There is nothing quite like the experience of getting out into the great outdoors for a week or two. That is what camping is all about. It is a more enjoyable experience when you have the right gear. And for me, one of the most important pieces of gear is a tie-down that can do double duty.
Tie-downs are indispensable to the camping lifestyle. They are particularly attractive to tent campers, as well as those who prefer truck-top tents, lean-tos, and sleeping out under the stars. A tie-down capable of doing double duty is the best kind.
Packing as Lightly as Possible
For me, the idea of tie-downs doing double duty begins with my preferred method for packing. I prefer to pack as lightly as possible. I don’t see the value in weighing myself down with excess gear I don’t really need. So if I can get away with one or two tie-downs instead of three or four, I consider that a win.
I figure I might just as well use the same tie-downs that secure cargo to the top of my car for other purposes once I reach my destination. It doesn’t make sense to tie cargo down with straps while packing rope for use at my campsite. If my tie-down straps perform both functions, I have come out ahead of the game.
By the way, I employ the same strategy in other ways. I might throw a tarp over my gear to protect it during the drive. I can use that same tarp as a makeshift cooking tent by stringing it up between some trees. That is two birds killed with one stone.
From Laundry Lines to Hauling Wood
So, how do I use tie-downs to perform double duty? The ways are almost too numerous to count. For the record, my preferred brand is Rollercam. Their patented cam straps are ideal for camping. That said, here are just some of the more common ways I use tie-downs once I get to my campsite:
1. Running a Laundry Line
I see a lot of fellow campers running a laundry line with a length of rope. That works perfectly fine, but why carry rope when you have idle cam straps to work with. One or two cam straps strung between two trees works just as well as a piece of rope. Not only that, but the cam straps also won’t stretch and slip like rope is prone to do.
Cam strap webbing material is also moisture resistant. Unlike rope, a bit of rain isn’t going to saturate a strap doubling as a laundry line, causing it to sag to the ground. Water will simply run off the webbing material.
2. Hauling Wood
One of my favorite double-duty hacks is using cam straps to haul firewood. I collect a group of tree branches and sticks, then bundle them up by wrapping a strap around them. Once I pull the strap through the cam buckle, I am left with a section of strap I can sling over my shoulder to more easily carry the wood. I can even carry a bundle on each shoulder.
3. Protecting My Food
We tent campers don’t have RV refrigerators and cabinets in which we can store food. So to keep our food away from animals, we hang it in trees. Once again, a cam strap is ideal. I can easily string up a sack of food to keep it away from bears.
I could go on, but I think you get the point. As a camper, I appreciate tie-downs that can do double duty. That is why I love cam straps.