What Are Custom Length Hoses Used For?

Custom length hoses, better known in the industry as shorties, pup or pony lengths, are hoses that are not categorized in the standard footage of 50’, 75’, or 100’.

A Rawhide relic from two building moves ago. “Give us your shorts” refers short lengths of hose.

So, what are they used for? When you find yourself in a close-quarters situation, such as a pumper truck sitting too close to a hydrant, the idea of laying a 50’ length of lay-flat hose is impractical and not beneficial to your time, because a lay-flat hose needs to be completely stretched out to be charged with water. This is where a custom cut length of hose comes in handy. A length of 15’ or even 5’ is much more manageable and easier to handle than a standard length of hose. It is ready in minutes, saving you the frustration of wrangling a longer piece of hose.

Street sweepers are another example of who uses short lengths of hose. Municipalities permit street sweepers to fill their water tanks from the city’s fire hydrant system. These short lengths of hose allow for the sweepers to hook up to the hydrants, which are typically a 2.5” NH/NST connection, to their tanks, which are usually camlocks. Street sweepers keep these pony lengths in their trucks, fill up, and are on their way.

Camlock Connection for Custom Made Hoses

A camlock is an unthreaded connection commonly used by street sweepers

Aside from being more practical in tight situations, custom cut hoses can be a more economical solution. All of the hoses we carry can be cut into a customized length for your needs. You can even check out our website’s hose builder.

Don’t have time to wait for an adapter? Rawhide Fire Hose has created an adapter from a few inches of hose with two different couplings on the ends. That’s why we keep every piece of hose in our remnant section!