Sorry if I am repeating a question that has been asked many times - had a bit of a look but couldn't seem to find a thread. I have always used Qualatex, but just wondered what the difference between Sempertex and Qualatex is? Most tutorials seem to use Qualatex but is there mmuch of a difference? Would love some advice. Many thanks. Kerry

Try a bag for yourself. Sempertex feel a bit different and there are some different colours. You may like them; it's largely down to subjective preference.

Hi Kerry,
            just wondered what the difference between Sempertex and Qualatex is?
I use an equal mixture as there are pluses and minuses with both brands.
Many of the Sempertex colours are more vibrant and they are longer also.
Both brands have certain colours that are thinner and burst more than other colours.
For white I prefer Sempertex 160 & 260, use Sempertex 360 or Qualatex 350 and  Qualatex 646.  This is because the Sempertex are longer, though the 660 white is thinner and bursts more than the Qualatex 646.  The whites are the same shade of white and mix well together.  It is the same story for yellow.  Sempertex 160 & 260, Qualatex 350 and 646. The same for Orange also in terms of sizes. Though the brands do not mix greatly with orange as they are slightly different.
 For Blue the Sempertex for all sizes as they are longer and very strong + the fashion blue is far more vibrant than the Qualatex Pale Blue.   Lime Green I use Sempertex for all sizes as it is a very vibrant colour with good strong balloons and the extra length helps also.   For pink I also use Sempertex as they are strong, long and the Fuchsia is very vibrant.  For blush I use Qualatex as it is strong, great colour and available in many sizes and shapes.  For brown I use either brand, though I love the Moch brown from Qualatex. Violet either brand.   Black I mostly use Sempertex.  For Red I use both, though they do not mix well as they are a slightly different shade of red.  
         For some colours I  just go with the times as for what is available.
Mixing brands is crucial for having the correct colours to work with.  The Sempertex Fashion Blue is far richer than the Qualatex Pale Blue. Though I still carry the Pale Blue as it is the ideal colour for certain football team's.

Try using both,

Daniel McCullough

Awesome advice - thanks loads! Will give them a go! Many thanks. Kerry x

This is interesting and here's my take on it, with reference specifically to 260's. I used Qualatex with no significant problems exclusively for over twelve years up until about 2009. I then became aware that I was getting more and more breaks, to the point that it became really onerous. I reckon I lost over 10% of my balloons through breakages which was not only expensive but also very annoying as I regularly just got to the end of making a model only for it to break, leaving me to start again, sometimes more than once. Whilst at one of Graham's excellent balloon days around that time I noticed that there were many pops going on during the day - more than I would expect  to hear. Rightly or wrongly I became convinced that there was a quality control issue with Qualatex so I decided to try Sempertex instead and have been using them ever since. They are longer, stronger, and I have often twisted for three hours+ doing non stop line work without a single break. I recommend them. Curiously though, I find Qualatex 160's better than the Sempertex version, the latter seeming to me to be weaker than the Sempertex equivalent. Having said all of this I attended the balloon day in Surrey last October featuring Brian Asman as guest lecturer. As it was sponsored by Qualatex I bought some of their 260's on the day and had no problem with them. Neither did Brian during six hours+ of twisting and neither did the other attendees from what I saw/heard. So whether Qualatex had a quality issue which is now resolved or whether I was just unlucky I don't know but I hope my experience may help you to make your own choice and not confuse you even more! For the record I still use Sempertex 260's  as they are cheaper!