I know what you mean. My tomatoes are always outgrowing their cages by the end of the season. I'm always reading of new ways to support the plant hoping to come up with a better way to do it. I haven't measured my cages, but I'd guess them to be 5 feet as they are almost as tall as me. I always use panty hose to tie the plant because I've read that they panty hose won't cut into the plant. The plants are still all over the place.