Pole Recommendation Needed

[mickey4paws]

Hi all,
We need to replace our telepole. I'm sick of buying cheap ones that just end up breaking. So I've decided to get a Skimlite brand pole and wonder if anyone has had experience with them.

I can't decide between the 9016 Dually here:

http://skimlite.com/9000.html

or the 3500 Durapro here:

http://skimlite.com/3500.html

I was concerned about the 9016 being too heavy, but according to Skimlite, the 9016 weighs 3.25 pounds & the 3500 weighs 2.75 pounds. I like that both these poles have dual locks and the locking mechanisms are replaceable, if needed.

[aylad]

Just out of curiousity, what does it take to break a pole? We've still got the original one that we got when our pool was built 8-9 years ago, and I can't imagine any pool chore putting enough pressure on it to make it bend, let alone break?

Janet

[mickey4paws]

Hi Janet,

I probably should have explained better. The pole itself doesn't break, but rather the locks. So when you're vacuuming for instance, the pole will collapse because the lock is broken. I think they're just made cheaply and that's why they break. So I said the next pole we get is going to be a good one, lol.

Wow, yours has lasted a long time. It must be a good brand.

[Phillbo]

Do you store your poles in the sun ? The locks are typically plastic and will get destroyed by the sun.

[mickey4paws]

We have a chain link fence that has a sort of long pocket attached to it that holds all the poles. It gets sun for a few hours in the afternoon. Thanks for the reply, and definitely something to consider when I order my new pole. Maybe I can make some kind of top for the pocket to keep the sun off of it.

[aylad]

Wow, yours has lasted a long time. It must be a good brand.

The label on it says " Pentair Metal Cam Telescopic Pole".

The people who built my pool furnished it instead of their standard startup chemical package, when I told them I didn't need anything that was in the package. Fortunately, I had found this site about 6 months earlier and pretty well understood the chemistry issues before we got to that point.

Janet

[mickey4paws]

That was smart to get the pole instead of a bunch of chemicals you didn't need

I wish our local pool store sold decent poles. One time I bought one there and took it home and started using it. Ended up with blue hands from the paint on the pole.

I ended up ordering the Dually pole made by Skimlite (9016). It's probably more heavy duty than I need but wanted to go with something that will hopefully last. Plus, if the locks do break, they are replaceable.

[aylad]

Let us know how it works out for you--that may be some useful information for somebody else when the time comes.

Janet