General use hoses are one of the most commonly found methods for getting liquids from one point to another. They can be made from various materials, with different sizes, and can be engineered to be super strong or lightweight.
Many homeowners however move their hoses around the yard a lot and don’t often get a good chance to fully drain and store them between uses. As a result it can be very easy to kink a hose on accident which then makes it even easier for the hose to kink again and again before holes or rips start forming.
If you want to buy a high quality (expensive) hose then you probably want it to last a long time so it’s imperative to keep your hose from kinking.
How do you keep a hose from getting a kink?
Mostly it’s as simple as storing it properly between uses and trying to keep it as straight as possible when stored or in use.
Most people can’t store a hose flat so using a high quality hose reel can make a big difference because them make it really easy to put the hose away after each use.
They also make it easy to uncoil just the length of hose you’ll need rather than toting the entire 100 foot length around the yard.
We have a full post reviewing our favorite residential hose reel here in case you are interested. The best value for your money however is probably this hose reel cart on Amazon which is a best seller and offers a lot of versatility in the way you use it.
Before we dive deeper into the topic of hose maintenance and repair lets first learn about hoses and how they are constructed.
What is a rubber hose?
Rubber hoses are mostly cylindrical or round shaped and hollow and they are designed to carry fluids of different viscosities from one point to the other.
What are they used for?
Rubber hoses can find application in a number of ways, they can be used to carry gases or other substances within liquid environment or they can be used to hold and ferry liquids in gaseous environments.
Most hoses are made through a special process of casting or extrusion and they are often reinforced with rolls of fiber entwined, braided and plaited together to form ridges of fibers.
This is responsible for the markings often found in pipes and they are responsible for making the pipes strong enough to withstand pressure – extreme pressure.
It is essential this article considers the basics about a hose before delving into what makes up a kink and how it can be avoided, so the reader can have a full understanding of everything about hoses.
Hoses are made from different compounds of ethane with each mixed depending on the use of the hose. As a matter of fact, hoses are designed based on the following properties or how they resist the following factors: temperature and pressure of substance (fluid or gas).
Because of the use of hoses, they have been classified into different types which are used for different applications.
Related: Here is a List of Our Favorite 250 ft Garden Hoses
Hose Applications & Usage
Typical applications handled by hoses include the following among a few other highly specialized types of hoses:
- Hoses made for General purpose
- Hoses made for Agricultural
- Hoses made for Chemical purposes
- Rubber Hoses made for Discharge purpose (high pressure)
- Hoses made for Fresh air
- Hoses made for Garden or landscaping
- Hoses made for HVAC
- Hoses made for Medical or pharmaceutical purposes
- Hoses made for Oil or fuel transmission and transportation
In all cases hoses can and will kink under the right circumstances and taking care to prevent kinks and repair those that occur will extend the hose’s usable life.
Kink in Rubber Hoses: What it Means
There is a disturbing phenomenon most rubber hose users often face, this phenomenon is of trouble-inducing proportions.
Hoses often experience what is known as a kink. A kink has several roles it plays and none of these role played is beneficial to the hose.
As a matter of fact a kinked hose often leads to a damaged rubber hose or a hose with reduced function.
A rubber hose is said to experience a kink when it bends or twists preventing the uninterrupted flow of water, gasses or whatever substance it contains.
In other words kinking occurs when the hose (rubber or whatever) bends along a straight line or a 90-degree angle ,this uneven tilt to 90 degrees causes the hose to wrap at its weakest point. This of course results in reducing the flow or altogether stopping the water flow in the garden hose.
To prevent kinking, rubber hose designers have been re-enforcing hoses as a part of their grand design over the years as already stated above. This reinforced rubber hoses are mostly called kink free hoses and they are, and can be used for a variety of functions.
Related: Make sure to see this post where we review the best hoses for use in the winter!
What Are Kink Free Hoses?
Kink free hoses are the perfect choice of hose for users who want to avoid the bends ,twists and turns experienced by regular rubber hose users.
In making kink free hoses, hose designers apply rubber tubing internally when making hoses to prevent them from kinking and twisting.
Because of the various brands of kink-free rubber hoses in the market ,most adverts of kink-free rubber hoses often turn out to be false and it must be noted that every hose will eventually become kinked the older it gets and with more use.
Hoses That Kink The Least
This article will highlight a number of hoses which have all been proved to be designed ‘anti-kink’ and in the cause of the review the hose which has the least kink-ability will be identified.
REM-15 connector hose Made by Apex
Most hoses are made from reinforced materials to ensure they are strong enough to withstand extreme pressure, last longer and resistant to kinks.
The REM-15 connector hose Made by Apex is one of the foremost rubber hoses made from reinforced and remnant material and it is known by most hose users as one of the strongest and it has the added advantage of being a hose which can be added to increase the length because it often comes with a connective brass fitting at the edge.
This 10-15 feet long rubber hose has been known by users not to be the best choice for non-kink as it experienced kinks after few uses because it is made from hose remnants.
