Looking for high quality rubber bands

[Steve H]

Does anyone have any recommendations?  They don’t need to last forever, but I cannot rely at all on the random ones I use in the field.

Thought maybe someone knows a guy :). Thanks.

[Matthew / BPL]

https://www.litesmith.com/cross-bands/

Or how about loops of thin shock-cord?

[David Gardner]

Silicon bands. Depending on the size you need, I have also used silicon wristbands

[Steve M]

Bicycle inner tubes….cut them to the size you want.
You can usually get old tubes for free from a good bike shop.

[Dave @ Oware]

They have to be exercised to last. Stretching them periodically helps.

[Dan]

I have been using elastic hair ties for some applications. They seem very robust.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Sometimes you can find silicone hair bands. You could use non-silicone hair bands too. Depends what this is for. Hair bands aren’t going to be quite as large as the rubber band on your daily newspaper.

[David Thomas]

Rubber bands off of the bunches of brocolli in the store.
Hair bands.
Thin shock cord (like for inside tent poles).  I’ve got some extra if you want.  Tie a fisherman’s knot at the diameter you want.

That’s my favorite way to secure Thermarest pads.  Also, they’re great for securing the big Hefty trash bag into/onto the gardening trash can.

Elastic ear straps off of all those face masks?

[Daniel Oxnard]

I heartily 2nd the bicycle inner tubes. The butyl rubber lasts for a very long time, and is very strong. The wider you cut them the stronger they are. I like racing tire inner tubes also. If you send me address, I will mail you a handful.

This is a 1 mm wide band (at thinnest point) I made seven years ago, and have used sporadically since, holding up 30 pounds.

[Steve H]

Great solutions – thanks!  Generous offer too David & Daniel.  I’d like to take you up on your offer.  I’ll PM you my address if you’re up for sending me some.  THANKS!

[Steve H]

My PM’s won’t take the username, & probably shouldn’t plunk my address down here.  Do I use the @name?  Otherwise, no big – really appreciate the offers!

[Axel J]

Regarding using bicycle inner tube material for rubber bands…. How do you unite the two ends? A knot?

[Steve H]

Axel J, I wondered the same thing (so  I Googled it).  I believe they are lateral cut sections & therefore are all uniform in diameter (but perhaps vary in stretch capacity determined by how thick you cut them).

But I’m guessing (a bit).

[Daniel Oxnard]

@davidinkenai

David I have never used shock cord. If you have a bit of it you could spare I would like to try it. I can pay for shipping?

Daniel Oxnard

163 Scott avenue

Pikeville Ky. 41501

 

@axel-t and @hop

Lateral cut is right. The wider the strip, the stronger they are, caveat is the can only stretch so much. I have tried the wide tires, and they are more difficult to work with than the regular sized and racing tires. Notice different heights/widths. I always keep a variety on hand (on pack, study table, kitchen, and car).

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

From what I understand of bicycle innertube repurposing you use patch kit glue to glue the ends together. The glue in there is made for this.

[Bruce Tolley]

Daniel’s picture shows how it is done. No need for glue.  I use very sharp kitchen shears.

I use them to hold my XC skis together among other uses.

If you prefer something similar from a commercial source, search on “Ranger Bands” on the web or on Amazon. You can source various sizes and different prices.

[Daniel Oxnard]

@btolley

I just searched “Ranger Bands” on amazon, and discovered that they can also be used as an emergency fire starter! I wish I had known that the last time I broke through the ice two days into a trip :)

[Mark Ries]

I have found that the rubber bands I buy from staples last much better if I keep stock in a sealed ziplock in cool dark place. Somebody, probably on BPL, informed me ozone is the killer of rubber bands. I also have a dry suit that has latex booties , wrist and neck gaskets and research showed the same kills them. Some recommend  aerospace 303 protectant and it might also work on rubber bands. I personally switch out rubber bands now and then on my gear and keep a few extra in my ziplock dirty bag. More than anything I try to eliminate things I really don’t need. I’m down to three stuff sacks now,one is my food bag,  one my ditty bag that keeps clear ziplock of smalls safe and the third one is my backpack.  Rubber bands have helped me eliminate some of the stuff sacks in my life and still stay organized

[Gary Dunckel]

A company called Scunci makes several sizes of silicone hair ties. They are quite strong. Some are ~ 2″ in diameter, others are ~1″, and they also make some small ones that are ~1/2″. My local Walgreen’s sold them 8-15 years ago, but I’ve not seen them for quite awhile now. You might google them and see what you can come up with. I’m glad that I stockpiled a good supply when they were available.

[Mark Ries]

Only on BPL could people find so much to talk about  the lowly rubber band

[Gary Dunckel]

Wait a minute, Mark, Scunci hair ties are not at all lowly rubber bands. They are the bee’s knees, they look cool (lots of colors to choose from), and they will garner high respect from the camp squirrels that might frequent your tent site. And of course squirrel respect is highly desirable.

[Mark Ries]

Gary I hope I can find this thread and   your posts in five years or so  when my lowly rubber bands are all gone cause you sold me and I’m  excited!! But there is one more thing that I’m sure everybody wants to know, what do they weigh? I’m sure they are gonna push my base weight to an unacceptable level. Squirrel respect be damned

[Mark Ries]

Also I stayed awake all last night thinking about how to weigh and rate rubber and silicon bands to get an accurate comparison as there really is a lot hear to think about more than just weight like compression strength, break strength. relaxed circumference and maximum stretched circumference. If there is anything I’m missing I hope everyone   will chime in here. Those with science and engineering back grounds I’m sure will have a keen interest in this

[BC Bob]

I bought a pack of rubber bands at the Dollar store.  They’re good quality, better than the random ones attached to veggies.  UV light and heat destroy rubber bands so I just replace them when they show any deterioration.

 

[David Gardner]

Wait, haven’t you all seen those new UMWRB’s recently developed by a Belgian chemical company for industrial use? They weigh only 1/10 as much, are 20x as strong, and they’re unaffected by UV or heat. Yeah, $15 each, but supposedly they last awhile. Currently on back order.

Apologize for posting this 36 days late.

[Author]

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