(Part 2) Best tarps & tie-downs according to redditors

My one bag at home experiment preparations so far yields 2 things a must-have:

1. A good clothes line with solid attachment ends with built in hangers, fully adjustable and super lightweight.
   https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000NUM8D4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
   
2. A dry bag size 4-10L that serves multiple purposes ie. to keep water out for like electronics when needed, to hold dirty laundry that needs to be washed, and most importantly: To hand wash your clothes in. Please fellow one baggers, let us reconsider washing our clothes in a sink. Washing in dry sack is far more superior and hygienic, and can just flip inside out to wipe dry after use. So easy! And adds mere ounces to your overall carry.
   https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Research-Ultralight-Alloy-10-Liter/dp/B00ATNIGKO/ref=sr_1_1?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1504905265&sr=1-1&keywords=dry%2Bbag%2Boutdoor%2Bresearch&th=1&psc=1

This is a chair
This is a rope

A bit over $20 but if you look harder you can you find something. I just looked and replied to show it is possible if you try.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Natural-Strong-String-Decoration-Wrapping/dp/B01L1TQ9VW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1505758088&sr=8-1&keywords=noose

For laundry in hostels, I just found a time when most people were out and about (or not using bathrooms) and washed my clothes in the sink. Some travel laundry soap and a little rubber sink stopper came in handy. Then ring them out, roll them up in a towel to get them a bit more dry, then I hung them over/near my bunk using this thing. Cheers!

Buy some of this and practise using it

I've thought about an awning for a while now and as the first summer with the doggo approaches I figured we should have some supplemental shade for our adventure. Not yet sure if I want an ARB-type awning mounted full time to the van, or a standalone awning, I settled on the $25 setup from Walmart for our long weekend trip to Jackson Hole

Shopping list:

• 1 6'x'8' Heavy Duty Tarp ($7)
  
• 2 x painter 4'-8' painter extension pole ($10 total). You could use a fix length pole but this is nice to adjust should conditions merit
  
• 12-pack of Tarp ball bungees ($4 -- but I only need 2-4 depending on setup)
  
• ~40' of 550# paracord ($4). I like bright easy-to-see orange so we don't trip over the guy lines too much. Just cut to length and tie a tautline hitch. Once tied you can leave them for quickening setup.
  
• 4 decent tent stakes ($3.50)
  
  In order to quicken setup (but reduce a bit of flexibility in setup) I've done the following.
  
  
• Zip tied the painters poles to the 2nd grommet from the end. They still roll up easily.
  
• Tied on guy-lines to both the 2nd grommet from the corner, and the corner grommets. This means I just need to push in stakes and tighten.
  
• I went with an 6'x8' tarp just because that fit nicely on my roof rack. If you don't have a rack or want optional mounting spots (I'd like to move mine about 1.5' towards the front) some heavy duty suction cups should work.
  
  Trip reports to come.
  
  EDIT: Worked great in winds up to about 25mph. Will nee more trips for further reports.

cheapest way would be to buy some of these and a set of these

cut the foam to the width of your cars roof, then lay your yak upside down on top of them, run one strap over the front just behind your windshield and one over the back just in front of your rear window... when you tighten them they do not need to be so tight that it deforms the shape of your hull, just tight enough to keep it from sliding off... it would also be a good idea to tie a chord from the front of the kayak to your front bumper and also one from the rear of the kayak to your rear bumper

Make sure they are properly secured to your roof. If anything, a few of these can hold down your panels. Just dont put foo much force or you could crack them. I used those to hold my AC units to the roof.

It is never too late to Lwd from life, there are many options. This is a pretty good option.

Go to Home Depot. Get yourself a couple of these bad boys for like $1.99 apiece. Trust me, they work and they work WELL. And it's a wonderful punishment for bratty or defiant subs to say "Do we need to give his fin another twist?" Do it once, I guarantee they never disobey you again.

It actually can make a difference. The cool air flow will be directed towards you and less will be lost into the rest of the room. The cool air will tend to diffuse quickly with the rest of the air in your living space, so limiting it's ability to do that will increase the cooling efficiency by keeping the cool air where it's going to do the most good (directly around your body). Simple sheets will do little more than direct airflow past you and around into the rest of the room. If you want to get really fancy with it, or simply explore the practicalities of airflow, you can set up painter's tarp/dropcloth to partition your maximum cooling area off. The smaller the space, the quicker and more efficiently it will cool. If you were to set up something like a Zipwall, you'd be able to create a customized, nearly perfect little space that would allow you excellent control over climate. If you don't want to spend that much then taping up simple plastic sheeting and installing a zipper lock will do the same thing. You'd want to leave the zipper lock a bit open so that the air flowing into the space from your AC unit could exhaust out into the rest of your apartment. Basically doing this saves the coldest air for your smaller space and the rest of your apartment gets secondary cooling from the air that trickles out.

