What Comp fittings have best retention?

Hi,

What soft tube Comp fittings are considered the best/strongest tube retention to prevent tube pulling out?
(ideally available in Au)

Are they better than a barb with a hose clamp to really lock the tube in place?

What mods can be done to improve retention?

Alternatively - Where can I buy Decent QDC fittings (bulkhead mount and barb) for 7/16 x 5/8 (12mm/16mm)Tube which I would like to convert to?

Backstory:
I'm onto phase 2 of my external radbox and the 1/2" x 3/4" tubes to the PC will be mounted on a 90 degree fitting on the back of the box.

*I'm stuck with this tube size instead of my preferred small size for this run as my Quick Disconnects at the PC are this size and I cannot find a source in Au of smaller ones

Currently tubing in Radbox is internally mounted exiting through holes in the box and firmly anchored to prevent being detached. The new config will have tube connections outside the box at the rear on 90 degree swivel...

What soft tube comp fittings have the best retention? It's not like they will be yanked around or whatever... I just have a concern that tubes could be pulled out of the fitting.

I looked at the EK ACF which is touted as being retentive but there is only 1 left in stock at PCCG and the reviews say it's shite due to the metal threads flaking.

I will be using EK ZMT Black 1/2" x 3/4" unless I can get smaller QDC's.... but either way I need really solid holding Comp fittings for the radbox end .

 

Not much of a sample but I used the EK fittings and they were fine. Actually they held on well so long as you tighten the locking collar down well and the fit and finish were excellent. The key was getting that collar to fully bottom out which does take some care.

The only other soft fitting I've used were Koolance barbs with the spring clips. Those are definitely stronger but they are a royal PIA to fit. The spring clip is so firm that I'm certain the tubing would tear before anything would come loose. But bc of how difficult they are to use, I can't recommend them.

 

The only 'loose' fittings I've experienced are Monsoons, and they were those original 'open' ones that had no clamping chamfer on the end. Barrow, Bitspower, EK, Koolance, XSPC - these are all fine fittings.

With barbs, if you buy the size higher than your tube you can do them clamp-less - I use 3/8" ID tubing everywhere, so push them over 1/2" barbs (using a heat gun) and they go nowhere. To be honest though, I'm currently running Enzo 3/8" barbs on 3/8" tube clamp-less and they've been fine for months, upside-down under the desk.

Fuck those Koolance spring-clips, they're good but I've still got scars from prying those bastards free before I turned my brain on and used needle-noses!

QDCs are exceedingly hard to source locally, no shopfronts stock them and only one hit from a (reliable) local eBayer: Barrow M/F set into G1/4" threads. Still pricey. There's a few sets of Koolance QD3s on eBay at the moment too, but $64 a pair and into 10mm barbs.

My suggestion would be to grab the Barrow ones and put compressions on the back of them - I've got the same setup on a pair of Thermaltake's and two pairs of Koolance. Works well, ready for any tube size

 

Cheers .

I think I will just keep the KL QDC's I have since they are a working item. Aquatuning is the only other source I could find but in the end it's not that big a deal to just use 1/2" -3/4" tube for the run between the radbox and PC to accomodate the QDC's, and 5/8 - 7/16 for all internal tubing at either end .

13mm/19mm comp fittings seem hard to find though :/ ... so I may look to barbs and spring clamps (I won pliers )

 

If you are OK waiting Bykski does quick disconnects . They seem nice enough.

Pretty cheap on Aliexpress (At least compared to Aus Offering)

 

single barb with clamp will always be better as you can apply way more tension.