Since entering the job market in the middle 1960s, I have purchased many products that in my humble opinion were under engineered either by the manufacturer trying to shave off dollars to increase profits or just plain poorly designed to begin with.

Normally, I don’t fall victim to fancy advertisements but once in a while will come up short on a product that did not hold up as it should have and manufacturers have usually made good on their products.

On the other hand, sometimes in a blue moon a product will be what I call over engineered or overkill and will give one example that keeps haunting me every time I use that particular product which is a Wing Ladder model # 10126.  There are numerous TV commercials and 30 minute programs devoted solely to promote the Wing Ladders which will certainly do what they show on the programs with flying colors.

I purchased my Wing Ladder 15 years ago or more because I needed a stable ladder that would support around 250 pounds and have a wide footprint which means increased stability.  I also ordered all the bells and whistles to go with it such as their stand-off, leg adjuster and auxiliary platform to stand on or support your paint try, etc.  One of my requirements was a ladder that would reach the eve of our home on the North end which with the full basement, it is at least 23 feet from the sloping ground, therefore the Wing model # 10126 ladder would fit the bill since it reached 26 feet with a working length of 23 feet.

Somehow, I must have forgotten to check the total weight of the ladder since it weighed 52 pounds which is easy to handle with the ladder in the A frame or stepladder configuration, but when used solely as an extension ladder you had better be on steroids or able to bench press about 400 lbs. or have a Gorilla trained to get it into position for you…..grin if you must!

I believe I tried extending the ladder for the length needed while on the ground and try and walk it into position with the legs against the house foundation, but that didn't work; I was not strong enough to do so.

Another big problem, the stand-off that comes with the ladder reaches about 18 inches and with the roof overhang being about 3 feet, it is impossible to get the ladder against the side of the wall and be far enough away from the wall to allow you to clean out gutters or repair them, etc.,  that require you to be more than 15 feet off the ground which doesn’t work on the rear of our home; the area that is not surrounded by a deck.

The last time I used the ladder was tree trimming and removing a couple damaged trees and by the time I got the ladder extended and into position, I was about too weak to hold my chain saw and hand trimming saw, even after a good long break.  I purposely left the ladder at the edge of our property line against the tree where it could be easily seen from the roadway hoping someone would relieve me of it, but don’t guess any would be thieves wanted to tackle that ladder since it involved some effort and physical work…..another grin is in order.

With an emergency gutter repair needed after a "gulley wash" rain storm, you guessed it, it was on the rear of our home at the highest distance from the ground and with a three feet roof overhang; it was going to be a beast to get the ladder into position.  I made a couple 2 x 4 x 25 inch length stand-offs and screwed them into the aluminum factory made stand-offs that were way too short.  After finally getting the ladder in place after about half a dozen or more attempts, I was finally able to walk the ladder up the wall far enough to allow me to reach it from the end of our deck, leaned over and dragged it further upwards against the wall.  Fifty-two pounds might not seem like much weight but when you have the stand-offs against the wall with a tremendous amount of friction created by the angle that the ladder is contacting the wall, it is nearly impossible to man handle and walk it up the wall.  If you can stand it upright by yourself with the added weight of the stand-off and walk it into position, you need to have a DNA test done because you aren't human my friend and need to get a part time job with the Barnum and Bailey Circus!  The TV commercials show the inventor and staff using their 25 to 32 lb. ladder and they move it around with great ease, but not this monster from Hades.  Below is a pix of the ladder in working position and you can begin to see my problem:

To work comfortably, the stand-offs should have been at least 6 inches or more longer but was able to barely have enough room to allow me to use my DeWalt battery drill to drive some screws through the gutter hanger support members into the facer board. 

Years ago before my Senior Citizen status, I could work from the roof top with ease, but not this time since I had to push the gutter upwards, hold in position and screw the supports back in place.  An octopus would be needed or a bucket truck and/or portable metal scaffolding would be much safer, but would require two or more scaffolding levels.  Pix of a couple decals on the Wing Ladder:

I don't think I could have gotten the ladder into position if I had not been going to the Buff Monkey Fitness Company since back in the fall of last year.  Like I said, this ladder will do what it is advertised to do, but the extra weight of the ladder offsets the positive features in actual usage.  My left deltoid muscle is quivering like a dying rabbit as I am typing due to the effort getting that ladder into position.

