While it is true that you can't patch them just as you'd with the traditional hoses, you can still easily repair them without much hassle. If you find any leak on the connector, swap them for an extra connector, or simply remove the same, cut 2 inches of the hose & refit with the existing connector to fix the leak. If the leak is on the hose, use (again) an extra connector to cut off & repair the affected area and use the hose as usual.