Garden lead-in hose made by Flexzilla
This low budget and extremely flexible hose is a gardener’s pride. From its unique color to its ability to be used for operations that require bending, turning and twisting.
Although extremely short, this miniature hose is made to be extremely utilitarian as it can be used in any degree of temperature making it a good garden hose and a great fire hose.
It is made from a number of distinct materials: hybrid polymers and this make it anti-kink because it does not change shape when twisted, however, it is too short and it kinks with time.
Expandable water hose with sprayer made by Hospaip
This particular hose is known essentially for its size and it comes in several sizes from 25 feet -100 feet and the most popular size is the 50 feet.
This hose is made from polyester fiber which acts as an outer covering for a double latex pipe interior.
This pipe has shape shifting characteristics which makes it prone to being continuously out of shape after use.
Although the Expandable water hose with sprayer made by Hospaip is flexible and durable, it kinks after a series of use especially if it isn’t well arranged and stored.
The HSE 10 foot extension hose by Suncast
With impressive flow rate and high resistance to temperature and pressure (internal and external).
It is no surprise that this product is a premium product sought after by users of anti-kink hoses.
The anti-kink property is enforced by its 4 ply rubber design; one major challenge is that it is quite short and only suitable to be used as an auxiliary hose.
100-Foot Heavy Duty Expandable No-Kink Tangle Free Water Hose by 3km
As the name implies, this high efficiency, heavy duty, No kink, tangle free hose is one of a kind.
This multi hyphenated product was designed and reinforced from surface to core with latex layering across three cores.
The 100-Foot Heavy Duty Expandable No-Kink Tangle Free Water Hose by 3km comes with a nozzle and users can drain it to remove residual water before it can be stored.
This hose is second place in the list of hoses with the list ability to kink because of its unique design despite its ability to expand several meters when filled with water and also depending on the pressure of the water applied.
Never kink pro water hose Made by teknor Apex
Most kink proof hoses come in different lengths, while size may never be the consideration when it comes to hoses; rubber hoses that are kink-free.
This product (Never kink pro water hose Made by teknor Apex) was manufactured using a specialized technology called the patented Reflex Mesh technology.
What this technology involves is that it spreads mesh reinforcements evenly throughout the hose preventing kinks and twists from starting.
From edge to edge the mesh are evenly distributed and it is capped up with a heavy gauge flexible coil finishing designed at the points close to the faucet (delivery points) thus making this the hose that kinks the least.
Of all the above listed hoses only the 100-Foot Heavy Duty Expandable No-Kink Tangle Free Water Hose by 3km and Never kink pro water hose Made by teknor Apex are the pipes which kinks the least because of their structural and functional designs.
Other hoses with less kink ability are the 50-Foot Expandable Garden Hose by Wingogh, Expandable 50-Foot No-Kink Flexible Water Hose by flexi hose, 25-Foot Durable Non Kinking Water Hose by worth garden, 25-Foot All Rubber Hot and Cold Water Hose by Apex.
Can Kinked Hoses be Repaired?
To be candid, industrial rubber hoses are very expensive to purchase which is why many have asked for a long time if they are easy to repair.
The answer to this question is a big yes. The repair of a kinked hose requires fundamental steps.
By Straightening the Kink
First the kink has to be identified; next it has to be unkinked /straightened /unbent at the point where it suffered the kink.
By Using Splints
Kinks can be straightened in a hose by using tiny pieces of rubber or plastic called splints which are then fastened to the sides of the hose experiencing the kinks.
This method fixes the kink temporarily.
How to Store Hoses to Prevent Kinks
In conclusion, the major cause of kink has been identified as improper storage of hoses, kinks will be reduced in a hose if the hose is properly drained, rolled and kept in a safe place far from the reach of children or wandering feet.
Keep It Straight When Not in Use
One of the first and foremost things that you have to keep in mind is that you shouldn’t let it coil unless otherwise necessary.
Coiling is the main reason behind kinking, it can easily be avoided. There are several ways to do this- you might want to stretch your hose out on your lawn, for example, when not in use.
If you don’t want to do that or can’t then you can setup 2 “L” shaped hooks and carefully keep putting the hose around them. While it will still be coiled at parts a lot of the hose will be stored in a semi-straight position which will extend the durability of the hose and minimizing the chances of it kinking next time you use it.
Lastly, you can simply…
Buy a hose that’s less prone to kinking.
Yes, there are special hoses out there that have a far less chance of kinking!
So, if you want to get out of kinking and if you want to get a new hose or are fine with getting one, going for one of these sounds like a great idea!
The Pope Spiral Hose, for instance, is a great hose when it comes to such hoses!
If you liked this article, we have a great idea for you! You might actually want to check out our other articles! Here are a few to get you started:
Keep Reading: A Review of the Best Garden Soaker Hoses
Stay Safe: Is it Safe to Drink Water From a Hose?