Ok - I know this has been talked about here but I cant seem to find the post. One of my water tanks is located about 100 feet from the water spigot. I am so tired of dragging the heavy hose across the yard to fill the tank and then dragging it back up to the house so I can mow. I know some others have discussed the expandable hoses - and some are better than others. Can anyone tell me which ones to buy or which ones to stay away from?
My only heads up is that the length on the package is the length when expanded, not the length when contracted. When water is flowing it will be more contracted, not expanded so buy enough hose to reach what you want to fill.
I have not used mine enough (because of the above reason) to know how long it will last, etc.
I had the as seen on tv original expandy hose–the green one, with yellow plastic fittings–that lasted nearly three years. It was amazing. It finally blew here in CT after we redid the well pump. Our pressure increased SUBSTANTIALLY and I think it was just too much for it. But man, I really liked that thing.
Replaced it with one of these (which is unavailable, but looks pretty much identical to this one) and I dunno. It’s nice and beefy and feels well made and solid and the brass connectors are hefty. But it also tends to want to curl when it drains and that makes it a little harder to hang up. Also causes it to tangle a little more than the green one ever did.
Oh, this one looks like it’s constructed more along the lines of my old green one. If I had to do it over again, I’d buy that instead of the black one. It looks well made and heavy enough to do the job.
Do note that these expandy hoses need an attachment on the end to keep the pressure up in the hose to stay expanded. And they also don’t have the water flow that a “real” hose has. I usually still prefer the expandy hose to dragging out the big heavy non expandy hose, but it’s not all roses and butterflies with them, either.
I have to run hose about 200 feet and, same here, I was very tired of dragging it around all the time. I got a few of those green “as seen on TV” expandable hoses. I guess they worked ok for a few months but all of them ended up busting and leaking like crazy. I did, however, find a super heavy duty black on with brass fittings on Amazon- it was pricey ($100 for 100 ft I think) but it’s lasted a couple years and the not having to roll up heavy hose is well worth it.
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Even with the provided end on, if you are using it full flow it wants to shrink some.
That really depends on your water pressure. Has not been my experience as long as the spigot is all the way open. Can see how that could be the case, though, if your pressure isn’t great.
Our pressure now is such that I can actually use the hose with no attachment at all and it stays expanded, but it’s a bear to control because the hose itself has no stiffness or rigidity.
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My Luck with the plastic-fitting hose was nowhere near as good as Simkie’s!
I got a cheap one - $20 - last Summer to try out & the fittings at the nozzle end went kaput at the end of the Fall, so I now have to put it in the trough before turning the hydrant on & then it sprays like crazy unless I manage to curl it into the “correct” position. Connection to the hydrant so far is fine.
The one linked to on Amazon looks great & I am definitely going for the brass fittings as a replacement.
I only need 50’ or less to reach anywhere in the barn, so length is not an issue.
The collapsible feature really does work & the weight factor is huge - empty the hose weighs nothing.
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@Simkie our pressure is quite good actually.
I tried all kinds of things with this darn hose because I really wanted to use it (because carrying and draining a standard hose is a pain in the winter).
My wife likes the expanding hoses. I hate the stuff.
We had a cheaper blue one in our barn a few years ago. I really liked it…for about 2.5 weeks until it blew out and started leaking all over the place. I think if you bought one of the really expensive heavy duty ones, you would probably love it. But stay away from the cheaper ones. They are NOT suited to the rigors of a horse barn or daily use.
THIS!! Unless the hose is on FULL the hose will retract and even if it stays all the way to the tub the end will flip and spin like a snake on crack!!! I used to run the end of my hose down a 2" poly pipe and weight it down!!
OP… Long range…you’ll be ahead if you lay some 1" water line pipe down even if it is on top of the ground and put fittings to the tub or tie it in place. Drain it in cold weather. The pipe won’t freeze if it can drain. I don’t think the retractable hose will please you!!!
Maybe my satisfaction with the expandy hoses has something to do with the fact I ALWAYS use it with a sprayer. Not the little on/off thing that they all sell with, but an honest to god sprayer.
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I have an expanding hose for horse bathing. They are lighter and much more easily maneuverable than regular hose. I like it to use near the face and to wash near ears and eyes.
Now for full-on rinsing, then the solid hose with pressure on full, helps get the suds off quickly…especailly in spring when you are “de-hairing” the winter coats.
Simkie - I think I will try some of the ones that you linked on Amazon. I saw the weight is only 4.5 lbs! I will be thrilled if this lasts me a few seasons. I have already shredded a few costly hoses due to my laziness of not wanting to drag the hose back to the house before I mow - and I am SURE that I can mow over it… Yeah. Not.
I have one that I take to shows but haven’t found any that are durable.
I’ve tried at least 5 retractable hoses and they are so exciting when they work. But, in my experience, they all blow apart sometime between 2 weeks - 2 months. I took the advice of Tom King on the forums and bought the Gilmour Flexogen hoses for use around the barn. They’re light, super strong and roll up well onto a reel.
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Try the grey one! Report back! :yes: 
(Do get a sprayer end thingy for it, though!)
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The SO bought me one of the expensive ones with brass fittings for my birthday two years ago. Loved it and treated it carefully. Brought it in the house for the winter. (I run very warm water through the hose in the winter to water, and didn’t want to risk it.)
Brought it back out in the spring, and it croaked in about a week.
Bought a couple of the cheapos after that, and they have held up longer than the $$ one.
Go figure.
I like them because of ease of use, and honestly will rather buy cheapo ones twice a year than deal with regular hoses… Yes, sorry, sue me hashtag American, hashtag wasteful society :lol:. I will say, don’t leave them on. I had one running from an outside spigot into the barn so I didn’t have to keep going up the stairs, out the door, hard turn right, on, then repeat back into the barn. Hose leaked and flooded the whole barn, whoops :lol:
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I bought one then noticed the package specifically warned against humans drinking water from the hose. I’ve looked at one other in the package and found the same tiny warning. I’m no neatfreak and yeah, my horses put their mouths places I won’t put mine, but I didn’t like the idea of filling their buckets with a hose that I wasn’t supposed to drink out of.
