Steer Clear of Flex-Able-brand Expandable Hose

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Flex-Able expandable hose

We were paging through our emails filtered spam folder last summer to make sure we didnt miss anything and came across an ad for a compact, flexible hose that looked ideal for small boats. The incredible expanding Flex-Able hose is made of a tough double-wall construction that is designed to bend and never kink, and included a seven-way spray nozzle with the hose. The hoses ability to shrink down to an extremely compact size when not in use was particularly enticing.

There are two other expandable hoses of this type that rely on an elastic inner tubing to make them expandable: the Xhose and the Pocket Hose. Like the Flex-Able hose, they are promoted with breathless, made-for-TV ads touting their expandability, and are available on the Internet or through big-box retailers. Wed read several complaints about these types of hoses, but we ignored our inner skeptic and bought the 50-foot Flex-Able hose for $30.

For the first three days, the hose impressed us; then, it began to leak at the faucet. On Day 6, the inner liner burst without warning. The Flex-Able hose customer service team was easy to reach and quickly sent us a new hose (with a new seven-way nozzle), but that hose split two weeks later. As far as we were concerned, the hose was, quite literally, a bust. Although we have not yet tested the Xhose or Pocket Hose, given our experience with the Flex-Able hose, were recommending that readers steer clear of these types of hoses. Weve been using a spring-coiled hose for a couple years now without complaint, but it still leaves much to be desired. If you have a favorite type of compact hose-or have had a better experience with the expandable type-wed like to hear about it; send email to practicalsailor@belvoirpubs.com.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.