Blimp suspension bands

[Jason Nicholas]

I’ve pulled out my old RØDE blimp to test something out (an oddball, quite heavy copper body Fostex shotgun mic); however the rubber bands that make up the suspension are getting a little saggy. Are these a specialised item or something I might be able to pick up by the bag at a hardware store if I know what to ask for? Also, I think the original RØDE blimp was a re-imagined Rycote model; if so, are the parts interchangeable?

[The Immoral Mr Teas]

A bit of both - they were specialised in the sense that the 'right' thing was selected and sold as such, but you'll find something suitable enough in a decent hardware store. Take one of the originals with you when shopping - so you don't end up with bands too big (and thus too slack). Also take into account the weight of the microphone - since it's heavier than normal try using six bands rather than the normal four (if you can figure out a way to mount it to the other top holes - the great thing for me about Rycote of old was that you could easily buy all the spare parts you ever wanted to customise any kind of suspension).

 

Jez

[Paul F]

Rubber bands used for braces. They come in different strengths. Here is an example. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Orthodontic-Elastic-Rubber-Ounces-Traction/dp/B0969S9HCQ/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=33L2N0OIVF1BL&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dHbsfuKghLMwlYLapi9JOWyUI86_xnZ35lsT-3Q7nHwhrMGJPg8ycqjuAjHCdv6Etv9QQPYZ1tt6JIpPKvRzoTgCGWoybZ1IiaHiaeifSf-WIUnv4iPoFlbSLlOAW1fEPzzTn1tELrt8zff8mTe1LKTALBNniewXm6Bir2LkGT4vG6XiohgXKVlhvxE-EzzELOzGK1aExci1AT22TyjgMIXBjHje0SCsvzRgWFBwRoQWra1U79ZFG1Uf1ASHDBNm5lFb9RvbmlpoJvFYqFrMPxhaIvHfLzqDa7Jd3LoJZxI.DEXB9ffnyeUlnTcOsOukfgv5Y3mEmpIff9seYBdd3t4&dib_tag=se&keywords=rubber%2Bbands%2Bfor%2Bbraces&qid=1749846126&s=beauty&sprefix=rubber%2Bbands%2Bfor%2Bbraces%2Cbeauty%2C163&sr=1-2-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

[Jason Nicholas]

Just to note that Radius are apparently doing an adaptor to modify their suspensions for the old RODE blimp https://www.radiuswindshields.com.au/products/rode-blimp-rad-hoop-adaptor-pair

[TVPostSound]

On 7/23/2026 at 3:07 PM, Jason Nicholas said:

Just to note that Radius are apparently doing an adaptor to modify their suspensions for the old RODE blimp https://www.radiuswindshields.com.au/products/rode-blimp-rad-hoop-adaptor-pair

Rode had 2 iterations of blimps. Gen 1 and Gen 2.  

The Gen 1 used proprietary Rode mounts. Yours might be a Gen 1. 

The Gen 2 was made for and uses true Rycote Lyres.  So the Radius will retrofit.

[Roland Harris]

8 hours ago, TVPostSound said:

Rode had 2 iterations of blimps. Gen 1 and Gen 2.  

The Gen 1 used proprietary Rode mounts. Yours might be a Gen 1. 

The Gen 2 was made for and uses true Rycote Lyres.  So the Radius will retrofit.

 

Just to clarify: the Gen 2 Rode blimp uses Rycote lyres, but the adapter to the bar is moulded as one with the OEM lyre, hence the need for the small part Radius have produced. Of course normally you can directly replace Rycote lyres with Radius hoops. You can see a close-up photo of the  Gen 2 lyres in this thread here: 

Cheers,

 

Roland

[TVPostSound]

On 7/25/2026 at 12:37 AM, Roland Harris said:

 

Just to clarify: the Gen 2 Rode blimp uses Rycote lyres, but the adapter to the bar is moulded as one with the OEM lyre, hence the need for the small part Radius have produced. Of course normally you can directly replace Rycote lyres with Radius hoops. You can see a close-up photo of the  Gen 2 lyres in this thread here: 

Cheers,

 

Roland

The point I was trying to convey, is that you cant do this on a first gen Rode blimp. Rycote, nor Radius. Ive tried. 

[borjam]

Whoa! This is just What The Doctor Ordered™. I wanted to make that but I am not good at technical drawing, I wanted to enlist a friend with a 3D printer, and, as always, too much workload.

 

Those little pieces can turn a half assed(*) product like the Rode Blimp into a serious proposition. 

 

 

(*) Yes, half assed. It could have been so much more. And just because of that silly detail of being incompatible with spares for Rycote (at the time). 

 

 

[Jason Nicholas]

I really appreciate when someone makes a little bit of kit that extends the life of something else rather than just pointing toward an entirely new purchase of their own product. Simon & Co at Radius seem to have a good ethos about all this kind of thing (I think I mentioned somewhere on the forum that we did a little profile on them and the history of wind protection on our podcast; see here: https://soundproducer.com.au/the-apple-biscuit-show-episode-15-dead-cats-and-fish-poles-the-story-of-the-basket-windshield/) 

 

My RØDE blimp is the old original ‘half-assed’ one so I can’t get the adaptors and go full…ass with it (but is seems sort of moot in the end as I’ve got the new Radius setup regardless. I just hate to throw things away!).

[borjam]

Sorry if my comment about the Blimp was a bit rude, but it's a pity that Rode designed it so that it is incompatible with alternative suspensions, especially when it already has a modular design!

 

By "half assed" I meant both models actually, but not because of the suspension method; it would have been trivial to make it compatible with Rycote spare lyres. I said that because they didn't develop it to its full potential.

 

As for compatibility with version 1, are you sure they won't work? I know Radius states that it is compatible with version 2. But they do not specify whether they tried and it didn't work or they just tried them with version 2. 

 

Looking at the differences between both versions, it looks like versions 1 and 2 would share the mounting rail and zeppelin cover, while the handle and suspension rings are different (lyres for version 2). 

 

Assuming If mounting rail is the same, using captive rectangular washers inside it to fix their positions, I imagine that it should work with the version 1 blimp. Maybe you would need a bit longer screws judging by the picture. 

 

I think it's worth trying, the adapters are really cheap. They even offer the 3D files for free.