fly store foam (expensive stuff) v. craft store (cheap stuff) whats th

[Kudu 0]

I tie foam flies with the craft store stuff. I tie Tokyo Spiders, hoppers, and stealth bombers with it. I have never used the "good" stuff. I dont have a fly shop anywhere near me so checking it out myself is not an option. Whats the difference?

[tidewaterfly 0]

Fly shops charge more!

 

It's the same foam. No fly fishing company makes foam. It's all coming from other industries. It's possible a company like Rainy's is having some of their products made for them, but I doubt they're actually producing it themselves.

 

There are different types of foam, and may be slight difference between brands, but the foam is still basically the same if you're talking about the 2 or 3 mm thick sheets. There's a few places that sell that type of foam in thicker sheets too, like 4 & 6 mm.

 

It's purchased & repackaged & sold in fly shops at a higher price, and in many cases it's a smaller piece.

[SilverCreek 0]

Rainys' Foam is Evasote, a higher quality foam that is used for backpackers sleeping pads and for camera cases, etc.

 

Craft foam is, well, craft foam.

 

http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=evasote+foam&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

 

 

http://chicagotroutbum.com/2010/06/13/all-foam-not-created-equal-try-evazote-foam/

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

exactly what tidewater said the same goes for alot of materials we tie with like mohair can be purchased on the spool from uni for $3.00 for 5 yards or go to a yarn store and get it for the same price for 200 yards

[flytire 0]

the packages of "morris foam" from umpqua is definately not the same as craft store foam sheets. craft store sheets are not the same quality as the umpqua foam sheets

 

as silvercreek says "Craft foam is, well, craft foam."

[Peterjay 0]

I tie foam flies with the craft store stuff. I tie Tokyo Spiders, hoppers, and stealth bombers with it. I have never used the "good" stuff. I dont have a fly shop anywhere near me so checking it out myself is not an option. Whats the difference?

 

If the craft foam is serving your purposes, why worry about it? If you have a specific need for evazote, then the higher price is justified, but if you're doing fine with $.99 craft foam, then why spend more? My guess is that if you do a little digging, you'd find a source for evazote that charges a fraction of what fly shops get for the stuff.

[todvan 0]

I have been using craft foam and am looking for better floatation - it seems that the craft foam must take on a little water after awhile??

 

Also, I am confused - Rainy's site lists Evazote (open cell) and Cross-link (closed cell) foams - I want the closed cell for best floatation, right?

 

Can anyone that has used both confirm that the cross-link foam will float better / longer than craft foam?

 

Thanks!

[mikechell 0]

I've just gotten into tying with craft foam, or I will when I get back home. But I bought some from the Dollar Tree. It was left overs from Valentine ... nice couple of good reds, white and pink sheets. About a 5 inch thick stack of 1mm by 8"x4" sheets for a dollar. I didn't get the chance to tie anything with them, but I did stack some of them and glue them together before I left. They were good quality foam, didn't tear easily and seemed very fine material.

[Will K 0]

Depends on the tie for me. I find flies that are going to get destroyed or covered in CCG/epoxy or hard as nails (crease flies or similar creations fished for stripers, blues, and toothy freshwater fish) have worked just fine for me made with craft store foam.

 

I have used it successfully on little flies like Ant's or chernobyls or hoppers too.

 

I have to admit though, for those small flies, or smaller - like mayflies with extended foam boddies OR wrapping foam on the shank for some stone fly, caddis or even mayfly emergers... some how the more spendy fly shop stuff works best for me. Maybe it's in my head, but some how it feels more durable, stretchier and forms better too.

 

So, I bought a pack with like 6 colors, on 8.5-11" sheets - probably like 4 of each color - for about 5 bucks (may be less) at Michaels that I use on big and ugly flies... but I tend to stick to spendy foam for small stuff.

 

The odd part, is that even a small fly shop sheet lasts for ever if you are using them on little flies.

[SBPatt 0]

I use craft store foam a lot and am perfectly satisfied with the results; the only foam I've bought at a fly shop was olive-colored, something I wasn't able to find anywhere else. Then I came across a foam kneeler pad at Home Depot in olive, and now I have a lifetime supply; have to cut it into thin slices with an X-acto/steel straightedge but the stuff is great.

 

Regards,

Scott

[ditz2 0]

I use the craft foam. It is easy to get locally and works fine for my uses and is cheap. Someone mentioned that the craft foam soaks up water. I fish a #10 yellow spider for gills and have fished one for hours at a time and caught dozens of fish with no floatation problems using the same fly. I have many colors but I mostly use yellow. It is easy to see among the white foam and it catches lots of fish. What's not to like. I have even started making small poppers out of disks cut with a punch of some sort. Haven't fished them yet but I am sure they will work fine. Just not sure about durability yet. My old cork ones last forever and I hope these do too.

[Kudu 0]

Pj. You asked the age old question of men in general. Why trade the Chevy for the Ford, the orvis rod for the sage, the 40 year old blonde for to twenties.

[Kirk Dietrich 0]

I use both. The stuff from Rainey's comes in some colors that you won't find in the craft store.

 

Kirk

[Piker20 0]

For small flies where the foam is hidden beneath dubbing on a shank I have used polystyrene cup pieces and they seem to float longer. But don't wrap too tight cause its the air that aids the floating.

[Capt Bob LeMay 0]

Like many I use the craft store foam sheets. Since I'm only doing Gurglers is size #1 on up they do just fine. There's an additional use for un-cut foam sheets in every color under the sun.... They make great backgrounds for close up photography (just the ticket for close-ups on flies, knots, and other technical type stuff...). I'm fond of taking more than one pic and just varying background colors to see what provides the best contrast for fly close-ups (and at .99 per sheet I can keep every color ready to use for that purpose....). Here's a few pics

 

Tight lines

Bob LeMay

(954) 435-5666