vanders1 said..Dazzler75 said..jasdeking said..
those tie downs with the lock
they ding boards and can never find the fing key
Love em - all my boards in board bags so I don't get dings & I can leave them locked to the car & go for walk / coffee without grumbling to the Mrs about my boards getting knocked off.
+1, the original ones took some effort to actually turn the key to lock them, the new ones are easy as, wouldn't be without mine.
Hey all, It is not my proudest moment getting a mention in the poor surf purchases topic.. Anyway not all bad
The comments prompted me to explain a few things. I am assuming the tie-downs referred to are the Kanulock or SPT branded straps as these are the only locking straps on the market except for a few recent imitations. About 9 or 10 years ago I set out to design a set of tie-downs that couldn't be cut by a knife and could lock. I wanted some way of locking my boards to the roof, as I would often take multiple boards to the beach, or need to stop at the shops on the way home, or camp overnight.. I'm sure you are all familiar with this problem. The first few versions were difficult to lock, trying to design simple cam jaws to lock on to varying webbing and wire was not easy (for me anyway). They all locked but you really needed to have a lot of tension in the straps and have this transfer back through the buckle to be able to turn the key. It was not straight forward. Over the past 9 years I have made several improvements to the straps making them easier to use.
As of about 2 or 3 years ago I finally worked out a way to make them very easy to lock, as well as easier to tie off and more flexible. We have not had a customer with the newer version have any difficulties locking, they really are a dream to use. The only problem is they look like the same product.
So I advertise in surf mags to try and get this message across, but not everyone reads surf mags etc..
So to respond to the negative comments:
1) Dinging boards - With a board bag - No.
With the new versions - Maybe possible if you cranked them down way way to tight. This is the same with any strap.
With the old versions - really old ones the straps were stiffer and when difficult to lock some people would really crank on the tension in the straps. This might have been the problem.
2) Never find the keys - Put them on your car / house key ring ( if you lose your keys the tie-down keys are the least of your problems). Our latest versions all come with numbered keys and locks - If you lose both keys, you can buy ready to go replacements for $6.
3) Need to be a Magician to Lock - Fixed!
Even though I can't possibly have an unbiased opinion, when surfing with the family the amount of times I think - "How handy are these Lockable straps and how easy are they now to use". I know this but how can I get this message to the core guys that bought the early versions, and now leave their boards unlocked...
Anyway, anyone that buys a new set and feels they are difficult to lock, I'm happy to give their $ back.
Thanks
Clinton
Also -Here is a clip showing how the Kanulock straps work.