Bonus points if you set this up and hang some insulation next to the plastic sheets for privacy and extra cold times.

Have you tried any which you know didn't work? I've found that most nipple clips can go on practically anyone with just a little bit of adjustment to get their nipples in place, but I definitely have some favorites and some... not so favorites.

• I find that tweezer-style clamps (with the little black ends) don't hold firmly as a rule and will fall off, particularly if you pull on the chain, but they are capable of going on.
  
  
• Clover clips tend to be pretty hard and are not adjustable, but they are pretty easy to get on relatively small nipples.
  
  
• These clothespin-type are useless, in my opinion. They're adjustable which is cool, but I will concede that you need a specific nipple shape to get them to stay and even in the "tightest" setting they feel very gentle. Not my thing.
  
  
• I love tarp clips. They're my favorite pervertible. You twist the "fin" to tighten/loosen. Even the "open" setting is medium-intensity though. They have holes in the "tail" which you could connect a chain to, or bells, or whatever, if you like. Plus they look like sharks! (Edit: purchase link)

I like the black rubber ones.

Ones that look like this: https://smile.amazon.com/ProGrip-717904-Assorted-Tarp-Strap/dp/B000PXZYAS/

I was thinking the same thing- I use these things which apparently are called "tie-down straps" to carry music gear. They are kind of heavy though- would be very interested in lightweight versions if you have a link. I couldn't find anything with hooks that didn't weigh a few pounds.

Here you go

Second. It definitely sounds like a tarp.

There a few varieties of tarps:

• One one hand there are light-weight specialty tarps like this one
  
• And there are more general tarps like this one which are more bulky, but much less expensive
  

Sounds like its shaping up to be a sweet garden. Sea of green methods definitely kick butt, especially combined with ebb and flow? Once that is dialed in you'll get some beast crops. Yeah if you can get what you need with panda film and save space not making walls then that would be good. My garden uses dry wall but i've seen some pretty sturdy and quality panda film spaces.

Having a door is nice! You don't want a flap but does that mean you don't want a zipper door in the panda film?

Is it flexible or rigid? If flexible, it reminds me of something like these ties.

They're kinda pricey, but I'm becoming a big fan of managing cables with bendy things of this sort: Nite Ize Gear Tie.

I used to do a lot of craft shows up and down the east coast. I used the "ez-up" brand. Found they were sturdier than other off brands. Get the ones with the cross trusses underneath the canopy. They are not cheap, but nothing of good quality is.

For setting up in strong winds on dirt or grass areas, I used 4 dog tie down stakes, 4 black bungee cords like these, and 4 motorcycle tie down straps like these.

Loop a bungee cord around each canopy leg up high, connect one end of the motorcycle strap to the dog tie down and the other end to the bungee cord, and tighten. The bungee cords provide just a little bit of shock absorb give when winds are gusty. I've had my Ez-ups in 40+mph thunderstorm winds at craft shows. Everyone elses are blowing away.

I also had a set of (4) 4" PVC pipes filled with concrete with a hook on the end when I setup on concrete like a street or sidewalk. I'd attach one to the bottom of each leg using zip ties. Those held down the Ez-up in moderate winds.

https://www.amazon.ca/Homax-Group-6025-CinchTite-Adhesive/dp/B000KI0QXI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3B5P01VNOGS4Z&keywords=zipper+for+tarps&qid=1558855560&s=gateway&sprefix=zipper+for+%2Caps%2C182&sr=8-1

Was gonna do the same thing myself until I ponied up and paid for a real one but here's what i was gonna use. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JS1R3V6/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=CSOJRV79HZIC&coliid=IMAGRCS8UH4SM

I can personally vouch for all of these items.

Mora Companion: $15

Fiskars X7 hatchet: $25

Stanley Adventure Series Camp Cook Set: $15

Firesteel Armageddon 4.0 w/ Scraper and Lanyard: $22 shipped

Blue 8' x 10' Poly Tarp: $7

Wool Blanket: $24 It's a little thin, but better than nothing, though I'd rather just use a sleeping bag and a lightweight hammock.

Total: $103

I'd also include some Jute Twine and Fine Steel Wool for starting fires.

This is of course assuming you already have a small pack, some Paracord, a water bottle, first aid kit and a flashlight.

