I was increasingly frustrated by the kinks that would form in the original vacuum hose of my rigid 5 gallon shop vac. I put up with the original hose for about 5 years, then bought this. I find it especially useful when vacuuming up high, since that is what would most often kink the original vacuum hose. No kinks with this, and the long length makes cleanup even easier. If you use your vac frequently, this is a very nice upgrade.