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In the market for a new hose and scouring the internet for “the best garden hose?” Read on.
Is it hot enough for you out there? Today in my neck of the woods we are heading for 111 degrees F (about 43.9 C) this afternoon. Flower heads are nodding, leaves are wilting and shriveling, despite the copious irrigation they received last night.
This is where a hose comes in handy. I like to hit the least heat-tolerant plants with a jolt of water when they appear to be struggling the most. Yes, I know, watering during the day when the weather is scorching is “a waste of water,” but it doesn’t take much and my vegetables survive.
I recently purchased a new hose and while using it last night I decided to share my experience with you.
Whether you’re a seasoned green thumb or just starting out, the Rapid Flo 5/8 in. x 100 ft. compact garden hose is worth a look. But it has some impressive competition.
Remember, there really is no “best” anything. We all have different needs and want different things from our gardening tools. Some wish for a hose that doesn’t kink, others for one they aren’t going to get tangled in. Hopefully, you’ll find that the descriptions below will hit one of your hot buttons and you’ll have found the perfect hose for you.
The Core Features of the Rapid Flo 5/8 Inch Hose
“Ours is in 110° heat & holding up beautifully! My 86-year-old mother can pull it around like a feather!” says one Amazon.com reviewer.
While I appreciate the first kudo, it’s the second that I feel is one of the hose’s best features. This thing is so easy to handle.
Say goodbye to those bulky, tangled messes that take up valuable space in your shed or hose holder thingy. With its lightweight construction, you can effortlessly maneuver around your garden, reaching every nook and cranny with ease.
The Rapid Flo’s durability is equally as impressive. Made from high-quality materials, it’s built to withstand tough weather conditions and resist kinks and leaks.
Additional features of this assembled-in-the-USA hose include:
- 5-year warranty
- 600 PSI Burst Strength
- 50% lighter in weight than heavy-duty vinyl hoses
- Ergonomic couplings that are crush-resistant
No, the Rapid Flo hose isn’t perfect
“Is there a perfect, lightweight, indestructible, kink-proof and leak-proof garden hose? I doubt it and certainly haven’t found one!” exudes another Rapid Flo user going into his third season of use.
Perfect? Maybe not.
Some purchasers complain that their hose leaked right out of the box, while others said it took a few weeks for the leaks to start. Doesn’t sound like the best garden hose does it? But, there’s more.
It appears that some buyers had a problem with the metal male-end connector either falling off with full pressure from the hose or leaking. A quick tightening before use seems to be the cure.
Missing rubber washers is another complaint from a few buyers. Ensure that yours has one installed and that it comes with a spare.
While there are far more positive reviews and comments than negative, this is something to keep in mind when mulling over a purchase.
The 5-year warranty that Rapid Flo offers may give you confidence, however.
Sixty-eight percent of Amazon reviewers give the hose five stars while 14% only gave it one.
How does the Rapid Flo Garden Hose stack up against the competition?
“The Bionic Flex PRO hose is woven from an industry-leading commercial grade hybrid polyester weave that is extremely durable and resistant to leaks, punctures, and extended drags over tough surfaces, resistant to extreme weather and includes a sprayer nozzle,” boast the manufacturers.
Boasting the same “extremely flexible and easy to maneuver” features of the folks at Rapid Flo, at first blush the two appear to be quite similar. Here are the basic differences between the two:
- The Bionic Flex PRO offers 500 psi burst strength as opposed to the 600 that Rapid Flo can brag about.
- The Bionic Flex Pro has been upgraded. The manufacturers replaced the old fittings with brass ones that are “nearly uncrushable.”
- This hose includes a brass spray nozzle (commercial grade).
Additionally, the 100 ft. length of the Rapid Flo hose may not be ideal for smaller gardens or those with limited space. In such cases, a shorter hose may be more practical.
Bionic Flo offers lengths including 25 feet, 50 feet and 75 feet in addition to the 100-foot model. Interestingly, these options aren’t offered on Lowe’s website and we could only find them on Amazon’s listing.
Any lightweight, non-kinking garden hose is a game changer for the home gardener. Until someone manufactures one that meets the “perfect” criteria, there are choices out there that are acceptable and get the job done.
When it comes to finding the best garden hose, we haven’t given up. We do prefer, however, the Bionic Flo for several reasons. Chief among them is the updated couplings, the additional lengths offered and the included brass spray nozzle.
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Rapid Flo Garden Hose
