[mlscontractcleaner]

Hi all you lovely Gardiner pole fans.

As I'm getting older; 43 now!!, I'm thinking of changing my poles next year and as everyone on here and their dogs are fans of Gardiner poles I have a couple of questions that I would like honest answers to please.

How durable are they???

Being a typical heavy handed bloke my poles are tools; they get used and sometimes abused - not stupidly though - and I don't want to be replacing them every three months. Can they take a gentle tap to close a window without snapping???

Being light how are they in the wind?

I was using my Ergalite today in gusting wind and that was a handful at times at 4 stories so what's the SLX like at a similar length in a wind.

And finally those clamps; are they really as bad as it would seem by the write ups on here some times???

Cheers all; I'll probably pop down to see afew poles to be honest as they're not too far from Plymouth but my initial thought was to buy a Supermax 50 for high stuff and a SLX for every day stuff up to 4 floors.

Will I be happy if I do???

[SherwoodCleaningSe]

From my experience I've found,

Durability
Mine stay as good as new, as long as I clean them out on a regular basis (every few weeks). So if you drag the pole hose through a pile of sand wipe it off before you extend the pole.  I have an slx xtreme nearly 4 months old showing almost no signs of wear.  They can take a good bashing without any problems and are fine for closing windows.

Wind
Todays been good for testing that out, they are pretty good in the wind as they are more rigid, so less bend.  Occasionally a gust will push you along a foot or so, but thn you get that even with heavy poles.

Clamps
If they are set up right then they need very little adjustment over the month and are very secure.  Many make the mistake of over tightening the clamps.  However one thing I've noticed is that if you slam the sections closed then it can affect the adjustment of the clamps so that they will need retightening, this only takes a moment.  I think the clamps are a much more superior design to others as they are shorter reducing the overall closed length and there for weight of the pole.

All in all I think they are brilliant and well worth the money.  Any problems are generally down to user error.

Simon.

[Ian101]

ok I admit Im a Gardiners fan but only because their stuff does what its supposed to do.

I have 2 Gardiners poles both CLX, my every day pole is a 21footer and for bigger stuff I also have a 27footer (lengths from memory but think their right) my 21footer has been used 5 days a week day in day out for the last 12 months and is still serviceable if a little tired, if gets used then put into back of van, think Ive cleaned it twice cos was full of grit, problems are as follows end stops went fairly soon but not a problem as u soon know how far to pull sections out, clamps - yup replaced glue on a few but no biggie to sort, top section started to spin as it had worn down and clamp not tight anymore but just filed a little off the clamp faces so now tightens down a little more but can only do this for so long, if I had treated it a little better then prob none of these things would have occured but end of day just a tool to do the job and at just over a ton to replace no worries.

Unless blowing a gale then have no problems working in wind.

Waiting for a tax refund then will be investing in a Supermax and a 25footer SLX for everyday pole.

Buy em u wont be dissapointed and if u are theres plenty on here that will buy em off you 

[Ian101]

forever tapping windows  with mine to close em and not snapped yet - prob will tomorrow now though

[Llaaww]

I popped down for a look at them.

Best advice would be to take another £300 with you when you go, I was like a kid in a sweet shop.

Good poles, and what appears to be the best service.

[AuRavelling79]

I have a 4 and a half  year old slx30 (with a fibreglass 5ft extension as an extra) and a two and a half year old slx22.

The SlX30 I used as an SLX20 and just added the extra extensions when I needed them. About six months in Alex sent a free upgrade on the clamps and I changed the top four to plastic ones which have largely been fine ever since.

Then I bought the SLX 22 and used it as an 18 and used the SLX30 as a long reach pole.

I have just taken on an employee and I generally use the old slx30 as a 20 again and he uses the slx 18/22. WHen either of us need length we use the old pole and add the sections.

Both poles work fine and about once a month we repaint the pullout indicators and lube the poles.

The older 4.5 year old pole gives black hands and has a somewhat worn second section; the newer pole works as well as when I bought it. I can use both to push windows shut. Occasional clamp slippage is cured by glue and or gaffer tape.

Since then Alex has brought out an even lighter range and I recommended an SLX48 to a friend who does big 4 storey georgian/victorian houses and he reckons it is as light as a feather.