> usually do this on free hanging rappels, but sometimes the extra friction can be too much on low angle ones.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0051NARHM/ref=twister_dp_update?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

GET ONE OF THESE ASAP...PLEASE.

Prussics made out of cord bind up like mad when they lock up, and won't even grab the rope if the cord they're made out of is too stiff. Hollow blocks will grab something even as smooth as a PVC pipe, but release with very little pressure, giving you complete control over the amount of friction they provide.

I have a short bed F350 which is a little bit larger than the 150 bed and I have never needed more than the four, 15ft straps I carry, and I've carried some obnoxiously large furniture before.
The 4 pack cost me 30 bucks and each are rated for 3000 pounds, which is like 2500 pounds more than I think I will ever put on them.

If you want to do any long term camping, the first trick you need to learn is the home made canopy. Takes about 30-45 minutes to set up and makes a rainy trip much more enjoyable.

First you need a large tarp, something like this. Then you need like 2 packs of ratchet straps and a nice rope like this. Finally, a couple packs of heavy duty metal tent stakes and some small rope

So you find an area that has 2 trees about 50 feet apart and tie the rope around the trunk about 10 feet up. Then run it over to the other tree, but instead of tying it to the tree, make a knot that leaves a loop sticking out. Put a ratchet strap around the tree and connect that to the rope loop and pull it tie. It'll stretch after a bit so you can tighten it up more as needed without undoing the whole thing.

Then you throw the tarp over the rope and create an A frame style canopy. Use the stakes and extra ratchet straps to tighten the corners down nicely then use stakes and the 1/4" rope to fill in the gaps.

So 45 minutes later you have a 1000 square foot pavilion to camp under, it can rain all it wants. It's also high enough that you can build a modest fire under and not damage the tarp.

Throw out some chairs, fold out picnic table and you're good to go.

1. OPT7 Aura 8pc bed light kit https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BZPAOU4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
2. Suaoki 600A Peak Portable Car Jump Starter / Jumper Pack 18000mAh with Air Compressor https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0185CYFE6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
3. Car Charger Adapter - Cigarette Lighter Adapter, 4 Port USB https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01J7KTBEE/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
4. 1-1/2" x 15 ft Heavy Duty Ratchet Cargo Tie Down Straps 3000 lbs Dual J-Hooks https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N8LMJV6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
5. Work light https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LXZWDHB/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
6. VicTsing Bluetooth FM Transmitter https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01DDPUQTS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
7. 2-Pack of 3/4" Black D-ring Shackle https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013FLW8J6/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
8. 3", 30' Tow strap, Recovery Strap 30,000 LB capacity https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N4U4G5S/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
9. Stanley 99 piece set https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000LY5AKU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s04?ie=UTF8&psc=1
   
10. Hand sanitizer
    
11. Bug spray
    
12. Headlamp
    
13. 2 75 pound sand bags
    
14. Jack
    
15. Blanket
    
16. Wool socks
    
17. Duct Tape
    
18. 3 pairs of goves
    
19. Two water bottles
    
20. 2 hats
    
21. zip ties
    
22. Tire plug kit
    
23. Ice scraper

For what it's worth, these things are freeking fantastic as an autoblock. I've not tried them for ascending, but it's delightful for rappelling.

Here's my setup for my 12 weeks old golden pup.

I put this waterproof tarp from amazon underneath the pen. It helps prevent the pen sliding on the hardwood floor too.

I bought this artificial grass on amazon. I have a backyard wood deck so the pee on this grass drains through the gaps. However I do hose down the grass every week and hang dry it.

My pup was was 8 weeks when I got her. I bought a big insulated cooling grocery bag from Costco. Kinda like this but cheaper lol. It's big and cheap, way better than a baby carrier imo.

I'm a big fan of the Kelty Noah's Tarp. Available in 9', 12' and 16'. They've got guy points all over for very versatile shelter options.

Buy the reusable rubber twist ties of sufficient length to tie it on to your handlebars and then wrap another one around your bat where it would make contact with your headset or headtube?

I am thinking like these: http://www.amazon.com/Nite-Ize-GT18-2PK-01-Reusable-18-Inch/dp/B004MMEHOC/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1462416952&sr=1-6&keywords=Nite+Ize+Reusable+Gear+Tie

If you want to walk from one end of the ship to the other quickly, use the hallways on a passenger cabin deck, not the crowded main hallways where the casino/restaurants are located, or the crowded sun deck. Don't run though. Somebody's bound to be sleeping.


For a Caribbean vacation, bring more than one swimsuit. Bring an extra clothesline to hang wet clothes from. This is what I use.
https://www.amazon.com/Coghlans-0433-Adjustable-Bungee-Clothesline/dp/B000NUM8D4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1494271465&sr=8-5&keywords=travel+clothesline


Shore excursions cost a lot more if you purchase them from the cruise line. The extra peace of mind might be worth it, though.


