Price to wear ratio, Well if I get 24 mths out of this pole, that will equate to around £4 pw. That's around 1 less Mc Dee a week. So think of it as an investment into your health. 
and I mean that in more ways than one.
I remember macmac telling me to go for the Carbon Facelift when I first started. I didn't and been through a bag full of GF's in 24 months. He said the pole is your main tool you are going to work with all day everyday. Knowing what I do now he was absolutely right in what he was saying.
So when this SL-X needs replacing there will probably be another £400 pole on the market and more than likely better than this one. Will I spend another £400? Definitely!!!
Spot on. I've used the SL-X for about a year now (the first one, 25ft) & I haven't suffered any issues with clamps or exsessive wear from the pole! That's one year of bliss, a stonking investment that's re-paid itself many times over. Everyone works in different ways/methods etc, but for me this pole hits the spot every time, it's useability is second to none! I only carry this one pole in the van, it's all I need. Still got the facelift but I only use that once a month for a 44ft reach job.
Some still miss the point though- "I can buy 3 f/g poles for what an SL-X costs" maybe true but it's 3 fat, heavy, bendy, shorter reach poles that slow you down & make your job harder.
P.S. a super-lite brush is the perfect match!
Tony