In the retail market there are a range of garden hoses available, from throwaway light duty hoses that last a season to more expensive hoses that can last a decade or more. They are normally made of either rubber, PVC, or hybrid thermoplastic rubber blends.

When selecting a garden hose, users need to consider the weight, handling characteristics, drag resistance, temperature range, and pressure ratings. More modern compounding processes have allowed hybrid thermoplastic hoses to offer more features traditionally seen in a rubber hose, but at the weight and price point of a PVC hose.

It should be noted that within the “rubber” product class and within the “PVC” product class of garden hoses, the price differentials will likely reflect the quality of the hose (ie. a higher priced “rubber” garden hose will typically outperform a lower priced “rubber” garden hose).