While I can do a few chin ups, I am really struggling with pull ups. It’s been suggested that looping my knee through a resistance band is the answer.
There are lots for sale on eBay but they vary in price and possibly quality.. Does anybody have any recommendations? Should I just order some cheap ones from China?

I can do a few chin ups, I am really struggling with pull ups

Daft question, but what’s the difference?

Presumably the way you hold the bar: palms towards your face is a chin up, palms out is a pull up.

That’s my understanding Mogrim. At the gym I go to they have dip and chin set up that allows you to use weights to counterbalance some of your body weight. This allows you to build up gradually for chin ups, pull ups and dips.

Thats my understanding, chin ups are much easier too…
I could use a chair and just do negatives but the band things sounds better.

Another option I’ve read about is to start at the top, then lower yourself down slowly to build up the muscle

The “difference” between chins/dips is seriously overrated IMO. If you aren’t already, pinch your shoulder blades together and down, that way you primarily use the large muscles of your back rather than arms/shoulders so changing the grip will make very little difference.

Also I agree with the above that doing negatives is easier/cheaper than messing about with a band (which becomes useless as soon as you can do a few without it).

Use a few bungee cords. The difference between success and failure will be pretty small in your case.

As above, do them at a steady pace, up and down – the ‘eccentric’ exercises are just as important. And don’t overdo it, or your elbows will complain.

these guys have loads of straps, and a good pull-up bar :

http://www.v-tapershaper.com/

I did consider an inner tube too..

Thanks for the advice. I’ve also read not to do them to failure, that will clearly be a struggle…

Another option I’ve read about is to start at the top, then lower yourself down slowly to build up the muscle

This.

Stand on a box to get to the top, then lower as slow as you can. This will build strength much better than using bands and starting from the bottom.

http://www.fitness666.com/2012/06/pull-up-progression.html

Thanks for the advice. I’ve also read not to do them to failure, that will clearly be a struggle…

that’s the point of the straps they do at that link – you put your knees through one of the straps to offest your weight to the point that you can do about 8 – 10 reps. Then eventually you can go to a less supporting strap…

Don’t waste your money, as others have said negatives will help, you say your struggling, but if you can do one, rest till you can do another and multiples will follow.
If you are overweight then losing some of that is also going to help.
Good on you, most gym goers shy away from the best upper body exercise.
I’m 52 and i can do 25 dead hangs on a good day and sets of 10 with 20kg.

I’ll give the negatives ago first, if that fails I’ll go with the budget v taper. No time for the gym so it’s good old fashioned press ups, chin ups, hopefully pull ups & Kettlebell’s.

Centralscrutinizer, that’s a great article on how to do your first pull up.

Negatives x100

After a while you will be able to do one, two, three and so on. Back when I was somewhat healthy and training I used to be able to do pull ups 🙁

That felt ok, the bars on the side of my house and there’s a nice nob of stone to launch upwards from. Watch this space

negatives all the way but another good way to get a good workout if you can only do a couple of consecutive reps is to do say 10 sets of 2 reps, with as much rest as you need, if you drop to only 1 rep so be it, but make sure you carry on to 10 sets, if you fail to do 1 rep, do negatives, if you fail to do negatives, go home and try again after a day off. keep at it and mixup your workouts. i did 3 sets of pullups on my run tonight, great exercise.

+1 for negatives.

Also try:
Inverted rows on a low bar bent leg
Inverted rows on a low bar straight leg
Pull up with hands facing each other
Pull up on parallel bars.