# Longest lasting tubes/bands



## S.S. sLinGeR

*Tube/band longevity poll. *​
*Tubes *

500318.75%1000531.25%2000318.75%3000212.50%5000+318.75%

*Bands*

5001066.67%100016.67%2000320.00%300000.00%5000+16.67%


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## S.S. sLinGeR

I know there are a ton of variables when it comes to life span of rubber, but Just curious what everyone has seen in there experience.


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## Jeff Lazerface

Longest lasting would be huge tubes, but they would suck. Ive found that your style dictates band life. Like for me if im stretching my bands to max, of if they have a huge taper, then they will break soon. But i have some TBG bands 3/4 that will never break because of no taper and i dont stretch them very hard.

Bands and tubes are like cars, the faster you make them, the faster they die.


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## ruthiexxxx

I don't count the number of shots. In any case I have so many SS and slingbows now I'd have to keep computer records!

But my current favourite are doubled 50/80s and purple DubDub both of which offer terrific power for a reasonable draw. The DubDub is huge so should last a L O N G time. The 50/80s have already lasted a long time.

Both TTS and TTB last a long time too but not quite so lively on performance.


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## Tex-Shooter

I have shot over 2500 shots with a set of my LB2000 flat bands on a Saunders Falcon II. -- Tex


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## Tube_Shooter

I just got 7 days shooting approx 400 to 500 shots a day out of a 2040 looped tube set but it dawned on me that I cut them to long and they behaved very badly (9" long active length drawn 42") accuracy was all over the place I've since cut them 7 1/2" and accuracy went up to where I want it to be I now believe small dia tubes are at their best cut near to max so lets see how long these last at the new cut I'm guessing not very long we shall see.


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## benzidrine

I would imagine theraband silver tubes would last a lifetime.

I make slingshots faster then I break bands and I always tend to use the last thing I made. So I have never broken a bandset. I guess that is one way for them to last forever.


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## ruthiexxxx

benzidrine said:


> I would imagine theraband silver tubes would last a lifetime.
> 
> I make slingshots faster then I break bands and I always tend to use the last thing I made. So I have never broken a bandset. I guess that is one way for them to last forever.


Well, I haven't broken TTS yet...and TTB only occasionally


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## Rayshot

This is pole is going to give you a headache because of what you mention, lack of details. Much of the life of the elastic is what is mentioned by Jeff Lazerface says in his last sentence.

Any high count you hear in comparison to another same or similar band is most likely due to; lower draw length to active band length ratio and or straight cut opposed to tapered.

For instance I will never get what Tex does out of his 2000 band sets because I have them shorter than he does. Way shorter. It's because I have a need for speed. See above Lazerface comment. Nothing wrong with the 2000's I just use them differently.


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## Adirondack Kyle

I get around 1,000 shots with pseudo tapered med TeX tube. And great power, its my favorite set up


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## S.S. sLinGeR

Rayshot said:


> This is pole is going to give you a headache because of what you mention, lack of details. Much of the life of the elastic is what is mentioned by Jeff Lazerface says in his last sentence.
> 
> Any high count you hear in comparison to another same or similar band is most likely due to; lower draw length to active band length ratio and or straight cut opposed to tapered.
> 
> For instance I will never get what Tex does out of his 2000 band sets because I have them shorter than he does. Way shorter. It's because I have a need for speed. See above Lazerface comment. Nothing wrong with the 2000's I just use them differently.


I hear ya Ray and I agree. I just thought it would be interesting to see the results on average.


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## M.J

Adirondack Kyle said:


> I get around 1,000 shots with pseudo tapered med TeX tube. And great power, its my favorite set up


Really? The natural dipped latex stuff?

I tried three or four sets of these (Simple-Shot Medium, but the same thing) and never got over about 200 shots.


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## ash

I have a set of 2040s that must be approaching 1000 shots and that is easily my longest lasting set. But, they're too long to max out and have nowhere near the performance of the maxxed out Sanctband flats I have used most often. They only last a few hundred shots before breaking at the pouch, but then I re-tie them and get another few hundred.

Some Power Rangers band sets would only give about ten shots.


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## M.J

Yeah, I routinely get 1000+ out of looped 2040s and that's running them pretty short.


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## Adirondack Kyle

M.J said:


> Adirondack Kyle said:
> 
> 
> 
> I get around 1,000 shots with pseudo tapered med TeX tube. And great power, its my favorite set up
> 
> 
> 
> Really? The natural dipped latex stuff?
> I tried three or four sets of these (Simple-Shot Medium, but the same thing) and never got over about 200 shots.
Click to expand...

