[firefly123]

any of you got this pole if so is it worth getting it

[john tomkins]

Yes

[niceandclean]

Yes i had one from the very first batch. Still going strong!!

[Dave Turley]

yes, and yes!

[SonOfFormby]

Had one a couple of weeks now, good pole

Lee

[ryan1]

I just got mine last week after thinking about it for a while, The best pole that i have used so far

[pingu]

Had mine 11 months (1st used on the 20th May 2008)...it's been back to Gardiners for a service within 5 months (great customer service) ...and recently I have had to cut:

1x 8inch section from the top of section 2 and re-instate the clamp.
1x 8 inch section from the top of section 3 and re-instate the clamp.

It has already had numerous 15mm sections cut and shut from sections 2 and 3 over the past couple of months owing to 'spinning'.

...reason...so worn both on the inside and outside walls from wear..the carbon was so worn you could push it through with your finger tip...and the crack line followed the weave of the carbon.

So I am now ordering a new pole...in less than a year..ok it is light and flexible and yes it does earn me money...but carbon is strong...but it wears...also remember I have to pay around 80 to 90 pound to have it sent to me here in Holland...so another expense.

Do not get me wrong I am not having a pop..this pole has earned me some very good money...but I do not work 5 days a week every week...infact I work 6,5 weeks out of every 8, had nearly a month off work over the Christmas period and a load of time off due to the severe freezing weather we had here...many -5 to -7 days...so this pole that was from the first batch...has not exactly been used for 11 months...I could work out how many hours it has actually been used but I wont as I do not think that it would be good for my head...

Now I love working with the SL-X...it has been light and strong...but and here it is...I do now have to find the money for another pole...yes I could buy a couple of sections but I have to admit that I now do not trust the pole that much...as I think it is worn is other places too....and when these sections go....you'll hear a crack and you'll feel the break take place.

So now to help out I am using the extention for the SL-X which assist's but it does add extra weight.

So my advice to anyone with this pole....split the pole down each working day and hose the inside and outsides out...to remove all grit/dirt...as I think this must be having an effect on the pole..also be aware the the pole hose does attract grit/dirt and this does travel through the pole deposting the grit....

I have to be honest I have had a bit of a cavalier approach to this pole...it has been used and put straight back in the van on fridays and then out for the 1st job monday ...and every now and then it was washed through it was never trodden on or abused but pole hygiene was not really observed that much...so there is a freebie lesson...

Cheers
Dave.

ps..The SL brushes are without doubt the best I have used....I have the range and have found them all to be good at what they do....

[ftp]

Dave, don't you own a Facelift too? If you had used the Facelift everyday the same as the slx do you think it would have withstood the wear any better? I have the new slx and am already getting the carbon dust and black hands so I don't see it lasting any longer than the original. I really don't want to start chopping it down ever because it's the perfect length for some of my jobs and if I lost a foot I couldn't do them - i'd have to get the S2 out.

[macmac]

I realy don't get this wear issue with the slx. Mine is from the first batch,from over 12 months ago & since day one I've used it for every window on my entire round (apart from 1 job which i need to use facelift for half hour for). I've only ever cleaned the pole once & it's still working perfectly day in, day out. I'm not one for looking after my poles either, they just get thrown about & generaly abused.

SLX all the way for me, I ditched my carbon facelift for it & that's saying sumfin!

[Window Washers]

I realy don't get this wear issue with the slx. Mine is from the first batch,from over 12 months ago & since day one I've used it for every window on my entire round (apart from 1 job which i need to use facelift for half hour for). I've only ever cleaned the pole once & it's still working perfectly day in, day out. I'm not one for looking after my poles either, they just get thrown about & generaly abused.

SLX all the way for me, I ditched my carbon facelift for it & that's saying sumfin!

This must have sopmething to do with what people do with the pole hose, as thas where most bits a picked up and put up the pole..

would love to know how others carry thier pole hoses.

I will be very much annoyed if the pole lasts less than a year as xtels wear quick but at £70 to £100 depending on size  they are a throw away pole and last over 6 months being abused

[niceandclean]

I realy don't get this wear issue with the slx. Mine is from the first batch,from over 12 months ago & since day one I've used it for every window on my entire round (apart from 1 job which i need to use facelift for half hour for). I've only ever cleaned the pole once & it's still working perfectly day in, day out. I'm not one for looking after my poles either, they just get thrown about & generaly abused.

