Quick verdict
Five figure-8 end clamps that close the end of 1/2 to 5/8 inch drip tubing: thread the tube through one loop, fold it over to kink it and push the folded end through the other loop. No glue, no cutting, no cap to lose, and it slides off to flush the line each spring. Rated to 50 psi. It is the oldest trick in drip irrigation and still the best way to end a line that needs flushing.
Strengths
- Closes a line with a fold; no fittings, glue or tools
- Slides off to flush and drain the line, then back on
- Fits 1/2 and 5/8 inch tubing
- Rated to 50 psi
- Reusable for years
Weaknesses
- Stiff tubing in cold weather is hard to fold
- Not a flush valve; you still walk to the end of each line
- Five is enough for small gardens only
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
Ending the Line
Every drip main and dripline has an end, and the end must be closed and must open again each spring to flush the grit out. Caps and plugs do the first and fight you on the second. The figure 8 clamp does both: fold the tube, clamp the fold, slide it off to flush. Raindrip’s R301CT is the standard version, five to a pack, for 1/2 and 5/8 inch tubing, rated to 50 psi.
This review is based on the maker’s specifications and on how figure 8 end clamps perform in drip systems generally. We have not used these clamps ourselves.
How It Works
Thread the tube end through one loop, bend it back on itself so the tube kinks flat, push the kinked end through the other loop and slide the clamp up snug. The kink is the seal; the clamp just holds it. Water stops. In spring, slide the clamp down, unfold the tube, run water until it is clear, fold and clamp again.
Why It Beats a Cap
A cap threads on, clogs with sediment behind it and seizes by the second season. Pulling it to flush means pliers and a lost cap in the mulch. The figure 8 never leaves the tube, cannot clog and needs no tools. Drip installers use them by the hundred.
Pressure and Fit
Drip systems run between 10 and 30 psi after the regulator, well under the 50 psi rating. The clamp fits half-inch and 5/8 inch tubing from any maker, since those outside diameters are near universal. Quarter-inch lines are closed with small plugs instead.
Cold Tubing
Polyethylene stiffens in cold weather and folding it is harder. Warm the end in the sun or in your hand and it folds. Once clamped, it stays.
Who Should Buy It
- Anyone installing or extending a drip system.
- Owners of lines with seized end caps.
- Gardeners who flush lines each spring, which should be everyone.
Common Owner Complaints
Stiff tubing in the cold. Warm it first.
Flushing Routine
At the start of each season, and after any repair that opened the line, slide every figure 8 down, unfold the tube ends and run the system for a minute until the water runs clear from each one. Refold and clamp. Doing every line end together takes ten minutes and prevents most emitter clogs for the year. Keep a spare clamp or two in the drip box; they are the easiest fitting to lose in the mulch.
Alternatives to Consider
Compression end caps from Rain Bird and DIG for a cleaner look at the end of a visible line. Flush valves that open automatically at low pressure for buried dripline. Bags of fifty figure 8s for large gardens.
Verdict
The figure 8 clamp is the right way to end a drip line, and Raindrip’s five-pack is the standard. Fold, clamp, forget until spring, then slide it off and flush.
Full specifications
Raindrip R301CT Figure 8 Compression End Clamp for 1/2 to 5/8 Inch Drip Tubing, 5-Pack FAQs
Push the tubing end through one loop of the figure 8, bend it back on itself to kink the tube, push the kinked end through the second loop and slide the clamp up to hold the fold. The kink stops the water.
Caps clog, stick and get lost when you pull them to flush. A figure 8 slides off, lets you flush the line and slides back on.
Drip systems run at 10 to 30 psi; the clamp holds to 50.
No. Quarter-inch lines use small end plugs. This is for half-inch and 5/8 inch mains and dripline.
