It always makes me laugh when anything negative is said about Gardiners on here, I am not going to call them one way or another as I don't use their poles, but I do think there is a fan club on here who must be in their pay!
There is so much smoke blown up their arses they must be well cured by now.
It's more than negative with drwindows though. It's an idiot spouting rubbish who hasn't a clue what he's talking about! 
But it goes to the other extreme too, with people who have only been working wfp for a matter of a few months spouting off that they are the best poles out there for everyday residential use.
That may be so, but until someone has used all makes of pole back to back over a long period of time it is a big statement to make.
I personally use brodex alloy poles at the moment as they are strong and do the job that I want them to do, I don't need light and cutting edge, just reliability that it will work everytime I pick it up and chuck it back in the van.
I have been using it for a year now with no problems what so ever, yeah the clamps came unglued, but a bit of glue and it works fine, never sticks, rigid and is strong - good enough for me.