SLX all the way for me, I ditched my carbon facelift for it & that's saying sumfin!

Same here. I do blast it through with water 1-2 times a week (more once than twice), and the pole hose gets wiped and coiled every time it it goes back in the van.
 

[macmac]

I realy don't get this wear issue with the slx. Mine is from the first batch,from over 12 months ago & since day one I've used it for every window on my entire round (apart from 1 job which i need to use facelift for half hour for). I've only ever cleaned the pole once & it's still working perfectly day in, day out. I'm not one for looking after my poles either, they just get thrown about & generaly abused.

SLX all the way for me, I ditched my carbon facelift for it & that's saying sumfin!

This must have sopmething to do with what people do with the pole hose, as thas where most bits a picked up and put up the pole..

would love to know how others carry thier pole hoses.

I will be very much annoyed if the pole lasts less than a year as xtels wear quick but at £70 to £100 depending on size  they are a throw away pole and last over 6 months being abused

If my hose is dirty (mainly when ground is wet) I pull it through a sill cloth as I coil it up to put back in van. Other than that, nothing else.

You can't compare xtels with an slx, the latter being a much more productive pole, I'd rather go back to ladders than use xtels! I'm sure you'll see what I mean in the near future.

[macmac]

I realy don't get this wear issue with the slx. Mine is from the first batch,from over 12 months ago & since day one I've used it for every window on my entire round (apart from 1 job which i need to use facelift for half hour for). I've only ever cleaned the pole once & it's still working perfectly day in, day out. I'm not one for looking after my poles either, they just get thrown about & generaly abused.

SLX all the way for me, I ditched my carbon facelift for it & that's saying sumfin!

Same here. I do blast it through with water 1-2 times a week (more once than twice), and the pole hose gets wiped and coiled every time it it goes back in the van.
 

A WEEK!!!   Mine gets done once a year!

[niceandclean]

I realy don't get this wear issue with the slx. Mine is from the first batch,from over 12 months ago & since day one I've used it for every window on my entire round (apart from 1 job which i need to use facelift for half hour for). I've only ever cleaned the pole once & it's still working perfectly day in, day out. I'm not one for looking after my poles either, they just get thrown about & generaly abused.

SLX all the way for me, I ditched my carbon facelift for it & that's saying sumfin!

Same here. I do blast it through with water 1-2 times a week (more once than twice), and the pole hose gets wiped and coiled every time it it goes back in the van.
 

A WEEK!!!   Mine gets done once a year!

Yep, normally on a friday afternoon. 

[ftp]

I wipe the hose on every job and flush the pole whenever it starts to feel tight.

[Window Washers]

I will be honest, im not going to waste my time wiping and cleaning everyday as it will cost me more than the pole is worth in lost time, I will be using the same as any other pole. Clean, wind up, in van, next job and so on. not used carbon poles as yet so the top of the field in reviews I ahd to try it although I am quite happy with the xtels for normal houses I will see the results of carbon soon enough I guess.

[ftp]

You'll never want to use anything else but carbon once you've got the feel. 

[niceandclean]

I will be honest, im not going to waste my time wiping and cleaning everyday as it will cost me more than the pole is worth in lost time, I will be using the same as any other pole. Clean, wind up, in van, next job and so on. not used carbon poles as yet so the top of the field in reviews I ahd to try it although I am quite happy with the xtels for normal houses I will see the results of carbon soon enough I guess.

Wiping the pole hose at the end of each job takes about 5 seconds, i have to coil it anyway, so run it through a cloth as i do this. To blast it out once a week takes 2-3 mins tops.
Anyway, you dont get alot of grit on the pole hose in this weather, normally needs a good wipe when its wet, but its just habit now i suppose.

[[GQC] Tim]

I use a pole hose tidy on my pole to keep the hose off the ground, no cleaning needed anymore.

[Window Washers]

You'll never want to use anything else but carbon once you've got the feel. 

I guess I will judge that over the next few months, I can't comment any more as I have not done it......willing to try and that I will be tomorrow