Clean It Up
UK Window Cleaning Forum => Window Cleaning Forum => Topic started by: aiminvestor on September 11, 2009, 02:09:49 pm
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Thinking of buying a new 27' pole and trying to decide which is better, SLX or Glider?
Anyone have both, and have an unbiased opinion please?
The SLX looks slightly cheaper, and a bit lighter, but concerned about the clamp issue mentioned here previously.
Not sure if Ionics have the Glider in stock yet, (there were none last week), wheras the SLX IS in stock I believe, which may influence me if opinion is balanced.
Any opinions welcome.
TIA
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I only have the slx but from past posts I believe that not only is it lighter, it's more rigid and possibly more sturdier. I wouldn't worry too much about clamping issues, as gardiners back up is top notch. I recently broke a lever by knocking it against a post, gardiners shipped new clamp parts free of charge.
Simon.
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I have used the SL-X regularly. I have also used a Glyder briefly at an Ionics roadshow. Although Ionics say that the difference in weight is little, the Glyder felt a LOT heavier to me.
Of course it may be that the Ionics weight comparison was just with the bare poles rather than with brushes added or there may be some other reason but the Glyder did feel a lot heavier.
As far as clamps go, I'm not so keen on the Gardiner clamps. They were OK at first but seem to need frequent tightening - particularly the no1 and no2 clamps. However, these are the original clamps and I understand that the newer ones are a lot better.
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Many thanks for some excellent replies.
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I was at Ionics on Thursday, they have plenty in stock. I'm going to buy a Glider Pole next week, I was speaking to a Chap who was also looking at various Ionics Equipment and said to me the Ionics poles will last 5 times longer than any pole on the market if you look after them. All my poles from Ionics and other acquaintances in the business are all lasting, and are in very good condition.
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My staff wont use the slx anymore, they get black hands with it and cant get there hands clean in the evenings, I suppose it is the same with amy Carbon Fibre pole.
Whats the lesser of the 2 evils black hands or glass fibre splinters ?
Dont seem to get the same problems with the supalite though
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I was at Ionics on Thursday, they have plenty in stock. I'm going to buy a Glider Pole next week, I was speaking to a Chap who was also looking at various Ionics Equipment and said to me the Ionics poles will last 5 times longer than any pole on the market if you look after them. All my poles from Ionics and other acquaintances in the business are all lasting, and are in very good condition.
That's pure Ionics marketing talk for you. If I would compare the SL-X to an Extender, I would get even more life out of them. :D
Any pole lasts a lot longer when you look after it. Some users have wore carbon fibre poles out in like 2 months. Mine is still going strong after well over a year of use.
Most important thing, is to keep the pole hose off the ground, or wipe it after every job, or in between even. Your hands won't get black because it doesn't wear at all that much.
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My staff wont use the slx anymore, they get black hands with it and cant get there hands clean in the evenings, I suppose it is the same with amy Carbon Fibre pole.
Whats the lesser of the 2 evils black hands or glass fibre splinters ?
Dont seem to get the same problems with the supalite though
Interesting, although the Supalite is more of a commercial pole than residential.
A bit more expensive too, although if long lasting, worth that bit extra of course.
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I was at Ionics on Thursday, they have plenty in stock. I'm going to buy a Glider Pole next week, I was speaking to a Chap who was also looking at various Ionics Equipment and said to me the Ionics poles will last 5 times longer than any pole on the market if you look after them. All my poles from Ionics and other acquaintances in the business are all lasting, and are in very good condition.
Glyder may well be more durable if weight equates to strength though I've not had the opportunity to try it out over time. I wouldn't fancy using the Glyder at difficult angles though if extended. This is where the SL-X is good for me. Since getting the SL-X, my ladder climbing onto roofs has reduced a lot as it has the length and the low weight to permit "bridging" over many of them - though I use steps on some of them to get the elevation.
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My staff wont use the slx anymore, they get black hands with it and cant get there hands clean in the evenings, I suppose it is the same with amy Carbon Fibre pole.
Whats the lesser of the 2 evils black hands or glass fibre splinters ?
Dont seem to get the same problems with the supalite though
Have they got the new plastic clamps fitted? That seems to have cut the dust right down on mine. My hands used to be permanently black untill I started wearing carpenter gloves. Try it it can only be good for your sex life ;)
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We havent got the plastic clamps, might be an idea.
Gloves are out of the question really.
