# Free standing folding step recommendation anyone ?



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Can anyone recommend, from personal use, a free-standing, single tread, folding step for use getting into and out of the van ?

We currently have a Fiamma Magnum Polystep which is excellent and cost about £8. The big minus point however is that it travels in the loo and overnights in the cab in places where we don’t put the step out. I’m getting fed up with moving it from place to place and it takes up a lot of space. We can make a permanent home, out of the way, for one that folds flat when not in use.

There is a Fiamma Aluminium one for around £90 but this seems a huge amount to pay for something that looks fairly basic and does not get great reviews.

(We can't fit a permanent one under the door as the van is too low-level.)

G


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

Hi Chris,

We used to use an 'easy step' folding stool to get up into the bed instead of the ladder in the van, theres a similar one here but ours is blue, don't know if you can still get them in that colour though.
Had it years, very sturdy and its still in regular use around the house now.

http://www.healthandcare.co.uk/outdoor-steps/drive-medical-folding-step-stool.html

Pete


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Thanks Pete. We've got a couple of these at home and, apart from the potential to trap fingers, find them very useful. I'm a bit concerned about their stability when stepping down from a height onto them however. We've neither of us particularly bulky but come down on the step quite heavily.

If it ever stops raining I'll take one out to the van and try it out. it would certainly fit tidily in the space we've chosen.

G


----------



## 4maddogs (May 4, 2010)

I had a plastic one (for accessing a high cupboard in the van) but it soon started to feel a bit loose. I replaced it with an aluminium step that is much sturdier from Maplins. It was half price and cost about £7, but can't see it now. They do have a really solid one for £38


----------



## kitty (May 13, 2005)

Hi,

Lakeland have 2 types, we have the blue one which is much sturdier than the easystep, the metal one looks interesting too. Hope this is of interest.

Kitty


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi Grizzly

Our van is lowline and has just a slide out step and like yours the step down to the ground from the slide out step seems to be getting bigger every day :lol: so now we carry a fold up one as shown in an earlier post for times when that side of the van is up on the ramps. We have not used it yet but it will beat searching the campsite for a concrete block .... I did that at a pub site last year ..see picture :wink:

I know your van I think..I think it has a "built in " sort of step inside the van and I realise that you have said that the van is too low to fit a step but are you sure about that?

You may find that the single manual Omnistep would fit and do the job. We had a similar internal step to yours on our old Autosleeper but the fitted manual Omnistep made getting out easier ...a tad expensive but once fitted you would could forget the "where do we store the step".

http://www.omnistorawnings.co.uk/product/omni-step_manual_47/ <<

Mike


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

I just knew MHF would come up trumps ! We've got a Lakeland and a Maplin within striking distance. I'd never have thought of either of them. The Lakeland aluminium one looks just the job.

I like the look of the Omnistep but we don't think the step area itself is strong enough to take it. We had a rummage round there yesterday after seeing a post on soggy Swift floors.

Thanks again

G


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

kitty said:


> Hi,
> 
> Lakeland have 2 types, we have the blue one which is much sturdier than the easystep, the metal one looks interesting too. Hope this is of interest.
> 
> Kitty


Thanks for that, that blue one is exactly the one we have, the old memory banks aren't what they used to be...

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/5591/Fold-up-Step-Stool

Pete


----------



## commuter (Jul 13, 2011)

also jml

and try http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&...vpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&ref=pd_sl_81d1nkwixp_b


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

We've just been to Lakeland and bought the last of the folding Megasteps at that store. It is a little heavier than we'd have liked but in every other respect is perfect for our use. 

If anyone else wants on then, be quick !, Lakeland are not going to re-stock with more.

Thank you very much for all the advice- and especially to kitty for pointing us to Lakeland..

G


----------



## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

Grizzly said:


> We've just been to Lakeland and bought the last of the folding Megasteps at that store. It is a little heavier than we'd have liked but in every other respect is perfect for our use.
> 
> If anyone else wants on then, be quick !, Lakeland are not going to re-stock with more.
> 
> ...


Hi Grizzly - I thought the step looks very good. Could you say how much it weighs please?

Many thanks
Mike


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

mikebeaches said:


> . Could you say how much it weighs please?
> 
> Mike


4.7 kg /10 lbs Mike

G


----------



## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

Much appreciated - thanks! Guess it must be sturdy if it weighs that much. Just got an old pile of magazines and put them on the scales to establish exactly how heavy 4.7kg feels. I'm certainly minded to buy one though - and it appears to be free delivery on orders over £30.

I also like the fact the height of the step is a couple of inches lower than our existing Fiamma-style plastic one. 

Mike


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

What we like about it - apart from the non-slip top- is that the legs are well-spread. It's one thing stepping up and down onto these things from the ground but when you are stepping down onto them from above they must not topple over or slide away. 

It fits neatly into a Tesco canvas shopping bag ( the one with a rope handle and ladybirds on it !) so can be carried outside easily and will not scratch the place we're going to put it.

G


----------



## Steamairy (Mar 7, 2007)

Thanks very much for this. Just what we were looking for!

Have now ordered one


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Sod's Law being what it is I've just had a mailing from Lakeland giving the sale price of the Mega Step - that I bought 2 days ago- as £13.99 not the £34.99 which we paid.

http://www.lakeland.co.uk/23425/Mega-Step

If you want one, buy now !

(Disgruntled ? Moi ? You bet !)

G


----------



## shedbrewer (Jan 6, 2007)

*Free standing steps*

We have used the Lakeland step in our A/S Clubman for the last five years and it does it's job perfectly. The top side is, should the step get damaged at all, you just return it to any Lakeland store and have it replaced, free of charge.


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> (Disgruntled ? Moi ? You bet !)
> 
> G


Hi grizz

That's not like you to chuck in the towel and take it lying down :lol:

Get on the phone pronto and ask them if they really want you to order another and return the one you have just had delivered....see this on the website... well worth a phone call I reckon.

_Returns

If at any time, or for any reason, you're not completely happy with your purchase(s), we'll give you a full refund with no fuss, no time limit and with free return postage. It's all part of the Lakeland guarantee

To do this, it would be really helpful if you could call one of our friendly Customer Services Advisors on 015394 88100 first, as there are occasions when it may not be necessary for you to be inconvenienced by sending a product back to us._


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

spykal said:


> Hi grizz


I didn't. I wrote to HQ, as an aside saying that I'd recommended it to all on here and knew that Lakeland made 2 sales, at least, out of that- and got a charming letter back the gist of which is " tough": the shop would not have known it was going to be on sale so could not have advised us to wait a day.

_Thanks for taking the time to get in touch with us. I'm sorry to hear that the mega step you recently bought at full price is now in the sale and I fully understand your disappointment......................................
I hope the mega step proves to be very handy for your motor home holidays and I'd like to thank you again for contacting us........_

It's a good step however and we did go into the purchase prepared to pay the full price.

It would have been nice to have been sent a voucher for the difference though !

G


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Grizzly said:


> It's a good step however and we did go into the purchase prepared to pay the full price.
> 
> It would have been nice to have been sent a voucher for the difference though !
> 
> G


I know that you are happy with the step and you are being oh so reasonable but I am sure that they may do "something" if you ask ....either way if you do give them a call please let us know what they come up with...even if it is "hard luck" ....which from their reputation I would doubt.....give them a chance to shine !!

Mike


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

Monday Mike...!

G

(PS Considering I must have sold them a huge number of Remoskas as well !)


----------

