U.S. Pool Supply Backwash Hose Review: What Size Do You Need?
Updated: Sep 11
A backwash hose isn't the most exciting part of an above-ground pool setup, but if you use a sand filter, it's one accessory that can make routine maintenance much easier.
When you backwash the filter, dirty water needs somewhere to go.
Instead of allowing that water to discharge beside the pool or equipment pad, a backwash hose lets you direct it to a more suitable drainage point.
The U.S. Pool Supply Black Rhino Backwash Hose is a reinforced lay-flat discharge hose available in different diameters and lengths, including 1.5-inch and 2-inch versions in 25, 50 and 100 ft lengths.
The version we're using as the main reference for this review is the 2-inch × 50-ft model, but the best size for your pool isn't necessarily the biggest one.
What matters most is matching the hose diameter to your filter's waste/backwash connection and choosing enough length to reach the place where you actually want the water discharged.
Quick Verdict
The U.S. Pool Supply Black Rhino is a good choice if you want a more substantial backwash hose than the very thin disposable-style hoses often sold for pool drainage.
Its reinforced lay-flat construction, included hose clamp and range of lengths make it useful for routine sand-filter backwashing as well as occasional pool draining.
But we'd choose the size carefully.
A 2-inch hose is not automatically better than a 1.5-inch hose. The correct diameter is the one that fits your filter's waste connection or discharge adapter securely.
Likewise, there's little reason to wrestle with 100 ft of wet hose every time you backwash if the discharge point is only 20 ft away.
Best for: Sand-filter owners who need a durable hose to direct backwash or drain water away from the pool.
Skip it if: You use a cartridge filter and only need routine cartridge cleaning, or your filter's discharge fitting isn't compatible with the hose size you select.
U.S. Pool Supply Black Rhino Backwash Hose Specifications
The specification we'd check before anything else is the diameter. Measure or confirm your filter's waste/backwash connection before ordering rather than assuming that a larger hose will automatically be better.
What Does a Pool Backwash Hose Actually Do?
A sand filter collects dirt inside the filter media as pool water passes through it.
Eventually that dirt needs to be flushed out.
When you turn the multiport valve to Backwash, water flows backwards through the sand and carries the trapped dirt out through the filter's waste connection.
A backwash hose gives that dirty water a controlled route away from the equipment.
This is different from a cartridge filter.
Cartridge filters are normally cleaned by removing the cartridge from its housing and rinsing it, so they don't require a backwash hose for routine filter cleaning.
If you're still deciding between the two filtration types, our Sand Filter vs Cartridge Filter for Above-Ground Pools guide explains the maintenance differences in more detail.
Should You Buy the 1.5-Inch or 2-Inch Hose?
This is the part I would make very clear.
Don't choose the diameter based simply on how powerful your pump is.
Choose the hose that fits the filter's waste connection, hose adapter or discharge pipe correctly.
A 2-inch hose isn't automatically an upgrade from a 1.5-inch hose if your filter has a smaller waste fitting.
The current Black Rhino range gives you both sizes, which is useful because above-ground sand filters and custom equipment setups don't all use exactly the same discharge connection.
Before ordering:
Check the sand-filter manual.
Look at the waste/backwash outlet or adapter.
Confirm whether you need a 1.5-inch or 2-inch inside-diameter hose.
Make sure the supplied clamp can secure it properly.
The selected 2-inch version is intended to slide over a suitably sized discharge connection and then be secured with the clamp. Current product information notes that nominal PVC pipe sizes and actual outside diameters can differ, so measuring the actual connection is safer than ordering from the pipe description alone.
Which Length Should You Choose?
The Amazon family currently offers all three lengths in both 1.5-inch and 2-inch diameters.
For many above-ground pools, 50 ft is a sensible middle ground.
It provides enough reach to direct water away from the equipment without giving you 100 ft of wet hose to drain, roll up and store after every backwash.
But if the proper discharge location is only 10–20 ft away, buy the 25-ft hose.
And if local drainage requirements or your yard layout mean the water needs to travel much farther, the 100-ft version may be worth the extra handling.
How Do You Connect the Backwash Hose?
The hose needs to be attached to the filter's waste/backwash outlet or suitable discharge adapter.
With this style of lay-flat hose, the open end slides over the compatible connection and the supplied metal hose clamp holds it securely in place.
Before turning the filter to Backwash:
lay the hose out fully
remove sharp bends or twists
position the far end where the water can discharge safely
make sure the clamp is tight
keep the hose away from anything sharp that could puncture it
Don't leave the hose rolled up when you start the pump.
Once water fills it, the hose expands from its flat storage shape into an open discharge hose.
Why the Reinforced Lay-Flat Design Matters
Cheap backwash hoses can feel surprisingly thin.
That isn't automatically a problem because a discharge hose needs to flatten for storage, but repeated backwashing, dragging the hose over the ground and exposure to pool chemicals can eventually take their toll.
The Black Rhino version uses braided polyester reinforcement and is marketed as weather, chemical and burst resistant.
The lay-flat design is also practical.
Once you've finished backwashing and drained the remaining water, the hose collapses almost flat again and can be rolled up rather than taking up the space of a rigid pool hose.
