Quote:
Originally Posted by in Harmony with Jesus
I wanted to throw in my $.02 on the balloons as well. I have not been happy with the Betallatex. They seem to pop a lot easier than the Qualatex.
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Harmony - Betallatex require a different "feel" when you are twisting then the Qualatex balloons. Often the balloons are a little thicker and this has two side effects. (1)The balloon seems stiffer and more difficult to work with. Solution 1: Stretch the balloon completely a couple of times before inflating (this is especially important if you decide to try the pearl or metallic balloons.) Solution 2: Give the balloon an extra burb before tying. *Even better: Combine Solution 1 and Solution 2 when twisting. (2) When stretched and "losened up" the balloon can actually be stretched lengthwise after inflating and may seem more like a 270 giving you more balloon to play with.
Be sure to check the dates on your balloon bags. I reached in the drawer and pulled out a bag in the back dated 2004. Turns out they are still good. I put a few in my apron to test and used a few more for practice.
If you order many balloons you will find that at least one balloon and many times two, in most bags of Qualatex are defective. Now when you are only buying a few bags this isn't a big deal but when you are buying a lot and the defect rate is around two percent this cuts into your profit margin. I know this is only slight and if you are practicing at all it will matter even less but with Betallatex the defect percentage is more like .2% or less. I get frustrated at a gig when I am in a hurry and I pull out a balloon and it has an extra hole in it before I get to it. So I stuff it in a pocket and grab another and find that it is siamezed with another balloon.
So, try a practice session using only Betallatex balloons (which will help you acclimate to them quicker) and stretching them all a couple of times and burbing them before twisting. As you get used to the differences you should be able to use either brand with ease and it will open up a number of color combinations and other possibilities for you.