band material in red ? ? ?

    I was wondering if any one ever used or knows where I could purchase continuous dipped laytex 5/8" tubing? I have seen the black, amber and blue bands, but would like some red ones. There are a few web sites that carry it, but it's not the dimensions for spearos and I do not want to have to buy a 500' minimum order of the stuff either! If someone could point me in the right direction I would be very thankful. :thumbsup2:

    Well . . . . no luck so far with the red tubing. I was in touch with Kevin at Hammer Head, and he said that they're out of it and will let me know when it comes in. He also gave me 3 of his distributeres, The Spear Shack only has 9/16" material and I have not heard back from the other 2 yet. Scubasworld is out of stock as well. I tried Persistant too, with no replies ! ! ! I didn't think this would be such a hard thing to come across . . . . . :confused1: I'm still searching, if anyone else has a source PLEASE let me know.


    Thank You, :thumbsup2:

    Ramon is right, red is not the best color to maintain the ideal properties of the tubing. It's manufacturers that usually care about this sort of thing for product differentiation, at the expense of performance. Hammerhead tried to have an exclusive on red bands, I think they called it "trade dress". Must've really hurt when persistent started using red bands too. In any case I think being so concerned about band color for pretty sake is lame. I used to have this tendency myself but not any more. A speargun is a tool, and when well used it starts to look like shit, main thing is that it remain functional, that's spearfishing.

    cap offshore red rubber 16 mm cressi new



    DANo, the colors do not catch more fish, I prefer black on the outside and retreaded in amber, they hold more sun tanning, salt etc, better maintenance may Tienne, but lose some elasticity and reaction

    Quote from Dan

    Hammerhead tried to have an exclusive on red bands, I think they called it "trade dress". Must've really hurt when persistent started using red bands too. In any case I think being so concerned about band color for pretty sake is lame. I used to have this tendency myself but not any more. A speargun is a tool, and when well used it starts to look like shit, main thing is that it remain functional, that's spearfishing.



    I had it long before JammerHead and Persistent:D in 1984 on every gun I owned. I just called it French rubber
    and the stuff I tested and purchased in Tahiti came from H.Dessault's shipment for the French World Team.
    It was $12.00 a meter then..big money for 1984 when one could get the dive shop Shite for 1buck a foot.


    Allot of the red stuff of today is US made and has none of the kick ass performance of the early Dessault stuff.


    FWIW you can vat dye rubber any color you want in the kitchen.


    Cheers, Don

    Quote from Brian

    Yeah Don, how do you dye them? Would be interesting.


    Brian first find high quality rubber of your choice, I have Dan's 16 mm with the small 1/16 hole in black but on to the amber.


    1.Pick up Rit Dye liquid at a grocery store or Little Piggy, or what ever you guys have down there,
    2. Borrow a large pasta pot from that good looking neighbor next door.
    3. Cut the bands for one gun.
    4. Boil water, add dye as per directions.
    5. Very important... let water cool down for 5 min ( do not boil the rubber) .
    6. Carefully place cut bands in hot dye mix for 30 min.
    7. Stir bands around to reposition as contact with the walls of the pot will limit color saturation.
    8. Leave in the pot till you have the shade you want.
    9. Pour of into sink and rinse.
    10.Place bands in large plastic bag and leave in the lower drawer of the frige for a few hrs.
    11. Play dumb when your neighbor says '' why does my pot have a green (insert color here) tint?:D


    The Metro type guys here can even tie cotton strips of cloth on the rubber.:cool2: for a water pattern when using blue.


    I know ....:wantpics: but I have GF to attend to.
    I have had dyed green bands last for a couple seasons.
    Cheers, Don

    H Dessault bands are special. I've tried them and are VERY explosive. Good for a mono band Euro gun, but not my preferred choice for a multi-band.


    Right now I'm using co-extruded (amber core, black outher) Pursuit bands in my railgun and I am very happy with them.

    Marco Melis

    A bad day fishing is ALWAYS better than a good day at work.

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