[scottt24]

Hi guys
Could do with a bit of advice, just had a look at a new job this morning and the height is beyond what I can reach with current poles.
I use a slx 30 for some of my commercial work but would need approx 45ft for new job. The slx 30 is a great pole but I feel if I go any higher I would want something more rigid and lighter
Just looking on gardiners website and the differences between the smax 45 and the extreme 47 are not huge on paper, who has used both and does the difference justify the price
For those that have used both, would you spend the extra if you were only using it a couple of times a month for an hour or so at a time
Also if you break the smax down to 30ft how does this compare to the slx

Lots of questions I know, but it's quite an expense and don't want to buy something that is unnecessary

[Ian101]

Dazmond is the man to answer this - he had smax for short time then repaced it with extreme 47

[scottt24]

Thanks Ian
Looking at the website the new smax is made with hi modulus carbon fibre, not sure if the old one was.
Reading between the lines it looks like it sits smack bang in the middle of the slx and extreme.

[dazmond]

scott the extreme 47 is way better than the supermax at these heights.a lot lighter and more rigid.

id buy an extreme 47 if i were you then you could break it down to a 25 for most of your other work.

trust me when you ve used the extremes you wont want to go back to an slx as their too heavy and bendy.

i have an extreme 25 that gets used for most work and an extreme 47 that gets used around 10 times a month.

to get the most out of both poles,in a few years ill take 25 ft off the 47 footer and use this as my main pole and add the more worn 25 to the 47.that way ill get my moneys worth.

yes they are worth the money IMO.resulting in a much easier working day than using the SLXs.

regards


dazmond

[scottt24]

Cheers dazmond
Was the older smax made of hi modulus carbon fibre like the newer one

[robert mitchell]

Im sure i read on the gardiners website a while ago that they had improved the smax with a bit more high modulus carbon in the mix , there are different qualities of high modulus carbon though so it won't be on par with the extreme .


i may buy an extreme next year , even though my sox is still working fine .

[Clever Forum Name]

Had the original smax for around 2 days and did one job and sold it. Terrible bendy pole. Almost impossible for solar panel jobs.

The new smax is less bendy but tail not too my liking. (Don't own this,
Tried my friends)

Got two 47ft extreme and the extensions.

AWESOME AMAZING OUTSTANDING POLES.

just buy a 47ft extreme and be done with it. Seriously.

[robert mitchell]

if the jobs are straight up and down jobs the smax would probably be ok but if you have to work at an angle it could be a problem .

in your position i would buy the extreme as it can be extended further to if you get higher jobs in the future.

[Alex Gardiner]

Hi guys
Could do with a bit of advice, just had a look at a new job this morning and the height is beyond what I can reach with current poles.
I use a slx 30 for some of my commercial work but would need approx 45ft for new job. The slx 30 is a great pole but I feel if I go any higher I would want something more rigid and lighter
Just looking on gardiners website and the differences between the smax 45 and the extreme 47 are not huge on paper, who has used both and does the difference justify the price
For those that have used both, would you spend the extra if you were only using it a couple of times a month for an hour or so at a time
Also if you break the smax down to 30ft how does this compare to the slx

Lots of questions I know, but it's quite an expense and don't want to buy something that is unnecessary

If you really only need it for a couple of hours a month then you want to consider the budget options as below:

1. Buy the SLX extension #7, 8 & 9 and a spare 45ft hose pack - Cost = £204.95+VAT
2. Buy the SMAX 45 - Cost = £540+VAT

Option 1 above would be the least rigid, but if it is only for two hours a month and it is straightforward work (ie not over roofs, conservatories or solar panels) then it is workable.
Option 2 would be quite a bit more rigid and useable but over twice as much. Whilst this pole is not as good as the Xtreme when cleaning solar panels and velux windows it is still relatively easy to use.

The best option would be the Xtreme47 as this would be lighter and more rigid, however it is the most expensive option at £879+VAT

Another option would be to buy the Xtreme35 and the Xtreme44 extension pack. This would give you a very useable 35ft pole and the 44ft options when needed.


Breaking the SMAX45 down by taking off section # 6, 7 & 8 would give you about a 28ft 5 section pole that would be slightly longer when closed than the SLX30. It would be lighter than the SLX30 and more rigid than the SLX30. It would however not have an insulated handle section.

[Alex Gardiner]

Had the original smax for around 2 days and did one job and sold it. Terrible bendy pole. Almost impossible for solar panel jobs.

The new smax is less bendy but tail not too my liking. (Don't own this,
Tried my friends)

Got two 47ft extreme and the extensions.

