[matt]

if you are after a cheap telescopic pole, you will not go far wrong with the unger, sure its not that light ( its about the same weight as them glass fibre poles though ), but it will last and last and last

i used mine for over 4 years and it only need the cones changing every now and then which cost a few quid

[Darren O]

Apart from scratches my facelift is in great condition and i havent cleaned it once since the day i bought it never had a problem with clamps top section spinning or anything like that ive no reason to lie maybe the SLX is the better pole i dont realy care.How many people have you heard complaining about wear and tear of ther Facelift poles it might not be the lightest or most rigid or the sexiest pole but it will outlast your SLX anyday.

[jouk45]

when the xtel pole starts to slip, do as dai suggested cut a bit of plastic from a plastic drinks bottle put it round the teeth grips, fully restored, it really does work, manufacturer can make split rings for them if they wanted, but why sell us something for a £1 when they can get another £100 from us,  :

[windowswashed]

Tucker poles will outlast anything for wear and tear. The pennel clamps prevent the need for a tool. Perhaps the SL-X clamps may fit it. Have to measure the dimensions and find out. For low domestic work Tucker pole with a swivel and heat shrink handle is all you need to last years. Tucker shouldn't have stopped selling their poles heat shrink wrapped (big mistake IMO) The poles will take years and years of constant use before the sections ever spin but the pennel clamps are too easy to snap (always in the same place), considering swapping the pennel clamps for SL-X clamps. Shame Facelift clamps won't fit any other pole as they are the best.

[ftp]

So..... after all this my "dads bigger than yours" debate do you get what you pay for?
Pretty much i'd say - two or three cheap poles around £100 per year or a quality carbon telescopic lasting maybe two years? It's not just the cost but the way your pole performs day in day out.

The absolute bargains have to be the Harris poles and fishing poles. Fishing poles come out top for handling but bottom for accidental damage.

[geefree]

fishing poles are great for one offs... or an hour here and there,

but they are not top for handling, how can they be,?.. parts all over the garden, ready to be stepped on...grasping the clear hose with the pole all day?..

they are light and quick, but are bottom of my list for handling.
so the advantages are evened up by the disadvantages.

the facelift though compared to a fishing pole....well look at the price difference... its a huge rip off...they both last the same.

[matt]

fishing poles are great for one offs... or an hour here and there,

but they are not top for handling, how can they be,?.. parts all over the garden, ready to be stepped on...grasping the clear hose with the pole all day?..

they are light and quick, but are bottom of my list for handling.
so the advantages are evened up by the disadvantages.

the facelift though compared to a fishing pole....well look at the price difference... its a huge rip off...they both last the same.

i dont get the parts all over the garden bit, if you are doing the bottoms with just he top ( brush ) section, then you have TWO sections of poles ( leaning against the fence ) , you dont need to hold the hose either, just leave it do what it likes

[EZclean]

which one would you recommend Matt for a first fishing pole DIY?
M16 seems a bit expensive, and Nat has just started using his Gangster, but said the Shimano was stiffer but not as well made.
what would the useable height from the base to brush be from an 11mtr pole?
30ft? maybe

[HIGH LEVEL WINDOW CLEANERS (scrimmy)]

for those on a limited budget and want a really good 30 foot pole then you can do no better than a spiderbeam, all you do is take some top sections out and run some sturdy hose inside, add a brush holder and you have a great 30 feet clampless pole, all for less than 80 quid delivered.

spiderbeam

google it

[pingu]

I have a Facelift 44ft c/f and only this morning when the SL-X could no longer maintain any grip whatsoever on the top section..spinning...it would collapse with the slightest pressure..!! so out came the good old Facelift to save the day...been in use since 0ct 06 and though not as pristine as the day I got it..it does what it is supposed to do..i.e stay up when required.

Now the SL-X (1st used in May 08) is a bloody good pole..it's light, strong...but the sections do wear and require periodic chopping, sawing and filing.

I would imagine that but the time the end of year is upon us..the SL-X will be much, much shorter than it is today.

So when you ask questions like what is the working height of a pole...you would really want to know a few other things...like how long have you been using it..how many times have you had to chop it...things like that

Perhaps instead of jumping in when a new pole comes on the scene..perhaps waiting a year and listening to the view and opinions of those who rushed and bought the item...might not be such a bad idea..

Cheers
Dave.

[Alex Gardiner]

I have a Facelift 44ft c/f and only this morning when the SL-X could no longer maintain any grip whatsoever on the top section..spinning...it would collapse with the slightest pressure..!! so out came the good old Facelift to save the day...been in use since 0ct 06 and though not as pristine as the day I got it..it does what it is supposed to do..i.e stay up when required.

Now the SL-X (1st used in May 08) is a bloody good pole..it's light, strong...but the sections do wear and require periodic chopping, sawing and filing.

I would imagine that but the time the end of year is upon us..the SL-X will be much, much shorter than it is today.

So when you ask questions like what is the working height of a pole...you would really want to know a few other things...like how long have you been using it..how many times have you had to chop it...things like that

Perhaps instead of jumping in when a new pole comes on the scene..perhaps waiting a year and listening to the view and opinions of those who rushed and bought the item...might not be such a bad idea..

Cheers
Dave.

Dave,

Of the hundreds of SL-X's that have been sold yours is probably one of the 1-2% that have worn sufficiently to need this doing to it. The fact that you can chop and re-glue the clamp on is a handy life-extending feature. On most poles that had received the amount of wear to make this needed, you would have to look at buying a new clamp at £11 each (facelift) for each section that had worn.

