The invention relates to a set of extendable ladders, in particular firefighting ladders, consisting of at least two ladder parts, each part being formed from side rails and rungs running between the side rails, and the uppermost ladder part is formed from at least two ladder sections interconnected by an articulated link, the articulation axis of which runs substantially parallel with the rungs, and when the uppermost ladder part has been fully retracted into the ladder part lying below, the first ladder section and the second ladder section overlap the ladder part lying below. In order to increase flexibility and the range of use of the set of ladders, at least the ladder part lying directly below the uppermost ladder part has a gap which, in the head region of the ladder part between the side rails, is open towards the tip of the ladder and is continuous between the front face and rear face of the ladder part, such that when the articulation axis overlaps the ladder part lying directly below the uppermost ladder part, the second ladder section can be tilted through the gap about the articulation axis.