Gorilla Hose Review 2024: PVC Lay Flat Hose

Hoses are a standard part of pretty much any modern home. We use it to wash our lawns, cars, or even our pets. However, most garden variety hoses break so easily. There’s no way you can use it for your new pool unless you fancy changing hoses every other month. You’ll be needing something specialized for your pool.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Pool Hose

Pool hoses are an investment in safety and convenience. Garden variety hoses oftentimes cannot take the strain of cleaning pools. Pool hoses specifically made for cleaning pools and so tend to be heavier and much longer. If you are a pool owner, pool hoses are the way to go. If you are simply looking for a more durable hose for your garden needs, you’ll be better off getting a more durable brand of garden hose. Note that while you can use pool hoses for garden needs, it would be “overkill” so to speak as pool hoses are meant for heavy-duty tasks.

If you decide to look for a pool hose, here are the 3 basic qualities you need to take into account.

Cost

It’s best not to pay too much for something that fulfills only one purpose. Pick a hose that is both affordable and perfectly suited to your pool’s needs.

Length

Depending on your setup, the length of your pool hose is important. You don’t want to overpay for an extra 50 feet you won’t even be using. Vice versa, you don’t want to cheap out and realize your hose can’t even fully cover the length of your pool.

Durability

Pool hoses will be going under a lot of stress while in use. Make sure that the hose you pick can withstand all the constant use it will be getting.

Gorilla Hose

Gorilla Backwash Hose for Swimming Pools is a heavy-duty reinforced PVC hose, specifically meant to be used for pools. It promises to be tough and made to last. It states itself to be 5x stronger than your average standard market hose. The product also notes that is not like the flimsy pool hoses you buy from the local pool store.

Core Features & Benefits

PVC Reinforced Walls

The hose uses a heavy-duty reinforced PVC pump hose that is made specifically for pool use.

This means that its material is meant to withstand the constant use and pressure from the pool cleaning process. This makes it significantly more durable. To be specific, it is 5x more durable than the average blue hoses you see at the pool shop.

This comes as no surprise since it is advertised to be extra heavy duty. It does offer some issues. For starters, the material used is incredibly heavy so it takes a bit of elbow grease to lug it around especially while in use.

Resistance to Wear and Tear

The hose exterior is also made to withstand harsh weather, pool chemicals, and physical abrasions. While the full extent isn’t fully tested, this just means it won’t deteriorate easily.

This makes the Gorilla backwash hose a great option for outdoor pools.

However, this level of resistance does come at the cost of making the texture of the hose a bit uncomfortable to the touch.

Stainless Steel Clamp

The hose comes with a brand new stainless steel hose clamp. The clamp is built with the hose’s toughness in mind. The average clamp is unlikely to be strong enough to even clench the hose tight. The clamp prevents leakage near the outlet.

The addition of a steel clamp specifically for this hose is helpful to the buyer for convenience reasons. They no longer have to hunt for a clamp that fits the specifics of this brand of hose or replace a faulty clamp they bought for it.

Lastly, being stainless steel means it won’t be rusting anytime soon, if at all. That’s a neat feature to have for something meant to be around pools.

Flexibility

Despite the high durability, it does not stay as rigid as it does out of the box. In fact, the Gorilla backwash hose proves itself to be surprisingly flexible. It can keep in good shape even after constant use or contact with the elements.

Combined with its toughness, this makes the hose a long-term investment. However, when you first use it, expect some tightness and rigidity, so expect some unwieldiness while you get the hose to flexible use.

Length

The hose does come with 3 different length options for you to choose from. You can pick which length is best suited for your pool situation.

• For home pools, 25ft is the way to go.
• For private pool places or small resorts, 50ft should work in your favor.
• If you are expected to be using the hose with huge resort pools, 100ft is the maximum length they can go.

Overall, the Gorilla backwash hose is best for pool owners who expect constant company. If you are the type of person to have people over all the time, then pool maintenance is a must.

It’s also a great option for resorts that are always fully booked with visitors. The durability, length, and flexibility make it a great pool hose option.

Alternatives

Here are a few alternatives you may want to consider if the Gorilla brand hose isn’t quite for you.

U.S Pool Supply – Black Rhino Hose

Out of the 3 alternatives, this is the most similar to the Gorilla hose. They have a similar level of sturdiness. This hose is 3 pounds heavier than the Gorilla hose. This may mean it is sturdier due to the different materials used. This is best for those who want something mildly sturdier than the Gorilla hose.

Similarities:

• 1.5″ diameter
• Same materials used
• Same pricepoint
• Both are discharge hoses used for pools

Differences:

• The walls are much thicker than gorilla hose, at 1.2mm
• Slightly more expensive especially with shipping (based on Amazon details)

Eastrans Heavy Duty Reinforced PVC Lay Flat Discharge and Backwash Hose

This one is more of a budget option than the previous alternative. While it doesn’t have as thick of a hose wall as either the Gorilla or Black Rhino brand, they are a bit cheaper and use 3-ply polyester yarn to reinforce themselves.

Similarities:

• Both are discharge hoses meant for pool use

Differences:

• Cheaper by USD 10.00 than Gorilla hose, at USD 59.99  (as of the time of writing)
• Uses different blue material
• More flexible out the package

Augtarlion 2″ Dia x 50 ft Backwash Hose

Out of all the provided alternatives, this is by far the cheapest. For homeowners starting on their first pool, this is the perfect price point. It’s also the only hose to provide different diameter options. You not only have the option of 50ft and 100ft, but you also have the option of 1.25″, 1.5″, and 2″ diameter hoses.

Similarities:

• Both are discharge hoses meant for pool use

Differences:

• Uses a cheaper material than Gorilla hose
• Lighter by  a whole 6 pounds compared to the Gorilla hose
• The cheapest alternative, sitting at USD 42.99 for 1.5″ 100ft, compared to Gorilla hose’s USD 69.99

Conclusion

Gorilla Backwash Hose has proven itself to be a reliable and durable option for your pool needs. It has the resilience to withstand constant use and pool hazards. In addition, it has variable length options to fit your situation. There are some budget options for those who don’t need something quite this heavy-duty. As far as heavy-duty options go though, Gorilla Backwash may be one of the best in the market right now.