Fiberglass Tubes
Fiberglass tubes, often referred to as "kitespar", are the best value core option. They are extremely lightweight, allowing you a great deal of control over the weight distribution of the weapon, while still being strong enough to be used for the sport. While more expensive than rods and requiring placing an online order, the quality of life improvement that comes from using kitespar over solids more than makes it worth it in most situations. There are 2 sizes of fiberglass tube that are relevant to our sport:
505 and 524 Kitespar are both just over 1/2" in diameter with 524 being slightly larger. 505 starts to become too flexible at lengths beyond 33" and 524 after 42". It is possible to make very durable 48" weapons with 524 kitespar by cladding 3/4 of the length with quartered 1/2" PVC on two sides, though you will have a weight floor around 14oz for a max blue and less control over dispersal than if you just upgraded to 602.
602 Kitespar, just over 0.6", is what would generally be recommended for making weapons longer than 42" but under 65". The near-25% increase in the diameter of the tube drastically increases the resistance to flex and overall strength.
Sources
As of Sept, 2025, Cold Mountain Company is by far the best price per inch, per core, and for shipping for all forms of kitespar.
3/8" Fiberglass Rods (Driveway Marker)
Walmart
3/8" Fiberglass Rods (Driveway Marker)
Home Depot
1/2" Fiberglass Rods (5')
Theisen's
.505 Kitespar (54.5")
Fly Market Kites
.524 Kitespar (54.5")
Fly Market Kites
.505 Kitespar (32")
Cold Mountain Company
.524 Kitespar (42")
Cold Mountain Company
.602 Kitespar (60")
Cold Mountain Company
.505 Kitespar (54.5"-75") FL-505
Goodwinds* Filament Wound Epoxy Tubes
.524 Kitespar (54.5"-75") FL-524
Goodwinds* Filament Wound Epoxy Tubes
.602 Kitespar (60"-84") FL-602
Goodwinds* Filament Wound Epoxy Tubes
Last updated