Product Review: Flag Pole Buddy

JUST IN TIME FOR THE 4^th OF JULY!

Product Review: Flag Pole Buddy
Acquired from RV Upgrade Store
Price $85.95

What is it? A kit for mounting a flag pole attached to your RV ladder.

What makes it special? The pole with the flag attached can be easily installed or removed when needed without having to climb the ladder to remove the pole mounting brackets. The flag pole brackets remain attached to your RV ladder. In addition, the gold colored ball at the top of the mounting pole gives the product a classic touch.

Installation tools required:

• 7/16″ socket or nut-driver
• hex key (Allen wrench) that is provided with the kit

Description of kit contents: This flag pole kit arrived in a sturdy box approximately 6-1/2 ft. long. Due to the fragile nature of the aluminum extendable pole, it would be a good idea to inspect the package immediately upon arrival to look for possible shipping damage.

The entire kit, except for most of the pole, is enclosed in clear plastic packaging. A quick view of the parts without even opening the package indicated that the assembly would be somewhat intuitive. All parts listed in the assembly instructions were included, except for the 2 each pre-cut pieces of Velcro padding. The Velcro is said to be used on the upper mount as an option to reduce noise caused by wind induced vibrations on an as-needed basis. I was not able to judge its effectiveness without purchasing some Velcro to make my own vibration isolator. This was not a big deal. The structural fasteners are stainless steel. The extendable flag pole is aluminum. The mounting brackets are rigid plastic. Except for possibly the plated steel flag clips, there should be no corrosion issues with this product. All nuts have the plastic inserts that serve to lock the nut to the threads, so there should not be a problem with the mount becoming loosened due to vibration while on the road.

The assembly instructions were clear, except for some minor misspellings. The illustrations were accurate and easy to follow. The instructions include safety warnings regarding installation in the vicinity of electrical power lines, to not drive with the pole in place, to remove the pole and flag in high winds or whenever lightning may be present, ladder and roof safety, etc.

Installation: The installation was very simple. I attached the lower flag pole mounting bracket near the lowest rung of the permanently mounted portion of my roof access ladder. This was so that I could install/remove the flag pole later without having to utilize the removable bottom portion of my roof ladder, which is usually stored in my motor home. Installing the upper flag pole mounting bracket required the use of a 6 ft. stepladder. I did not want to attempt the assembly of the upper bracket while hanging off of the motor home ladder itself. Two hands are required to position the parts and screw the mounting hardware tightly in place.

	Lower mounting bracket Tip: If you have a removable lower section of your roof ladder and intend on mounting the lower bracket near the lowest permanent rung, first mount the bracket loose enough so that you can move it up the vertical ladder support to clear the detachable lower ladder section arms. When you find the right spot, tighten the flag mounting bracket securely.
Upper mounting bracket The flag is attached using the 2 flag clips provided. The telescoping pole is extended to its desired length (up to 12 feet), then tightened with a twist. The pole is easily inserted into the brackets, all from ground level.
	Inserting the flag pole into the upper bracket The finished installation is sturdy enough for even stiff breezes. The instructions state that the flag and pole are free to rotate with changing wind direction. I was not able to observe this feature as on the day that I installed the pole kit the wind was almost negligible. I do plan on leaving the flag up though to enjoy its wave. The kit includes a large 3’x5′ bright American flag, just the thing to display for the upcoming Independence Day!

Would I recommend this purchase? Yes, it is a sturdy product that is well designed and should last a long time. I feel that this product is “as advertised”.

Happy Independence Day!

yudamann