Which is better - straight air hoses or coiled?

[rcadden]

About to buy a Speedflate system, but can't decide between straight or coiled air hoses.

Straight seems like it would pack smaller, which is always helpful, but coiled seems like it would be nice to keep things neat and orderly during air down/air up (out of the mud/dirt, etc).

Any help from the peanut gallery?

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[Tethmes]

Given a choice on anything I'll always go straight for one reason:

 

[Craigger]

Generally speaking the straight is going to be stronger and like you said, packs away neatly. I only need something to hook up to my CO2 tank so I use a short coiled line - much more convenient for me.

 

[nsfw_andy]

I DIY'ed my own kit and started off with the coiled hose. It was great although a few dislikes ultimately that made me switch to the straight hoses:

1. They get tangled up with each other sometimes in the storage bag and it's a pain in the butt to try to separate them (think of when you were a kid and got a slinky toy tangled together).
2. When airing up in the snow, it doesn't coil back up nicely anymore because of the cold weather. It'll coil back up again once warmed up.
3. If you are using the cheaper clip on air chucks, the constant tension from the coiled hoses pulling at the air chuck makes it leak air.

I would just go with the straight hoses if I had to do it all over again.
The only dislike currently with my straight hose kit is the time it takes to roll up all the lines to put it away in my bag neatly.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

I have the coil version to keep it out of the dirt. That said, it does get twisted together easily and I "think" the inner airflow diameter is greater in the straight version. I could be wrong though.

 

[jessedacri]

I have a Speedflate but it spends its whole life in my garage because it kept getting tangled, either with itself or the drawstring on the bag it stores in. I've been just using the hose and chuck from the ARB air up kit which is straight but coils up neatly and easily.

I figure I'll use the speedflate again if I can find a better way to stow it without a drawstring bag, but I feel like straight is easier to use and store.

 

[driventoadventure]

I made a kit from parts at Harder Fraught using coiled tubing and can't adequately convey what a pain in the ass they are to keep from getting tangled... I plan to remake it with straight tubing and suggest you do the same.

 

[rcadden]

I made a kit from parts at Harder Fraught using coiled tubing and can't adequately convey what a pain in the ass they are to keep from getting tangled... I plan to remake it with straight tubing and suggest you do the same.

How much did it cost you to just make the thing?

 

[smokeythecat]

There is a middle path. The hoses that came with my InnovativeAT system are coil-y, but not the tight coils pictured above. If you use them right they stay up out of the dirt/mud but still pack away neatly.

 

[driventoadventure]

How much did it cost you to just make the thing?

About $120 ish. Works well enough, but I definitely made mistakes, including using the coiled hoses.

 

[kah.mun.rah]

I have a Speedflate but it spends its whole life in my garage because it kept getting tangled, either with itself or the drawstring on the bag it stores in. I've been just using the hose and chuck from the ARB air up kit which is straight but coils up neatly and easily.

I figure I'll use the speedflate again if I can find a better way to stow it without a drawstring bag, but I feel like straight is easier to use and store.

The bag and draw string thing was driving me crazy. I started using this bag instead and even though it takes up a little more space, it is MUCH easier to use than the provided bag.

 

[Bill_P]

I just got one of these at harbor freight for $20 and my coiled hoses ang manifold fit perfectly. I made my own setup for just over $200 counting the smittybuilt compressor

 

[LCW]

About to buy a Speedflate system, but can't decide between straight or coiled air hoses.

Straight seems like it would pack smaller, which is always helpful, but coiled seems like it would be nice to keep things neat and orderly during air down/air up (out of the mud/dirt, etc).

Any help from the peanut gallery?

I got the speedflate hoses before EJS this year and went with straight. More compact.

 

[rdfact]

I have the SpeedFlate with coiled hoses. I did have a problem with them getting tangled so I came up with a simple solution. I put a quick disconnect on one side and now it doesn’t get tangled when I disconnect that side before storing.
I have a Smittybilt compressor and manage to stuff the compressor and the SpeedFlate in the Smittybilt bag.

 

[J0E]

I made my own two sets, a coil version and a straight version. I used Flexzilla hose and made the sets to fit my stretched LJR. I didn't like the one size fits any rig that sold. I got better inflator sets for much cheaper too.

But for the last 5 rides, I've reached for the straight hose set.

I'm still using my quad compressor setup on my JLR and TJR.

About $120 ish. Works well enough, but I definitely made mistakes, including using the coiled hoses.

Ha, my first set was coiled too.

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