Research: Pool Ladder 🪜 🏊‍♀️

[nelsonic]

We need a ladder to allow people to get out of the “big” pool.

So far this is the best value:reviews I’ve found:
https://amzn.eu/d/hJVjwkc

[nelsonic]

@iteles what are your thoughts on this? Should we order & install this ladder? Or do you have time to research alternatives? 💭

[iteles]

I really like how the whole ladder retracts to sit above the pool like this, it's almost perfect.

My only issue with it (and I think it might be a deal breaker) is that because it's made for a boat, the bottom bit is meant to just dangle in the water, there is no rubber or protection on it.
This means that if a heavier or more enthusiastic person get on, or children jump on it while it's in the pool, that bottom bit might just bend back enough to hit the side of the pool and damage the 'tela'. This is a very expensive problem.

I have spent some time looking into it and all the retractable ladders seem to suffer from the same malaise (and I agree that this seems to be the best looking/best quality one of the ones I've found so far). We may have to find an improvised remedy for this issue?
Reinforce the 'feet' area with some thick rubber 'feet' that go at least 5cm up, hope that they're a standard diameter and then just accept they probably won't be perfect and we'll have to replace them annually at the 'end of pool season'?

[nelsonic]

@iteles thanks for looking at this. 👌
I don’t see the ladder “hanging” in the water as a deal-breaker at all. In terms of the metal being in contact wi the the pool liner, we can easily protect it. Many options:

1. Rope coiled around the contact area. Cheap and easy to replace.
2. sugru moulded to make a “foot” that increases the surface area.
3. 3D printed nylon spacers that can easily be replaced and iterated on to improve each new version.

IMO we should try it. Worst case scenario we return it if it doesn’t fit. 👌