Flat Fresh Water Hose w/Reel

[sacrawf]

Anybody using one of the flat fresh water hoses that comes with their own wind-up reel?  I see that they are available at WestMarine and Camping World. How does it hold up?  Any leaks? Does it drain well while being wound up?  Any problems with mildew or mold within the wound hose?

I am tired of my kinking traditional fresh water hose, and looking for a better solution.

[wavery]

Anybody using one of the flat fresh water hoses that comes with their own wind-up reel?  I see that they are available at WestMarine and Camping World. How does it hold up?  Any leaks? Does it drain well while being wound up?  Any problems with mildew or mold within the wound hose?

I am tired of my kinking traditional fresh water hose, and looking for a better solution.

If you don't like kinking in the traditional hose, you sure won't like the flat ones. They work OK if they are laid out straight but they kink real easily. However, you can stow a 100' hose in a very small space. It sure is nice to have if you need it.

They drain real easily and I never had one leak. I carried one on my boat for many years. I used it when I couldn't reach with my regular hose. I was hoping that I could trash my solid hose but it wasn't to be after using it a few times. The flat ones will drive you nuts with kinking. At least mine did.

[beacher]

Like Wavery mentioned they kink VERY easily.


I have the 50 foot Handi Hose from CW.  It's only used to fill up the water tank when I'm at a campsite without hookups, (when there just happens to conveniently be a hose bib within 100 feet of my PopUp)!

I use it with a Water Thief if I'm close enough to connect it, (and/or the other two 25' regular white water hoses that I carry), to conveniently fill my water tank.

Wavery, since you are participating in the Dogwood rally in campsite #20!  By sheer coincidence, I usually request the HUGE isolated and private campsite #21 whenever I stay at Dogwood.  My Popup's water tank inlet ends up about 93 feet from the closest hose bib, (across the road and uphill into campsite #20), where I normally connect my hose contraption! :p

[dupreet]

I haven't used one of these for camping, but did buy one for work.  The one I bought at Home Depot or Lowes doesn't really 'puff' up when you put water it it.  The hose is a hard plastic that is normally flat and only expands a tiny amount under pressure. As a result the amount of water that flows through it is quite low - It might be alright as a direct line into your faucet, but I would hate to wait for it to fill a large tank.

I know that I have seen some that have a 'soft' hose that does pop up to a normal dimension when it is used, and they goes back flat on the reel - much better that the one I have!

Good Luck,

Todd

[sacrawf]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I will get either a 25 or 50 foot roll-up flat hose and try it.  I have only been using a 25' traditional hose.  I keep it rolled up in a plastic tote with a water filter, water pressure regulator, and fresh water fill hose/valve.  The tote is stored in the outside access storage box.

The kinking is not so much during use, but coiling the hose to get it stored away, especially during cold weather.

On humid or rainy camping weekends, the hose never really dries out, and leaves water in the plastic tote when coiled for travelling.  Although I let it dry thoroughly in the garage opened up inside my garage between trips, I still have had mold start in the tote and on the hose. (I just threw them out and got new ones).

The instructions on the in-line carbon water filters you can get at Wal-Mart says to keep it in the refrigerator between use.  How practical is that?  I just threw mine away after 3 months, and  want to replace it with something that doesn't require such special care and can drain completely, which the carbon filter never does.  Any suggestions?  Anybody have success a traditional whole-house filter housing with a carbon filter and hose-fittings attached?  How do you keep it upright during use?  Didn't I see someone post about a mod adding a water filter bracket to their PUP rear bumper?

[harleywolf]

Bought one of these 'novelties' for the home several years ago. Never use it for camping. I HATED it from the start. It certainly does kink up a lot and mine twisted too which made it darn near impossible to get back onto the reel. Took longer to get it wound back up so it fit the reel, than it was worth for the supposed convenience. I threw mine out.

[brainpause]

Bought one of these 'novelties' for the home several years ago. Never use it for camping. I HATED it from the start. It certainly does kink up a lot and mine twisted too which made it darn near impossible to get back onto the reel. Took longer to get it wound back up so it fit the reel, than it was worth for the supposed convenience. I threw mine out.

So, Rick...what do you REALLY think about them?

Larry

[dupreet]

Lynne/Scott

In regards to the traditional hose and 'leaking' into your tote, I always drain most of the water out of mine when packing up and hook the ends of the hose together so there isn't any 'leakage'.  I don't worry about drying this small amount of water out of the hose.....it will only take a few seconds of running water at the next outing to clear the 'old' water.

Good Luck,

Todd

[sacrawf]

I did buy a 50' Gilmour brand Marine & Recreation Space Saver hose and tried it for the first time this weekend.  I was pleasantly suprised at how well it worked.  As soon as the water was turned on , the pressure straightened out any potential places for kinks.  When done, the hose flattened back out and wound onto the included reel (that looks like one of the reels used for extension cords).
It was made in the U.S. unlike my old fresh water hose, cost $18 and has a lifetime replacement policy.

[dras]

sacrawf - where did you get that hose from? I see the Camping World ones are sort of expensive (but then most of their stuff is).

Thanks.

[sacrawf]

I got the fresh water hose from Big R Stores, a farm/home store with locations in Illinois and Indiana. http://bigr.com.  They also have locations in other states: http://bigr.com/locationsother.htm

sacrawf - where did you get that hose from? I see the Camping World ones are sort of expensive (but then most of their stuff is).

Thanks.