For what I need, I believe the standard sectional ladder with the rope and pulley and locking gussets would be easier to use than this monster, but would still have to install a 3 feet stand-off since you wouldn't want to try and rest your ladder against the gutters especially when you were repairing  the same.  An option, is to rest the stand-offs against the roof if the pitch is high enough, but in my case, I believe the pitch to be too low.

Leaving on a positive note;  the Wing ladder will fold to where you can transport it in the back of a regular truck bed or a station wagon or SUV with the seats folded down and it does have an extra wide "base or foot print" for increased stability.  

I wonder how long the Wing ladder will remain standing against the back side of the house even though the job is now finished.........another grin is in order.

Web published by Bill aka Mickey Porter 05-27-13.  

WING LADDER WHOOPED ME AGAIN

I recently attempted to place the wing ladder against the base of a large oak tree needing it to extend to at least twenty (20) feet and was unable to do so.  I did not have enough strength to handle this monster from Hades. 

If I didn't need the Wing ladder in the A frame configuration for gutter work on the front of our home, I would have gotten the Milwaukee PortaBand saw out and cut it up into manageable pieces and deposited it into the landfill dumpster.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-16-2021. 

FINAL LIMB CUT BACK ON TOM DOOLEY AKA DULA

I used the Wing Little Giant Ladder in order to cut the remaining limb back.  If it had not been for the boat winch attached to the tree with a cable and pulley system to hoist up deer harvested, I would not have been able to get the ladder into position to effect cutting back the limb.  The ladder weighs fifty-two (52) pounds and it would normally take someone with gorilla DNA to get the ladder extended out. 

Click on thumbnail pixs for a larger screen view:

Hopefully, this will be the last time I use this monster ladder as an extension ladder.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 04-24-2023.

WING EXTENSION LADDER REPLACEMENT

I recently purchased a Werner Model D1324-2 T-1 24 Ft. extension ladder to replace the above wing ladder, but will still use the Wing ladder as an step A frame ladder.  Currently, I am using the Wing ladder positioned against one of our fuel tanks to assist the oil delivery person.

The Werner 24 Ft. extension ladder I can get into position without trouble.  I plan to order a set of leg levelers, since for the most part I will be using it on unlevel ground, especially the North end of our home which has a serious slope. 

The Werner 97P stabilizer and surface protector is still about 6 to 8 inches too short for ease of usage on our wide overhang and will try and find some aluminum square tubing that will telescope inside said members and extend it out as needed.  I have some extra deck square pickets that could be cut to fit, but the extra weight might not be good.  Before I make any modification, I will ascertain if the stand offs will rest on our roof when extended above the gutter system.

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 05-15-2023.

LEVELOCK QUICK CONNECT LADDER LEVELER

I installed a set of Levelock quick connect ladder levelers on 08-21-2023 and will give them a field test when the 24 feet Warner extension is needed.

The lower leg leveler in the pix above is easily removed and placed on the other side of the ladder when needed.  The leg leveler is out of the way until needed and is spring loaded with a ratchet mechanism that locks it in place and you can operate with the foot/toe to engage and disengage.  There is also a detent pin used as an extra measure of safety as well.

Above is pix of the base unit that is permanently attached to the ladder frame with 3 bolts, washers, nuts and spacers.  Each side of the ladder frame has a base unit permanently attached.  

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 08-21-2023.

WING LITTLE GIANT LADDER - A-FRAME USAGE

I used the Wing Little Giant ladder on 09-21-2023 to paint the south end of our home gable and used the Warner 24 feet extension ladder to reach the upper portion (frieze boards) and some of the area below the soffit vent.

I used a couple boards and 4 clamps (Erwin SP-11) as leg levelers, not too pretty, but safe enough!

Web page updated by Bill aka Mickey Porter on 09-24-2023.

LEAVING ON A SPIRITUAL NOTE

If you do not know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, please take this moment to accept him by Faith into your Life, whereby Salvation will be attained.   

Ephesians 2:8 - 2:9 8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Hebrews 11:1 “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

Open this link about faith in the King James Bible.