Ladder Clamps: The Secret to Hassle-Free Ladder Transport

Window cleaners, along with painters, decorators and others, need to regularly transport ladders. Maybe it's just one ladder, or maybe you have a whole stack of them, but it's vital that they're not only safe while you're on the move, but also quick and easy to load and unload.

The traditional method is to use ropes or bungees – but these are either time-consuming or dangerous, if not both. A far better and more professional option is to use ladder clamps to fix ladders to your roof rack.

We offer two types of ladder clamp – Racktite and SafeClamp. Both are excellent options, but each has the edge in certain circumstances.

Racktite Ladder Clamps

Racktite Ladder Clamps are the type that were first introduced when clamps began to replace ropes and bungees. This is a tried and tested solution that's lasted well, but is not by any means perfect.

Coming in pairs like all ladder clamps (one for each end), Racktite clamps are made of tough plated steel that lasts well. Each consists of a cross-brace with hooks that go over the ladder and are fixed by spinning the handle down and then locking it with a padlock (which is provided as part of the kit). To unfasten it, you simply reverse the process.

The main problem is that it's rather fiddly and time-consuming. You have to spin it a number of times to get it tight enough to hold the ladders, and then unspin it the same number of times to release the clamps. This can waste a lot of time, especially if you're a window cleaner who has to clamp and unclamp your ladders many times during the day.

On the other hand, Racktite Ladder Clamps are very secure, and can be used to stack multiple ladders of any type.

SafeClamp Ladder Clamps

SafeClamp Ladder Clamps were introduced by Rhino about ten years ago, and they were revolutionary at the time. With a cross-brace made of tough composite plastic and a stainless-steel hook, both durable and resistant to corrosion, each of the pair uses a lever to clamp the ladders, and has an integrated lock. To release the clamps, you simply press a release button and lift the lever.

Besides requiring a lot less effort, with no spinning required, SafeClamp clamps are also far quicker to fit and undo – five times quicker than traditional clamps like Racktite. This makes them a boon for a busy window cleaner trying to get round to as many customers as possible in a day.

SafeClamp can be used with any type of ladder, whether single, double or triple – but, unlike the Racktite, they can only clamp one ladder at a time.

Racktite vs. SafeClamp

So which of these ladder clamps is better? Well, that depends on what feature is most important to you. If your priority is to be able to clamp and unclamp your ladder quickly and with minimal effort, you can't do better than SafeClamp.

On the other hand, the Racktite has a couple of significant advantages. For one thing, it's a considerably lower-cost option (£22.50 a pair, as against £72.58 for the SafeClamp). For another, it can be used to stack multiple ladders of any type, whereas the SafeClamp can only secure a single ladder.

Whichever of these ladder clamps best suits your particular requirements, however, it will be a great investment – and an infinitely better option than using ropes or bungees. Get in touch with us to find out more.