[davids3511]

I have been looking into investing in an xtel hybrid. I am looking at something between 28 and 30 foot. However, the sizes of the poles seem to vary from site to site for the same thing (it seems to me). For example -

Gardners - 31ft.........7x4' 6" 2.8 kg (makes sense)
essentiallypure - 27ft Hybrid X-tel Pole 7 X 4.6ft sections 2.8 kg (7x 4.6ft=31.5ft by my calculations)
Chic cleaning seem to have the 7 section in at 33 foot.

What is the truth???

[alanwilson]

7 x 4'6 = 31'6

but you lose 6inch or so on 6 of those sections for overlap = 6x6" = 3ft

28ft would be closest to the mark as actual reach

[Clive McDonald]

Get the SLX, use steps if you have to.

[Londoner]

You are exactly right. Sellers advertise attainable height not actual length. I think its wrong.

[Alex Gardiner]

I have been looking into investing in an xtel hybrid. I am looking at something between 28 and 30 foot. However, the sizes of the poles seem to vary from site to site for the same thing (it seems to me). For example -

Gardners - 31ft.........7x4' 6" 2.8 kg (makes sense)
essentiallypure - 27ft Hybrid X-tel Pole 7 X 4.6ft sections 2.8 kg (7x 4.6ft=31.5ft by my calculations)
Chic cleaning seem to have the 7 section in at 33 foot.

What is the truth???

We always quote the actual length of each pole. With the X-Tel range all we have done is extend each pole fully along the ground and measured the length simple really!

The trouble is that the manufacturer makes them in metric sizes and then they get converted in their pricing structure to an imperial length for the UK market. This leads to confusion in the actual lengths, so we refer to them by their nearest full foot size as below:

Glass Fibre
Pole.......Sections........Extended Length............Weight
9..ft........2x 5'...............9' 6"..........................0.59kg
Base section diameter = 26mm
13ft........3x 4' 7"...............13' 3".....................950g
Base section diameter = 30mm
17ft........4x4' 6"...............17' 4".....................1.3kg
Base section diameter = 34mm
21ft.........4x5' 6"...............21' .......................1.55kg
Base section diameter = 34mm
24ft.........5x 5' 2"...............23' 8"...................2.15kg
Base section diameter = 38mm
28ft.........6x5'...............27' 8"........................2.6kg
Base section diameter = 42mm
31ft.........7x4'9"...............31' 4" ....................3.15kg
Base section diameter = 46mm

Hybrid
24ft.........5x5'2"...............23' 8".....................2.0 kg
Base section diameter = 38mm
28ft.........6x4' 6"...............27' 8".....................2.3kg
Base section diameter = 42mm
31ft.........7x4' 6"...............31' 4".....................2.8 kg
Base section diameter = 46mm
35ft.........8x 4' 9"...............34' 6"....................3.3kg..
Base section diameter = 50mm

Carbon
45ft.........9x5'...............44' 9".........................4.92kg
Base section diameter = 54mm
60ft.........9x6.5'...............59' 9".......................6.52kg
Base section diameter = 54mm

[dd]

Get the SLX, use steps if you have to.

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

[Clive McDonald]

Get the SLX, use steps if you have to.

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

I've got the biggest hybrid and don't like it. I haven't got a slx but wish I did.

As you say steps are dangerous, but in some situations like conservatory roofs and accessing some windows they have to be used to get the angle. The hybrid is very unwieldy and heavy at full extension.

The other better alternative is the supalite sl2, but this is not telescopic.Even if the hybid gets the high stuff he wants he will not be happy lower down because of the weight.

[Alex Gardiner]

Get the SLX, use steps if you have to.

Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

Or fit an extension section to the SL-X, quicker and easier.

[Alex Gardiner]

To give an idea of the closed lengths of the X-Tel range, the picture below shows from left to right 35ft, 31ft, 28ft, 24ft, 21ft (usually in grey, not the red shown), 17ft, 13ft, 9ft:

[Clive McDonald]

On the gardiners site there is some very good advice for maintaining and lenghtening the good condition and life of your poles.
I must admitt i've pretty well ignored this. Now that i'm on my third 17'xtel due to wear and tear i'm having to take more notice...

On a couple of other posts i've mentioned that i've come up with a way of keeping the excess pole hose off the floor and working more tidily.(it's a bit of bungee with a hook on the end) This has the benefit of keeping this hose clean as this is the biggest factor in introducing grit and dirt into the pole which in turn shortens the life of the pole and makes it less pleasant to work with. It also makes for less tripping when you stand on it and a more competent seeming appearance for anyone watching.

[davids3511]

I was hoping to be able to use it on ground floor too, I am sick of carrying two poles. I know people are suggesting I go for the SLX but at nearly £150 more it is out of my league at the moment. Maybe next year.

[mark dew]

I was hoping to be able to use it on ground floor too, I am sick of carrying two poles. I know people are suggesting I go for the SLX but at nearly £150 more it is out of my league at the moment. Maybe next year.

This is the trouble we have trying to find a 1 pole fits all.
The slx is the only pole that fits the criteria of being able to reach every domestic window on my round. I don't have 1 yet, but will get 1 with an extension in the future.
I used to use a 4ft minipole for downstairs. Good pole for downstairs but wastes too much time changing poles over, so never gets used now.

The 17ft xtel i use on 95% of my windows and is a fantastic pole to use. Good for standard upstairs windows and i can reach all windows over conseratory apart from 1 house.

I also have a couple of 18ft gf poles that i never use cos they are 6ft closed length. Are unwieldy on downstairs windows and don't fit nicely in my dispatch.

I have a 25ft gf pole that i use on a handful of windows. This is very heavy compared to xtel but it gets used.

I have a 38ft gf pole that is unwieldy and i never use it. I used to tell the customer that i couldn't reach if it was too high.

Gt a 35ft sl2 now that will replace the 38ft gf pole. Can also add extensions to it to bring it upto 60ft or more.

So in reality we have 2 choices. Buy 1 pole like the slx and use the 1 pole for all jobs.
Or buy 17ft xtel and a 25ft pole+ which will cover almost all bases on standard domestics.

[davids3511]

I know it is a bit of a tradeoff. I use brodex GF poles at the moment, 18ft and 25ft. The 18ft is ok if a little long when closed but the 25ft is crap. I can get little or no pressure on the brush when fully extended due to the bend in the pole at full extention. I am getting more and more 3rd story work and struggle with the 25ft pole.

The SLX is something I will go for later in the year or next year. I was hoping the hybrid could cover both bases as it is over a foot shorter than the predator and not much heavier. I know it isn't perfect but was hoping it was a significant  improvement until the SLX was a more realistic goal.