Ann, that does sound the same. I have problems with critters biting through dripline too, but not so much that I would change. My experience with soaker hoses was the same as yours - they would eventually cog up with minerals. One nice thing about the drippers is that I can run them on a windy day with minimal water loss which is great in this windy area. I can run the zones long enough to keep the daylilies happy, but I think I have way fewer than you.
Mine are also on zones controlled automatically so I can take a trip without worrying about my plants drying out.
