A few summers ago I spent a lot of time working on exterior projects around my old home and I found myself constantly climbing up and down my aluminum Ladder and not feeling very steady doing it, especially since I was almost always carrying tools or supplies with me while I was on the ladder. Falls of any kind are dangerous, but the CDC reports that 43% of all fall-related fatalities involve the use of a ladder.  I realized I needed some sort of ladder stabilizer to not only prevent the ladder from sliding or falling, but also to help protect my gutters and siding from getting dinged and dented by my aluminum ladder. After a bit of searching around I purchased and decided to review the Ladder-Max standard stabilizer.

Ladder-Max Review

I searched for a while, but I found it with Ladder-Max, a great ladder stabilizing system that fits on virtually all ladders made today. It’s a combination ladder wall stabilizer and roof stabilizer that allows you to use your ladder a heck of a lot more safely. It’s got a pretty clever metal design and it is easy to remove and attach to your ladder when you need it. Despite slipping on and off your ladder rather quickly it’s still very sturdy strong when attached correctly. It’s really pretty handy and I’ve already used it a lot more than I thought I would.

For me the ability to stabilize my ladder against the roof of my house and not my gutters is invaluable. This will allow me to easily clean my gutters out in the spring and fall and it will allow me to put up new gutters this summer without buying a large extension ladder or trying to hang upside-down from my roof.

The real advantage to the Ladder-Max over other ladder stabilizers is how well those big orange rubber feet work to keep the ladder stable and solid whether they are leaned up against a wall or leaned onto a shingled roof. Before getting the Ladder-Max I used to leave little dents in my aluminum gutters by climbing up the ladder resting against them, but the Ladder-Max actually rests the ladder a few inches away from the gutter, preventing those unsightly dings and scratches.

My one complaint might be that in some cases I need the Ladder-Max to be a little wider so that I could put the feet on either side of a window. My windows are rather wide, so that’s to be expected. Those cases are rare (it would have been helpful for allowing me to tape around my windows before painting) but it wasn’t much of a deal breaker. The idea of being able to climb onto my roof much more safely is in itself worth the price.

Purchasing A Ladder-Max

There aren’t any real coupon codes available for buying a Ladder-Max, but you can usually get the Ladder-Max shipped to you in two days by buying the Ladder-Max through Amazon.com instead of buying directly from the the company’s website.

I received mine exactly two days ordering it and it arrived in good condition. It took me about 15 minutes to assemble (I keep it assembled and hung on the wall of my garage) and it really does take just a few seconds to attach it to your ladder. Once attached, it’s secured with two heavy steel pins. It’s made of steel tubing and everything seems pretty solid. It’s not nearly as heavy as it looks, though I found the cut steel edges to be a little sharp. From what I can tell the build quality is damn good and it’s solid with no flexing or bending when it’s fully put together.

Ladder-Max Video Demo and Review

Ladder-Max Specifications

• Height: 20-3/4″ (52.7cm)
• Width: 37-1/2″ (95.25cm)
• Depth: 19″ (48.3cm)
• Weight: 7 lb. 11oz. (3.49kg)
• Shipping Weight: 10lb. 3oz. (4.26kg)
• ANSI Certified
• Provides a 19″ of standoff when placed against a wall
• Fits ladders with 12″ run spacing (rung depth must be 2″ or less and have 11.75″ spacing between ladder side rails)
• Has 16 gauge heavy duty galvanized steel step plates
• Constructed with 16 gauge heavy duty galvanized steel tubing
• Zinc anodized steel lock pin
• Manufactured in the United States (OSHA Certified)

Installing the Ladder-Max

1. To install it on your ladder you simply place your ladder on the ground and then position the Ladder-Max where you want it. I have actually marked the two rungs that I almost always use with a Sharpie so that I don’t have to guess each time I put the stabilizer on.
2. Remove the two safety pins from the Ladder-Max stabilizer.
3. Now you slightly the ladder off the ground and slide the Ladder-Max down over the two rungs at the proper level.
4. Insert and lock the safety pins in place.

That’s it! Lift you ladder and go! To remove the Ladder-Max you can just reverse the process. Again, I have a simply hook that I placed on the wall of my garage to hang the Ladder-Max when it isn’t in use. If you have the room you could probably leave it attached to your ladder provided you have the storage space.