We are hard on our hoses and need long ones. After going through so many year after year, we finally bought those heavy-duty rubber hoses from the hardware dept. at Sears. It has been about 5 years for all of them and so far no leaks and they hardly ever kink. And they are left out in the sun all day long. One is rigged up through an underground PVC pipe from the patio to garden and is left in there all year round.

I'm a notorious hose-killer. I can't speak for the best hose, but I can tell you a good use for the dead ones.

I made rain barrels, elevated them for gravity feed, and attached the busted hoses to the spigots on the barrels. I wound the hose around the rose bushes & drilled more holes into them---voila, drip irrigation through all the holes & cracks in the rotten hose.

The 100-foot hose I bought at Menards 2 years ago is holding up well; can't remember the brand name. We have, however, been through 3 sprinkler heads on it this year.

i've gone through my share of hoses as well. I have one that this will be our last summer with it. I've had it 3 1/2 years. That's a real great idea flaurabunda

I agree with veilchen about the rubberhose from Sears. I've had mine for a number of years with little problems of kinking or leakage.
The best I've ever had was from Frank's Nursery and Crafts. I've had it for 20 years. It stays on all summer, and never kinks or leaks. Unfortunately they folded some years ago and I don't know who made the hose for them.
Ace Hardware sells a good quality hose, the more expensive one, not the cheapie.

I have those black rubber hoses from Sears too. But they are so heavy. I like a lighter hose to drag around the yard.

We bought one of those coiled hoses, but it too sprang a leak right after we got it.

Thanks for the info. I will look into Ace and Sears. I would like something longer than 50 feet although I could buy two 50' hoses and couple them. Strange that in the 21st century it is so difficult to find good hoses. Where is the high tech material? I wonder how Goodyear compares with Sears? In the gardenplots at work they have Swan contractor black rubber hoses that are very difficult to wrestle with. I am not buying another Swan.

And I thought this thread was going to be about something new under the sun: a good garden hose.

I buy Gilmour Commercial grade rubber hoses. I can't stand kinks and chintzy hardware, so I hold my nose and cough up the green. They still leak and kink, no doubt my fault for thinking they should be able to live outdoors. The ones in the shade last the best. Sun and lawn tractors are enemies of all hoses, cheap or spendy.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gilmour heavy duty hoses

One problem is that spigots are on houses where the gardens aren't.

We've put what we might call spigot extenders that take pressurized water out of the spigot to a second spigot hundreds of feet away via the black plastic tubing that's used for irrigation. We bury that under grass and even stick it in the ground under gravel where the driveways are.

Result: a lot less hose to drag from the secondary spigot.

The idea behind this is the system that lots of beef farmers use to deliver water to their stock tanks far from the house/barn water pumps.

I hasd the foresight to have frost proof spigots put in at various places in my yard and greenhouse when I had my new well drilled years ago. Sure saves time and hose pulling. I was able to get rid of all but a very few of my best ones.
Ann, I did that at my old house when I installed my watering system. a pressure line ran the perimeter of my yard for the system so placing spigots at strategic locations was easy and saved a lot of time.

IT sounds like Ace and Gilmour flexogen garden hoses are the same. I bought the Ace 100 ft 8 ply 5/8 flexogen today. It was not on sale and I couldn't find Gilmour locally.

Here is a poem from the link below:

What's in a name? That which we call a hose
By any other name would gush as well;
So would Hoseo, were he not Hoseo call'd,
Retain severe contractions which stop the flows?
Forsake those kinks, Hoseo, doff thy name.
And cuz those bends vex again and again
I leave you for a Flexogen.

Ace Ace Flexogen Garden Hose (1058050a) 1058050a
Overall Rating: 5
http://www.epinions.com/review/Ace_Ace_Flexogen_Garden_Hose_1058050a_1058050a/content_446024224388

Ha ha! Finally, a poem about my nemesis, the common garden hose. Thank you, predfern.

I have Gilmours, construction grade red rubber hoses, and the Gardener's Supply lightweight jobs. I hate them all equally.

Renee

I looked at Eley hoses and they appear to be top quality, albeit pricey. I have two Eley hose reels which are outstanding and guaranteed for 10 years. The hoses are made in the USA and are also guaranteed for 10 years. I would rather pay more for quality products as I use my hoses frequently in coastal SC.

The top grade Neverkink Max works noticeably better in resisting kinking than either the Neverkink or top grade Swan hoses I've used.

I have been reading about the Flexzilla hose but cant find it locally, guess it has to be ordered. P. Allen Smith offers several colors of it on his website - but for $75, pretty pricey. Would buy one if I could find it locally. It has good reviews. Anyone tried it?

Judith

I bought one of those hoses you see on TV, the ones that extend and all that, at Wal-Mart, and I have to say that the hose is pretty neat for my garden. No kinks, no leaks, nothing.

I bought one too. Worked great - until it tore up. Tried 2 of them - one came apart at the hose end, another sprung a leak. Returned them both, got my money back and wont get another. Good luck with yours. I was very careful with mine, but they were apparently cheaply made and fell apart.

Judith

Love the poem!!!

Carol

I got a pretty good hose at Costco a couple years back, and it's in the sun almost all the time (there's not much shade... I should probably try harder though.) It only kinks in one or two spots every so often. But it's young, yet.

I have been at least as disappointed with the affordable nozzles. My friend has a brass one that is supposed to last, but the water pressure that comes out of it is pretty harsh. Still, it has lasted. Anyone got one they like? And don't they pretty much all leak at the coupling?

Speaking of which, my hose leaks at the spigot - is there a gizmo that would fix that? This is the end with the yellow plastic part.

The heavy duty rubber hoses are great. My oldest is 7 years old at least and going strong. Cost more to start with but they sure last. Mine stay out all winter as well.

It really extends their life to keep them out of the sun when not in use. UV rays are tough on hoses.

If your hose is leaking at the spigot, check the washer inside the connector. It might be missing or damaged. The connector should also not be bent.

I have switched over to the expandable hoses. I bought two and connected them. I love that they are so light and easy to take out and put away. I am being somewhat careful with them, but honestly, I don't care if I have to buy new ones every year. It's worth it.

I bought two of the expandable hoses spring before last, used them all that summer and all of last year. I was careful not to leave them in the sun and not to drag them across anything sharp. One started leaking yesterday and the other seems to be fine. I am with Buford, if I have to replace them both every year it is okay but these have lasted two years. I can't pull heavy hose and these are the answer.

I hook mine to the back of my tractor and pull it across the yard. I have a pretty big yard.