Book dining well in advance if you want to eat at normal hours.


I signed up for a meet up for the first day of our cruise on Cruisecritic.com. Good way to meet other people.


Congratulations and best wishes!

I have camped with just a tarp off and on for years.

ProGrip 717904 Assorted Tarp Strap - 9 Piece

By straps like this so that you can stretch it out . I try to make a v like this . If you can carry a couple semi heavy items to use as anchors for some side and use something like your oars as your center supports if you can't find a couple high points to build your center with.

Yall are getting trolled hard. OP's less-than-30-day-account-with-1-post won't even post a tx and you guys are holding a pity party.

A fool and his money are soon parted. Neck yourself OP

I assume you mean a tarp like this https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0053JX5SW/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_d9ibvb0MPWERJ I have used these while car camping to cover my hammock. It worked great. These tarps are hard to manage and even when you get them folded perfectly they take up a lot of space. For backpacking a tarp made for a hammock is much smaller and lighter in your pack.

Alright here we go...now what I got, I tried to price compare and review compare. Some stuff may be better elsewhere but it's what I went with regardless.

There are some products that I already have from camping so I didn't feel the need to double up. I also plan on supplementing the packs with more food and obviously water as well as medicine, change of clothes and a few other things. I also plan on adding a few things to the medkit, more aspirin, some more realistic materials as well. So all in all I felt this was a pretty solid starter survival kit for most situations. Just something to grab for a few days if shit hits the fan. It's going in my truck where some other camping gear already is (Axe, shovel, wd-40, lighters, mace, knives)

Only product I would buy differently would be the backpack. I didn't realize it ships from China, I'd only buy somewhere else due to the 1 month shipping time. (I didn't catch that initially) there's some decent similarly priced backpacks available elsewhere that will be at your door within a few days.


$13 - S.O.S. Rations Emergency 3600 Calorie Food Bar - 2 Pack - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AFOF2DG/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$3 SE 6-in-1 Survival Whistle http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001C31AGC/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$6 ER Emergency Ready Thermal Mylar Blankets, Pack of 4 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008DEYGJQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$40 Ambient Weather Emergency Solar Hand Crank AM/FM/NOAA Digital Radio, Flashlight, Cell Phone Charger http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B9HRJI4/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$8 Potable Aqua Water Treatment Tablets http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001949TKS/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$9 8' X 10' Blue Multi-Purpose 6-mil Waterproof Poly Tarp Cover 8x10 Tent Shelter Camping Tarpaulin by Grizzly Tarps http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053QUAAG/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$6 Survivor HK-106320 Outdoor Fixed Blade Knife 7 Overall WITH FIRE STARTER http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00178CS4K/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i03?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$9 5038-3 PK Fix-It DUCTape 1.87-Inches x 60-Yards, 7-Mil, 3-Pack http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KQ6682/ref=oh_details_o00_s02_i04?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$40 Outt(TM) Sport Outdoor Military Rucksacks Compact Assault Pack Camping Hiking Trekking Bag http://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Military-Rucksacks-Compact-Trekking/dp/B00HWR37KE/ref=sr_1_4?m=A15PKGU8PFZ6QO&s=merchant-items&ie=UTF8&qid=1396882222&sr=1-4&keywords=Sport+Outdoor+Military+Rucksacks+Compact+Assault+Pack+Camping+Hiking+Trekking+Bag

$32 Fully Stocked MOLLE Tactical Trauma Kit First Aid Pouch http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003TL2NX4/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

$5 550lbs. Military Paracord Type III Rope 100' Foliage Green http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001B6LFWE/ref=oh_details_o03_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Total price for everything: $171 Probably spend another 30 or less on food/water/extras

One of these inside the arms and legs of a long limbed (pink panther) type stuffy? just wrap hands together?

http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Tarpaulin-Camping-Backpacking-Shelter/dp/B0053QY0B6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376072446&sr=8-1&keywords=tarp

This type is perfect.

This is what I use: http://www.amazon.com/Waterproof-Tarpaulin-Camping-Backpacking-Shelter/dp/B0053QY0B6/ref=sr_1_3?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1370349987&sr=1-3&keywords=tarp

Correct, you can hang them off the pullup bar.

I made mine out of two tie downs, like these.

Here

You loop it through so the non-hooked sided is the loaded end (so when you pull on the non-hooked side of the strap it holds tight)

Two 8" pieces of 1" PVC threaded on for handles, then a surgeons knot to form the loop.

