[David Salkeld]

Old hands on here may remember I have used only backpack...on my back.  I now have hosereel and backpack.
The trick with backpack is....never lift it onto your back.  I have a shelf on my trailer at back height and a sub pump and pipes to fill it. Just fill, back up to it, strap on and away you go. It is so versatile ;-)
But........it runs out of water, gets a bit heavy at the end of the day and they are a bit unreliable.

[Blue Frog Systems]

I worked my first 9 months with a backpack. I put it on my back, cleaned one window and took the straps off.

Great tool and even though i have a van mount i still have a backpack (on a trolley)

[gary999]

i use backpacks never use on back,the ws packs have a handle on the lid.

i simply just pick up and walk to wherever im working

[dazmond]

I CANT FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD USE A BACKPACK!apart from the odd awkward job!

it was bad enough having to change 2 or 3 barrels every hour on my 50L trolley!

surely if you have lots of compact work and bigger domestic and commercial jobs,van mount is best!just turn on pump,grab pole and reel out hose and start cleaning!!

regards


dazmond

[gary999]

i used microbore for about 3 yrs it drove me mad i was agitated constantly every day
snagging etc.

since using backpackfor nearly 3 yrs im happier. when i get to a row of houses it takes me no time
at all to strategically drop barrels down in places when  i need a refill,i have no issues
with the winter i dont suffer frozen hoses easily,not hard  to keep everything off the floor and since
i switched i have become extremely proficient at cleaning with little water,i must use 50%
less and i have more work now than when i did 3 yrs ago.

last but not least my body enjoys the exercise, i can understand why the majority
would choose van systems but backpacks work for me

[scottt24]

I worked for first two years with backpack and think they are unbeatable for the price they cost
I have recently changed to van mount and love it but still use my backpack for a few jobs
I think the best thing about using a backpack for so long first is that you are forced to learn how to be economical with water usage
I would reccomend them to anyone starting up for this reason alone

[magic moments]

I CANT FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD USE A BACKPACK!apart from the odd awkward job!

it was bad enough having to change 2 or 3 barrels every hour on my 50L trolley!

surely if you have lots of compact work and bigger domestic and commercial jobs,van mount is best!just turn on pump,grab pole and reel out hose and start cleaning!!

regards


dazmond

I think its simple to be honest,not everyone can afford a van system from day 1,in my opinion a great piece of equipment.

[David Lingard]

The backpack is fantastic - i carry over 300L a day in 25L containers and have no trouble. As above I put it on my back once, then cheesed that off and scrapped the straps.

i did experiment with bunjeeing it to a small sack barrow but got bored of that too - now i just put it down on the floor and carry it with the handle

[simonr]

a full backpack is 24kg at most & anyone doing a manual job should be capable of lifting that easy enough.    the list of problems people have with van mounts is endless, broken this, leaking that, my backpack has never failed in 2yrs, my pole hose got its 1st hole in a years use  the other day & no dog crap to worry about , no running round with warning signs .. anyroad i like people singing ghost busters to me

[Crystal-clear]

I CANT FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD USE A BACKPACK!apart from the odd awkward job!

it was bad enough having to change 2 or 3 barrels every hour on my 50L trolley!

surely if you have lots of compact work and bigger domestic and commercial jobs,van mount is best!just turn on pump,grab pole and reel out hose and start cleaning!!



dazmond

i also cant understand what will you clean with 15 liters of water ))

im with you thou daz, barrels for hard enof imagine a backpac for main work would be a joke .

if you think wfp is better then ladder work or faster then a van mount is cheating

[David Lingard]

I CANT FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD USE A BACKPACK!apart from the odd awkward job!

it was bad enough having to change 2 or 3 barrels every hour on my 50L trolley!

surely if you have lots of compact work and bigger domestic and commercial jobs,van mount is best!just turn on pump,grab pole and reel out hose and start cleaning!!



dazmond

i also cant understand what will you clean with 15 liters of water ))

im with you thou daz, barrels for hard enof imagine a backpac for main work would be a joke .

if you think wfp is better then ladder work or faster then a van mount is cheating

The wcw is18L - its the 3 lires that make all the difference

As I said above I do a full day's work with 300L of water with just a backpack and a gardiner CLX. Its do-able and I use about 15-18L per house of mine.  If you dont mind getting into the habbit of filling up the backpack each time you stop its fine.

All that being said im trying to buy a van with a mounted system in now as i imagine if i had enough work to go out every day I would have arms like the hulk and the back of a 90 yr old woman filling hat sucker up 24-7

[shina]

I never wanted a backpack. I then picked up a few jobs where I could see the benefit so I bought one. I have never looked back, I cannot believe I left it so long and I wont go out without it.

[gary999]

I CANT FOR THE LIFE OF ME UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE WOULD USE A BACKPACK!apart from the odd awkward job!

it was bad enough having to change 2 or 3 barrels every hour on my 50L trolley!

surely if you have lots of compact work and bigger domestic and commercial jobs,van mount is best!just turn on pump,grab pole and reel out hose and start cleaning!!



dazmond

i also cant understand what will you clean with 15 liters of water ))

im with you thou daz, barrels for hard enof imagine a backpac for main work would be a joke .

if you think wfp is better then ladder work or faster then a van mount is cheating

i can clean two modern 4 bed houses with 25 ltrs of water on a maintenance clean

[[GQC] Tim]

If anyone is interested, I've got a Shurflo Propack backpack, good as new, just needs new battery. Comes with length of minibore hose attached. Don't use it anymore. Maplins trolley available as well.

[jarvy]

I never wanted a backpack. I then picked up a few jobs where I could see the benefit so I bought one. I have never looked back, I cannot believe I left it so long and I wont go out without it.

+1
van mount for most stuff,but a good tool to have none the less.

[simonr]

i think 25ltr is quite a lot for 2 houses, nipping the hose when doing sills & moving i probly do 2 houses for less than a backpack full. i've now got a block of flats where a van mount would be handy but its only a 2 monther. if you cant understand b.pack use then your very lucky & never had to build a round from spread out domestic work

[gary999]

12 litres for a detatched 4 bed house is a lot

[SB Cleaning]

A backpack is a handy tool.

I mostly use mine for mixing virosol and normal water to do conservatory roofs and fascia  cleans.

It's also handy for the odd awkward job I wouldn't be without one.

[John pearce]

Been wfp with van system since oct 2010, trad 22 years before that, told my mate who's still trad to get back pack for awkward windows because he does not want to change over fully yet, so he gets the wcw back pack delivered, i set it all up for him, conections an all that, then tries it out on his house, and thought blimey, this ain't bad, so i bought one for my self and use for alot of work because of the usual stuff, ie parking, ....so back pack is good. 

[Londoner]

I don't entirely agree. Being able to use a good squirt of water is a luxury I would not want to give up. I have done my time being sparing with the water, not any more. Espescially this hot weather.

Other than that, backpacks are great, just a shame about the batteries.