airlocks.

[bengerman]

so, i've been using the three-piece and s-trap style airlocks, and they're OK, but i have seen them suck back when i've moved buckets, and i've heard of them drying out.
i've also seen two other liquid-free options, and i'm wondering what you guys think of them.
the first is a "Breathable Bung" offered at my LHBS. basically, a bung with some holes in it and some silicone flaps on the top. air goes out, but not in.
the other one is from BetterBottle. They call it the "DryTrap," and also make their page such that i can't link directly to the product, so here's what they have to say:

A BetterBottle DryTrap™ is a dry air trap, or air lock. It is a precision check valve made of an incredibly tough, proprietary PET that does not stain or impart flavors and is easily cleaned and sanitized. A polished glass/ceramic ball rests in a precision tapered seat to create a one-way seal. Fermentation gases can escape easily by pushing the ball up, but air is blocked from flowing in the reverse direction. A DryTrap has many advantages compared to liquid-filled air locks.

both sound good, in theory, but they're also both more expensive than a regular water-based airlock.

 

[itzkramer]

If there are any military guys out there, the bungs look like the out valves on an m40 gas mask. I wish I had thought of that!

 

[ThickHead]

I have used the three-piece, bubbler (or S-Trap), and blow-off tube. While I prefer the blow-off tube these days I have never had any issues with either the three-piece or the bubbler. No dry airlocks and never any "suck-back." However, the first time you blow one off and splatter the inside of your fermentation cabinet (due to an aggressive fermentation or too little head-space) the more likely you are to develop a preference for using blow-off tubes.

Cheers!