# Cheap bands turned perfect



## skropi (Mar 22, 2018)

Till now I've used only theraband gold. I also have some 0.72 and 1mm orange gzk which I havent tried yet (by the way, does anyone have any suggestions about those?). 
Yesterday I came across some unknown bands here in Greece, amila is the brand name. 2.5 meters, 14.6 cm width, 0.6mm thickness, all for 7.20 euro! I thought, what the heck, I've got nothing to lose, as the price cant get any better. We are talking dirt cheap here. So, I got those bands today, black colour, and tried a nice and comfy 22/17mm taper. Well, a revelation! I got a consistent 200-203 fps, at 500% elongation, 77cm draw length! I shot around 100 shots today, and I am impressed, accurate as everything else, and band life is not clear yet, but I will know tomorrow after 300-400 shots. Not that I care, as they are very cheap. 
Anyone else has similar experience with simple, cheap bands? I am not sure anymore that expensive bands are worth the extra cost... what do you guys think?


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## skropi (Mar 22, 2018)

Forgot to add that my ammo of choice was 9.5mm steel.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

Yes actually. Aldi had some seasonal exercise bands - came in a clear tube red (thick) and blue (thin). Works well.


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## skropi (Mar 22, 2018)

And red is better than black. Shoots faster. Seriously, my only complaint is the colour. I really dont see the reason to buy more expensive bands anymore. Is there a caveat I havent considered? I wonder.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

I'd agree - then again I'm always working to a budget. Finding gems like these help me keep shooting. I'm not hunting so power isn't an issue - just accuracy. And its all fun anyway. We tend to get seriously hung up on small details.


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## skropi (Mar 22, 2018)

The thing is that even power isn't a problem. We can just cut wider bands or double them up. I really can't see a drawback. I reality I am not hunting either, so I don't even need to do that, just saying.


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## skropi (Mar 22, 2018)

Hmmm, one question. These new bands are very smooth/slippery to the touch, as opposed to theraband which is sticky. Any idea why that is? Lower latex content maybe? I don't really mind as the performance is excellent, but I am curious.


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## flipgun (Nov 14, 2012)

The only thing better than cheap is free. If good enough? Why buy swag? Congrats on a good score.


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## Samurai Samoht (Apr 6, 2013)

Nice find! There might be higher quality latex bands out there but if it suits your needs for the right price then you won"t see me arguing!  The smoothness may be due to less latex but I'm not 100% sure on that.


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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

Saw this today and thought of this thread...

Bought a pack gonna give it a go. 









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## bcuyle (Apr 16, 2018)

Totally cool! It sure is fun finding new stretchy stuff. I am 55 years old and like a kid look for shiny things, instead mine are stretchy things. Willing to try all in search of something that makes the slingshot ammo go zipp more faster and cheaper.


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## skropi (Mar 22, 2018)

I tested the stretch. They go about 550% to 600%, and they smell like theraband. I think they are latex after all.


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## rosco (Jan 10, 2012)

I got the .72 mm orange gzk and having only ever known theraband, been quite impressed, but the qualifier here is my inexperience with bands in general. Hope to rectify that soon. I did get a break in one set of gzk after minimal use and put it down to a flaw.

Also bought up a bunch of cheap exercise bands from various outlets and stupidly didn't record what they are or where from. Got some of that brilliant 1mm red/orange stuff and it's been ok too. I believe that the trade off with the brilliant coloured bands is that the higher the pigment load, the lesser the quality latex. I think UV stabilisers likewise represent a diminishing return on performance.


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## mattwalt (Jan 5, 2017)

Bushpot - I suspect thats the same as the one I have - MikMak also mentioned them favourably (though he said he wouldn't trust for hunting). I found works nice.


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## BushpotChef (Oct 7, 2017)

rosco said:


> I got the .72 mm orange gzk and having only ever known theraband, been quite impressed, but the qualifier here is my inexperience with bands in general. Hope to rectify that soon. I did get a break in one set of gzk after minimal use and put it down to a flaw.
> 
> Also bought up a bunch of cheap exercise bands from various outlets and stupidly didn't record what they are or where from. Got some of that brilliant 1mm red/orange stuff and it's been ok too. I believe that the trade off with the brilliant coloured bands is that the higher the pigment load, the lesser the quality latex. I think UV stabilisers likewise represent a diminishing return on performance.


I knonw exactly what you mean. I have wondered if impregnating the latex with such stabilizers reduced the space between the natural molecules in the latex. This would increase density within the rubber and could only serve (even if just marginally) to decrease snap in the elastic. Ive always found natural latex super thin & tapered is just crazy fast.

Oddly enough it seems the smallest amount of elastic possible to achieve desired results - & no more - is the key. 


mattwalt said:


> Bushpot - I suspect thats the same as the one I have - MikMak also mentioned them favourably (though he said he wouldn't trust for hunting). I found works nice.


Layered up and tapered down it will do the job no problem, but it takes some cutting to pull out their potential snap.

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## Kalevala (Jul 20, 2014)

This is what I have used lot before all GZK and Precise rubber.









This green is 0,7 mm thick latex and is still very good, not as fast as GZK or Precise but very nice to shoot with.


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## rosco (Jan 10, 2012)

@ BushpotChef - Well put Bushi. Glad your experience backs up this theory, which isn’t mine, I read it somewhere, but it does seem to make sense.


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## michkan (Feb 10, 2018)

I am from Greece too. We really have some gems here. I have used GZK, Precise, Sumeike and of course TBG.
But for price Amila bands are very good.
I found another brand we have here and is dirt cheap and really good.
These are Livepro bands. Thay are lite green 0.4, red 0,5, blue 0,6 and black 0,7.
4,5 - 7 € for 2 meters by 15 cm.
I dont have Chrony but I feel thay are faster and last longer than TBG and on par with all chinese bands.


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