Pole saw advice - Marvin vs Silky vs Honey Bros...?

[Hornbeam]

OK - the prologue: I'm in my 60s, no longer allowed up ladders... but need a long pole saw - ie: over 16ft/5m. I have for the last 40 years been using a 12ft/3.5m hazel rod with an old pruning saw clamped to the end. It works a treat, can happily cut through a 3" oak branch takes a lot of welly (and 3 Weetabix) without flexing or complaint. But stout, straight hazel rods don't come much longer!

 

I am sorely tempted by the Marvin set - 3 x 6ft glass-fibre poles - but am wary of telescopic alloy sets such as the Silky etc because of potential buckling/jamming.

 

1: How rigid are these Marvin glass-fibre poles and how many poles can I fit before they flex too much and no longer cut? I am looking at 4x 6ft poles (5.2m)

 

2: Is there any advantage in the foam filled, more expensive Jameson or the hollow Honey Bros Park set - they all seem to be 1-1/4" dia poles now.

 

3: Any problems with cutting a 3" dia branch at full reach? They seem to suggest a capacity of only around 1-1/2" to 2" before fear of jamming?

 

4: How good is the Marvin saw blade?

 

Any useful advice before I squander the £200 piggy-bank?

 

Many thanks!

[Old Mill Tree Care]

I bought a Marvin set 10 years ago and the only thing that has broken is two springs on the pruner head and one pole, but the latter was my error.

 

The pole connectors are extremely wobbly now but they are used a few times a week every week for the last ten years.

[Hornbeam]

Thanks,

 

Just seen your reply which came after I popped up to Honey Bros and brought a 3-pole Marvin set plus a spare head which takes Silky Hayabusha blades.

 

First impressions... well made, but expensive! At least I can now fit a decent blade as I'm not impressed with Marvin blade, though it might get better with use... but what happened to a decent kerf?

 

The pole saw is rigid with 2 x 6ft poles (my Hazel rod is lighter and far more rigid!) but with the 3 x 6ft pole is certainly noticeably wobbly and a tad too bendable at that length. I did buy a spare 6ft pole but I'm dubious about trying to cut a branch with 4 poles! Me thinks I'll have to train a friendly squirrel to gnaw through top branches...

 

Meanwhile I'll grow some more, much longer hazel rods...

 

TTFN

Edited July 10, 2015 by Hornbeam

[Taupotreeman]

Always found the AUS insulated poles way less wibbly wobbly than the jamesons and chance (similar to marvin) as they're a little bit thicker in diameter. We could get up to 12 or 13 poles on when do line clearance but that was extreme.