Flexible Expanding Garden Hose
- Thread starter RoryDavid
- Start date
LifeLongWNYer
Well-known member
I use them on a terrace, to water the plants, and they work good for that. i bring them inside during the winter, but still, I end up replacing one or the other frequently. I generally get about 3 summers from them.
I consider them a "consumable" now, when the first one blew, I spent a lot of time trying to patch it, never did. When they "blow" ( generally I get a major leak right at one of the couplings ) the trash man gets them.
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I consider them a "consumable" now, when the first one blew, I spent a lot of time trying to patch it, never did. When they "blow" ( generally I get a major leak right at one of the couplings ) the trash man gets them.
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FTWingRiders
Well-known member
I keep a few handy for quick jobs. Easier than the 50' hose and reel. I get the brass ends, a few dollars more, but I tried a plastic couplers and they leaked. Not for heavy duty regular use, but I like them, a lot smaller and easier to store. I imagine hot water should be fine, but I've never tried it. YMMV..
Oh.. and welcome to the forum!!!
Oh.. and welcome to the forum!!!
Old Man Roger
Well-known member
Mine lasted 3 months in the south Florida sun.
PelicanPines
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Garbage hoses... buy one... throw it in the garbage. Buy an expensive heavy duty one... pay more money for garbage.
Buy a real hose.
Buy a real hose.
isb cornbinder
Well-known member
My wife said, her expandable hose had a "reptile dysfunction" when it blew an end off after a month of use.
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ford33
Well-known member
I have a couple of them. I consider them disposable even with the brass fittings. They work well for a couple years in Chicago but then leak at the fittings.
You can get them cheap at the end of the summer season at the big box craft and fabric stores and Walmart.
You can get them cheap at the end of the summer season at the big box craft and fabric stores and Walmart.
Billy Jack
Well-known member
I belong to a few detailing forums, where an expanding hose would be a big benefit for the mobile guys and no one has found one with any longevity. I purchased a "Zero-G" hose last year for my wife's gardening. It's a woven construction like a fire hose, doesn't expand or contract in length, but goes flat when water supply is turned off. Super lightweight, comes with a 5-year guarantee and made in USA. I highly recommend it as an alternative to the cheapie expandables.
Bill
Bill
Firebrick43
Well-known member
I have had two expandable hoses of the past 4 years. I find them wonderful to water my four horses every day in the winter. It's easy to unhook, screw the ends together and bring inside. Fighting with a regular hose being stiff, trying to get all the water out, and hung up *****. Even if they only last a few years they are worth it.
Are people bursting them only a few months leaving them out in the sun or out under pressure for sprinklers or something similar?
Are people bursting them only a few months leaving them out in the sun or out under pressure for sprinklers or something similar?
A29
Well-known member
Bought one at a flea market to wash my cars. On its third year
We probably have had about a half dozen of them and no - they usually say don't use hot water with them
They work great and I would really hate to go back to a 'normal' type hose. My experience so far is they work great for the first year (12 month warranty) but won't make it through the second year. Fortunately, my credit card extends the warranty for an additional 12 months so I just file a claim with them and they refund my money.
Our failures are usually at the connection point where the inner latex hose attaches to the barbed type fitting so we take care not to bend the hose real sharp at that point. I did have one hose that burst somewhere in the middle when I turned it on one day
In November I noticed Amazon Warehouse had a bunch of them for around $10 each so we bought about 6. Even if they fail, at that price they are worth it (I would also consider them to be a consumable)
They work great and I would really hate to go back to a 'normal' type hose. My experience so far is they work great for the first year (12 month warranty) but won't make it through the second year. Fortunately, my credit card extends the warranty for an additional 12 months so I just file a claim with them and they refund my money.
Our failures are usually at the connection point where the inner latex hose attaches to the barbed type fitting so we take care not to bend the hose real sharp at that point. I did have one hose that burst somewhere in the middle when I turned it on one day
In November I noticed Amazon Warehouse had a bunch of them for around $10 each so we bought about 6. Even if they fail, at that price they are worth it (I would also consider them to be a consumable)
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jaysberman
Well-known member
I found that the cheap ones do not last a summer.
Bought one at ACE Hardware three years ago and it is still going strong.
