This depends on what type of rocket motors a specific rocket is designed to fly on. For model rockets up to approximately D power, or small clusters of BP motors, then card tube as supplied by Estes or LOC is perfectly adequate.

For rockets which are of a large diameter compared to their motor diameter (e.g. a 6 inch diameter or a 4 inch diameter rocket with a 54mm diameter K-class motor, or a 3 inch diameter or 2.6 inch diameter rocket with a 38mm diameter motor), then either standard Phenolic tubing or Quantum Tubing can be used without any problems.

For any minimum diameter rocket (i.e. where the airframe is the same diameter as the motor diameter), or any rocket simulated or predicted to go faster than Mach 1, then Fibreglass or Carbon fibre are the favoured airframe materials, since Phenolic Tubing and Quantum Tubing do not stand up to the stresses of supersonic flight or high acceleration, and are prone to shred.