pollux said:
weighs 21.5 pounds, heavy.
And worth every pound! (for us). I've not found anything near as stable or secure that is still portable/not attached (like the scissors steps). As mentioned, I removed the unnecessary foldable arm which removes some weight. We carry the Little Giant on the back seat so it's accessible and also moves weight forward compared to permanently mounted scissors steps or anything one keeps behind the rear axle. We travel pretty light so the weight is a non-issue. Less than 20lbs with the top removed and you have to carry something, so minus the weight of some other step stools and you are maybe 15 to 17lbs heavier. We pick and choose where extra pounds are worth it and this is one of them.
I'm only 45 and plenty spry as is my wife, but she didn't like the unstable feeling of the rubbermaid, the shallow steps and, more importantly, the high last step going in or out. The three step Little Giant gets the top step up approximately 4" higher than the step on the bumper plus positions that step further out and it's wider and deeper making it a much easier first step exiting out of the camper. Going in and out is now extremely fast and easy. No pausing and doublechecking where my foot is going and slowly stepping way down as I exit carrying a tub/tote. I swing the door open and just walk right down without pause. After using the two-step rubbermaid stool for the first few trips, then replacing it with the Little Giant, I'd still carry the Little Giant if it was 40 pounds! Ha. Plus, during the week when the ladder is removed from my back seat, it is set up in my shop right next to my fishing boat and makes going in and out of that way faster and easier. Plus the stool is set up and right there handy to grab and use elsewhere in the shop. Surprised how much I use it and how less often I grab my 6foot step ladder.
At the FWC Grand Opening and Open House in Bozeman, MT a couple weeks ago, we got more comments (and pictures take) of the Little Giant ladder than on the camper itself! Ha. Especially when all the other FWC had the little rubbermaid steps stools, receiver hitch ball, or nothing.
To each their own, but I don't look at this stool as a luxury, but as an integral part of our setup for enjoyment, ease of use, and safety. A slip or trip going up or down steps could result in major injury. Maybe low probability but high consequences and would sure wreck a trip. Somewhat more likely is a slip/trip causing one of use to get a minor injury. An unnecessary aggravation. But most likely is it causing us to drop whatever I'm carrying and or just being annoying to have to pause and fish for a narrow, unstable step. I learned long ago to eliminate out of my life, if easily done so, anything that is an ongoing aggravation.
We go in and out of our camper a lot. My take on it is if your step stool is too short (or flimsy or too narrow of steps, etc.) and has ever given you even a seconds pause to make your way in or out or given you even a fleeting hesitancy to enter or exit your camper, it's the wrong stool for you. Replace it and take that pause/hesitancy out of the experience. For me, this solution gives me no more pause than using steps leading to the front door of a house. And no penalties of concern to us (some others might be concerned with the weight or the price), why not?