Welcome to the UK Window Cleaning Forums

Starting or own a window cleaning business? We're a network of window cleaners sharing advice, tips & experience. Rounds for sale & more. Join us today!

Anyone tried Streamline Ova-8  poles??

No end cap which is extra to buy and over 6ft when collapsed that's me out, no different to most other poles lateral clamps etc 6-7 month down the line is the real test as to how much sections may have worn.

 
I was put off straight away by varitech website very vague and little information. Occasionally posts on here touting for business, the last post was 50% off certain products by phoning only. [emoji44][emoji43][emoji42][emoji99] got bored going through 3 different websites to find nothing. Have only seen A. E. Mackintosh promoting the free trial one he received direct from China.

Would be worried about spares and back up.

Sent using the Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 
Spinning Gardiner I have had mine nearly 2yrs it's still great & no spinning hardly any adjustments.

Best pole ever had incredible

 
Fed up constantly adjusting clamps on my SLX's and spinning after 5 months of use.
I have had one SLX which is sat in the garage collecting dust and I wouldn't buy another one wear rate on sections 1-2 ain't great at all although admittedly I prefer to use a pole which demands very little maintenance Xtreme series 2 can't be beaten, I will buying up about 10 years worth of sections before they are discontinued   

 
I have had one SLX which is sat in the garage collecting dust and I wouldn't buy another one wear rate on sections 1-2 ain't great at all although admittedly I prefer to use a pole which demands very little maintenance Xtreme series 2 can't be beaten, I will buying up about 10 years worth of sections before they are discontinued   


So your extreme 2 is less maintenance than an slx ? 

 
I have had one SLX which is sat in the garage collecting dust and I wouldn't buy another one wear rate on sections 1-2 ain't great at all although admittedly I prefer to use a pole which demands very little maintenance Xtreme series 2 can't be beaten, I will buying up about 10 years worth of sections before they are discontinued   


This is really interesting because even though the metal bands were good, we would usually say that an SLX pole would be more robust and wear resistant than the Xtreme poles.

How old was the SLX pole?

Looking at wear on carbon poles the majority of wear happens internally and the Series-2 Xtreme poles would notice this far more quickly than an SLX pole. However if the only wear you experience is from the clamps externally then the metal bands will not wear under the clamping points. Do you use an external pole hose or a grit-stop on the pole by any chance?

 
best thing i ever did was buy a extreme if handled gentle there fine no taping openers shut just push with the pole in a strate line mine is coming up 12 months and alls well so far as long as it last 12 months min im happy to just replace it im hoping to get 16/18 months out of it going buy how its wering so far 

 
This is really interesting because even though the metal bands were good, we would usually say that an SLX pole would be more robust and wear resistant than the Xtreme poles.

How old was the SLX pole?

Looking at wear on carbon poles the majority of wear happens internally and the Series-2 Xtreme poles would notice this far more quickly than an SLX pole. However if the only wear you experience is from the clamps externally then the metal bands will not wear under the clamping points. Do you use an external pole hose or a grit-stop on the pole by any chance?
Firstly thank you for replying to my post, I bought the SLX pole in  December 2016  but never used it then when section #2 of my Xtreme started to develop an issue around March to April 2017 I swapped it with an SLX section and did the same 11 months ago after section #1 of my Xtreme snapped in an accident I then used my daily Xtreme like this until September of this year  so around 9 months of use on section #1, You replaced section #3 under warranty after almost 12 months and I got full carbon section replacement which is still in use 

I will say that quite often possibly with me being short I do extend and collapse my pole almost horizontal at times, which may or may not be an issue regarding wear and most of the wear typically occurs on the underside of the pole sections , I have an S-Max which I bought in around May 2013 which is worn completely smooth but I could still use it today if needed were as with SLX I would need to do a serious refurb, I have become very used to the series 2 Xtreme and do believe if section #1 hadn't had a collision with some scaffolding in a high wind I would still be using the original section now, I don't use a grit stop and pole hose is fitted as standard but I do wipe the pole hose every time before I extend the pole. 

I would like to finish by saying that without question I wouldn't buy brushes etc from any other supplier as I am an out and out Gardiners fan, Once you have used a series 2 Xtreme there really isn't any going back, Section #2 & #3 I would have thought were the biggest issue and were snapping at the top in my  personal opinion I would put this down to the user, admittedly the internal wear issue baffles me if you could explain in layman's terms that would be great ?  

 
Last edited by a moderator:
Firstly thank you for replying to my post, I bought the SLX pole in  December 2016  but never used it then when section #2 of my Xtreme started to develop an issue around March to April 2017 I swapped it with an SLX section and did the same 11 months ago after section #1 of my Xtreme snapped in an accident I then used my daily Xtreme like this until September of this year  so around 9 months of use on section #1, You replaced section #3 under warranty after almost 12 months and I got full carbon section replacement which is still in use 

I will say that quite often possibly with me being short I do extend and collapse my pole almost horizontal at times, which may or may not be an issue regarding wear and most of the wear typically occurs on the underside of the pole sections , I have an S-Max which I bought in around May 2013 which is worn completely smooth but I could still use it today if needed were as with SLX I would need to do a serious refurb, I have become very used to the series 2 Xtreme and do believe if section #1 hadn't had a collision with some scaffolding in a high wind I would still be using the original section now, I don't use a grit stop and pole hose is fitted as standard but I do wipe the pole hose every time before I extend the pole. 

I would like to finish by saying that without question I wouldn't buy brushes etc from any other supplier as I am an out and out Gardiners fan, Once you have used a series 2 Xtreme there really isn't any going back, Section #2 & #3 I would have thought were the biggest issue and were snapping at the top in my  personal opinion I would put this down to the user, admittedly the internal wear issue baffles me if you could explain in layman's terms that would be great ?  


Hi Iron Giant

You've obviously found a combination that works for you.

Looking at your question about internal wear.

External wear on a pole is very obvious and we all notice this as it happens - it usually affects the areas clamped most often and is caused by clamping friction being applied to a section - combined with dirt and moisture this will allow some movement which leads to abrasive wear. There are ways of reducing the effects of this, such as keeping the clamps adjusted tightly enough so that movement under the clamps does not start to happen and the obvious step of keeping the pole clean. The other cause of external wear is the action of sliding the section in and out of the pole - again keeping the pole clean will minimize this.

However, the wear that usually 'kills' sections off is internal wear. This is the wear that occurs during extending and using the poles and happens when you combine friction with dirt and grit trapped between the two layers of carbon tube. Most of the wear will occurs between the overlap area and the inside of the pole it slides within. This wear will also often focus on the point where the base of the internal section rests most in use - such as the area inside the #3 section where the base of the #2 section rests when fully extended and in use.

How can this internal wear be prevented? Regular cleaning (such as you are doing with wiping your pole hose after use), flushing out when dirty, renewing overlap tape, and spraying with PTFE dry-film are all things that can really reduce this friction and abrasion.

However on any pole there will be points where the wear is focused and at some point this is where the section will give up - for most poles this is the #2 and #3 section about 15-20cm down from the top where the base of the section above rests most of the time and where they get most lateral side wall pressure when working due to the leverage effect of a fully extended section levering against just a short area of the tube.

With an older pole you can reduce the effects of this by starting to work with an extra couple of inches not extended on the top 3 sections. This will reduce the leverage pressure and will rest the base of the section slightly further in to the outer sections.

 
Back
Top