2021 PASSPORT 2600 BH Ladder recommendations

[matucla]

Hello All!

I just got a 2021 PASSPORT 2600BH. It has a mount point for a ladder, and a fully walkable roof.

I have looked at telescoping ladders, but don't really want to store it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a solid/nice-looking ladder option? OR does anyone have a good source to ask?

Thanks for ANY help!

[sourdough]

Ladder? As in attached to the trailer or ??

I carried a collapsible ladder in the pass thru of my RV. A telescoping might be too tall for a pass thru but what about the bed of the truck? When I was younger I used a roof ladder attached to the trailer and it was OK but always felt a little flimsy. Add 50 lbs. and I don't mess with them. My sense of flimsy was confirmed by the dealership using it to clean/seal the roof and it came back with the top rail bent and all the mounting attachments loose....from one use. I use a side ladder and if I need to get on the roof I put a ladder next to my existing ladder and use the top step/handle to get on top. If I were you I would just get a ladder that gave me the height to step up onto the roof.

[matucla]

Thanks! I did mean a MOUNTED ladder. I may also carry a telescoping ladder, but I would prefer to also have the permanent option attached to the back (especially, as you mentioned, to make it easier to transition from the ladder to the roof).

Any recommendations? Thanks!

[mfifield01]

I used a telescoping ladder. You need to be careful on the roof of the Passport. It is not built to walk on. It's best to work from the sides (if possible). I used two pieces of foam board insulation attached to each other to walk on. It would distribute my weight enough. This may or may not work for you.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by matucla

Hello All!

I just got a 2021 PASSPORT 2600BH. It has a mount point for a ladder, and a fully walkable roof.

I have looked at telescoping ladders, but don't really want to store it.

Does anyone have any suggestions on a solid/nice-looking ladder option? OR does anyone have a good source to ask?

Thanks for ANY help!

Just curious on where you found that the roof is walkable. I looked at the Keystone site at the model you listed and didn't see it.

[Gegrad]

Originally Posted by flybouy

Just curious on where you found that the roof is walkable. I looked at the Keystone site at the model you listed and didn't see it.

Yeah, not seeing that is walkable either. If the OP has a western edition, the Passport brochure does say the western editions have snow load rated roofs, so maybe that is what they are referring to?

[matucla]

Thank you EVERYONE for taking the time to respond. There are stickers on the back of the trailer that state "Ladder mount point" and "Fully walkable roof" (see attached picture). So I am still VERY interested in finding a GOOD ladder to mount here.

[Gegrad]

Good luck in your search. Do keep in mind when Keystone says "walkable roof" they do typically mean limited to 150 lbs or so. No idea on your size, but if you are >~150 or so you will not want to fully walk on it like you would a sidewalk, at least not without some extra boards down or foam padding. It is still an ultralight travel trailer.

[JRTJH]

Typically, a "RV rear wall ladder" is two aluminum rails with plastic rungs. Over time, UV from sunlight will damage the plastic rungs. I've seen ladders that were 2 or 3 years old with rungs that would shatter into pieces if tapped with a hammer. There's NO WAY they would support a 200 pound man.

Also, remember that RV ladders typically have a weight limit of 200-250 pounds. THAT IS THE LADDER LOAD LIMIT and is NOT the installation load limit. Depending on how the ladder is attached to the trailer and what has been "strapped to the ladder for transport during towing" the ladder may be pulled off the mounts with as little as 30 or 40 pounds of weight.

Trailers, especially those with TPO roofs, have a long history of water intrusion that either severely damages or even destroys the trailer in the area of the leak. I'd NEVER recommend that someone "poke holes in their TPO roof to add a ladder. Doing so can only increase the possibility of trailer damage from water leaks.

A "stand alone ladder" is a better choice for a number of reasons.

1. Stand alone ladders are less expensive
2. Stand alone ladders usually have a higher load capacity.
3. Stand alone ladder do not have the potential to damage the trailer by water leaks.
4. Stand alone ladders are usually more versatile then RV ladders.
5. Stand alone ladders are safer than RV ladders. (you can lean them further away from the trailer and not have to climb a vertical ladder.
6. If your body weight is "near or at" the RV ladder load limit, you can't carry anything up the ladder with you, which is almost impossible with a vertical mounted ladder, anyway).

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Gegrad

Good luck in your search. Do keep in mind when Keystone says "walkable roof" they do typically mean limited to 150 lbs or so. No idea on your size, but if you are >~150 or so you will not want to fully walk on it like you would a sidewalk, at least not without some extra boards down or foam padding. It is still an ultralight travel trailer.

Walkable roof means a 150 lb weight limit? Where the heck did you come up with this? The Keystone General Rules For Roof Walking?

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Typically, a "RV rear wall ladder" is two aluminum rails with plastic rungs. Over time, UV from sunlight will damage the plastic rungs. I've seen ladders that were 2 or 3 years old with rungs that would shatter into pieces if tapped with a hammer. There's NO WAY they would support a 200 pound man.

Also, remember that RV ladders typically have a weight limit of 200-250 pounds. THAT IS THE LADDER LOAD LIMIT and is NOT the installation load limit. Depending on how the ladder is attached to the trailer and what has been "strapped to the ladder for transport during towing" the ladder may be pulled off the mounts with as little as 30 or 40 pounds of weight.

Trailers, especially those with TPO roofs, have a long history of water intrusion that either severely damages or even destroys the trailer in the area of the leak. I'd NEVER recommend that someone "poke holes in their TPO roof to add a ladder. Doing so can only increase the possibility of trailer damage from water leaks.

A "stand alone ladder" is a better choice for a number of reasons.

1. Stand alone ladders are less expensive
2. Stand alone ladders usually have a higher load capacity.
3. Stand alone ladder do not have the potential to damage the trailer by water leaks.
4. Stand alone ladders are usually more versatile then RV ladders.
5. Stand alone ladders are safer than RV ladders. (you can lean them further away from the trailer and not have to climb a vertical ladder.
6. If your body weight is "near or at" the RV ladder load limit, you can't carry anything up the ladder with you, which is almost impossible with a vertical mounted ladder, anyway).

The ladder on my 2002 has all aluminum steps and hand rails. The weak point were the screws that retained it and I had to replace all of them with stainless as they rusted so badly the heads popped on enough of them I wasn't comfortable about the ladder holding if I used it. The ladder rails are too close and the first step too high to make the ladder something I would use regularly so I bought a telescoping ladder 12.5'.

[JRTJH]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

The ladder on my 2002 has all aluminum steps and hand rails. The weak point were the screws that retained it and I had to replace all of them with stainless as they rusted so badly the heads popped on enough of them I wasn't comfortable about the ladder holding if I used it. The ladder rails are too close and the first step too high to make the ladder something I would use regularly so I bought a telescoping ladder 12.5'.

The truck panels on my 2010 F150 were steel.... Today's trucks ??? If not aluminum (aircraft grade for strength and durability) or plastic, they're some other "exotic material"... Few things today are "what they were in 2002", even the roofing material (was EPDM, not TPO).. Some of that is good, much of that is "cheaper for the manufacturer, but they still charge the same or more for the "better, improved model"....