| Rubber | Synthetic or natural-rubber tube with textile, helix-wire, or steel-wire reinforcement. | Heavy-duty water, slurry, dredging, cement, mining, oil transfer, and industrial suction/discharge service. | Approximately −40°C to +80°C; some engineered grades reach about +100°C or higher. | Commonly about 6–20 bar working pressure, depending on reinforcement and diameter. | Excellent abrasion resistance, impact tolerance, flexibility, and vacuum resistance when properly reinforced. | Usually heavier and more expensive than PVC; chemical and oil resistance varies by rubber compound. |
| PVC | Flexible PVC tube with rigid PVC spiral, textile braid, or embedded helix reinforcement. | Water, irrigation, drainage, food and beverage transfer, light chemicals, powders, and general-purpose suction. | Typically −10°C to +60°C; low-temperature flexibility depends strongly on formulation. | Commonly about 3–10 bar working pressure; suction performance depends on spiral design. | Lightweight, economical, transparent options available, and generally resistant to water and many mild chemicals. | Less resistant to high heat, severe abrasion, oils, and repeated flexing than many rubber or TPU designs. |
| TPU | Thermoplastic polyurethane tube with textile reinforcement or abrasion-resistant polyurethane wall and helix. | Abrasive solids, grain, pellets, powders, mining slurry, shot-blasting media, and demanding material handling. | Approximately −40°C to +80°C; exact limits depend on TPU grade and service medium. | Commonly about 5–15 bar working pressure, with higher values possible in reinforced designs. | Very high abrasion resistance, good tear strength, low material adhesion, and lower weight than many rubber hoses. | Can be affected by prolonged heat, certain solvents, hydrolysis, or UV exposure unless specially formulated. |
| Layflat | Flat-folding PVC, TPU, or rubberized fabric tube with textile reinforcement; normally designed for discharge. | Irrigation, dewatering, flood control, temporary bypass, construction pumping, and agricultural water transfer. | Usually about −20°C to +60°C, depending on polymer and reinforcement. | Often about 4–16 bar working pressure; pressure ratings vary significantly by diameter and fabric. | Lightweight, compact for transport and storage, fast to deploy, and suitable for long temporary runs. | Generally unsuitable for sustained suction or sharp-edged abrasion; requires protection from puncture and dragging damage. |
| Corrugated | Corrugated wall made from PVC, rubber, TPU, or thermoplastic elastomer, often with an embedded helix. | Tank transfer, wastewater, ventilation, liquid food handling, chemical service, and applications requiring a tight bend radius. | Typically −30°C to +80°C; material-specific designs may operate outside this range. | Commonly about 2–12 bar working pressure; deep corrugation generally favors flexibility over pressure capacity. | Excellent flexibility, reduced bending force, good crush recovery, and easier routing around equipment. | Corrugations can increase flow turbulence and cleaning difficulty; pressure and vacuum ratings must be checked carefully. |