Ultra light fly rod tube

[Grassymike]

Was at home Depot today and saw some PVC vacuum tube for vacuflow installs. It is thinner wall and therefore lighter...

 

[Zork]

These are what a bunch of the UL crowd uses. Works well. Barely weigh anything.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lithonia-Lighting-12-Pack-FLUORESCENT-BULB-GUARD-Clear-Bulb-Guard/1000398801

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I always just duct tape a few loops onto the aluminum tubes so I can strap them to the side of the pack. Never even considered trying to drop weight on a rod tube lol.

 

[Sawitrightoff]

FWIW, I use PVC and Sched. 40 occasionally but it is really too heavy and bulky for a fishing rod (I'm more likely to use that technique for extra hunting arrows carried on pack animals...). For fishing rods - too heavy. I normally just put the rod in a cloth case and try not to be too stupid. Seems to work fine.

Exactly. Schedule 40 and bulky end caps ain’t light and compact.

 

[MarlinMark]

Carrying something essential like a fly rod or rifle....God forbid a double shotgun, is just part of doing business. Cut weight in other areas for the "fun" of it.

 

[Macintosh]

Carrying something essential like a fly rod or rifle....God forbid a double shotgun, is just part of doing business. Cut weight in other areas for the "fun" of it.

Huh? Every “essential” thing has a range of possibilities that all allow one to “do business”. Fly rods, rifles and shotguns all apply. My 20lb rifle and my 10lb clays gun all “do business” extremely well but I dont choose to carry them in the woods. If I wanted to only “do business”, and put “fun” in quotation marks, I’d be carrying around dynamite or rotenone or a set of bare wires and a battery to electrocute my fish. The question was about where the lower end of the range of possibilities is when talking about weight in a fly rod case. If that’s not something you or others care to think about, or if your flavor of “fun” is different than mine that’s ok, then this question wasnt directed at you.

For what its worth, I cut down an old aluminum fly rod case I had from a 2-piece rod I no longer own, and reattched the end cap on the now-shorter tube. My 4 piece rod in the fabric sleeve barely fits inside…but it fits. That saves me almost a half pound without sacrificing one iota of functionality. I’ll check out some of the other options as I can, and if theres another 1/4lb savings without excessive cost or loss of function I’ll try that too.

 

[Greenstig]

Huh? Every “essential” thing has a range of possibilities that all allow one to “do business”. Fly rods, rifles and shotguns all apply. My 20lb rifle and my 10lb clays gun all “do business” extremely well but I dont choose to carry them in the woods. If I wanted to only “do business”, and put “fun” in quotation marks, I’d be carrying around dynamite or rotenone or a set of bare wires and a battery to electrocute my fish. The question was about where the lower end of the range of possibilities is when talking about weight in a fly rod case. If that’s not something you or others care to think about, or if your flavor of “fun” is different than mine that’s ok, then this question wasnt directed at you.

For what its worth, I cut down an old aluminum fly rod case I had from a 2-piece rod I no longer own, and reattched the end cap on the now-shorter tube. My 4 piece rod in the fabric sleeve barely fits inside…but it fits. That saves me almost a half pound without sacrificing one iota of functionality. I’ll check out some of the other options as I can, and if theres another 1/4lb savings without excessive cost or loss of function I’ll try that too.

Looks like you’ve gotten some replies from people lost in the wrong forum.

Here’s what I use on longer backpacking trips. It’s proven to be extremely robust and only about 4 oz:

• 1 3/4” Butyrate Tubing cut to 30”
• Tubing caps and/or Tubing plugs
• Scrap open cell packing foam trimmed to fit inside the end caps.

I prefer using a combo of the orange tubing cap on the bottom and the tubing plug on the top. The plugs are easier to remove, but the orange caps are lighter weight.

This setup is much lighter than the factory rod tube and more protective than rubber bands. Unlike the fluorescent bulb protector tubes, The 1 3/4” butyrate tubing will also accommodate a rod sock if you want even more protection.

The total cost was around $40 with shipping (6ft minimum) or at least it was a few years ago. However, there’s enough material to build two complete tubes, so the cost seems reasonable for a double-digit reduction of unnecessary ounces.

 

[ohoopee]

I have used "Take" rod tube for several years. I have the light
and heavier model. Usually 5/6 backcountry trips a year. A very
small cottage maker from Lativa. Hard to get in touch with
when he is on fishing trips! It weighs just over 7oz.

 

[MarlinMark]

Huh? Every “essential” thing has a range of possibilities that all allow one to “do business”. Fly rods, rifles and shotguns all apply. My 20lb rifle and my 10lb clays gun all “do business” extremely well but I dont choose to carry them in the woods. If I wanted to only “do business”, and put “fun” in quotation marks, I’d be carrying around dynamite or rotenone or a set of bare wires and a battery to electrocute my fish. The question was about where the lower end of the range of possibilities is when talking about weight in a fly rod case. If that’s not something you or others care to think about, or if your flavor of “fun” is different than mine that’s ok, then this question wasnt directed at you.

For what its worth, I cut down an old aluminum fly rod case I had from a 2-piece rod I no longer own, and reattched the end cap on the now-shorter tube. My 4 piece rod in the fabric sleeve barely fits inside…but it fits. That saves me almost a half pound without sacrificing one iota of functionality. I’ll check out some of the other options as I can, and if theres another 1/4lb savings without excessive cost or loss of function I’ll try that too.

Yeah. You're right. I'm still not weighing my rifle.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Looks like you’ve gotten some replies from people lost in the wrong forum.

Here’s what I use on longer backpacking trips. It’s proven to be extremely robust and only about 4 oz:

• 1 3/4” Butyrate Tubing cut to 30”
• Tubing caps and/or Tubing plugs
• Scrap open cell packing foam trimmed to fit inside the end caps.

I prefer using a combo of the orange tubing cap on the bottom and the tubing plug on the top. The plugs are easier to remove, but the orange caps are lighter weight.

This setup is much lighter than the factory rod tube and more protective than rubber bands. Unlike the fluorescent bulb protector tubes, The 1 3/4” butyrate tubing will also accommodate a rod sock if you want even more protection.

The total cost was around $40 with shipping (6ft minimum) or at least it was a few years ago. However, there’s enough material to build two complete tubes, so the cost seems reasonable for a double-digit reduction of unnecessary ounces.

View attachment 1057799

How rigid is that tubing? Can it be squished much or at all?


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[Greenstig]

How rigid is that tubing? Can it be squished much or at all?


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Fairly rigid for how thin it is. It has a little deflection when squeezed, but not enough be of concern for the application.

I imagine if you stood on it, that would be enough force to cause it to irreversibly deform.

 

[Jake Larsen]

Fairly rigid for how thin it is. It has a little deflection when squeezed, but not enough be of concern for the application.

I imagine if you stood on it, that would be enough force to cause it to irreversibly deform.

Right on. So no way cranking a backpack strap down onto it would potentially crush a rod? Been looking for something like this for a long time. This looks extremely promising


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[Greenstig]

Right on. So no way cranking a backpack strap down onto it would potentially crush a rod?


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Nope. The tube in my photo above has ridden under compressed pack straps for many miles.