paghat wrote:
In article , spampot wrote:


I have been trying to find an article I read in the Washington Post some
weeks ago about a new, flexible, flat, and generally terrific kind of
garden hose, that has of course spawned a lot of cheap and unreliable
imitations. Does anyone know what I'm talking about? A web search
turned up a lot of this kind, wound up on a reel, with the note "As Seen
On TV" -- but I can't find any mention of the manufacturer. Any advice
or experience with this device?

TIA.


One brand name is Toro, there are probably others. But flat hoses suck &
are widely regarded as a "buyer beware" product. If there's a "reliable"
version I've never heard anyone mention it.

OK, I guess I will have to keep searching the Post archives to find the
article that recommended one brand but warned against all the others.
Thanks for all the info you posted.


I've seen all but universal
complaints from gardeners hornswoggled into buying one. Leona H.
previously posted a couple "positives" about such hoses but ultimately
maintained, "There really is no replacement for the standard garden
hose." The poster "Icediver" previously synopsized the common complaints:

----

1) The hose has a narrower lumen than standard 5/8-inch garden
hose, restricting water flow by about 20 percent.

2) The hose is actually a plastic tube surrounded by a braided
cloth sleeve, which easily rips off the hose ends, exposing the
plastic tube. Also, the braided cloth snags on brick or concrete.

3) The hose is easily pinched or kinked, restricting flow further.
You must unwind the entire 50-ft reel if you want to water something
10 feet from the faucet.

4) It is costly compared to standard garden hose.

------

Others report them springing leaks in a very short time. T hey require
more care & protection, so if you're the sort to leave hoses unwound into
the yard from time to time, expect it to get damaged & have to be thrown
away.

I would not underestimate how annoying it would be to have a hose that
kinks that easily, gets wound up in itself easily, & cannot be used if
only partly removed from its reel but must invariably be unwound to the
complete full length, unlike a round hose on a reel. The only good thing I
remember anyone saying about them is they take up less room when not in
use & are just wonderful if you don't have to use it. They're also
lightweight, so if you're practically crippled (& many gardeners are)
they're easier to lug from one end of the garden to the other. If a yard
has no corners or objects to go around, & the hose just has to always be
in a straight line, perhaps the kinking & snagging problems would be
manageable.

-paghat the ratgirl