CUT THE WEIGHT & SAVE YOUR BACK!
It might seem drastic, but this carp hack is perfect for the nimble angler
THIS INGENIOUS hack comes courtesy of E-S-P head honcho Dave Ellyatt, who was inspired to get a better night’s sleep and reduce the weight of his kit by replacing his bedchair bungee cords with cable ties.
It’s a drastic solution, but it does cut down on a considerable portion of your bedchair’s mass, and provides a firmer mattress.
Dave told Carpfeed: “I can’t remember how it came up in conversation but my friend David Meek recommended the cable tie trick to me... although I remember seeing it before in a photo Mike Willmott posted on Facebook.
“I adopted it because I wanted a firmer mattress but also because I often carry my gear rather than use a barrow, so I wanted to minimise weight as much as possible,” Dave continued.
“It’s not something you would notice when barrowing, but when carrying using a shoulder strap on the bed it makes a noticeable difference – even just lifting it in and out of the car.
“Cable ties come in standard widths which dictate their strength, and I went for 4.8mm ties on the head and foot ends of the bed and 7.6mm on the middle section.
“The 4.8mm ties are rated at 22.2kg and the 7.6mm at 54.4kg, so obviously when combined all around the mattress there is very little risk of them snapping – but if one does, it’s pence to replace!
“In fact, if you are really obsessed by weight-saving you could use thinner ties and reduce it even more.
“I purchased the ties on eBay and more than enough for one bed can be got for a few quid.”
Dave has developed a certain method for attaching the cable ties, as he explained: “Lay the bed out with the legs facing upwards. Remove the elastic cord and start attaching the ties through the webbing loops and around the frame on alternate sides of the mattress.
“Tighten them up halfway, then, when all the ties have been attached, go round again making them tighter – again alternating between each side as you work round. Then cut off the tag ends.
“Using cable ties does put more stress on the bed frame as you are removing all the elasticity, but mine has stood up okay so far and I think the firmer mattress and weight-saving makes it well worthwhile – especially if you are carrying your gear.”