Thule 531 Express Surf Strap - one pair
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There was only ONE strap included with mine.
They will most likely be a tight fit depending on the thickness of your boards and rack bars. As an extension, I had to rig up some additional rope loops. This is a good solution if you are even slightly handy, and they work well.
I'd say two longboards and three or four shortboards are sufficient. br>I've never had more than one longboard and one shortboard in it.
To protect your board, you'll only need pads, and the Thule Express surf straps will secure your board to the rack on the pads. The system is in excellent condition. I've never had a problem taking two boards to the beach in a Toyota Highlander traveling at 70 mph.
Selected User Reviews For Thule 531 Express Surf Strap - one pair
I'd seen these (or ones that looked similar) on a friend's car and thought they'd be a great alternative to the large cargo straps we'd been using to simply strap a paddleboard to a roof rack, which required painstaking placement. br>br>For context, I live in Hawaii and have to go to the beach on most weekends with a paddleboard, surfboards, or a mix of the two. br>The layout is straightforward, which is a good thing. sort of. One end of the main strap is sewn into a loop, which you pull a short length of through and hook over one end of your rack. The rubber-coated end is on the other side. coated hook with loops sewn into the strap at various locations to allow it to be adjusted to your rack and cargo size. This end is looped around your rack and slid into one of the loops with the hook. The strap's middle section is made up of two pieces that are sewn together and attached to a heavy-duty elastic band with a weather cover. To tighten the strap on your load, a length of the strap loops through a standard "backpack" adjustable buckle. br>br>The problems are in this section, which includes the adjustable strap end, buckle, and elastic section. The PROBLEMS, of which there are THREE: br>br>
ONE - Because the elastic is just that, elastic, you'll have to pull the strap all the way tight at first, but most fabrics stretch under load after a while, and the strap will loosen. br>br>NUMBER TWO The buckles that the adjustable straps pass through must grip the strap tightly in order to keep the equipment stable in high winds. They don't, and the straps come undone as a result. Even if the buckles had better grip/teeth, some slippage would almost certainly occur, resulting in. br>br>THREE-THREE-THREE-THREE-THREE-THREE-THRE The straps require a method to "lock" the straps in the tightened position by fixing the end of the tightened strap to the tightened strap once it passes out of the buckle and returns the way it came, such as velcro or snaps near the end. They don't have any, so they'll have to make do with 15 minutes. Your load starts shaking and slipping after 20 minutes at speeds over 25 MPH, or in any winds, requiring you to pull over and tighten everything again. This happens at least twice in an hour's drive. br>br>So, THULE, one of the world's largest sport rack companies, please make these changes; forget the elastic, just make the adjustable end a little longer and most things will fit, and sew velcro on the last 12" of the strap and hook/loop end to keep the loose strap end from slipping Done and dusted. br>br>Also, provide a LOCKING buckle, such as an actual keyed locking buckle with real teeth, so you can go eat without worrying about your board being stolen.
Used this to strap on to the Tie Down Cross Bar on a Toyota Prius with three surfboards, and while driving on the freeway, the straps seemed to give way due to the wind resistance, and the board acted as a hammer going up and down, ripping the cross bars off the car and onto the freeway, along with the three surfboards. As a result, two surfboards were destroyed and one had to be repaired, making for an unforgettable experience. Following the second use, this occurred.
I've never lost a board when I've used one of these. Initially, I was put off by the price. Then he disappeared without a trace. One end of the cord should be looped around the bar. That end is affixed to your rack or cross bar indefinitely. Swing the hook end of the hook over the boards you're stacking. One of the two positions should be looped through. Tighten the latch on the ladder. Now is the time to get in your rig and head out. It's just as easy to secure a stack of 2x4s as it is to secure a couple of long boards. br>I tried one of these for the first time 20 years ago. The look has changed over time. I believe Sierra Designs was the first company, followed by Dakine (which is no longer manufactured), and finally Thule. By far the best material construction is found in this Thule iteration. The ladder lock buckles are thicker, the steel hooks are coated with a thick plastic coating, and the webbing is wider. Look no further if you're a frequent surfer looking for a simple way to keep your boards secure on the rack.
I'm 42 years old and have been surfing for most of my life. These are without a doubt the best straps I've ever used. It's so simple to use; you can cinch it as tight as you want and it won't come undone, and it's also simple to take off, no matter how tight you made it. They aren't overly long, so you won't have to worry about tying up a long tail. The disadvantage is that you'll most likely only be able to fit two boards underneath them. If you purchase multiple sets, you can combine them to fit more people. These are what I use to secure various items. Usually in the back of the truck, or anything I don't want to fall out of the kayak while fishing (perfect for strapping two 96-pound kayaks together). When Hurricane Matthew hit last year, we tied gallon waste containers to the fence).
too- tight, but not too tight too- loose. They won't crush the edges of your board like nylon webbing alone would, and they won't flop like bungee cords would. I have three just in case one fails (ask an engineer). Given the price compared to alternatives, I was skeptical at first, but now that I've tried them, I think they're a steal. br>I'll be very disappointed if Thule stops making these: They've been discontinued by REI, but they're still available on Amazon. SUP boards with warped/crushed edges are common, according to REI employees. These were highly recommended solutions for tightening. I've changed my mind. br>These are wrapped in some of that soft, rubberized foam pipe insulation that hardware stores sell in 6-packs. or 8- lengths in feet It adds to the protection of my boards. They appear to "grab" a little better than an old "pool noodle" floaty, for example. They're just long enough to fit on top of a Toyota Highlander with roof rack bar pads and a 32" wide SUP I have, as well as a 28" wide, high-displacement SUP I have. I bought some short loops of nylon webbing to use as extensions but have yet to use them.
I've been surfing for a long time and have used a lot of racks, so I was surprised at how simple and straightforward these are to use. I can put them to a lot more than just surfing. If I need to secure something to my roof rack, I have them with me at all times. They have a flexible but secure bungie cord center, as well as easy-to-use hooks and a sturdy cinch. Rubber coating protects the paint surface on the metal hooks. I would have bought them even if I didn't use them for my surfboards now that I know what I know now. It's simple to add and remove items. Even after many miles at highway speeds, they haven't come loose. I adore these guys because they're so light and adaptable to any situation. Yakima, Thule, and stock rack roof rack straps. 100% adjustable and quick to install and remove.
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