Air Hose: Rubber vs Polyurethane

rvr6000 · Dec 15, 2011

For you folks with the 1/4" polyurethane air hoses.....how do you like them over your standard 3/8" rubber hose?

Have been thinking about picking up a couple for projects around the house (finishing the basement) and thought they might be a little lighter and easier to work with. They would pretty much only be used with the air nailers and not outside or drug across any rough cement or anything like that.

Thanks for your input.

ibedayank · Dec 15, 2011

poly hose when it gets could is not fun as it gets stiff
rubber stays flexible at any temp and lasts a lot longer

rlitman · Dec 15, 2011

I haven't had any issues with poly in the cold. Maybe you're thinking of the nylon coil hoses.

mauls · Dec 15, 2011

I've had no problems with my poly hose

Dale B · Dec 15, 2011

I think it depends on the brand, I used orange and blue poly hoses for years and they only stffened a little in the cold . But the grey ones were useless , stiff as hell.....Red rubber is the best for flexibility , but don't drag it anywhere close to the corner of a vehicle, it reaches out and jams itself on the "V" on the bottom of the tire .!!!

rvr6000 · Dec 15, 2011

Thanks everyone.....Think I'll go pick one up tomorrow. I'll just be using it in the basement so cold won't be an issue. That rubber hose is just so bulky I was looking for something a little easier to manage in a small area.

ujmchris · Dec 15, 2011

Not sure what these things are made of ("Premium Hybrid Polymer") but they're the only air hose I'd ever buy any more. Light, flexible, tough, rolls up nicely, no memory what so ever. Struggled for years with others in my sometimes heated shop, some were better than others, but these things are just plain awesome, even at below 0 temps.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001C6NC7O/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Greatbear · Dec 16, 2011

I love my Flexeel poly hoses. Very lightweight, and no effects from temperature. About the only thing I don't like about them and similar hoses is that they are so light, they tend not to lay flat on the floor if they are even slightly twisted. I've tripped and cussed them for that. But if you plan to do overhead or elevated work, or are pulling hose around in tight areas, they are da bomb. For working in the garage, I use reinforced rubber hose. That which came with my Reelcraft hose reels has been going strong for years.

rlitman · Dec 16, 2011

1/4" polyurethane coils are all I use with my nailers. Just stick to the 25' hoses, and forget the 50' ones. 50' is too much for a 1/4" hose. You won't get much flow out of that.

I haven't had any flexibility issues with my rubber hoses either, but they do jam under tires, and are heavy. I really like my orange Goodyear Pliovic hose. It's much lighter than rubber, and is still plenty flexible in the cold.

sdowney717 · Dec 16, 2011

I bought a cheap rubber hose made in India and got a few years out of it.
It failed in 3 ways.
The rubber started cracking all over.
The rubber started to disintegrate, so got black all over everything, especially your hands.
The cracks got big enough to leak air, and the ends swelled up as the inner cords broke.

Frankly I was very unhappy with it.
I bought a green poly 3/8 hose and it is stiffer but durable.

theoldwizard1 · Dec 16, 2011

ibedayank said:
poly hose when it gets could is not fun as it gets stiff
rubber stays flexible at any temp and lasts a lot longer

I bought poly a couple of years ago and cussed it every time I had to use it in winter.

I just bought a rubber hose. A bit heavier, but it least you can coil and uncoil it when the temp is below 50.

geologist · Dec 16, 2011

I'm a fan of the rubber hoses myself. They seem to hold up better for me.

rlitman · Dec 16, 2011

theoldwizard1 said:
I bought poly a couple of years ago and cussed it every time I had to use it in winter.

I just bought a rubber hose. A bit heavier, but it least you can coil and uncoil it when the temp is below 50.

I think you're confusing polyurethane hoses (which I've only seen in the "coil" variety) with PVC hoses, which turn hard and brittle when cold.

porcupine73 · Dec 16, 2011

I made all my air hoses from the 1/2" Goodyear hose they used to sell (maybe still do) at HF, was like $20 for 50 feet. That stuff has been great, very durable, and still flexible in the cold.

I got 100' of that 1/4 poly hose, and it does work OK, but it kinks easily, and yes in the cold, it does not want to cooperate.

rwhite692 · Dec 16, 2011

Poly hoses coil up like crazy and are generally a huge PITA, however, when you are doing interior remodeling work inside homes, I do like them in that situation because (unlike rubber hoses) they wont leave marks on anything that they come in contact with.

In my shop and for auto service related stuff, black goodyear rubber hose, all the way.

Steves32 · Dec 16, 2011

Red rubber hoses lay flat on the floor when stretched out from retractable reel. I don't need something else to trip over.

MustangRick · Dec 16, 2011

I have the airflo hose from Home Depot and it worked great for roofing, it does tend to kink if you unroll it with no air. It doesn't want to coil up on itself warm or cold.

pacmktg · Dec 16, 2011

100% Polyurethane Reinforced Straight Hose by Coilhose is 1/3 the weight of rubber, stays flexible in cold weather (originally designed for carpenters in snow country), and is more durable than rubber. It's 2 weakness's are it is plastic so it will melt around slag from welding, and because as another poster mentioned, it is so lightweight is does not lie flat until it has been used for a few weeks.

Do not confuse cheap Chinese Polyurethane or any PVC hose with a good domestic Polyurethane from Coilhose or Contractors Choice as PVC hose does not stay flexible in cold and the cheap knock offs are typically not all Poly.

pacmktg · Dec 16, 2011

POlyurethane is also non-marking, so it is great for finish carpentry as is does not mess up baseboards.

Air Hose: Rubber vs Polyurethane

rvr6000

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ibedayank

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rlitman

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mauls

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Dale B

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rvr6000

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ujmchris

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Greatbear

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rlitman

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sdowney717

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geologist

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rlitman

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