I did read your post. Unfortunately, I spent way too much of my life in the frozen tundra of Michigan, so I have a lot of experience with sub-zero temperatures and water. Where is it that you live again?
I've been to the manufacturer's website. Pardon me if I don't believe everything from the manufacturer. If I lived in the snow belt or anyplace it gets cold, I'd be very wary of the manufacturer's claims. I'd remove the hose. Better safe than sorry.
Oh, we all know a picture is worth a thousand words. One of the parts that come with said "frost proof, burst proof hose bibb" is the warning plate. Yes, right from the manufacturer's parts list and website. It says, "Remove Hose or Faucet May Freeze And Burst". Guess they are just covering their bases, even if they say they provide consequential damage claims to $5,000. I wouldn't want to have to file such a claim, even if I were to be made whole. Who wants to test this, and who wants trouble? Not me.
And by the way, we're supposed to be sharing experiences here, which is precisely why my experience with my former home and a number of broken hose bibbs (all my fault) was offered. When mine broke from freezing--a number of them--it was never the pipe inside the home. It was always the "weak link" in the system, and they is the vacuum breaker on top. Always.
