Quick verdict
A brass impact head on a tripod that adjusts from 22 to 48 inches, with a customizable spray pattern and a six-year limited warranty. It suits a large lawn, field edge or orchard row watered from a hose, where the head needs to clear beds and fences. The caveat is the usual tripod one: at full height on soft ground it can tip when the hose tugs.
Strengths
- Brass impact head resists corrosion and wear for years
- Height adjusts from 22 to 48 inches to clear beds and fences
- Customizable spray pattern and high-pressure nozzle
- Six-year limited warranty
- Portable tripod moves between spots in a minute
Weaknesses
- Can tip at full extension on soft or sloped ground
- Coverage diameter not stated in the listing
- Needs good pressure and flow to deliver its reach
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Who this sprinkler is for
If a lawn is too big for an oscillator and too irregular for a wheeled sprinkler, the next step up from a hose is a tripod impact. The Orbit 58308 is the brass version of that tool: a corrosion-resistant impact head on legs that telescope from 22 to 48 inches, so the stream clears vegetable beds, hedges and fences on its way to the grass. It is for a homeowner or small-acreage owner with no in-ground system who wants one sprinkler that can be set up, left running on a timer and moved on a rotation.
This review is based on the maker’s published specifications and on recurring owner feedback. We have not run this product ourselves.
What you get
The package is a brass impact head with a precision high-pressure nozzle, mounted on a tripod with an adjustable stand from 22 to 48 inches. Orbit describes a 360-degree pattern that can be customized, a heavy-duty build aimed at homeowners and contractors, and a six-year limited warranty against material and workmanship defects for private use. The listing does not state a coverage diameter or a flow rate, so reach figures below are class estimates. It connects to a standard garden hose.
Coverage and throw
An impact head throws a single stream that the spring arm chops into droplets as it ratchets the head around, which is why impacts reach farther than oscillators from the same spigot and why they tolerate dirty well water that clogs fine nozzles. Raised on the tripod, the stream starts above the obstacles and lands farther out. At household pressure a brass tripod impact in this class waters a circle several dozen feet across; on a well with a strong pump it reaches noticeably farther, and on a long, thin hose it reaches less. The customizable pattern lets you keep water off the driveway and the house wall rather than painting a full circle regardless.
Height and adjustment
The 22 to 48 inch range covers the real cases: low for an open lawn where wind drift is the enemy, mid-height to clear a raised bed, full height to lob water over a fence line or a row of young trees. The tripod folds for carrying and sets up in a minute. The trade-off every owner mentions is stability at full height. The pressure surge when the spigot opens tugs the hose, and on soft turf or a slope that can walk or tip the tripod. Spread the legs wide, push the feet in and run the hose straight away from the sprinkler, and it stays put.
Build quality
Brass is the right metal for a sprinkler head that lives outdoors all summer in hard water. It does not rust, it wears slowly at the bearing, and the arm spring keeps its tension longer than on lighter heads. Orbit’s six-year warranty is six times the cover on its zinc tripod and is a fair signal of how the two are expected to last. The tripod legs are metal with locking collars; owner complaints, when they come, are about a collar that slips under hose pull rather than the head itself.
Living with it
Flush the hose before the first connection, fit a fresh washer if the coupling weeps, and bring the sprinkler in before the first freeze. If the arm stalls, clear the nozzle and work the arm by hand. Pair it with a mechanical or digital hose timer so a two-hour soak does not become an all-night one. A sprinkler that moves on a weekly rotation between three or four spots will water a large lawn properly if each spot gets a long, deep run rather than a short daily sprinkle.
Alternatives to Consider
The Orbit 56667 zinc tripod is the same layout for less money with a one-year warranty, sensible for occasional use. The Rain Bird 25PJDAC brass impact head on a riser or stake suits a permanent spot where height over obstacles is not needed. For a rectangular lawn with nothing in the way, a Melnor XT metal turbo oscillating sprinkler puts down a gentler, more even pattern.
Verdict
Buy the Orbit 58308 if you water a large lawn or garden from a hose, need to throw over beds or fences, and want a head that will still be working in several seasons. Skip it if the yard is small and open, where a ground-level sprinkler is simpler and steadier, or if you cannot keep the legs on firm ground.
Full specifications
Orbit 58308 Tripod Brass Impact Sprinkler, Adjustable 22 to 48 Inch Height FAQs
Orbit does not state a diameter in this listing. A brass impact head on a raised tripod typically covers a circle several dozen feet across at household pressure, more on a strong well pump, less on a long or narrow hose.
Brass holds up better to hard water, sun and years outdoors, and keeps the arm and bearing moving smoothly longer. Orbit backs this brass tripod for six years against one year on its zinc tripod.
Orbit describes a customizable spray pattern alongside the 360-degree rotation, which on impact heads normally means trip collars to set a partial arc. Check the product page images for the collars if a part circle matters to you.
Spread the legs fully, press the feet into the ground, keep the height no higher than the job needs, and run the hose straight back from the sprinkler so the pressure surge does not pull it sideways.
