If you search for slingshot bands or slingshot rubber you'll most likely get taken back by the prices that you see. It's not uncommon to see slingshot bands selling for $5 or higher just for one band set. It's important to understand that while buying slingshot bands in the beginning is ok, you eventually want to start cutting and making your own band sets. Doing this will save you more money than you could ever imagine and it will also make you a better shooter. In order to cut your own slingshot bands you'll need to understand slingshot rubber so lets start there.
1. Rubber Bands - Rubber bands are not the most popular type of slingshot rubber but there are still people who use them. They are commonly found on natural forks and occasionally seen on board cuts. The type of rubber bands used for slingshot shooting are Alliance 107 rubber bands. They are about 3/4" wide and about 12" in length. They are cheap, readily available and they last a long time. The best thing about rubber bands is that they only require one real cut. All you have to do is cut them to length and you are ready to shoot. The downside is that they are very heavy to pull and I've found that they are slower than other types of slingshot rubber.
2. Latex - Latex is by far the most popular type of slingshot rubber. The reason for this is because it's cheap, widely available and it comes in a wide array of thicknesses. For target shooting most people use.030" latex. For hunting most bump it up to.050" latex. The numbers represent the thickness of the slingshot rubber. The thicker the band the faster the shot (generally). Latex has a pretty light pull weight and it is very fast but the bands usually do not last very long. Shooters I know report getting around 200 to 250 shots per band set.
3. Thera-Band - Thera-Band also comes in a variety of thicknesses. The thickness and strength is determined by the color of the band. Thera-Band Gold is the strongest and most popular for slingshot rubber. You'll also see some shooters using Black and Silver as well. Thera is type of exercise band and is widely available and almost any fitness store online. It's also realtively cheap at around $1 per foot for Gold. Thera is a slight bit harder to pull than Latex but it lasts much longer. Thera-Band Gold is what I use exclusively for all my slingshot rubber and I usually get around 600 shots per bandset.
When it comes to slingshot rubber, it's best to test out the three listed above for at least 100 shots and see which of the three you like the best. A quick word of warning though - once you find the right rubber for you, Don't Switch!
This article is brought to you by SINGLES.
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