Filament wound thin-wall CFRP and GFRP composite tubes were tested under uniaxial compressive loading up to failure. Elastic and strength properties as well as failure mechanism were evaluated as related to the wall lay-up configuration. Angle-ply lay-ups of different (± θ) 3 orientations were compared with tubes having the same thickness but where internal and external θ plies were replaced by hoop (90) layers [90, (± θ) 2 , 90]. The three directional specimens with the hoop layers, showed a strength value which is between the predicted first ply failure (FPF) strength and the ultimate laminate failure (ULF) value. Angle-ply specimens, on the other hand, failed catastrophically at FPF. Significant higher ultimate compressive strength (30-100%) of the three-directional tubes as compared with their angle-ply reference were evident for all the tested tube configurations. This was attributed to the transverse stabilizing effect of the hoop layers which support the angle-ply fibers and reduced the chance for transverse cracking and local buckling. This effect was also manifested by a significant reduction of the longitudinal Poisson ratio as compared with the angle-ply counterpart.