I picked up some today at Menards--they're called "Smart Straps"--but I know people here have made their own, with their own designs. What's a good material to use? I think the Smart Straps use 1/8" shock cord. Is that the right stuff?

Some folks make their own, some buy similar versions wherever... to each their own.

I buy Old Scout Bungee Dealee Bobs and use them on every trip. Old Scout (Scott) is a member here on the board and the ultimate small businessman. You can order online, but he'll also be at Canoecopia next weekend in Madison, WI. Check 'em out.

Another big plug for Scott's "Bungee Deele Bob's"! Even over any "make my own" option.

A very good product that is a lot more than just a money maker hobby for a retired person!

butthead

Can anyone answer my question?

I typed in Smart straps on Menards website and It came back with this
" We're sorry, we could not find any matches for "smart straps"
Not sure what you are looking at? do you have a link?

overland: "Can anyone answer my question?"

Can you post a picture so we can tell for sure what product you are talking about? I found a company called smart straps. Their website has tons of different products, but from browsing around at some of their light duty stuff and if I am guessing which product it is, it uses 4mm shock cord which is 5/32.

I'm not proposing these straps as a model. I'm just asking people who have made their own bungee-cord straps: what have you found to be the most useful cord diameter? There's a photo in the archives of a strap that works a little like a button through a button hole (the toggle through a loop), but I can't tell what size the cord is. I don't want to order a bunch of the wrong material.
This question is a little obsessive, I suppose. But I thought I would ask.

Depends on what you are trying to secure. I would say 1/8" shock cord would be medium weight and would be good for most things. Since you are making your own you could make some lighter or heavier to work best for your exact application.

Any regular hardware store will sell shock cord by the foot. I would visit one and look at it in person. Depends on what you are trying to secure I guess.

Not in Chicago, unfortunately.

I made a bunch of homemade bungee cords this past winter.

I purchased 25 feet of black precut 1/8 inch shock cord @$4.25 and Regular Cord Lock @ $3.05 per dozen from Ripstop By The Roll.

You will be doubling up the 1/8 inch shock cord in the Cord Lock hole, so you need 6.2 mm wide cord lock to accommodate 1/8 inch x 2 = 1/4 inch or .244 inches.

I made most of my Bungee Cords 18 inches long before tying.

I tie a loop knot at the end and use a grill torch flame to melt end knot together.

HREF="https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/shock-cord" TARGET="_blank">Rip Stop By The Roll shock cord Rip Stop By The Roll regular plastic cord locks

yeah, 1/8" shock cord is typically used for this & canoe rigging like bungees on the thwarts, etc. You can find it @ REI or order from online MYOG places like Ripstop by the Roll.

What does the Menards product look like? Got a link?

Rip Stop By The Roll shock cord

Wally13: "I made a bunch of homemade bungee cords this past winter.


I purchased 25 feet of black precut 1/8 inch shock cord @$4.25 and Regular Cord Lock @ $3.05 per dozen from Ripstop By The Roll.


You will be doubling up the 1/8 inch shock cord in the Cord Lock hole, so you need 6.2 mm wide cord lock to accommodate 1/8 inch x 2 = 1/4 inch or .244 inches.


I made most of my Bungee Cords 18 inches long before tying.


I tie a loop knot at the end and use a grill torch flame to melt end knot together.


HREF="https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/shock-cord" TARGET="_blank">Rip Stop By The Roll shock cord Rip Stop By The Roll regular plastic cord locks "

I don't see how you would use the ones in your pic, they are missing the piece of tube that is used to hook the loop. I have the bungie dealie bobs with the small piece of tube, but don't understand how yours are used. Not criticizing, just curious. Like If you were going to use them to lash a paddle to your thwarts, how would you do that?

mgraber: "

Wally13: "I made a bunch of homemade bungee cords this past winter.



I purchased 25 feet of black precut 1/8 inch shock cord @$4.25 and Regular Cord Lock @ $3.05 per dozen from Ripstop By The Roll.



You will be doubling up the 1/8 inch shock cord in the Cord Lock hole, so you need 6.2 mm wide cord lock to accommodate 1/8 inch x 2 = 1/4 inch or .244 inches.



I made most of my Bungee Cords 18 inches long before tying.



I tie a loop knot at the end and use a grill torch flame to melt end knot together.



HREF="https://ripstopbytheroll.com/collections/shock-cord" TARGET="_blank">Rip Stop By The Roll shock cord Rip Stop By The Roll regular plastic cord locks "

I don't see how you would use the ones in your pic, they are missing the piece of tube that is used to hook the loop. I have the bungie dealie bobs with the small piece of tube, but don't understand how yours are used. Not criticizing, just curious. Like If you were going to use them to lash a paddle to your thwarts, how would you do that?"

I made a few like that. The cord lock itself acts as the catch.

mgraber,

I find the tube is not necessary with this DIY setup. The cord lock itself acts like a catch. I have never had one fail on me.



By the way, I highly recommend and use Old Scout's Bungee Dealie Bobs. He is a BWCA.com member and he will be selling his high quality brand at Copia.

My "Do It Yourself" cord locks just happened to be a Saturday morning project on a cold, snowy day with my 7 and 5 year old grandsons that I am just now introducing to canoeing.

Here's the link to the ties at Menards. I see that they use 3/16" stretch cord:

Menards bungee cords

overland: "Here's the link to the ties at Menards. I see that they use 3/16" stretch cord:

Menards bungee cords "

I'm quite sure these are the much heavier duty cords used to secure a canopy to a frame of a small festival booth frame or something similar. I'd say they're overkill for the bwca. I'd recommend investing in the original creator of the BDB.

Ohhh, those things. Yeah, our Scout troop uses them for securing the canopy to the frame on our big shelter we take on monthly campouts. The price is right though....

I remember when this topic came up some time ago I said I made my own and everybody jumped on me for NOT buying them from the guy who made them to sell.
Like making something myself was unethical or something ridiculous like that.
I mean, I REALLY got jumped on.
I can build my own canoe, build my own paddles, make my own camping equipment, etc., but I can make my own bungee straps? Really?
Anyway, here's a picture from 2013.
1/8" shock cord, air brake line from NAPA and cord locks off Ebay.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've made a couple types. The ones that seem to work best are pretty simple: they use a short length of 1/4" poly tubing slid over the shock cord doubled up to make a short and adjustable loop on that end. The toggle goes through that loop and, cinched up, seems to hold the tie tight by itself. It's like a button through a button hole.
I hope that makes sense.

Karl, No body ever said you could not make yer own, and mentioning someones craft/business is as good for you Karl and it is for Scott. And the mention is a source of graphically displaying what others have done. A potential pattern for adaptation.

butthead

butthead: "Karl, No body ever said you could not make yer own, and mentioning someones craft/business is as good for you Karl and it is for Scott. And the mention is a source of graphically displaying what others have done. A potential pattern for adaptation.
butthead"

I got jumped on. I got chastised. I almost got a "How dare you not buy them and support Scott." It was very close to that.
If anyone wanted to make their own knife I would be the first to help and encourage them.
Just another lesson in personalities.

I remember that conversation, I wouldn't get too upset about it. People tend to have strong opinions about a wide variety of things. Personally, I love do-it-yourself gear, and tend to ignore naysayers.