I will buy a new SLX22 "soon" so my oldest slx30/35 can go back to being my "long pole". (None of my work is over 35ft)

It was windy today and no worries on the (admittedly 20ft) jobs I was on today.

You will not be disappointed with an SLX or in Gardiner's service..

[Paul Coleman]

Excellent poles.  I have had the odd clamp re-gluing issue but it's no worse than any other pole on that score.  It is usually caused by clamps slamming together so I use a bit of tape to cushion them now.
I did snap a section in the wind yesterday.  A stronger than usual gust caught it at around 55-60ft at the end of the building.  Section 3 ended up catching the corner of the single storey roof next to it.  Only harm was to the pole.  It was user error.  I allowed myself to feel under pressure from the contractor (it was a subbie job) and worked when I shouldn't.  It won't be happening again.
The poles I would recommend.  The yellow pole hose is debatable - but after a conversation today, it sounds like they are in the process of sorting that out.

[Andy Prittchard]

They are the best EVER pole for wfp  w/c, trust me.  In four years of cleaning they have never let me down - my brother uses one every day on his commercial round, and they are spot on.  No complaints in ANY respect, ever.  Always solid, always lighter than you expect, but still as strong as ever.  Amazing.  Thank you, Alex.

Gardiner's poles are the best in the industry, without a doubt.

[mlscontractcleaner]

Many thanks for that lads; see most of you are sitting on the fence and are a little undecided lol!!!!!!!!!

Must make that trip down to deepest, darkest Cornwall; is that a banjo I hear???

[Blue Frog Systems]

Had my clx18 for 13 months now and i can honestly say that she gets abused on a daily basis !

Shuting windows - no problems

clamps - no problems... iput some wraps of electrical tape between the clamps to buffer them

clamp adjustments - 2/3 times per clamp since i got her

in the wind - last thursday was the only day that i stopped working with her and that was only on two houses that seem to have a wind tunnel at the front of the house

[Pope vader]

Many thanks for that lads; see most of you are sitting on the fence and are a little undecided lol!!!!!!!!!

Must make that trip down to deepest, darkest Cornwall; is that a banjo I hear???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tqxzWdKKu8

[Lee Burbidge]

Hi all you lovely Gardiner pole fans.

As I'm getting older; 43 now!!, I'm thinking of changing my poles next year and as everyone on here and their dogs are fans of Gardiner poles I have a couple of questions that I would like honest answers to please.

How durable are they???

Being a typical heavy handed bloke my poles are tools; they get used and sometimes abused - not stupidly though - and I don't want to be replacing them every three months. Can they take a gentle tap to close a window without snapping???

Being light how are they in the wind?

I was using my Ergalite today in gusting wind and that was a handful at times at 4 stories so what's the SLX like at a similar length in a wind.

And finally those clamps; are they really as bad as it would seem by the write ups on here some times???

Cheers all; I'll probably pop down to see afew poles to be honest as they're not too far from Plymouth but my initial thought was to buy a Supermax 50 for high stuff and a SLX for every day stuff up to 4 floors.

Will I be happy if I do???

Hi, read the review in WCM (its free and you can subscribe at www.windowcleaning.co.uk) the mag profiles Gardiner Pole Systems the company followed by a review on the Super Max 45.
I like Gardiner stuff, because like the other post on here says, ' it does what it says on the tin'.
Plus you will be interested to know that Alex Gardiner window cleans with his wfp's every week.
I got a Super Max 45. Plus I bought his trolley system. I will be purhasing another SM45 soon

[Andy Prittchard]

I'd happily pay at least double for any Gardiner product.  Truly perfect in every respect.  Given to us by God, IMO.

[Spruce]

I have to agree with all those who have made positive comments with regard to SLX, CLX and Gardiner's service.

Best overall out there by far.

I have been using a CLX22 for the last 18 months, really great pole for the price. It's now been past down to my son in law and I have unwrapped an SLX22 with an Extreme white brush and Aquadaptor. This is by far the best yet.

Poles have come a long way since we started WFP 6 years ago. We used Unger Teleplus Aluminium poles with Vikan oval brushes and we thought they were great. What a difference when comparing the two today.

Spruce