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StudentPermalink Reply by Shelby Sue on June 11, 2012 at 4:00pm

Sorry I have no answers. But I wanted to join this post becuase I have the same questions!

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Permalink Reply by Jessi on June 11, 2012 at 5:29pm

I haven't gotten my helix yet but I went for the 3/4 polypro! I make regular led hoops using both polypro and hdpe tubing and there really is no noticeable weight difference once you add the leds, the polypro might be a tiny tiny bit lighter but again you cant tell. Hdpe is much more durable and can take breaks and hard drop or tosses much much better then polypro can. Polypro can be brittle especially in cold temperatures and is more likley to snap or crack. For me its about the feel of the tubing, I prefer polypro, I like the way it responds and the way it feels! I have never broke the polypro tubing on a led hoop but I have customers who have. I figure if I break the tubing I will just ship it back and get new tubing put on, if I am going to spend that much money on a sweet hoop I want it to be exactly what I want!  I have read from people that have received there helixs that they are very light which is awesome, but no one has posted the actual weight. Hope that helps :)

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Permalink Reply by Mimy Constantine on June 27, 2012 at 4:29pm

Thanks for your help! Have you gotten your hoop yet? Also, do you know if they replace the tubing if this were to happen? or if they offer any kind of warranty, protection, or insurance on them?

I love polypro as well.. which is better for breaks, reversals, etc.. 

Also.. though I take amazing care of all my hoops, I do live in Minnesota with drastic temp changes.. so a little hesitant of the poly led... unless of course they replace tubing too! :>

Let me know your thoughts! Thanks soo much!

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Permalink Reply by Erin Renee on June 11, 2012 at 10:13pm

i got a 27" poly helix, and i lovee it. the leds make it a little heavier than i am used to ( i have another one circuit psi hoop) but i think having the poly is perfect. i havent felt the other size so i dont know how heavy that is. but the poly is perfect for me.

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StudentPermalink Reply by dinahmyte on June 12, 2012 at 11:41am

if you like the bounciness, then you'll probably want HDPE...  i ordered the polypro because personally, i do not like the bounciness when it comes to doing breaks and reversals...  it flexes too much for me.. that's why I went with polypro.  

i'm not exactly sure how much the helix weighs in either one (i'm still waiting for mine to come in...) but i don't think that there is much of a difference like was stated on the website... 

if you're debating on the size, i say always go with the smallest you're comfortable with... that's just so you're not stuck having to pay the money to resize it later on...  like you said it's definitely a hefty purchase...  

hope this helps :)

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Permalink Reply by Mimy Constantine on June 27, 2012 at 4:32pm

which kind of tubing is better for breaks/reversals? my regular polypro that I love seems bouncy.. but maybe I used the wrong adjective? I most definitely love doing breaks and reversals!

Thank you for your help! :>

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Permalink Reply by Mina Bear on June 12, 2012 at 12:41pm

get the HDPE, it is much more stirdy than polypro, and it is also more of a white milky color so you wont be able to see all of the wiring and LEDs in your hoop

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Permalink Reply by Jessica Racine on June 12, 2012 at 2:43pm

I saw on their fb page that one girl who had already received her hdpe helix was thinking of switching it to polypro once orders for the helix had caught up. She said it felt too heavy, but idk if the tubing REALLY makes and appreciable difference. 

personally, i got polypro because i want to be able to see the electronics in the hoop, and I think the polypro will allow the LEDs to shine brighter than through the hdpe!

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Permalink Reply by Margreat Cromwoah on June 13, 2012 at 1:15pm

I went with the HDPE, because of durability. =)

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Permalink Reply by aRoundJoy on June 27, 2012 at 5:06pm

just ordered a poly in a 33 on Sunday...yep, took me all day to decide! I went with that because of what you said...I figured lightest better for all the off body! look at those helix pics & vids...all off body...I will be using it like that a lot, so that helped me decide...my decision in size is what took me awhile! I went right in the middle...33! Ha!! Totally hear ya on the HDPE 7/8....I have another brand and I love it for on body...it's a 40" for when I want to hoop slow and chill....but smaller in that size, for off body....no can do...and I didn't want the smaller HDPE because while it is lighter, it might be too opaque in comparison to the more clear poly...I want bright lights!

anyway...excited and now the wait begins!!

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StudentPermalink Reply by Cheez Hoops on June 28, 2012 at 1:59pm

Well do y'all know if there is much weight difference in the 7/8 hdpe and the 1" poly.  I have to have a 3/4 ID for my battery and don't want my first LED to be too heavy. Thanks!

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Permalink Reply by Craig (Proton Labs) on July 2, 2012 at 3:30pm

Hi Mimy!

I've answered a bit of this to one of your questions elsewhere but I wanted to post here as well for the benefit of everyone else interested.

Weight
This isn't much of a consideration for most, honestly.  The Polypro is just under an ounce lighter than the HDPE.  It's a small difference that may be noticeable to some

Brightness
Overall brightness isn't really impacted as some might believe. We've done lots of side-by-side comparisons both by naked eye as well as much more scientific by using fixed exposure camera photos and luminosity measurements. There just isn't a measurable difference in brightness.

Daytime Appearance (When Off)
The HDPE has a milky white appearance which conceals the internal electronics. The Polypro is much more transparent and allows the internal circuitry to be visible in daylight much easier. Because the Helix uses different and higher quality LEDs than others, the color of the material in the Helix is orange and is immediately identifiable. Every time I walk around a hoop gathering with a Helix I hear people quietly say, "whoa, that's a Helix!" when it isn't even turned on.

Dark Appearance (When On)
The polypro allows you to see the individual LEDs more clearly. The HDPE tends to diffuse them more so there's more blending of colors between LEDs making it look a bit more like a solid ring of light.

Durability
HDPE is going to be more durable. If you abuse HDPE by coiling it down way too far, slam it into the corner of a metal pole, etc it's going to be much more forgiving. Even when severely abused, HDPE tends to crease where abused and is still usable. Polypro, on the other hand, will simply crack and break in these types of abuse situations. This is particularly true if you are using polypro in cold weather where it becomes a little more brittle than usual.

Feel
HDPE will feel more bouncy and flexible. If you have a larger hoop (34" or more) then the flex will become more noticable. Polypro has more of a stiff or rigid feel. However, the Helix makes both materials feel MUCH less flexible than other hoops because of the carbon fiber connector. Most hoops flex some because the weakest point of the hoop is the connector because it's made of cheap plastic (HDPE, actually). Because the Helix uses carbon fiber there is absolutely no flex in the connector whatsoever and it makes an HDPE Helix feel more sturdy than a Polypro of any other hoop.

I hope this helps everyone choose the right material for their Helix!

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