To be clear, the listing in bad English syntax did state it was a metal tube covered with vinyl.
waterproof cover vinyl End cap PVC rubber steel pole tube pipe protecting
I just go down to my LBS. Like a lot of things, these are stuff they give me free. Maybe I'm a likeable person and people want to give me free stuff. But I personally doubt that. <grin>
Though I doubt they'd be so free with them if I had 200 cables to replace instead of the couple every blue moon or two.