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Marketing for ANY company i don't think so. I buy mostly Ionics because I'm fed up with buying equipment from suppliers that lasts 5 minutes. If you go to cheap i think you pay in the long run. I know people who have Ionics poles that have lasted for over 4/5 years. You pay for what you get. That's why i ditched my old system and moved to Ionics, its a no brainer mate, running costs and water Quality have all improved.
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DAve morris,
Do your staff use Ionics poles?
If so, do they get black hands with those as well?
Gloves would possibly be ok in winter, but surely not in summer?
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Marketing for ANY company i don't think so. I buy mostly Ionics because I'm fed up with buying equipment from suppliers that lasts 5 minutes. If you go to cheap i think you pay in the long run. I know people who have Ionics poles that have lasted for over 4/5 years. You pay for what you get. That's why i ditched my old system and moved to Ionics, its a no brainer mate, running costs and water Quality have all improved.
Yea but the SL-X doesn't last 5 minutes, that was my point. And they aren't cheap either. Ionics running cost is MUCH much higher with all the filters that you need to buy. No chance it's cheaper to run. And pure water is pure water.
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SLX with the old clamps = black hands and a pole that all though very usable wears alarmingly fast for the price.
SLX with the new clamps = no black dust or hands a pole that will last several times longer and is still really usable. The black dust has completely stopped on my pole since I put the new clamps on. All those that have an SLX should give it a go, after all it's under a tenner and the pole upgrade makes it feel brand new.
I wear surgical gloves, not only to stop the pole staining my hands but also muddy hoses when reeling in.
Simon.
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i got the sl-x 25 2 weeks ago its a good light rigid pole the pole itself is mint downside to the clamps is you do have to tighten them a lot,and the brush dont feel stiff enough to give a good scrub if y need to,so thinking of getting a new clamp kit as a spare and changing the brush for something a little stiffer,but all in all i like the pole
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i got the sl-x 25 2 weeks ago its a good light rigid pole the pole itself is mint downside to the clamps is you do have to tighten them a lot,and the brush dont feel stiff enough to give a good scrub if y need to,so thinking of getting a new clamp kit as a spare and changing the brush for something a little stiffer,but all in all i like the pole
Did you buy the pole second hand? If it was from gardiners then it should have the new clamps already. The only time I've found the brush to struggle has been on windows not cleaned for several years.
Simon.
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nope straight from ges just gardiners it has new clamps just keep undoing for some reason and like i said the brush dont seem stiff enough to me but can change that,all in all i do like the pole
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nope straight from ges just gardiners it has new clamps just keep undoing for some reason and like i said the brush dont seem stiff enough to me but can change that,all in all i do like the pole
Give Alex an email asap, he will sort it for you mate.
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Without wishing to hijack this thread, we have found these gloves are particularly good for the summer months. Great grip and and due to only having rubber on the palms, not the backs, they allow your hands to breath and still allow good finger movement.
http://www.screwfix.com/prods/74540/Workwear-PPE/Protective-Clothing/Gloves/General-Handling-Builders-Gloves
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nope straight from ges just gardiners it has new clamps just keep undoing for some reason and like i said the brush dont seem stiff enough to me but can change that,all in all i do like the pole
Have used my SL-X25 for some weeks now. My clamps stay tight and I've never had black on my hands.
This pole is so light and rigid in use, it's probably the bext WFP item I've bought.
I would point out that I do treat it with respect and keep it cleaned which only takes a couple of minutes.
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no dont get me wrong i am impressed with the pole wouldnt swap it but i had it 2 weeks brush just dont seem stiff enough for me if the window is hevaly soiled its a struggle,and is getting wore out quite fast
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Thanks for all the replies, this was an interesting thread to follow.
I have decided to go with the Ionics Glyder 28ft.
My main reason is I have used one, and found it easy to use, and there don't appear to have been any issues with this pole, and the extra cost is minimal.
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Why not try and hook up with someone that has an slx, more money isn't always best. I honestly believe that the slx is the best pole out there. Btw I have 3 sl brushes and they are all going strong all used regular.
Simon.
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I was at Ionics on Thursday, they have plenty in stock. I'm going to buy a Glider Pole next week, I was speaking to a Chap who was also looking at various Ionics Equipment and said to me the Ionics poles will last 5 times longer than any pole on the market if you look after them. All my poles from Ionics and other acquaintances in the business are all lasting, and are in very good condition.
To say they have plenty in stock is a good enough indication to me that there not all that,i`ve used 1 for a few windows and that was enough for me to make up my mind.Closed it was well over 6ft and as heavy as lead enough for me to keep my money in my pocket on that occasion.
