I have some. Grabs onto cheap, thin-walled hosepipe, and holds, where Gardena would pop off after a few days. And my water pressure goes up over 7 bar.
Not cheap, but I bought one after frustration similar to yours. It works...
I have a kit of brass ones from from Aldi - think it was this one (£4.99 ISTR):
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Replaced all the plastic ones on my hosereel (plastic) and they seem to work fine.
Managed to lose the tap screw-on piece, so I reverted to the plastic one. It leaked. I went on ebay and ordered a brass one. That didn't have enough thread to screw onto the tap without leaking. But I extracted the washer from the ebay one and put it inside the plastic one - it's now leakproof when the plastic tap-piece is inserted into the brass hose-end, even if the hose nozzle is closed tight.
TL;DR 'it works for me'. Although I have to say the water pressure around here isn't great so it isn't the hardest test ever.
So much so that they didn't sell well at the local store here, and were remaindered out for 1? apiece. I think I found all that were in the "out with it" bin!
Unless he has very high local water pressure or an undersized piece of hosepipe I can't see the problem. I have used Hozelock and other still cheaper clones on my hoses without any bother at all.
User error is the most likely explanation if it isn't gripping properly.
I fitted some Claber irrigation for tree watering, as part of the kits I bought, they came with some of their quick-click connectors, they mate with normal hozelok stuff but are a *much* more positive fit, and no dribbles.
Thank you for your long-distance diagnosis. That's quite impressive despite you not being able to see the problem.
All new parts. All Hozelock. All assembled correctly. No difference from previous installations over the years other than the current crop of Hozelock parts seem to be less well made.
I tried the brass equivalents from Toolsatan years ago without good results. ISTR leaks & O ring failures & swellings such that real hozelock fittings wouldn't then connect properly.... back to genuines from then on...
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