 Yes, I did too for a while, then I started to tie them a little diff, 
I take a piece of thin latex, I use either Hosp tourniquet latex or golds gym light flats, I take a wider piece, wrap it around a few times lightly, 
But snug, then take a thinner piece, a little thinner not too thin, I would say the first one a quarter inch , the next one half of that,I also cut the second piece longer than I usually use with my normal wrap and ties, start wrapping the second strip light the first pass then super snug, at the last wrap, make sure the last pass goes off center, on the far end of the base strip, this is important, because it keeps the tubes from slipping , the pressure is going towards the forks when pulled, so this last tight wrap helps keep it from slipping, 
I tried my best to explain it, its a normal wrap and tie just fine a little diff, when I first started shooting these , I got frustrated cause they kept snapping after a couple hundred shots, I emailed Nathan and he gave me the idea about the wider strip.
I just want you guys to know, its all in the tie, that's it!, it is possible to get a ton of shots from these, its about finding your perfect happy medium between enough pressure in the ties, and NOT enough pressure in the ties
I can send you a set mj, just not for a week or so cause Im backed up on my tube sets and packages I have to mail out.
But I know your a big tube fan. I hope this help a little, my brother has been shooting a set that is downright dangerous at this point, he's put at least 1500 shots on em and they are still going, I told him to just take them off cause they are bound to snap soon
My last set, they didn't even break at the ties for a change, the rubber snapped in the middle from pulling the tubes for so long,


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## Stretch

Love to see a pic of that wrap :yeahthat:


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## ZorroSlinger

Me too. Images of tie/wrap & the latex pieces widths before wrapping?  A little difficult for me to visualize your description. I'm a slow learner


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## Tube_Shooter

I did a count on 4 x 3050 tube set awhile back I got 1600+ and 2040 are close to that not quite maxed out.


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## One Shot-Corey

not maxing the rubber out ive gotten around 2000 shots on a set of 2040 loops


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## NaturalFork

Longest lasting bands have been the Saunders flats on a Saunders slingshot. I have never broken a set. After thousands upon thousands of shots. I haven't ever actually counted.

The seconds being chinese style tubes. Those things last a while too, on the right frame.


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## reset

I change my 1745 Chinese out before i break them. Somewhere around the 1000-1200 shot mark usually (it varies with these) or when they start getting weak and missing the mark too much. Never broke a set of these tubes. Its just they seem to go soft and lose power,and they start getting lotsa stray shots when they get up there in use for me. Ive tried shortening them to increase power when they get old and weak but its just not the same as hanging new ones on. I do max them out on the draw. There cheap so why not.

Bands last me about 300-500 no matter what type they are. I dont taper anymore to make them last wee bit better and i dont max them out on the draw anymore.


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## nutthrower

ruthiexxxx said:


> I don't count the number of shots. In any case I have so many SS and slingbows now I'd have to keep computer records!
> 
> But my current favourite are doubled 50/80s and purple DubDub both of which offer terrific power for a reasonable draw. The DubDub is huge so should last a L O N G time. The 50/80s have already lasted a long time.
> 
> Both TTS and TTB last a long time too but not quite so lively on performance.


what are these "purple DubDub" you mentioned - thanks...Jim


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## ruthiexxxx

nutthrower said:


> ruthiexxxx said:
> 
> 
> 
> I don't count the number of shots. In any case I have so many SS and slingbows now I'd have to keep computer records!
> 
> But my current favourite are doubled 50/80s and purple DubDub both of which offer terrific power for a reasonable draw. The DubDub is huge so should last a L O N G time. The 50/80s have already lasted a long time.
> 
> Both TTS and TTB last a long time too but not quite so lively on performance.
> 
> 
> 
> what are these "purple DubDub" you mentioned - thanks...Jim
> 
> It's proper name is Rolyan exercise tubing- The purple ( 'Plum' or 'Damson' ) is the heaviest grade that they do. It is somewhere between the OLD Theratube Black and Theratube Silver. (Joerg says that the performance of the new TTS and now TTB is way down on the old stuff  ). This is most upsetting as TTS is my favourite for slingbows and TTB was always my benchmark for longevity and solid performance.-
> 
> How it became known as DubDub I do not know.
> 
> It is great for slingbows...especially with very heavy arrows ) but perhaps not ideal for slingshots
Click to expand...


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## nutthrower

ruthiexxxx - thanks, appreciate your time, double 50/80's impressive, that makes for quite a draw weight - I've got one sling with single 50/80's and it does very well


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## ruthiexxxx

nutthrower said:


> ruthiexxxx - thanks, appreciate your time, double 50/80's impressive, that makes for quite a draw weight - I've got one sling with single 50/80's and it does very well


actually the very best performance is with an extreme pseudotaper...all but an inch doubled. It does shorten the life though


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## S.S. sLinGeR

This topic is gaining steam.lol Thanks for all the replys.  also here are some tests I have done. My average is 1500-2000 and and then I rip them off anyways. No sence risking injury for 10 cents worth of rubber  my opinion anyway. These tests are on 1842 and 2040 looped aprox active length 6.2 -6.3 /2040 6.8-6.9 /1842. I like to bottom them right out.


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