Loop the top over the pullup bar, put the short end hook around the loaded end of the strap, and you can easily adjust them for height.

You mean...like http://www.amazon.com/Quality-Park-Cotton-10-Ply-46171/dp/B0013L5DFC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1341972125&sr=8-1&keywords=string?

sterling hollow block

Made from aramid so it doesn't heat up or melt when you rap with it. Rectangular so you get more friction from fewer raps w/ an auto lock.

chain reactor

Personal anchors are cool. This is my favorite because it's nylon so shock loading it doesn't generate as much force.

Shark clips! They make vicious clamps

http://www.amazon.com/ProGrip-907040-Tarp-Shark-Cover/dp/B0066K529W

Fuck me...DC fans gonna need a lot of this

These also make a great headset boom mic when combined with one of these heavy duty twist ties (which were cheaper at my local hardware store). I have studio headphones that I like to use for gaming an this is a much cheaper option than a modmic or boompro without sacrificing much quality. No one I've played with has complained about it and it sounds fine when I test it.

https://www.amazon.com/Kelty-4082021309-P-Noahs-Tarp-Shelter/dp/B00AA6SX8A

Polyurethane coated nylon is one of the most common materials for tents and camping tarps. If you can't find a source you could use a tarp for material, like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Kelty-4082021309-P-Noahs-Tarp-Shelter/dp/B00AA6SX8A

I wrap them around my hand, then secure them with a short one of these

Yes, you got it... Anything that doesn't scream "remember how crappy I was at holding up your little stain glass thing ten years ago?" even if there is no actual engineering benefit. Something like this: Shells® Version 2 White 22LB Powerful Heavy Duty Vacuum Suction Cups Hooks Hangers Ideal For Home, Work And Travel-- 4 Pack https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MAZIG6S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_.4g1xbTCVCME5 or WUMN Accessories Suction Cup Soap Dish - Stainless Steel For Bathroom https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DNMMR20/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_V6g1xbJZ88850 or AIRHEAD AHSUP-A010 SUP Suction Cup Tie Downs (2-Pack) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JS1R3V6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_V5g1xb6TEK2NT

Not sure what you could do right now if you can't raise it, maybe put him near a window? Might want to get some of these so you can raise and lower your light

well you could tilt it on an angle so it doesn't fall. You could get some straps and mount them to your wall and strap the bed to the wall with these.

http://www.amazon.com/51031A-Ratcheting-Tie-Down-PVC-Coated-4-Piece/dp/B000N82I2W/ref=sr_1_1?s=photo&ie=UTF8&qid=1457068974&sr=8-1&keywords=pickup+truck+straps

and then just find a hook to mount into your wall and ratchet that sucker down. Something like this.

http://www.amazon.com/uxcell%C2%AE-Ceiling-Anchor-Hanger-Suspension/dp/B0159MAFYO/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1457069016&sr=8-4&keywords=hook+for+a+wall+strap

Couple things you will want...

This is the fan I use, I just used 6 inch ducting out to a dryer vent. https://www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Inline-Blower-Ventilation-Certified/dp/B077492C4C/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1539720436&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=vivosun+6+inch+fan&psc=1

And the brew bag is very heavy, I use these with a bicycle hook to hoist the bag.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077BKWZTH/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have had a couple succesful runs with the system, all in all it is worth it since I live in NorthEast Pennsylvania where it gets really cold outside during the winter. No more brewing outdoors. I also use a Gigawort from Northern Brewer (I know the hate) to make small batches as my test system.

​

I've made suspension bridges out of KNEX pieces with cotton string, like this, with no problem, up to 8' long main span, 6" wide. Its easy to work with and attach suspender ropes to.

something like this

cheapest way? make your own makeshift softracks for cheap. go to walmart, or kmart, or wherever and get a pool noodle and a couple of racheting tie downs. cut the pool noodle in half, and put the two pieces in between the board and your roof. put the tie-downs over the board and through the passenger compartment and cinch them down.

I just tried to buy a $5 5x7 tarp on Amazon, and it's clearly labled "Add On Item". http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-Tarps-GTRP57-Multi-Purpose-Waterproof/dp/B0053JX5SW

The cheapest 5X7 tarp which is prime eligible is $7.70. http://www.amazon.com/Kotap-5-ft-7-ft-General-Purpose/dp/B001OPEX2Q

You can get a 5x7 tarp at Wal-Mart for less than $2. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kotap-TRA0507-Blue-Poly-Tarp-5-X-7/25074332

$30 for 50' of rope would have been a hell of a lot better investment for the taxpayers...