Step ladders make great work platforms when used in the usual manner—with the legs folded open and placed on a flat level surface. But many of us occasionally use them like straight ladders, leaving them closed and leaning them against walls, posts, and other solid objects. It's not the way step ladders are intended to be used but that doesn't stop people from doing it.

In a nod to the way people actually use tools on site, the folks at Louisville Ladder tweaked a design and began to produce the Cross Step Ladder (1500 series) step ladders. At first glance they look like any other fiberglass step ladders—until you see the top, which has chamfered corners and a notch in the middle. 

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The notch allows you to lean the ladder against a post or outside corner without fear it will slide when you lean to the side. It also forces you to center the ladder. 

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The chamfered corners spread the load and prevent damage to walls when you lean the ladder into inside corners. It helps that the front edge of the top is covered with heavy rubber bumpers.

As with platform style ladders, the back legs on this one are not connected to the top; they swing from aluminum brackets several inches down. This allows them to fold tight to the front legs for better (more compact) storage and to create greater clearance when the ladder is leaned instead of opened.

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A small but easily missed detail are the catches they added to the back set of legs. When the ladder is new the rivets that hold the back legs to the connection bracket will be tight enough to keep the legs from swinging open when the ladder is leaned. But in time the rivets will loosen and the back set of legs will swing free. The catches hold the front and back legs together when the ladder is closed. If you've ever leaned a ladder and had the back legs swing out and catch before the front you'll know why this feature was added.

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A magnet under the top right edge of the top can be used to hold ferromagnetic objects (nuts, bolts, small tools, and the like) in place on the top.

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