Bought one at ACE Hardware three years ago and it is still going strong.
bassbone52
Well-known member
not worth a damn. Won't hold up to any abuse
four.cycle
Well-known member
PelicanPines said:
^ Seriously.
My mom and my girlfriend think they're wonderful. I guess that's why they keep buying new ones every spring.
Last time I used one was to water some pots on my mom's deck while she was out of town. Opened the faucet all the way up and it blew the hose right off the spigot.
Less than worthless, if that is numerically possible.
BuffettFan
Well-known member
My wife has bought two of them. 1st lasted about 1/2 hour, 2nd blew the end off as soon as she turned on the water.
JJ13
Well-known member
I second buying a real hose, something that is nice and flexible. I have heard from many of my customers that the Goodyear rubber hoses are REALLY nice. They last forever and are easy to use or wind up to store because they are so flexible. My hoses are cheap, one from Sam's Club and another from Menards. Both are extremely stiff even on the hottest summer days which makes them difficult to wind back up.
Now for the major reason I won't buy one. I haven't seen this issue mentioned yet. I was helping a friend clean out under the bedroom deck panels (almost flat roof) and all he had was two of these hoses connected together...almost 100 ft. which was what we needed to reach.
If you are going to have it anywhere near full extension, when it's filled with water pressure, it's fine. As soon as you crack open the valve to let water flow, it recoils. The closer you are to maximum extension, the harder it'll try to pull out of your hands and recoil. When you close the valve, water pressure builds inside the hose and it stops trying to recoil.
Now for the major reason I won't buy one. I haven't seen this issue mentioned yet. I was helping a friend clean out under the bedroom deck panels (almost flat roof) and all he had was two of these hoses connected together...almost 100 ft. which was what we needed to reach.
If you are going to have it anywhere near full extension, when it's filled with water pressure, it's fine. As soon as you crack open the valve to let water flow, it recoils. The closer you are to maximum extension, the harder it'll try to pull out of your hands and recoil. When you close the valve, water pressure builds inside the hose and it stops trying to recoil.
wssix99
Well-known member
I also have a Zero-G and it's performed flawlessly for two years - much better than a normal hose out of the package. The fittings are all tight and it doesn't leak a drop.
It's so convenient that it stuffs in to a 5 gallon bucket when done, (much faster than dealing with a hose reel) and comes inside the house.
If you get any type of expandable hose, I would not leave it outside to rot in the elements.
steveo1o9
Well-known member
I bought a similar style flat hose last year for washing the cars so I didn't have to drag the real hose around the house. That P.O.S. lasted only a few weeks before the weave started coming undone. It was supposed to be kink-less and it kinked more then any hose I have ever used. Damn thing was like $40 too... Will only buy a regular hose from now on, no more gimmicks.
myredracer
Well-known member
Most are gimmicky junk. Go to an RV forum and ask. Some RV-ers have had reasonable success with them but I think there's only one or two brands that are even part way acceptable. I very much doubt they'd be rated for hot water use. If for potable water, you'll want one that is NSF certified.
You might be able to find something along the lines of an industrial layflat hose like here that is made from nitrile: https://www.new-line.com/hose/water-discharge-washdown-and-garden-hose/water-discharge-hose-assemblies-rubber-pvc/yellow-layflat-hose-with-mxf-nps-threaded-ends-water-service-only
You might be able to find something along the lines of an industrial layflat hose like here that is made from nitrile: https://www.new-line.com/hose/water-discharge-washdown-and-garden-hose/water-discharge-hose-assemblies-rubber-pvc/yellow-layflat-hose-with-mxf-nps-threaded-ends-water-service-only
I will take a look at the Zero-G hose next time we need to buy a replacement. I definitely won't go back to a regular hose. Again, even if they only last one season, the flexible type hoses are worth it to us
Zero-G (price isn't too bad either)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014M9PEXC/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Speaking of keeping them in a bucket, I have found these 12 gallon pails that work great
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NNJ7CG/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Zero-G (price isn't too bad either)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014M9PEXC/?tag=atomicindus08-20
Speaking of keeping them in a bucket, I have found these 12 gallon pails that work great
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NNJ7CG/?tag=atomicindus08-20