We'd still avoid dragging it across sharp gravel, concrete edges or anything capable of cutting the material.
Where Should You Discharge Backwash Water?
This depends on where you live.
Backwash water contains whatever the filter has removed from the pool along with the chemicals already present in the water.
Avoid simply directing it onto:
a neighbor's property
an area where it can run back toward the pool or house
plants that may be sensitive to chlorinated or salty water
a storm drain where local rules prohibit pool discharge
Local requirements for swimming-pool drainage vary, so check the rules for your area before deciding where the hose should terminate.
This is another reason the different hose lengths are useful.
A longer hose lets you move the discharge point farther away when your pool equipment isn't located near an appropriate drainage area.
Do You Need a Backwash Hose With Every Pool Filter?
No.
For sand filters, a waste hose is very useful because backwashing is part of normal filter maintenance.
For a cartridge filter, you normally remove and clean the cartridge instead.
So if you're buying one of the C-series cartridge pumps we recently reviewed, you do not need to add a backwash hose simply because it is filtration equipment.
If you're specifically looking to move to sand filtration, our Best Sand Filters for Above-Ground Pools guide covers the systems we'd choose for different pool sizes.
What We Like About the U.S. Pool Supply Black Rhino Hose
There are useful size choices. Being able to choose between 1.5 and 2 inches as well as 25, 50 and 100 ft makes it easier to buy what your installation actually requires.
The reinforced construction is a step up from very thin discharge hose. Braided polyester reinforcement should make more sense for repeated seasonal use.
The clamp is included. You don't have to separately source a basic clamp for the hose connection.
The lay-flat design stores compactly. Once drained, 50 ft of hose takes up much less space than a rigid hose of the same length.
It isn't limited to backwashing. It can also be useful when deliberately draining water from the pool or for compatible discharge applications.
What We Don't Like
You still have to choose the correct diameter. The fact that Amazon offers a 2-inch model doesn't mean it will fit every sand filter.
Long versions can be cumbersome when wet. A 100-ft hose only makes sense if you genuinely need that reach.
Lay-flat hose can kink if it isn't laid out properly. Straighten the hose before starting the backwash cycle.
It isn't something most cartridge-filter owners need. This is primarily a sand-filter/drainage accessory rather than a universal pool-filter accessory.
Who Should Buy This Backwash Hose?
We'd consider it if:
you own an above-ground pool with a sand filter
your filter has a compatible waste/backwash connection
you need to direct dirty water away from the equipment
you want a reinforced hose rather than a very lightweight disposable-style option
you need 25, 50 or 100 ft of reach
you occasionally use the same hose for controlled pool drainage
For most typical installations, we'd start by checking the connection diameter and then choosing the shortest length that comfortably reaches the proper discharge point.
Who Should Skip It?
You probably don't need this hose if you use a cartridge filter and simply remove the cartridge for cleaning.
It also isn't the right purchase until you've confirmed the diameter of the waste connection.
And we wouldn't buy the 100-ft option “just in case” if a 25 or 50-ft hose already reaches where you need the water to go.
Our Final Verdict
The U.S. Pool Supply Black Rhino Backwash Hose is a simple accessory, but it's one we'd rather have ready before the first time the sand filter needs backwashing.
Its biggest advantage isn't complicated technology.
It gives you a controlled way to move dirty backwash water away from the pool, while the reinforced lay-flat construction is more substantial than many very thin discharge hoses.
The range of 1.5-inch and 2-inch diameters plus 25, 50 and 100-ft lengths is also useful because there isn't one ideal backwash hose size for every pool.
For many above-ground pool setups, the 50-ft length strikes a practical balance between useful reach and manageable storage.
But choose the diameter from your filter connection first, and only then decide how much length you actually need.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a pool backwash hose used for?
A backwash hose carries dirty water away from a sand filter's waste outlet while the filter is being backwashed. It can also be used for compatible pool-drainage applications.
Do I need a backwash hose for a sand filter?
In most above-ground sand-filter setups, some form of waste or discharge hose is very useful because the dirty water produced during Backwash and Waste cycles needs somewhere appropriate to go.
Do cartridge filters need a backwash hose?
Normally, no. Cartridge filters are generally cleaned by removing the cartridge and rinsing it rather than reversing water through the filter.
Should I buy a 1.5-inch or 2-inch backwash hose?
Choose the diameter that matches the filter's waste connection or discharge adapter. A 2-inch hose isn't automatically better than a 1.5-inch hose.
Is a 25, 50 or 100 ft backwash hose best?
Use the shortest hose that comfortably reaches your intended discharge point. Around 50 ft is a useful middle-ground for many installations, while 25 ft works for nearby drainage and 100 ft provides much greater reach.
Does the U.S. Pool Supply hose include a clamp?
Yes. The Black Rhino versions shown in the current listing include a metal hose clamp for securing the hose to a compatible discharge connection.
Can you use a backwash hose to drain a pool?
Yes, provided the pump/filter arrangement supports a Waste or drainage function and the hose and connection are suitable. Always discharge pool water in accordance with local rules.
Can I leave a lay-flat backwash hose rolled up while using it?
No. Lay the hose out before starting the pump so water can move through it without sharp kinks or restrictions.
More Filtration & Pump Help
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