I'm just starting my first build and wanting to know about buffer tubes. My question is how do you know what's a good buffer kit. Is there a big difference in the springs and the buffer piece that goes inside the spring? I see the Spikes gets a great review however I found some for less so is Spikes worth 25-40 dollars more?

Buy your parts from BCM and be done with it.  You will be getting known good quality and will not have to worry.

This. I bought a PSA kit and am having a couple issues and wish I would gone BCM for my first rifle. Not bashing PSA they have a decent kit for the money but I should gone Bcm from beginning. Good luck with your build, its fun lol.

Id go with a.Vltor A5 tube and buffer. It allows for a little longer adjustment and a longer travel for the buffer. You have to use the A5 tube, spring and buffer. They do not interchange with a carbine, or rifle length system.

This is what I do. The important things I look for in the tube itself is milspec diameter and 7075 aluminum construction. BCM has both. Buffer weight depends on your set-up. I try to get the heaviest buffer that will reliably cycle low powered ammo in a dirty rifle. It may take some trial and error to find the best weight for your rifle. I usually go with "H" buffers.

There are three kinds of buffer tube: carbine, rifle, and then commercial carbine (though I never seen or heard of a commercial "rifle" length).

They also have a newer one by vltor known as the A5 tube. I'm not sure if the difference is in the spring or the buffer tube housing or both. I haven't really messed with that.

The best spring is the standard spring. There are "extra tension" springs that you can buy but I recommend to avoid this unless your particular rifle has a problem. Don't buy into the marketing ploy for those springs since there's a high potential that your rifle could jam with them.

The best buffer tube to get for most situations is a carbine buffer (mil spec dimensions) with a H2 buffer (or Spike's ST-T2 if you want a Spikes buffer). That covers MOST users no matter the barrel length or system. Once you get to pistols or really short barrels, you might have to play around with the weight a bit.

Note: you can't MIX buffers. What I mean is a rifle buffer cannot go into a carbine (or commercial carbine) housing. Nor should you take a carbine spring and put it in a rifle buffer.

I only use LMT tubes.  They are spendy, but well worth it.

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I'll go along with this answer.

I typically use the Anderson Mil Spec 7075T6 receiver extension for $15 and the Anderson Carbine length spring for $3 and either an H buffer at $14 or Spikes T2 buffer at $30.  That setup has been extremely reliable for me.

Great answers I will start shopping. Thanks all