[davids3511]

Bought me 25 foot extreme in the sale. So far I have had no2 section snap after 1 month about 6 inches from top, the base clamping point of the replacement no2 wear away after another 2 months and now today section 3 snaps about 6 inches from the top again. Anybody else having these problems or is me? I only had one slx section snap in a few years. I replaced loads but only one actually snapped in half. Same with brodex before that, only had one snap out of loads.

Gardeners have been great, replacing the number 2 twice. Now Alex wants the whole pole back, I guess he needs to see if I am abusing it. Is this different carbon more brittle, it seems like it is?

[Alex Gardiner]

Gardeners have been great, replacing the number 2 twice. Now Alex wants the whole pole back, I guess he needs to see if I am abusing it. Is this different carbon more brittle, it seems like it is?

Hi Davids3511

Of course the carbon is more fragile on an Xtreme than an SLX - have you felt the weight difference 

The SLX poles are everyday workhorses (as are the aluminium Brodex poles) whereas the Xtreme poles are thoroughbreds designed for the ultimate in weight, rigidity and performance. Whilst they are much more robust than the Super-Lite Modular they are still not to be considered as a 'knock-about' pole.

Unfortunately in life there will always be compromises and whilst the Xtreme is a massive step forward from the Super-lite Modular it grew out of, it still needs treating with much more care than a standard SLX pole.

To get the best in performance the pole needs to be kept free of dirt which would cause wear. A flush through once a week is a minimum and the pole hose should be wiped down after every job.

Other considerations to bear in mind when perhaps shutting windows with an Xtreme pole:

The way to shut sideways opening windows with an Xtreme pole is as follows:
1. Stand further back from the window so that you are pushing the pole into the window along its length – thereby reducing the lateral pressure
2. It may help to extend the pole up by another section to allow you to stand back a bit.
3. Rotate the pole by 180° in your hand so that you can catch the top clamp on the pole on the bottom edge of the window. This reduces the lateral strain again and the levering effect of the gooseneck.
 
To shut Sash windows with an Xtreme pole:
1. Stand closer to  the window so that you are pushing the pole up into the window putting all the force into trying to compress the pole – thereby reducing the lateral pressure
2. It may help to retract the pole up by another section to allow you to stand that bit closer.
3. Rotate the pole by 180° in your hand so that you can catch the top clamp on the pole on the bottom edge of the window. This reduces the lateral strain again and the levering effect of the gooseneck.

All of these things can help keep an Xtreme pole in good working condition for a long time.

[davids3511]

Gardeners have been great, replacing the number 2 twice. Now Alex wants the whole pole back, I guess he needs to see if I am abusing it. Is this different carbon more brittle, it seems like it is?

Hi Davids3511

Of course the carbon is more fragile on an Xtreme than an SLX - have you felt the weight difference 

The SLX poles are everyday workhorses (as are the aluminium Brodex poles) whereas the Xtreme poles are thoroughbreds designed for the ultimate in weight, rigidity and performance. Whilst they are much more robust than the Super-Lite Modular they are still not to be considered as a 'knock-about' pole.

Unfortunately in life there will always be compromises and whilst the Xtreme is a massive step forward from the Super-lite Modular it grew out of, it still needs treating with much more care than a standard SLX pole.

To get the best in performance the pole needs to be kept free of dirt which would cause wear. A flush through once a week is a minimum and the pole hose should be wiped down after every job.

Other considerations to bear in mind when perhaps shutting windows with an Xtreme pole:

The way to shut sideways opening windows with an Xtreme pole is as follows:
1. Stand further back from the window so that you are pushing the pole into the window along its length – thereby reducing the lateral pressure
2. It may help to extend the pole up by another section to allow you to stand back a bit.
3. Rotate the pole by 180° in your hand so that you can catch the top clamp on the pole on the bottom edge of the window. This reduces the lateral strain again and the levering effect of the gooseneck.
 
To shut Sash windows with an Xtreme pole:
1. Stand closer to  the window so that you are pushing the pole up into the window putting all the force into trying to compress the pole – thereby reducing the lateral pressure
2. It may help to retract the pole up by another section to allow you to stand that bit closer.
3. Rotate the pole by 180° in your hand so that you can catch the top clamp on the pole on the bottom edge of the window. This reduces the lateral strain again and the levering effect of the gooseneck.

All of these things can help keep an Xtreme pole in good working condition for a long time.

Yeah, I thought it was more brittle. In my mind I assumed more rigidity and high modulus carbon=a pole at least as strong as an Slx. I wasn't closing anything today, I was cleaning the top of a frame and sweeping the brush from side to side and it just snapped.

