# PETG or TPU when the part has to flex?

Bambu TPU 85A lists a nozzle of 200–250 °C (392–482 °F), a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and a Shore A hardness of 85, which is a softness scale where a lower number bends more easily. Bambu TPU 90A uses that same nozzle and bed at Shore A 90. PolyLite PETG lists 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and a bed of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), and the catalog stores no Shore hardness for it. Pick the TPU when the part must bend. Pick the PETG when it should keep its shape.

Bambu TPU 85A lists a nozzle of 200–250 °C (392–482 °F), a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and a Shore A hardness of 85, which is a softness scale where a lower number bends more easily. Bambu TPU 90A uses that same nozzle and bed at Shore A 90. PolyLite PETG lists 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and a bed of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F), and the catalog stores no Shore hardness for it. Pick the TPU when the part must bend. Pick the PETG when it should keep its shape.

Use TPU when the part has to bend. Use PETG when it should stay stiff and only give a little. [How to print TPU](/answers/flex), [Shore hardness](/answers/tpu_hardness), and [flexible parts](/answers/flexible) are the rubber pages. [How to print PETG](/answers/petg_print) is the polyester.
## What the hardness numbers say

[Bambu TPU 85A](/brand/bambu-lab/tpu-85a) stores a nozzle of 200–250 °C (392–482 °F), a bed of 30–35 °C (86–95 °F), and Shore A 85. [Bambu TPU 90A](/brand/bambu-lab/tpu-90a) stores the same nozzle and bed at Shore A 90. Shore A is the hardness scale used on these rubbery filaments. A lower number flexes more. Drying stored for both is 70 °C (158 °F) for 8 h, from the technical data sheets linked above.

[PolyLite PETG](/brand/polymaker/polylite-petg) stores a nozzle of 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) and a bed of 70–90 °C (158–194 °F). Drying on its technical data sheet is 65 °C (149 °F) for 6 h, checked 18 October 2026. Its heat-deflection temperature, checked 21 October 2026, is 78 °C (172 °F) at the lighter 0.45 MPa load and 75 °C (167 °F) at the heavier 1.8 MPa load, under ISO 75. Heat deflection is the temperature where a test bar bends under a stated load. It is not a flex rating. The row stores no Shore hardness.

No bend-count or hinge-life test comparing these three spools is in the documents above. The material split is the Shore number on the TPU rows and the absence of one on the PETG row.
## What the community says

[a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1ngnb0h/) says a smooth PEI plate and a glue stick, with the glue acting as an interface layer.

[a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1lm8ohj/) says textured PEI is what that person uses for PLA, PETG, and TPU, and that glue sometimes goes on with TPU.

[a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1lm8ohj/) says PEI for PLA, G10 for TPU, and a Glacier plate for everything else, with no glue.

Updated 2026-10-27. Sources accessed 2026-10-27. Use case: Flexible.

## Ranked filaments

| Rank | Filament | Nozzle | Bed | Price per kg |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Bambu Lab TPU 85A | 200–250 °C (392–482 °F) | 30–35 °C (86–95 °F) | — |
| 2 | Bambu Lab TPU 90A | 200–250 °C (392–482 °F) | 30–35 °C (86–95 °F) | — |
| 3 | Polymaker Polylite PETG | 220–250 °C (428–482 °F) | 70–90 °C (158–194 °F) | — |

## Sources

- [Bambu TPU 85A technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_TPU_85A_Technical_Data_Sheet_a7233668-497b-487f-af8a-3adb49fafaa1.pdf) (datasheet)
- [Bambu TPU 90A technical data sheet](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0645/5876/0155/files/Bambu_TPU_90A_Technical_Data_Sheet_582bf8f6-1f0a-474c-aeda-9e72af3689dc.pdf) (datasheet)
- [PolyLite PETG technical data sheet V5.4](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0548/7299/7945/files/PolyLite_PETG_TDS_EN_V5.4.pdf) (datasheet)
- [a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1ngnb0h/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1lm8ohj/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/prusa3d](https://www.reddit.com/r/prusa3d/comments/1b0ys48/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/183nzbk/) (reddit)
- [a Reddit thread in r/BambuLab](https://www.reddit.com/r/BambuLab/comments/1da4ewf/) (reddit)

HTML: https://filamentfacts.com/answers/petg_vs_tpu