SPRINKLER TALK FORUM - You Got Questions, We've Got Answers

No self-respecting professional would ever installed that. Furthermore, a properly installed sprinkler doesn't need protection.

The better solution is proper install height using the proper materials. Installed properly, a sprinkler can take a car driving over it without breaking the swing riser, pipe, or sprinkler.

In my opinion,thats a tough one. To be blunt,Hunter pgp,and pro sprays are better IMO. But its not night and day and here is why I think that, In my opinion,RAIN BIRD is ages ahead of hunter"although I just installed my first Hunter I-CORE Controller today and was pretty impressed. The hunter ICC as compared to the Rain Bird esp lx, The rain bird ESP is far more advanced,for about the same price.Its also more complicated,its not a homeowner friendly controller really.But it's nothing like the RainBird ESP SMRT. This clock is ridiculous,entering zip codes,soil type,shade,sun,100 other things. The hunter I CORE is pretty nice,and I heard they are phasing out the ICC to be replaced by I-Core,For roughly the same price it is a good move on Hunters part.
As far as heads go. Hunter PGP's have the best gears,rain birds will go 5 ' into the road when adjusting if you dont wait at the head and let it take itself, to its left and right stops, it's not always but happens often. The rain bird 5000 can be dry set by turning the turret,while its off,which is a nice but small feature. I have yet to see to many Rain Birds leaking around the collar,which is notorious for hunters. But there are also 100 times more hunters than rain birds in the ground. Take away the fact that rainbirds have an inferior gearing system,causing them to go away from their hand turned set points.Add the fact that Rain Curtain nozzles,are visible,you can actually see the curtain. And after the date of install. Both heads will keep your lawn green. But im a hunter guy. Hunter pro sprays vs rain bird sprays,a spray is a spray. Hunter has check valves you can add,while you have to buy SAMS to get check valves for rainbirds,not 100% sure on that but,couldnt get check valves and why make a SAM head,if you just sell check valves. I do believe hunters have a better flush cap,less sticking heads because of dirt in the shaft and seal. I think the Rain Birs sprays have a thicker Casing though.In my system,I put half and half. Left is Hunter pgp,Right is rain bird 5000 plus. The hunter side is greener too lol.
Hunter Adj Arc spray nozzles are better than Rainbirds Van line. Vans are so ridiculous somtimes. I dont know how many Turn ons I have done,where OLDDDD Hunter nozzles pop right up out of a mulch bed,with a perfect stream. This year alone,probably 200 Brand new Rainbird vans had messed up screens,be it no water on the sides,or un-uniform streams.Anything above Rainbird 8' Vans are junk. 8' Vans have a line for the left and right,meaning its not a broken up stream watering some places and not the others.Anything above 8' the streams are horrible.The 15' van is usually fine too. The hunter spray nozzles are excellent,They are always perfect,there have been a few that havnt been but 97% of the time they are perfect. The left and right sides are perfect lines,they have more water on the sides but you need more water on the sides,the tar heats up the grass and kills it,so a little more water is a great thing. Customers do not like seeing un-uniform streams,and weak or no water on the sides of the spray nozzle. It just looks bad, Hunter Spray nozzles all the way.
Im just writing all this for a homeowner that might be thinking of which brand to use.But has no idea which one to use. 1 word could of answered your question lol. Hunter. That protector looks pretty good. I have the hands down best protector I came up with though lol. Cant even see it unless you know its there,but it will protect it from a mack truck,even with the elbow being on a rock underground. But I also agree that a properly installed head,in most circumstances,they dont really get messed up,unless they are stuck up. I just use the one I made if the customer asks for somthing to protect a head that is being broken annually.I dont use them at my house or anything. But once enough people know about your protector people will probably buy them up,good luck with it though.

You know what,Krain and Orbit are good heads also. I just think Hunter and Rainbird Corner the proferssional installers market. But K rains are good,so are orbit. They have pretty much the same strong gear assembly as Hunter.

Hunter and K-Rain used to be partners. After they split up Hunter couldn't get the reversing mechanism to work. The hunter PGP's have K-Rain parts in them.