This was my first year with tubing, made all my drops 3' (100 3/16, 100 5/16). Some were a bit long,but overall I believe it made tapping a whole lot easier for this rookie.
3/16 is the BOMB. I only got 125 taps in, 96 /16 and the rest 5/16. Some days the 5/16 just dribbled and the 3/16 ran like crazy. Net year I'm adding RO and another 200 taps, and replacing most of my 5/16 with 3/16- I am fortunate- (except for my knees and sore feet) to have 350' of elevation between my sugar shack and the top of my sugar bush. But my trees are in sparse clumps. I ran 2100 of 3/4 mainline, and only have 5 entries for the laterals. I have one 5/16 lateral up in a holler with 22 taps, branch lines coming into a 4 star adapter, 100' elevation on those lines from the main to the top trees- they are definitely getting 3/16 next year! Some days they didn't run, and the 3/16 taps 100 yds away were gushing.
'12 15 jugs - Steam pans
'17 125 3/16 - 18" x 72" drop flue on homemade arch
'18 240 3/16 - Deer Run 125
'19 450 3/16 - Converted RO to electric/added a membrane
'20 600 3/16 - Maple Pro 2x6 Raised Flue, added AOF/AUF
'21 570 3/16 - Built steam hood, Smoky Lake filter press
'22 800 3/16 - Upgraded RO to 4 4x40
'23 500 3/16 - Re-plumbed RO, new "Guzzler"
'24 500 3/16 - Steam Away, DIY 8x40 RO