Niwaki EN Pro Adjustable Tripod Ladders

Tripod Ladders are essential for large topiary and hedges. You can either work face-on, with the 3rd leg poked into the hedge, or sideways, with the ladder parallel to the hedge - their adaptability (3 legs), stability (wide base) and comfort (double rungs) allow you to spend all the time necessary to do jobs properly, without rushing.

Click here to view the Original range. A separate tab will open so you can view side-by-side for making comparisons.

Ideal for orchard work, both for picking and pruning, where thanks to the single back leg, you can get right into the crown of the tree. Unlike traditional orchard designs (pointed A-Frame), you can lean over the top, or rest picking baskets etc on top. They’re also considerably wider at the base than A-Frames, adjust for slopes, and of course are welded not riveted, so are much, much stronger - and exceptionally light and easy to use.

Use the Rubber Feet (+£25) on hard surfaces; patios, concrete, tarmac, driveways, etc...

Which ladder to choose? Good question, without a straightforward answer. Every garden, every gardener and every job is slightly different and what works for one might be less suitable for another, BUT, there are a few basic truths…

Original or EN Pro Adjustable:

The heavy duty EN Pro Adjustable Tripod Ladders are designed for landscapers, tree surgeons and other tough jobs - but do perfectly well in private gardens. If the ladders are used by employees, or will be taking a heavy weight of more than 100kg, or used intensively, day in, day out, they are essential, even without the adjustable legs. Consider it a beefed-up version of the original Tripod Ladder, conforming to EN-131 standards, assuring professionals, employers and all demanding gardeners of the quality and safety of these remarkable ladders. With a load bearing of 150kg, reinforced lower rungs and a chunkier back leg, it is stronger, more robust, and more rigid, offering greater stability and user safety. For regular domestic use, the Original Tripod Ladder will do you fine - although it is not suitable, or rated, for trade or commercial use. If you need the adjustable front legs - for full versatility - go for the EN Pro Adjustable.

Size:

Using our SSH (Safe Standing Height) combined with your own height, and the height of the job in hand, we can fairly accurately say what size ladder you need (for a specific job). On the larger ladders (7' and up) the SSH is 3 steps from the top, so the top is effectively your handrail or something to lean against. On the smaller ladders, the SSH is officially 2 steps from the top, but for more cautious users we still recommend 3. So, using the 8 footer as an example, you can stand, comfortably and safely, at 5'. Let’s say you’re 6' tall, which means the top of your head is at 11' and you can reach to about 12', arm outstretched. For hedge pruning, where ideally you want to be working between waist and chest height, you’ll have a working height of 8-10'. Of course it’s higher if you’re taller than 6', and lower if shorter.

The ANSI 15' Tripod Ladder is enormous - far too big for most gardens, and very hard to manoeuvre. We only deliver this ladder in our own vehicle. Please contact us to discuss, before ordering.

Weight:

They’re all remarkably light, and folded up into a lump of aluminium, in a suitcase, would seem like nothing at all. What they are, though, is tall, and wide. Moving them around, especially when you’re deep in the undergrowth and you need to move a few feet, can be tricky: the legs stick out wider than you think, and the taller ladders can be top heavy. Taller people tend to hold the ladder higher up, so this is less of a problem - for shorter people it can be a real bore. Keiko, who is Japanese-height, finds using the 8 footer fine, but not the 10 footer.

All-rounder:

Just like everything else, there’s no such thing as the perfect all-round ladder (even though we like to think we get pretty close.) If your ladder is for one job - great. If it’s for general use, there are a couple of points to consider. If you think you need the biggest one, think again. It will be great for a few jobs, but it will be OTT for lots more: we always suggest getting the size that will get the most use, and point out that even if you get the biggest, it still won’t be big enough for some jobs. Personally, my favourite ladder is the 7' Adjustable (and you can guess how many I have to choose from). Think also about where the ladder will live, whether it will travel, and who else might use it.

Slopes:

All the tripod ladders have an adjustable back leg, with a spring-pin that extends (by 6") or shortens (upto 18") in 6" stops. So working into a slope is fine (always try and work into, not down, the slope). The EN Pro Adjustable has adjustable front legs too, adjusting in 5cm increments to cater for sideways level changes of up to 40cm.

Load Bearing:

Original Tripod Ladder: 100kg
EN Pro Adjustable Tripod Ladder 150kg

Dispatched direct from Niwaki HQ, to fulfil your order we use a combination of Niwaki's own vehicle or their private courier. Standard delivery is included in the price of each ladder though highlands & islands require a surcharge to be paid (off quotation).

Delivery is typically up to 7-10 days but please allow up to 21 days. Once your order has been received, you will of course be updated pronto!

We will always let you know the day in advance, although narrowing down the time slot is difficult.

When ordering, please give us as much useful information as possible regarding hard-to-find addresses, awkward access, dates when you’re away, etc (Our courier may be unable to deliver without a VISIBLE house name).

With your instruction, ladders can be left safely without a signature, to save you from having to wait in all day.

Even if we pass on an approximate time of delivery, please understand we cannot avoid the occasional delay, and it really helps to give us instructions to leave the ladder, to avoid you having to wait in unnecessarily.

7FT

• Weight // 11.6kg
• Base Width // 95cm (+- 10cm)
• Spread // 169cm (+- 10cm)
• Folded Length // 210cm
• Safe Standing Height SSH // 4ft (+- 20cm)
• Hedge Height // 6ft - 9ft
• Steps // 7
• Load Bearing // 150kg

9FT

• Weight // 14.3kg
• Base Width // 127cm (+- 12cm)
• Spread // 210cm (+- 12cm)
• Folded Length // 264cm
• Safe Standing Height SSH // 5ft (+- 20cm)
• Hedge Height // 8ft - 11ft
• Steps // 9
• Load Bearing // 150kg

11FT

• Weight // 17.5kg
• Base Width // 128cm (+- 14cm)
• Spread // 1248cm (+- 12cm)
• Folded Length // 327cm
• Safe Standing Height SSH // 7ft (+- 20cm)
• Hedge Height // 10ft - 13ft
• Steps // 11
• Load Bearing // 150kg