Are Expandable Garden Hoses any good?

[rootball]

Hi Everyone, not sure where to post this .
I'm looking at maybe getting an expandable garden hosepipe.
Does anyone here have one that has proved to be good and worth getting.
So many people on sites give 5 star reviews on looks without ever having used it first or after one use.
So i would be very happy for any suggestions of ones that have proven to be worth the money.
Thanks
R

[Containergardener]

I have one and got one for my mum. I use it at the back, the other was too heavy and long to fight with dragging I round.
This is my second. I'd left one in the shed over winter and the mice had a great time was like a fountain with holes. They'd been nibbling the fabric off. That's one thing to be careful of.

[greenishfing]

I had one, I can't remember the brand, not particularly expensive. As long as the water pressure was good it was brilliant and lightweight I then bought another from B & M. It was useless. It kept blowing itself off the tap.

[Nicos]

I’ve tried two different types( cheap ones) and the ends were very flimsy and the material damaged easily.
Unless someone comes up with a more expensive , hardier version then I wouldn’t bother tbh.
Sounds a perfect idea…lightweight, takes up less space….

[Andraste]

Hi rootball I've shimmied your question over to the recommendations thread

We bought a cheap one of these & it did what it was supposed to although I never felt like it went back to being as small as it was coming out of the pack. The fabric when wet made putting it away mildly unpleasant & after 3years the spray attachment broke. But, it was much cheaper than a standard hose of the same length.

[Nicos]

Well that’s pretty good Andraste…maybe it depends on the make?

[rootball]

I’ve tried two different types( cheap ones) and the ends were very flimsy and the material damaged easily.
Unless someone comes up with a more expensive , hardier version then I wouldn’t bother tbh.
Sounds a perfect idea…lightweight, takes up less space….

Hi Nicos.

Yes I'm now thinking maybe best I stick to a normal everyday hosepipe. The one i have is now starting to show its age, kinking all the time, starting to go soft and losing its shape. It is about 15 years old, still works without leaking or dripping and never given any trouble apart from the kinking so I'm thinking having a hosepipe running with one end near the back door to the other end at back of the garden is not so bad after all

[rootball]

Hi rootball I've shimmied your question over to the recommendations thread

We bought a cheap one of these & it did what it was supposed to although I never felt like it went back to being as small as it was coming out of the pack. The fabric when wet made putting it away mildly unpleasant & after 3years the spray attachment broke. But, it was much cheaper than a standard hose of the same length.

Hi Andraste.
3 years is not to bad.

I just replied to Nicos saying my hosepipe is about 15 years old and only now starting to show its age so i might just get a new hosepipe if only i could remember where i got this one

[Andraste]

We try not to use ours very much so that's a factor too. We haven't replaced ours - I just stick my thumb over the end when I want it to spray

Like most things I guess you get what you pay for in the long run so maybe decide what length you need & how much you're prepared to pay & look for the best quality that meets those criteria 👍

[Nicos]

We have very high UV so our plastic hosepipes don’t last long..even the much more solid ones I’ve not seen sold in the uk.
Far too heavy to lug around for sure…that’s why I was delighted to see the ones you are asking about. Instead, we have decided on more large water butts and watering cans left around the place…but they can be heavy walking back and forth full of water!
I even thought maybe carry them in a small wheelbarrow!

I really would jump at the chance of a better quality one…maybe we should write to NASA to see what durable materials are available for making expandable hose pipes!?…Set up a company making them?
Cor…now that’s an idea…you read it first here folks!…

[smallblueplanet]

We've got two of these (Gardena Liano Life Textile Hose), well one is the Extreme version. I really like them and don't bother with 'reeling them in' any more, just loop them up. Didn't pay full price for either as they're pricey, but off Amazon Resale.

[wilbertglover]

We have very high UV so our plastic hosepipes don’t last long..even the much more solid ones I’ve not seen sold in the uk.
Far too heavy to lug around for sure…that’s why I was delighted to see the ones you are asking about. Instead, we have decided on more large water butts and watering cans left around the place…but they can be heavy walking back and forth full of water!
I even thought maybe carry them in a small wheelbarrow! geometry dash lite

I really would jump at the chance of a better quality one…maybe we should write to NASA to see what durable materials are available for making expandable hose pipes!?…Set up a company making them?
Cor…now that’s an idea…you read it first here folks!…

Totally understand the struggle with strong UV exposure destroying hosepipes so quickly. The expandable ones are super convenient, but durability always seems to be the weak point. Your idea about using more advanced materials honestly makes a lot of sense — if space-grade materials can survive extreme environments, surely someone could create a hosepipe that survives a few summers!