My typical hose failure starts with the cover splitting or being cut. Next the wire braid rusts and fails. Soon after this, there is $100 or more hydraulic oil on the ground and the equipment is down for at least an hour.  It is clear to me that the cheap hose is not what I need.

If this happens to your hoses, the most important thing to a longer lasting hose is an abrasion resistant cover.  The only reason that I bought a 707 Gates hose crimper is that I could not get anyone near me to stock an abrasion resistant hose.  Gates has a tough cover hose (25 times more abrasion resistant than standard) and a mega tough hose (300 times more abrasion resistant).  I buy the mega tough hose in 50 ft lengths.  Parker and Aeroquip also have tough cover hoses.

If I can pay twice as much for a hose that lasts way more than twice long, it is a bargain.  Actually, I can make a mega tough cover hose for a little less than I was paying for the standard good brand name hoses.