LoopRopes secure a spot on Wal-Mart shelves

A tie-down tool called LoopRopes, designed to help safely transport cargo in the back of a truck or car, will find its way into Wal-Mart Stores, according to the Medford, Ore. Based supplier.

Wal-Mart Stores ordered more than 11,000 "LoopRopes" for 1,100 Wal-Marts from the company, making it Jeff Dahl’s largest wholesale order since inventing the product just over two years ago.  

LoopRope is a tie-down system that eliminates the daily use of dangerous and limiting bungee cords, overkill cargo nets, and most other light to medium duty tie downs. It was invented through trial and error after Dahl became frustrated with tightly knotted ropes and flimsy bungee cords during a trip to a dump.  

The utility of the product is on display in this video.

Initial permutations included lengths of rope with hitch knots using plastic zip-ties to create the tensions he needed, which worked but not the way he wanted.  "The zip-ties failed and sewing shock cord together proved to damage the cord,” said.  Trial and error led Dahl to forming permanent loops in shock cord by crimping aluminum ferrules and covering those with a plastic heat shrink.  His invention went patent-pending the latter part of 2009.