You can buy replacement SL-X sections if required that would negate the need to carry on 'chopping' too much.

The reason that sections do not seem to wear as fast on some carbon poles (like the Facelift) is that due to their extended section length the poles generally do not get used as much as they lack day to day practicality.

All of the new more practical carbon poles (Hydra, Xtel, Fusion, Glyder) are going to experience the same wear issues as they are much easier to use on all work. They will get used more and will wear faster than their same-make longer counter-parts.

[matt]

which one would you recommend Matt for a first fishing pole DIY?
M16 seems a bit expensive, and Nat has just started using his Gangster, but said the Shimano was stiffer but not as well made.
what would the useable height from the base to brush be from an 11mtr pole?
30ft? maybe

if its for just normal houses, first and ground floor, then the RT zensorflex is great and only 20 quid a pop

higher the gangsta gets to about 3 and 1/2 strorey

i have combined 2 zenflex's and a gangsta ( with a few spare bits ) to get to 42 ft, which was stable and very usable

[matt]

which one would you recommend Matt for a first fishing pole DIY?
M16 seems a bit expensive, and Nat has just started using his Gangster, but said the Shimano was stiffer but not as well made.
what would the useable height from the base to brush be from an 11mtr pole?
30ft? maybe

a guy on the DIY forum has just got a  f 16 ( with 2 extra sections )and he gets 55 ft from it

[EZclean]

thanks for that, ill take the plunge

[ftp]

I think Alex has hit the nail on the head there. The SLX is the best all round pole you can get so it gets hammered. Mine is used for absolutely everything from bungalows to everything it will reach. It would seem that the guys with immaculate Facelift poles are not constantly using them day in day out but have them as a second pole for their higher work and use cheaper poles for bashing about on residential. The Facelifts were so pricey (carbon) that very few people would have the resources to buy two.

[NWH]

I use my 24ft Facelift everyday and is in perfect condition over 3 years down the line with no spinning slipping nothing,the clamps are the best IMO nothing gets close finger tip adjustment is what you need and they have it.There is no way any pole should wear within a year so that it`s spinning and slipping with no way to stop this within minutes-seconds with fine adjustments.I believe the SLX will be a good pole and i look forward to getting 1 when these issues have been sorted.

[ftp]

How do you think it will be sorted NWH, because the carbon will be the same on the next pole?
In your opinion how could the SLX be made to last?

[D.Salkeld_Ltd]

Hi Folks,

This is MY opinion based on MY work.

I would love a SL-X
But, in my case, it would be a non viable investment.
£400 plus spend on a pole only would have to last me for the next 10 yrs with minimum (I can't spell :)
maintainance.

David

[Alex Gardiner]

A good pole is one that you can use day in and day out and will save you time, energy, pain/strain and hassle. This is what is worth paying for.

Of course if the pole is that good and is used for more and more work it will wear - unfortunate fact of life. The strain on my body has become the most important issue in my work.

I used to use as my main pole a six section 31ft Universal, it weighed about 6kg and was relatively cheap, it lasted well -  I still have it in my garage in usable condition. Would I ever use it again? No way although it is cheap and lasts, it is a killer on the shoulders and neck.The old Universal pole lasted a long time in my hands, but I could never go back to them as the strain on my body is more important than saving 50p a week in depreciation costs.

Whatever you end up investing in it should be to improve your working life, whether that is a cheap decorating pole or an expensive 'off-the-shelf' pole. You do get what you pay for, if you pay for old technology you will get a damaged body.

[matt]

A good pole is one that you can use day in and day out and will save you time, energy, pain/strain and hassle. This is what is worth paying for.

Of course if the pole is that good and is used for more and more work it will wear - unfortunate fact of life. The strain on my body has become the most important issue in my work.

I used to use as my main pole a six section 31ft Universal, it weighed about 6kg and was relatively cheap, it lasted well -  I still have it in my garage in usable condition. Would I ever use it again? No way although it is cheap and lasts, it is a killer on the shoulders and neck.The old Universal pole lasted a long time in my hands, but I could never go back to them as the strain on my body is more important than saving 50p a week in depreciation costs.

Whatever you end up investing it should be to improve your working life, whether that is a cheap decorating pole or an expensive 'off-the-shelf' pole. You do get what you pay for, if you pay for old technology you will get a damaged body.

thats a good call

i used the unger 3 X 2 M pole for years ( then when the first pole died i used the cleantech own brand pole ) its a ali pole and lasted for years, it only needed the clamp cones changed every year or more ( they cost a few quid each )
i was happy with it, a very nice pole, it gave me good VFM

i then had a neck problem, we dont know what caused it and i decided to try that pole i had in the garage for he last 18 months, it was the RT Zensorflex, i thought " oh modular, this will be hard work " thus i glued the bottom 2 section together and then the next 2 sections togehter, thus only 3 sections of the pole
the lightness was amazing, it took me a day or 2 to get used to the modular, but the weight was the selling point, oh it only cost 21 quid to build, but that wasnt the issue, it was the lightness, i said at the time, if the pole lasts me 3 months, then 21 quid is still a good buy, 20 something months on and the pole is still in use ( yes its looking worn, very worn infact ) buts its cost me 1 quid a month

for me the issue has to be lightness, your using your pole day in day out all day, the lighter the better