Like most tailgating enthusiasts it’s not too often that I pass up an opportunity to check out a new piece of tailgating gear. So when Dave emailed and said that the folks at flagpoletogo.net were looking for us to do a review, I jumped at the opportunity. Flagpoletogo.net features a wide variety of flagpoles and mounts for many applications. The products they sent me to review were the 20′ Flagpole To Go and their Tailgater’s Tire Mount. They also included an American flag which I greatly appreciated.
The flagpole is made of aluminum and has a telescoping design. The operation should be very familiar to most folks as it extends by twisting each section, extending the section out, and finally twisting in the opposite direction to lock it in place. Naturally the process is reversed when taking the pole down. Flags attach via springy wire clips built onto the pole. This model is 20′ long when fully extended and roughly 4′ collapsed. At it’s widest point the diameter is roughly 1.5″. It will accommodate 2 flags up to 3′ X 5′ in size.
The tire mount is also aluminum and consists of 2 pieces. One is a pipe with a thumb screw to lock the pole in place. The other is the piece that actually goes under your tire. The two pieces combine by screwing the pipe into the base. The base measures about 14″ x 5″. There is about 11.5″ between the point of attachment and the border of the base. The pipe is about 14″ long as well.
My initial reaction to the product was that it was a big improvement over my past flagpoles. Previously I had experimented with different options but I was never quite satisfied. Either they were too big and bulky, too short, or just plain didn’t cut it. What I had now was a 20′ lightweight aluminum flagpole that collapsed into a 4′ package! I don’t have ready access to a good scale but if I had to guess I wouldn’t say the flagpole portion weighs anymore than a few pounds, the tire mount is only slightly heavier. The aluminum construction keeps the weight down significantly, while maintaining suitable strength. All of the pieces seemed to be of very acceptable quality, and construction.
In the parking lot setup was extremely easy. Simply place the base by the tire and drive onto it. While this can be done by one person a spotter makes it a more efficient process. Since there are typically a lot of cars and people in the area, the tire mount should be securely under the tire. After that the pole goes into the pipe on the mount and the thumb screw is tightened. The next step is to attach your flags. I mentioned earlier that wire clips are used for attaching your flag. These must be moved down the length of each section to match up with the points of attachment on the flag. This is done by gently pulling the clips apart and simply sliding them down, or up in the case of collapsing the pole. From there all you have do is extend the pole to the length you want.
I observed that while the pole is extended, and especially in windier conditions, it is somewhat flexible. Obviously whenever you make things compact and lightweight you make minor concessions to other aspects, such as rigidity. The pictures on the website show a come curve in the pole, and that’s what I experienced as well. Depending on your vehicle or surroundings you may want to pad the pole so that it doesn’t contact anything. I had previously thought that it may move in the wind so I simply put a towel between my car and the pole. To help combat the flex, I shortened up the sections which did not have flags attached. The flagpoletogo.net site says that the pole will withstand wind up to 50mph. I don’t disbelieve this but I also didn’t want to worry about the pole moving around in between cars. I will say that if there wasn’t anything more than a light breeze I wouldn’t hesitate go all the way up to 20′ with it. Tear down was was just as easy, if not easier, than setup.
In conclusion I really liked this product. I feel that it is a great way for tailgaters to fly their colors proudly, and it helps add a personal touch to your party. Its lightweight construction makes it ideal for all tailgaters big or small. The simplicity of use is exactly what you need, especially when you have a grill and a cooler to get to. The compactness of the pole when collapsed goes a long way in preserving precious cargo space. Its ability to extend to 20′ is impressive and would surely spark conversation with your guests. If you’re looking to fly a flag, or if you want a better way to do it, consider flagpoletogo.net. With their wide variety of offerings you should be able to find exactly what you’re looking for.