A bit gutted I have to send the whole pole back, I have a section from a clx I can just slot in for Monday until the replacement arrives. Sending the whole pole back is a problem as i only have a 20 ft as a spare.

[dazmond]

ive never snapped any sections of any pole in over 3 years WFP.the SLX is a fantastic workhorse day to day pole thats why ive kept my 22 footer as ill use it on very windy days!its very tough.ive never had to replace a section either.

the extreme?well ive only used my 47 footer about 5 times since i bought it the other day.its amazingly light and VERY RIGID.i couldnt believe how much less strain and how easy it was poling some very awkward windows over a very large extension this morning.however i can feel its not as robust as my SUPERMAX due to the lightness.i will be taking extra care of it thats for sure.

my 25 extreme has not arrived yet.hopefully itll get delivered next week and ill do a review on it.it will become my main day to day pole for lots of work.i will be taking a little extra care of it than my slx which gets abused a lot!!

sounds like your pretty heavy handed mate.you ve got to give your extreme TLC EVERY DAY!!

[dazmond]

by the way.how on earth did you snap an SLX section? and a brodex hydra section?these are amazingly tough!!

[Dave Willis]

The only section I've snapped was a Superlight  ........ guess what? Closing windows.

In normal use i can't see how you could snap one particularly if you use the superlight brushes. Mind you I've seen people on here who can totally wreck a brush including the stock in a matter of weeks.

[davids3511]

by the way.how on earth did you snap an SLX section? and a brodex hydra section?these are amazingly tough!!

SLX I cant remember. Brodex wasn't a Hydra, it was a predator (cheap GF) and only 2 days old. It sorta bent in half, not snapped clean. Brodex said it was a manufacturing defect and replaced it under warranty.

[davids3511]

The only section I've snapped was a Superlight  ........ guess what? Closing windows.

In normal use i can't see how you could snap one particularly if you use the superlight brushes. Mind you I've seen people on here who can totally wreck a brush including the stock in a matter of weeks.

I really really wasn't closing a window. I know the weather is nice and loads are open but that wasn't it. It was a side to side motion that did it. Honest guv.

I wrecked a brush in a week but on reflection the water was too hot.

[AuRavelling79]

I've not had any snapping on my 2008 or 2010 SLX's or my 2012 Extreme.

I used to occasionally break my fishing pole wfp and slide the broken section inside the other as they were tapered!

[8weekly]

I snapped two xtel sections.

[Dave Willis]

The only section I've snapped was a Superlight  ........ guess what? Closing windows.

In normal use i can't see how you could snap one particularly if you use the superlight brushes. Mind you I've seen people on here who can totally wreck a brush including the stock in a matter of weeks.

I really really wasn't closing a window. I know the weather is nice and loads are open but that wasn't it. It was a side to side motion that did it. Honest guv.

I wrecked a brush in a week but on reflection the water was too hot.

Aha, a whipper snapper by the sounds of it, maybe a change in technique might help?

[davids3511]

The only section I've snapped was a Superlight  ........ guess what? Closing windows.

In normal use i can't see how you could snap one particularly if you use the superlight brushes. Mind you I've seen people on here who can totally wreck a brush including the stock in a matter of weeks.

I really really wasn't closing a window. I know the weather is nice and loads are open but that wasn't it. It was a side to side motion that did it. Honest guv.

I wrecked a brush in a week but on reflection the water was too hot.

Aha, a whipper snapper by the sounds of it, maybe a change in technique might help?

I guess I was using a bit of whip but I always used my slx like that. I though high modulus meant strong as well as rigid. I honestly didnt realise it was so fragile.

[John pearce]

Ive stapped section 2 and 4 on my extreme 35, both times trying to close windows,

first one was tapping it shut, and the section 4 went trying to close window over an extention,

ive not replaced that one yet, i taped it up, means ive lost abit of length but get away with it,

on the window openers that open upwards, sometimes they can be very stiff,

i turn the hole pole around using butt end, and push window shut on the inside, works for me,  john.

[TomCrowther]

He is a big rough Irishman, angry because his worker is off sick and he takes his frustrations out on his poor, defenceless extreme pole.
David, I have a 25ft fibreglass pole you can abuse until your apprentice returns and calm is restored.

[davids3511]

He is a big rough Irishman, angry because his worker is off sick and he takes his frustrations out on his poor, defenceless extreme pole.
David, I have a 25ft fibreglass pole you can abuse until your apprentice returns and calm is restored.

You forget handsome. Big, rough and angry but handsome too

[Mike #1]

If I can shut a window with a little push it gets left simples i aint risking damaging my pole . Mike