| Removable | Retractable | |
|---|---|---|
| How it opens | Unlock and lift the post out of its sleeve | The post sinks into a housing: by hand tool (semi-automatic) or a button/controller (automatic) |
| Opens | Occasionally: fire access, a seasonal delivery, events | Often: a staff entrance, a loading gate |
| In the ground | A shallow sleeve: ännt’s crash-rated RM275 fitting is 400 mm deep; Gibraltar’s G-1631R foundation is 8.5 in | A deep housing with drainage: ännt’s SA275 box is 1,720 mm deep |
| Power | None | None for semi-automatic; power and controls for automatic |
| Weight to move | From hand-liftable 4½ in posts up to 92 kg (ännt RM275) | Nobody lifts anything |
| Winter | Ice in the sleeve stops the post going back in | Housing must drain; check the operating range (ännt publishes −40 °C to +70 °C) |
| Crash-rated options | Yes: ännt RM150 (C40 P1), RM275 (M30/K4); Gibraltar G-1631R (S30 P1) | Yes: ännt SA275 (M30, M40), AE275 (M50/K12); Delta DSC720-1M (M50 P1) |
| Relative cost | Lower: a sleeve and a post | Much higher: housing, mechanism, often power and service |
Pick removable if
- The lane opens a few times a month or less.
- There’s no power at the spot, or you don’t want a service contract.
- Someone reliable holds the key (and can lift the post).
Pick retractable if
- The lane opens many times a day, or opening must be quick and controlled.
- Lifting heavy posts by hand isn’t realistic for the staff on site.
- The budget covers a deep foundation, drainage and (for automatic) power.
Sources
- ännt Bollards, RM275/K4-900 removable crash-rated bollard
- ännt Bollards, RM150/C40-900 removable crash-rated bollard
- Gibraltar, Safety bollards (G-1631 series)
- ännt Bollards, SA275/M30-1200 semi-automatic retractable bollard
- ännt Bollards, AE275/M50-1200 automatic retractable bollard
- Delta Scientific, DSC720-1M high-security bollard