My take on it is that you wouldn't expect BMW performance when you've paid for a Ford Fiesta.
Having said that, I have used quite as few different poles from Gardiners and the CLX 27 is fine for most purposes. It might get a bit whippy at two floors above ground but I find it totally usable. If using it at an awkward angle, if the full length of the pole is not required, I don't extend the sections out fully. This counteracts much of the whippy effect - a positive side effect is that it will also possibly increase the pole's lifespan if not clamping on the same part of the section constantly. It's a pole that will allow my SLX to last much longer.
Also, sometimes the bend in a CLX is actually helpful. I can think of a few of my jobs where a more rigid pole would make it trickier. Mainly when bridging over the ridge of wide conservatories. The bend allows me to access the bottom of a window beyond the ridge more easily. Also, I have one particularly difficult, very large, job where some windows can only be accessed by sliding the pole between a wide concrete beam and the building. I need a bit of bend to achieve this (hard to explain but if you saw it you would understand more easily). A more rigid pole would be a struggle on these windows.
As value for money goes, the CLX 27 is the best I've come across with it's compromise between cost, rigidity/whippiness and general weight. However, it is a good idea to have an all carbon pole too.
