Looking for a lightweight yet secure way to cap the end of a piece of 1 1/4" thin walled Pvc tube for a flyrod case this is the lightest material I can find that I would trust if I took a fall or if my pack took a fall but ideas for a lighter yet strong tube are welcome also. Im kinda thinking of a silicon or rubber cap kinda like those orange snow peak lids. Anyone know where I might find one? The OD of the tube is 1 5/8". I have so far duck taped a piece of silicon muffin cup to close one end and used a heavy rubber band over a muffin cup on the other. The 30" tube weighs 8.8 oz and 9.9 with my cheesy caps and a little extra duck tape for repairs. Ive seen past threads using floresent bulb cases and what not but never saw any thing I really trusted. Hmmm maybe a non lubed condom for a cap and it could be multi use... if Im real lucky. Please no tenkara thread drift or different rod suggestions I want to carry a four piece 8.5 or 9' 5 weight. 1 1/4 is the minimum tube ID a little bigger would be better. My buddy Doug just recommended cutting the tip off a kids punching bag balloon for a cap so its off to the dollar store

Mark, I don't have any good ideas to help you with your particular problem but I use the plastic case one of my old TFO rods came in. It weighs 2.6 oz (I added a velcro strap to the lip to keep from loosing it- almost did one time). It is a little thicker then the florescent tubes, but not by much. I don't worry about it, it does a great job of protecting the rod.
Now if they would come up with something to protect the rod while I'm fishing (jumping over rocks and the like) that would be even better- what I'm getting at is; the chance of falling an damaging your rod while your pack is on IMO is much less then during normal use. You seem to be trying to fix a problem that has a low risk factor and there is a much lighter solution than yours. YMMV

Ok, while was typing I came up with a suggestion:
Take a small amount of tape (maybe just use the duct tape you have). Cut the tape off right where it turns up the side of the tube (so it is only on the bottom).
Then get a can of the rubber stuff for dipping tool handles into and dip the bottom of the tube into it. The tape is only there to give the rubber something to stick to and some structure. Do it enough times that you create a good cap.
I'll edit this when/if I come up with something for the lid.

Try a PVC cap from the plumbing store

The cap weight 1.55 oz each which when your carring a 9oz hunk of pvc whats the dif but then its up to 12 0z

Blow the bucks and get a he-man tube from rockwestcomposites.com - 1/4 the weight.

Assuming it's standard plumbing PVC pipe, then why not use the pipe end caps that are available for this piping?

PVC pipe end cap

Google directs me to UK suppliers that look promising, but I hope it will direct you to local suppliers.

I use central vac tubing. A bit greater diameter (2" I believe), but very thin and relatively light. The caps are also a lighter than plumbing caps. Others I know have used plastic plumbing pipe, but drilled many, many holes to reduce the weight.

An 18" piece I have laying around weighs 4.8 oz. You can extrapolate to whatever length you need. It's pretty sturdy, though not "drive over it with the car" sturdy.

As to the ends, you can find plastic plugs for this tubing that are fairly light.

If you do use plumbing tubing, look for "cellular core" DWV tubing. It's much lighter than other solid core tubing.

One idea would be a long, narrow silnylon (or cuben fiber) stuff sack for tent poles, with the sack's micro-toggled drawstring located at the open end of the tube, so the tube w/rod could be stored inside the stuff sack with the tube's open end secured by the toggle.

Fibraflex has a silnylon tent pole stuff sack which, at 31" long, might contain the tube you have. It's called "MOONBOW Sil Nylon Pole Bag (31") with Box Bottom & Tie, 0.4 oz" and costs $6.00. See link below, at the last item of the first category ("Part") --

http://www.fibraplex.com/tentpoles2B.asp

The open end of the Fibraflex stuff sack appears to rely on tie-offs at the open end to keep it closed, rather than a drawstring w/toggle. Tie-offs might work, but surely not as securely as toggles.

Another drawback to the Fibraflex stuff sack is that it is probably much wider than needed for the tube you describe.

Guess you could get a plastic tube w/larger diameter to fit the sack, & carry more rods.

Or maybe a MYOG project, if you think the concept would work for you.

There's another option, too: ask Zpacks to make a cuben fiber stuff sack with toggled drawstring, custom fit for the length and diameter of your tube. See the following link at about the middle of the page for ZPacks' "stock" tent pole stuff sacks -- stock sizes are too short, but gives some idea of possible cost and weight.

http://zpacks.com/accessories/stuff_sacks.shtml

TrailLite Designs sells (and makes?) a Tenkara rod carry sack called "Ebira Rod Quiver" -- which simply a long narrow sleeve made of Dyneema X, with a toggle/draw string closure at one end, plus extra features like daisy-chains on the side for attaching a zipper pouch to store line, flies, etc.

They also have a cuben fiber version of the quiver (UL Ebira).

See descriptions and photos at this link, mostly toward to bottom half of page:

http://www.traillitedesigns.com/tenkaragear.htm

Haven't seen any of those "Ebira Quivers" that are long enough for a 30" tube, but the quiver illustrates what might work to secure a rod in a tube.

Edited by JRScruggs on 06/30/2012 16:36:22 MDT.

Use shrink tube. Purchase it at local electrical supply house near you.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-1-2-Polyolefin-2-1-Heat-Shrink-Tubing-Tube-Sleeve-Sleeving-Wrap-38-1mm-1-22m-/330750986102?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item4d024b8776