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To say they have plenty in stock is a good enough indication to me that there not all that
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
So if a company has a product is in stock then it must be no good. HA HA HA
No offense but what a riducilous thing to say!
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Don`t hear many people on here rave on about them do you,that in itself is enough for me.
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I was at Ionics on Thursday, they have plenty in stock. I'm going to buy a Glider Pole next week, I was speaking to a Chap who was also looking at various Ionics Equipment and said to me the Ionics poles will last 5 times longer than any pole on the market if you look after them. All my poles from Ionics and other acquaintances in the business are all lasting, and are in very good condition.
To say they have plenty in stock is a good enough indication to me that there not all that,i`ve used 1 for a few windows and that was enough for me to make up my mind.Closed it was well over 6ft and as heavy as lead enough for me to keep my money in my pocket on that occasion.
"heavy as lead"???
They only weigh 2.6 kG!
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Plenty in stock - worrying!!
Are you sure you will get the same level of after sales that Alex Gardiner offers - absolutely first rate.
Unfortunately a well known 'market leader' left a bad taste in my mouth at an Excell exhibition a few years back. I had hard cash in my pocket ready for a system, but was a relative newbie at the time. I had decided on their system based on their professional advertising.
They started talking to me and then totally blanked me when some flash guy in a suit turned up. I was then left standing there feeling very awkward. (I saw the same guy later placing a large order on another stand)
Maybe it was a one off - maybe they have learnt better customer service since but having been a manager in customer service for most of my working life I found the situation embarassing and unacceptable.
Your will not get treated like this by the likes of Alex Gardiner.
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When you look at all the advertised weights of poles it looks like nothing in comparison,use a pole that weighs only slightly more and you can feel the difference in an instant.A few pounds at 30-40ft feels a lot lot more when in use.
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When you look at all the advertised weights of poles it looks like nothing in comparison,use a pole that weighs only slightly more and you can feel the difference in an instant.A few pounds at 30-40ft feels a lot lot more when in use.
Very true.
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When you look at all the advertised weights of poles it looks like nothing in comparison,use a pole that weighs only slightly more and you can feel the difference in an instant.A few pounds at 30-40ft feels a lot lot more when in use.
The Glyder is only a 28' pole.
It feels fine, I have used one.
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hi aimin , you must be out on the streets now ? hope its going ok
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I was at Ionics on Thursday, they have plenty in stock. I'm going to buy a Glider Pole next week, I was speaking to a Chap who was also looking at various Ionics Equipment and said to me the Ionics poles will last 5 times longer than any pole on the market if you look after them. All my poles from Ionics and other acquaintances in the business are all lasting, and are in very good condition.
To say they have plenty in stock is a good enough indication to me that there not all that,i`ve used 1 for a few windows and that was enough for me to make up my mind.Closed it was well over 6ft and as heavy as lead enough for me to keep my money in my pocket on that occasion.
I rang Gardiners last week, and they had all their poles in stock, so on the basis of your post above, their poles "aren't all that" either!
So what you seem to be saying is i need to look around for a supplier whose poles are not in stock!
Hmmmmm!
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hi aimin , you must be out on the streets now ? hope its going ok
Yes thanks, ok so far (touchwood, no complaints!) but helping a friend with some other unrelated work this week so starting slower than I had anticipated.
I hope to go to out fulltime next week now, have some houses waiting through a friend, so hope the weather stays clear on Monday.
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The glider is 70% heavier (not sure if brushes are included) and from the cool ionics video doesn't look as rigid as the slx. The extra kg would really notice especially over cons. Not a bad promotional video though, I can see why people would be impressed.
Does any one know if the glyder is servicable like the slx, replacing sections ect.
Simon.
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My staff wont use the slx anymore, they get black hands with it and cant get there hands clean in the evenings, I suppose it is the same with amy Carbon Fibre pole.
Whats the lesser of the 2 evils black hands or glass fibre splinters ?
Dont seem to get the same problems with the supalite though
surgical gloves :) them throwaway ones for a few quid a box , you know it makes sense
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surgical gloves :) them throwaway ones for a few quid a box , you know it makes sense
I agree, I use non-powdered nitrile gloves, in the winter I use thicker gloves over the top. I wouldn't work without gloves these days as there is so much muck on hosepipes etc. I'm surprised that anyone who employs workers doesn't have to stipulate gloves as part of their H&S policy.