Removing pole sections?

[dazmond]

 I have my eye on a Gardiner xtreme pole in the near future as a upgrade from my heavy and cumbersome clx 27. I began to look at the 18ft extreme as it's super lightweight and can still do the two story work (just about as im 5'9) which is the bulk of what I clean. However I thought as I have a small number of skylights and three story homes to do wouldn't it be more prudent to get a bigger pole and simply take off the lengths I don't need to use 90% of the time and bang them back in when required?

 Is it possible and practical to simply remove one or more sections of pole to reduce weight overall when doing smaller, lower level work? If so does the pole cap (at the base of the pole) couple onto the next pole up or would I have to buy another spare separately? 

i would just buy an xtreme 25 and keep all the sections on.....its light as a feather anyway and you dont want to be faffing about adding and removing sections wasting time in your working day IMO......I ONLY USE 2 POLES.....an xtreme 25 and 47.........thats it....

 

[Marko067]

i would just buy an xtreme 25 and keep all the sections on.....its light as a feather anyway and you dont want to be faffing about adding and removing sections wasting time in your working day IMO......I ONLY USE 2 POLES.....an xtreme 25 and 47.........thats it....

If I were to replace the whole pole now this is what I would likely do.

 

[Pjj]

We have several extream poles , and several six poles , and a clx and an ultimate , my everyday pole is an extream 18 it’s about 3 years old I think ?? I have replaced the top section 3 times due to snapping it ,once closing a window and twice cleaning glass , it’s used for lots of plastic cleans , none of our poles get serviced untill there is a problem , I simply don’t have the time to keep stripping a pole down and cleaning it with the number of poles we have on all vans I would be doing them every week , we do however just rinse through the bottom of the pole now and again , I view poles as consumables, extream poles are expensive but I use it as I would any other pole , I don’t abuse them they are more delicate than an slx but when I think how much work it’s done I cannot really complain , when the time comes I will buy another one , just as a comparison I bought the extream and the six poles at the same time and they get pretty much equal use I use the extream and employees use the six ware rate is similar , although I have snapped 3 top sections the ware rate on the rest of the pole is similar to the six they are used pretty much 8 hours a day 5 days a week , I would recommend them  but say that they are expensive , I think the six is very good value for money , the extream is overpriced just my opinion as a user , the extream won’t do anything the six won’t its just a bit lighter and a bit stiffer .

 

[Algie]

We have several extream poles , and several six poles , and a clx and an ultimate , my everyday pole is an extream 18 it’s about 3 years old I think ?? I have replaced the top section 3 times due to snapping it ,once closing a window and twice cleaning glass , it’s used for lots of plastic cleans , none of our poles get serviced untill there is a problem , I simply don’t have the time to keep stripping a pole down and cleaning it with the number of poles we have on all vans I would be doing them every week , we do however just rinse through the bottom of the pole now and again , I view poles as consumables, extream poles are expensive but I use it as I would any other pole , I don’t abuse them they are more delicate than an slx but when I think how much work it’s done I cannot really complain , when the time comes I will buy another one , just as a comparison I bought the extream and the six poles at the same time and they get pretty much equal use I use the extream and employees use the six ware rate is similar , although I have snapped 3 top sections the ware rate on the rest of the pole is similar to the six they are used pretty much 8 hours a day 5 days a week , I would recommend them  but say that they are expensive , I think the six is very good value for money , the extream is overpriced just my opinion as a user , the extream won’t do anything the six won’t its just a bit lighter and a bit stiffer .

Wow. I have only ever used a SLX 39 for all my windows except for the bottoms for over 10 years now.

I recently bought a SLX 18  2 months ago and cant believe the difference. 

Its so much easier than using the SLX 39.

Im struggling to believe it gets any better than a SLX 18.

Are the extreme poles really that good ?

 

[Iron Giant]

Personally if you don't need a lighter pole for any reason then just buy an SLX, I have used my Xtreme as my daily for over 3 and a half years because of shoulder issues which I now don't have. @Pjj you're supposed to flush them out every week ? as it's the internal wear that's the killer and the cause for snapped sections when they snap at the top I had a number #3 full carbon section last over 2 years I would say the first section likely to snap is number #2 

@steve garwood it would only take you an extra 5 minutes on each pole every month to replace the over-lap tape and spray with PTFE, I am o.c.d and flush mine out weekly as advised but also spray each section with PTFE spray and replace the tape as and when needed which at times can be every month 

 

[Nudel]

Im struggling to believe it gets any better than a SLX 18.

Are the extreme poles really that good ?

Yes.

 

[Pjj]

Personally if you don't need a lighter pole for any reason then just buy an SLX, I have used my Xtreme as my daily for over 3 and a half years because of shoulder issues which I now don't have. @Pjj you're supposed to flush them out every week ? as it's the internal wear that's the killer and the cause for snapped sections when they snap at the top I had a number #3 full carbon section last over 2 years I would say the first section likely to snap is number #2 

@steve garwood it would only take you an extra 5 minutes on each pole every month to replace the over-lap tape and spray with PTFE, I am o.c.d and flush mine out weekly as advised but also spray each section with PTFE spray and replace the tape as and when needed which at times can be every month 

Yes you are right they should be maintained. I struggle to find the time to be honest ,and when I have the time I cannot be bothered ?? my top section is sealed as I have converted it to hoseless I think it snapped as it’s oviously the weakest section due to its size , I do clean them out occasionally, if it’s obvious that there is grit in it I will do it but generaly don’t , I do replace the stop tape  probably done that a couple of times in 3 years , so not enough , I know I don’t maintain them as often as I should but to be fair I think they last quite well considering the work they do , and question if it would extend the pole life by much ?? Once the pole gets worn badly I just replace them , I find they ware worst when collapsed and you have to tighten the clamp to stop it spinning then the clamp is done up to tight to extend the pole .

is the extream better than an slx yes it is lighter and stiffer, but it’s also more delicate, like all things it’s a personal choice and whilst I don’t like what they cost they are expensive, when you look at how much money that pole has earnt me I suppose I cannot compline , I will more than likely buy another one when this one is worn out