Dramm-ColorStorm-Featured-Image Watering & Irrigation

Dramm ColorStorm Premium Rubber Hose: Review

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GPR RECOMMENDATION

Ease of Use:
Quality:
Performance:
Final Thoughts

One of the best rubber hoses on the market … period.

Overall Score 5

Available on Amazon

Buy It

A hose is an essential tool in the garden and a sturdy hose with a long life is a great gift. I received the Dramm ColorStormTM Premium Rubber hose just in time to greet a summer as wet as last year’s summer was dry. I was still very glad to have it.

About the Company

In the 1940s the Dramm Company began by manufacturing John C. Dramm’s invention, the 400 Water Breaker. This gentle watering tool was originally used in professional greenhouses. Nowadays it is available as a One Touch Rain Wand (see our review here) which I bought and treasure. Going from a company making tools and equipment for greenhouses, it now also makes excellent equipment for home gardeners in bright colors, including the Dramm ColorStormTM Premium Rubber Hose.

No Leaks, No Cracks, No Kinking, No Discoloring

I put the hose through its paces dragging it from place to place in my garden.  With all that dragging, you’d think I’d see some wear – Nope.  Even the name ColorStormTM that is clearly printed on the side of the hose saw no visible wear.

I left the hose outside for a season and it saw no cracking or discoloration from the sun’s harmful UV rays. The hose stayed as vibrantly colored as when it came packaged.  I can’t say for certain how its color would hold up if left outside for several seasons, as so far I’ve only used it for one gardening season. [Editor’s Note: I have a red ColorStormTM hose that’s been lying in the sun for four years, including two years in Tucson (I’m lazy – I rarely wind it up on the hose reel). The color has faded but the hose is still going strong and shows no sign of wear.]

And as a final note, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t get this hose to kink.  Pull as I might through tight turns and pulling it off its own coil it just would not kink. I’ve owned plenty of hoses over the years and virtually all of them have kinked.  I have other friends who own the ColorStormTM and they experience insignificant kinking, but some none the less.  It seems that virtually all hoses have a kink factor, but from my experience, the ColorStormTM hose was kink free. [Editor’s Note: It took several years before mine started to experience occasional kinking, although it’s far less than any other hose I’ve used.]

Hexagonal Construction Makes For A Sure GripTM

What I especially liked about this hose is the hexagonal Sure GripTM cover, which does give you a comfortable grip. I am not in my first youth (I cast my first ballot for president in 1961) but I don’t have any trouble moving this premium hose around the garden.  And I think those with arthritis would have the same experience that I had – it’s easy to hold onto with a minimum amount of strength.

Dramm ColorStorm hose Hexagonal shape

The hose was easy to hold onto based on Dramm’s hexagonal Sure GripTM cover

The Couplings Are Bullet Proof

The couplings at either end of the hose are made of nickel-plated brass. I used this hose extensively, hooking and unhooking it from spigots and nozzles. Despite all this constant use, the couples held up beautifully. There was no chipping or tarnishing of the nickel-plated brass.

Dramm ColorStorm hose couplings

The hose coupling stood up to abuse without any damage

The hose also came with a standard hose washer, but I recommend inserting another high-quality rubber washer into the connection port (such as this one from Gilmour) to prevent any future leaks.

Dramm hose rubber washer

The hose comes with a standard washer. I experienced no leaks when tightened on a spigot.

Bright Colors Make The ColorStormTM Easy To See

I like the bright yellow cover on my hose, which makes it super visible. The brilliant yellow helps keep you from tripping over it, but Dramm even gives their own printed warning down the length of the hose “Caution Tripping Hazard.”

As with all Dramm consumer products, the hose comes in six color choices  – Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue and Purple.

Available in Multiple Lengths

The hose I used was 50 feet long and 5/8” diameter. Dramm also offers a 25-foot hose in that diameter.

Dramm ColorStorm hose with caution bar

“Caution Tripping Hazard” is stamped on every The ColorStormTM Hose

How Did It Compare To Other Hoses I’ve Owned?

This is by far the best hose I have ever used or owned. I would definitely invest in another one if need be.

Based on Dramm’s superb quality, it isn’t cheap, but as the old saying goes, “you get what you pay for”. If you’re looking for just a standard 50’ 5/8” garden hose made out of a vinyl reinforced material plan on spending somewhere in the neighborhood of $10 to $20. The ColorStormTM 50’ rubber hose retails for $57.95 (Amazon Prime).

But you really can’t compare this to your typical garden hose. Here’s what makes it special –

First, The ColorStormTM hose is made out of commercial grade EPDM rubber (EPDM is Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomers), a high-density synthetic rubber that’s crackless. Because EPDM rubber has good resistance to acid and alkali it does not degrade as rapidly as rubber when left outdoors in the soil and in the rain. The stuff is durable like car tires. Also, the hose also has crush proof, nickel plated couplings, it resists kinks, and coils easily. And finally, The ColorStormTM can take pressures up to 129 PSI, stays flexible down to -250 F and can be used with hot water up to 1600 F. As I said, this isn’t your typical garden hose …

Caring for the Dramm Colorstorm Hose

I appreciated the care and useful advice. After all, if Dramm is going to give us a Lifetime Guarantee, we should do our part. Most of the advice is common sense to those of us who have made mistakes and paid the price.

  • Don’t leave the water on when you leave the hose to attend those other responsibilities.
  • Drain the hose after using it even in the summer because water left in a hose exposed to sun and hot weather will expand and can damage the hose. I make sure to leave the nozzle open while I am turning off the water spigot.
  • Drain the hose after its season’s use and before winter sets in. Frozen water left in the hose can also damage it. (I speak from experience with a very different hose.)
  • Don’t drink from the hose. Gone are the days when we can quench our thirst while watering on a hot day by a few sips from the hose. We are reminded that harmful chemicals can be used in nozzles and other attachments, and that hose interior is warm, dark and damp, a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. I always thought this was an unnecessary rule, but now that the reason has been explained to me I will never even be tempted to take a cooling hose slurp.

Warranty

Made in USA

The ColorStormTM hose has a lifetime guarantee when used appropriately. Basically, if the product ever breaks due to manufacturing or material defects, Dramm will send you a new replacement.

Made in the U.S.A.

Recommendation

I whole-heartedly recommend the Dramm ColorStormTM Premium hose. It’s sturdy, beautiful, easy to use and virtually kink-free. I confess to a liking of good-looking garden tools and Dramm understands the appeal of colorful items.

Where To Buy

You can buy Dramm products in many independent garden centers. But for the best price, buy it online where it retails for about around $48 for a 50′ hose on Amazon (free shipping with Prime) although the price varies slightly depending on color, $59.99 at Sears and $57.95 at Walmart.

Amazon’s also your best choice if you want to choose the color of your hose (see the 6 different colors below) and the specific length.

Last update on 2024-03-29 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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Disclaimer – GPReview would like to thank Dramm for giving us a free sample to review. There was no expectation that it would be a positive review and we received no compensation for writing it. All opinions expressed here are those of the author based on personal experience using the product.

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3 Comments on Dramm ColorStorm Premium Rubber Hose: Review

  1. Tom

    In your article you recommend buying a hose with minimum “burst pressure” of 350 psi. Yet in your review of the Dramm hose you indicate that it can handle “129 psi”? Is this different than the “burst pressure? No Technical Data is provided.

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