But if you are wanting to not spend a lot, this ladder may be all that you need. A customer explained his experience and talked about the low price, “Very pleasantly surprised! I was very concerned that this would not be good for me. I weigh just under 210 and am 6’2″. Some of the reviews made me wonder if this would weave and wobble. Some even implied that it would collapse while you stand on it. It was the right height for my motorhome, but the price was lower than others with poor reviews. This was the correct height, and I could not find that height with the others. The super strong ones cost twice as much or more, so I was not ready to spend that much.”
Pros
- Compact storage
- Good price
- Telescoping
Cons
- Reports of injuries and accidents
- Not top quality
- Heavy
Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder Conclusion
The Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder is a heavy-duty telescoping ladder that opens by the foot to 15.5 feet and retracts down to 36.5 inches. It has a 19.5 ft. average reach height and it’s lightweight enough to be carried with one hand and small enough to be stored in the front or back of a truck. It is compact and portable. This ladder is made from strong aluminum alloy, which allows it to be lightweight yet sturdy and able to withstand a lot of weight. This ladder will not rust. You can lock it by the foot after extending it rung by rung to the required height. This is a telescoping ladder that features red and green indicators which let you know if it is locked in place and safe to climb. Featured are non-slip end caps which hold it firmly in place while you work. The price is low for a telescoping ladder, but keep in mind that this is not one of the high quality telescoping ladders on the market.
Common Questions
Here are some top questions that I found for people considering buying the Xtend & Climb 785P Aluminum Telescoping Ladder.
- Where is this ladder manufactured? It is manufactured in China.
- What is the maximum weight limit of a person for this product? The maximum weight limit is 250 pounds.
- How many rungs are there? There are 16 rungs, including the top rung.
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