When we went down to DC last weekend to get all the painting done, we figured that we'd need a ladder or two for various parts of the work, and Shannon's father was kind enough to put this onto his list of things to drive down. One of the ones he brought was a four-section articulating ladder (I'm pretty sure it was this ClimbTek 12-footer), a kind of ladder I'd seen all over the place but never used. I gotta tell you, I liked it a lot -- pretty light, extremely versatile, and just perfect for the kinds of tasks that end up needing to be done around a small house. I made a mental note of it, but at just over $200, it found its way onto my "when I really need it" (rather than the "as soon as we move in") list.

With this in mind, imagine how happy it made me to see Kevin Kelly's Cool Tools mention a good, sturdy, less-expensive alternative to the ClimbTek today, the Gorilla Ladders 13-foot Multi Position Aluminum Ladder. People seem to talk well about them (they compare more to the $375 Little Giant ladders than they do to the ClimbTeks), and the $99 price is a near-perfect reason to think about moving the ladder onto the "as soon as we move in" list. If I get one, I'll let you know what comes of it!

(And as a postscript, ever notice that "ladder" is one of those words that, the more you say or type it, the more ridiculous it becomes? "Ladder! Ladder. Ladder?")