[jaydig]

I thought one of these would be ideal on the plot as I currently have to manhandle a normal hose, which is not only heavy, but kinks when being used.

I have looked at the reviews, and not many people have anything good to say about them.  Has anyone tried one of these, and are they worth investing in?

[Goneterseed]

One of my plot neighbours bought a couple of them but gave them up as the plastic fittings kept breaking.

[Growster...]

We've had one for two years, and swear by it!

It's easy to store, has all the fittings to suit the popular brands, and doesn't get knotted up either!

I think you have to pay more for a better one, that was a comment we saw when we bought ours, but to keep 50' of hose in a small cardboard box in the shed is a real bonus!

I'd buy another if anything happened to this one!

[Auntiemogs]

I bought one last year and absolutely love it!  So much lighter and it doesn't kink.  I read some reviews where people complained about the lack of water pressure, but in my experience, it makes sense to let it expand before using it or it'll be trying to expand and water at the same time...

[Growster...]

Jaydig, as Auntie says, you need water pressure to make it work properly.

If you're just syphoning from a tank, it won't work...

Sorry if this is stating the obvious!

[jaydig]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.  One of my plot neighbours has one, and hasn't had any problems with it, but all the negative reviews were giving me pause for thought. 

If you guys are finding yours ok, then I think I'll give one a go.  It certainly seems to be a solution to the problem of heaving a heavy hose around the plot.  I'll let you know how I get on, and thanks again.

[wapello]

Worth getting, i got two, 50ft one for washing  my van and car, and 75ft one for the garden  just be carefull not to stand on them with stoney ground,,,

[18Forts1999]

I've had one for about three years now and would't go back to the 'other' type. Just remember to release all the water in the hose before taking it from the tap! I forgot yesterday and got a soaking

[JayG]

I've never owned one but I have used one or two and thought they must have been designed by someone who didn't like gardeners much and/or had a sideline business selling blood pressure pills! 

On that basis I'd suggest buying the same one as Growster has! 

[Growster...]

I've never owned one but I have used one or two and thought they must have been designed by someone who didn't like gardeners much and/or had a sideline business selling blood pressure pills! 

On that basis I'd suggest buying the same one as Growster has! 

Quite right, JayG.

It seems that the nylon covering needs to be robust enough  to stop the flexible rubber inner tube from getting too frisky!

We love ours, and in fact, we have a special extension on our garden hose arrangement so that we can use it in the greenhouse, as the tap on the handle can moderate the flow, and not send all the seedlings into the next county!

[jaydig]

After yesterday's fiasco the decision is made!  I'm definitely buying one tomorrow.  Having finished watering yesterday, I went to the tap to disconnect my hose, but forgot to turn the tap off first. Before I'd even got it part way off the tap I'd been drenched with spray.  I tightened the hose back on, because I suddenly realised that I'd left the hose nozzle closed, and my hose is notoriously difficult to get off the tap unless the nozzle is open.  I ran back to open the hose nozzle, and then, as I dropped the hose on the ground, I realised that I'd left the tap turned on.  Before I could catch the blessed thing it reared up like a cobra and soaked me from head to foot.  Good job it was a hot day because I soon dried out.

[Growster...]

Well, at least you gave the neighbours a treat, Jay!

I managed to get our system working yesterday, and it does take out so much of the mucking about with cans and buckets etc!

Again, don't get the cheapest if you can cope with that. They sometimes come with a great 'gun' spray, and that works very well if it's a goodun!

[Tadworth]

My wife bought one of the wrinkly expanding hoses when we took on our allotment 18 months ago.  We are quite a long way from the communal tap so a long conventional hose would have been required, with the attendant problems of weight, bulk and storage.  Unfortunately I managed to puncture the inner hose by snagging the hose on brambles and, while the hose still delivers water, the flow is much reduced and I would like to repair it.

Given the construction (a hose within a woven sleeve), it is not obvious how to do this.  Are there any experts out there who can advise, please?  An alternative would be to cut the hose, remove the punctured piece and reconnect the remaining sections of hose.  How difficult is it to fit standard hose connectors to this type of hose?

Any advice gratefully received.  Thanks.

[Yorkie]

Welcome to the website 

Can you cut through most of the fabric where the hole is, enough to gain access to use a puncture repair kit? So that you don't completely separate the two pieces of fabric - this would mean the fabric doesn't bunch up and leave the hose unprotected.

I've not tried connecting the hose to a joiner connector, but if the hose is standard gauge then it should be possible. The issue would be with the fabric, which wouldn't reattach

[Aunt Sally]

You can get kits for mending/joining expanding hoses.  Google finds them on a site beginning with A