they lied to me then Bast@rds lol told me they didnt sell the parts on there own
Putting aside your questioning of our collective parentage - Gardiner's do sell them....when they are in stock and not pre-sold which has been the case for all of the last 5 batches of CLX27s.
When you last enquired I would imagine that there were no spare poles available to take a base section from - it is cheaper for us to buy a whole pole in and then break-up for the base section than having them made separately. Also worth noting that a No.6 handle section from an SLX30 will also add onto the base of a CLX22 and we nearly always have these in as spares as we do have these made separately because they are so popular.
However adding a base section from a CL-X27 will not quite make a CLX22 into a CLX27. It will add about 4.5ft to the overall extended length but because the sections on a CLX22 are about 2" shorter it would end up being about 10" shorter overall than a CL-X27. Still usefully longer than a 22ft pole though
If you want to change a 22 into a 27 you will need 2 new sections.
Scrap your current base section on your 22 and then you will need the last 2 sections of the 27 in the link below. This is because the base section are thicker than the other sections, so you need a standard 27 base section and a section to replace the old 22 base section.
Works out at £110.40 inc vat (free delivery) - clx 27 is £180 inc vat (free delivery)
http://www.gardinerpolesystems.co.uk/acatalog/CL-X_27_Replacement_Sections.html
PErsonally i'd spend the extra £70 and have a 22 for run of the mill and a 27 as backup / those windows its needed for
Good informative answer Bluefrog - and this was the case up until about 4 months ago. It was also, at that time, advisable because some of the earliest smaller CLX poles had slightly less rigid handle sections due to higher Fibre Glass content.
Now however we have changed the manufacturing process on the handle section and they should be exactly the same diameter as all the other sections. Also they now have the same 50/50 carbon/glass content as all the other sections so are just as rigid.
Adding an extra section is a great way to quickly reach higher and can be taken off when not needed - However I have found over the years that having a second pole (if your budget will stretch to it) can be a lot quicker and easier. I have found that a lot of clients end up doing the opposite, buying a pole bigger than they always need and then dropping a few sections off of it and adding another end-cap. They then have them for the few times they need it. Downside is on a pure carbon pole (not CLX) you lose the insulated handle section.