The Best Fire Escape Ladder

Top pick

By the time we were well into our testing, it was clear that the X-It 2-Story Emergency Escape Ladder is the best option.

The X-It was the easiest ladder to set up, by a long shot. Getting the X-It attached to our window required the least amount of thinking, which is exactly what you want in an emergency. Its grappling-hook design is simpler than the other ladders’, and, with no hinges, pivot points, and folding parts, it’s intuitive to attach to a windowsill. On his first try, without any instruction at all, our 7-year-old tester walked up to a window and properly hooked the X-It onto the sill in less than five seconds. He said, “This is the best one, it’s just super easy to set up. Super easy.”

This was also the first ladder my son tested, so he didn’t have the benefit of seeing how the other ladders worked. What’s unique about the X-It is that, at a glance, it’s obvious how the hook should be positioned over the sill. There’s simply only one way it can happen. The hooks of the other ladders are all much more complicated. They’re larger and have folding parts that make it possible to position them multiple ways in the opening—a right way, and a wrong way. My son struggled to set up these other ladders, even after instruction (as did I). But the X-It he got right every single time.

It was the easiest to climb down. The X-It’s aluminum rungs are relatively comfortable to be on, even if you’re wearing only socks or are barefoot. With it hooked on a sill, its rungs hang against the house, adding stability to the ladder and making it the easiest one to climb down. The hook design of the other models leaves the rungs hanging a few inches away from the house, so once a foot hits them and starts shifting weight to the rung, the ladder is much more likely to move either to the side or even farther away from the house. We’re not saying that the X-It is a breeze to climb down—because any rope-ladder design is challenging—but during our climbing test, everyone had a harder time with the others.

Because the hook design is so intuitive, the X-It’s bundle of rungs was always naturally positioned to be put out the window. The hooks of the other models are so confusing that by the time we had them hooked, the straps connecting to the rung bundle were usually twisted up, which took additional time to deal with.

It can handle a wide variety of walls and window sills. The X-It hook doesn’t wrap around the entire wall like the others, so there are no limitations on wall thickness, which could come into play with brick or stone buildings that traditionally have thicker exterior walls. The Kidde and First Alert ladders require wall thicknesses of between 6 and about 11 inches and a minimum width of between 16 and 20 inches. The X-It is also very narrow, so width won’t be a problem for smaller windows (as long as you can safely fit out). Also, X-It is the only company that says its ladder can be hung from a balcony railing.

It’s very light. A final element of the X-It’s easy setup is that it’s a featherweight compared with the others. At about 6 pounds, it’s almost two pounds less than the next lightest model (the 7¾-pound Kidde). This may not seem like much, but to a 7-year-old, it’s quite a bit. “Wow, this one is really light, way lighter than the others,” mine said. In a high-stress situation, you want any advantage you can get.

It’s stored in a brightly colored bag which should be easy to find in an emergency. The X-It fits in a bright yellow Velcro-sealed bag about the size and shape of a shoebox. This makes it easy to store, whether in a closet or under a bed, with a color that’s easy to spot among clutter in dim light. The other ladders are all much bulkier, mostly due to their folding-hook designs, and don’t come with storage bags. Because of its small size and weight, the X-It should be a one-handed grab for most people, which we like, because in an emergency situation you could be carrying a child in your other arm—and it works if you plan on having only a single ladder in a central location and relocating it at a moment’s notice.

The rungs hold together until you’re ready to deploy them. When stowed, the ladder’s aluminum rungs nest within one another, and the textured treads provide a little grip to hold them together. A Velcro strap creates a sturdy bundle that can withstand being dropped or banged against the wall without coming apart. The Kidde ladder has very similar rungs to the X-It’s, but the First Alert’s rungs aren’t nested or textured and we had problems with them sliding out of the bundle and becoming tangled before they were even out the window.

According to the X-It website, the ladder is “designed and tested by applying a 1,000 lb load in the middle of any step.” During the course of our testing, we never felt that we were putting any extreme strain on the ladder’s weight limit.

It’s easy to rebundle, which makes it possible to practice with it. We can’t emphasize this point enough. During testing, I watched two of my kids setting up ladders and backing out of windows, waving their feet around, trying to locate the top rung. By the end of the day, they were doing it with little effort, but the first few times were slow, cautious, and tentative. I can’t imagine the scene if they had to do it for the first time at night with their house on fire and everyone yelling and screaming.

The X-It is one of the few escape ladders available in lengths longer than three stories. These longer ladders start to get very expensive, but if they suit your situation, they’ll be worth the cost. A mounting kit is also available (video here) that gives the option to permanently attach the X-It below a window.

If you’re unsure which size to go with, Aldo DiBelardino, inventor of the X-It ladder, recommends hanging a weighted string out the window until it touches the ground, then marking it at the inside windowsill and measuring it. “This is especially helpful when your application has obstacles like overhangs or roofs.” He said that you want the ladder to get you within 2 feet of the ground (but if you’re more comfortable with a bigger last step, that’s fine too).

X-It will replace it if it’s ever used in a fire. Last, the X-It comes with a unique guarantee. Beyond a standard 60-day return policy, X-It will replace your ladder free of charge if it is ever used in a documented emergency.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

The primary downside of the X-It is the cost. It’s one of the most expensive escape ladders we found, and roughly $30 and $50 more than the other two we tested. On one hand, it’s odd to justify paying this much for something you’ll hopefully never use, but after seeing how the less-expensive models performed (and knowing what’s at stake), we solidly recommend the X-It for the reasons stated above. Yes, it’s costly, but the investment also buys some peace of mind.