AWESOME AMAZING OUTSTANDING POLES.

just buy a 47ft extreme and be done with it. Seriously.

I remember you buying this. I would never recommend the original Super-Max for Solar Panel cleaning. At the types of angles that solar panel work puts on the pole the amount of sag on the pole becomes very important as you do not want to 'catch' the panels as you work.

My recommendation would always be either the Xtreme, the Super-Lite modular or multiple Super-Lite Modular extensions used with the gooseneck adapter. These three methods work very well with the strains that solar panels put on poles.

The new Super-Max HM poles are a good bit more rigid than the original Super-Max poles, but they are still not as rigid as the 3 options mentioned above.

I agree with you though that up to me I would simply buy the Xtreme as although it is not quite as rigid as the Super-Lite Modular options it is by far the easiest to use and is rigid enough.

[Alex Gardiner]

if the jobs are straight up and down jobs the smax would probably be ok but if you have to work at an angle it could be a problem .

in your position i would buy the extreme as it can be extended further to if you get higher jobs in the future.

I agree for standard window cleaning the Suepr-Max45 is a very useable and cost effective pole. However if the work becomes less than standard the other options are more viable.

[windowswashed]

sl2 is the most rigid and lightest and my first choice where practical to use on bigger jobs. Extreme is lovely and light, rigid, quicker to work with and not so tiring on the arms. Smax is smaller in height, fairly rigid and heavier but cheaper. Have used one all day long three times a month every month, then switched to extreme simply for speeding up jobs and less fatigue at the end of the day. Still prefer SL2 for cleaning solar panels as extreme bends more

[kempy]

45ft China Classic full carbon fibre pole is what I bought - £300 , plus import tax £30 , plus postage £30 , plus add ons -about £400 all in .

Just another option that

[Clever Forum Name]

Had the original smax for around 2 days and did one job and sold it. Terrible bendy pole. Almost impossible for solar panel jobs.

The new smax is less bendy but tail not too my liking. (Don't own this,
Tried my friends)

Got two 47ft extreme and the extensions.

AWESOME AMAZING OUTSTANDING POLES.

just buy a 47ft extreme and be done with it. Seriously.

I remember you buying this. I would never recommend the original Super-Max for Solar Panel cleaning. At the types of angles that solar panel work puts on the pole the amount of sag on the pole becomes very important as you do not want to 'catch' the panels as you work.

My recommendation would always be either the Xtreme, the Super-Lite modular or multiple Super-Lite Modular extensions used with the gooseneck adapter. These three methods work very well with the strains that solar panels put on poles.

The new Super-Max HM poles are a good bit more rigid than the original Super-Max poles, but they are still not as rigid as the 3 options mentioned above.

I agree with you though that up to me I would simply buy the Xtreme as although it is not quite as rigid as the Super-Lite Modular options it is by far the easiest to use and is rigid enough.

Yeah for solar panels it's a no no. (Original smax)

I don't understand why people even weigh up slx vs extreme. You use a pole everyday. So buy the best.

Just stopped a local cleaner buying elsewhere. He was GOB smacked with the extremes on my van. So another converted Gardiner customer lol

[scottt24]

Thanks for all the input guys
If I was to go for the extreme 35 and the 44 extension pack does this mean that the handle section on the 35 has fibre glass for insulation purposes and would mean a bender section in the middle of the extended pole

[Alex Gardiner]

Thanks for all the input guys
If I was to go for the extreme 35 and the 44 extension pack does this mean that the handle section on the 35 has fibre glass for insulation purposes and would mean a bender section in the middle of the extended pole

The Xtreme35 does have an insulating layer, but this is on top of the carbon layer and therefore it just as rigid although it is a very small fraction heavier (about 20g).

[scottt24]

Thanks Alex you should be getting a call tomorrow or Thursday

[SHINING EXAMPLE]

Thinking of ordering an Extreme 25 + ext pk. as I sigh increasingly when fiddling about with my carbon modular. Just wondering how long it would take before the self same sighs accompany failing clamps ? I have an array of silver 18ft ally poles that see me through 75% of my work.
..So yes... that's my question,  'Extreme' 'smart-clamp' longevity when employed a quarter of the time. ( I toil, around 41/2 days aweek  )
Thanks, Gary.

[Dave Turley]

I'm now using a 18ft extreme as my everyday pole.

I've had a 35ft extreme for around a year, and I'm waiting for the 35ft-44ft double extension to come in stock. I've just bought the 44-50ft modular section.

I can't praise these poles highly enough.

I'm just hoping the 18ft wears well cos it is expensive for an everyday pole, but my work is so easy when I'm using it!