I put mine instead clear tubing, but I had to cut the tubes to get the flex strips through them, so it really doesn't waterproof them much. It does kind of give you something to put zip ties onto ... as the strip itself it quite fragile. I fished it through about 3 different piexes of 5/8 tubing .. and the tubing wasn't real cheap. I later bought some 1" tubing which was way easier to fish it through and much more durable also. I don't think any of it was necessary for waterproofing, but for protecting the strips ... maybe it was worth it.. All 9 arches did fine lat year, 9 flex strips, no issues caused by weather, but it doesn't rain here ... just snow only.