AD-gifted
If you have been online at all during the summer, you will have seen loads of adverts. They promise you the world and suck you right into their sales spiel. I’ll admit that I have been sucked in, so you’re not alone. Not to sound like those ads, but I do think that I know of the all purpose kit for outdoor lovers. I have also been very lucky to be gifted some from the local Bolton company the Bungee Store to extend the use of my kit. That go to piece of gear is the unassuming bungee cord. Simple. Something we have all had lying around for years. Yet something we don’t always shout about.
The all purpose kit for outdoor lovers
Actually, it is for all sorts of handy people I think. You don’t have to use these stretchy cords of connectivity in the outdoors, you can use them in the home too. Great for organising, holding things together and generally adding an extra purpose to weird spaces in the house and garage/shed. Oh and they are also great when you need to hold the boot closed when you underestimate the size of your boot on a trip to Ikea.
For most of my life, I knew the good old bungee cord as the simple thick elastic band with a large basic hook on each end. Nothing wrong with them. And they still hold the power for being the general bungee of choice. But, I recently found out, as part of this collaboration, that there is a world of bungees out there that I was yet to discover! Seriously!
Why bungees?
You might think that with all the various designs and makes of products, bags and such like that there would be no need for a bungee cord. Well, perhaps that would be the case if you had a bag for all occasions. And each one fitted your bike, back, car, motorbike etc. But in reality, most of us have a simple set of bags which need to meet a number of needs. That is why we need some bungees.
I bought myself a nifty folding litter picker with the plan of it sitting nicely in the side pocket of my bag. Problem was that since we are only travelling locally, I have switched to the smaller rucksack, which has no pockets. So now I either have to carry the litter picker or I can adapt my bag with a bungee to carry it. The bungee cord makes a practical alteration to things which are usually perfect for one job, work for more than one. And as someone with minimal stuff, this is a winner for me.
A bungee for all occasions
Talking about making things work for other uses. We recently joined the family of Brompton riders. I had a look at the types of bags we could get for them so that we weren’t limited to riding with a rucksack all the time and they are not cheap. I’m all for investing, but when it comes to adding another bag to the house, I am a bit reluctant. I invested in some racks. A pannier rack for the back and a Dutch style shelf rack for the front (more on these in another post) but needed something to attach my normal day bag so it wasn’t flapping. Turns out that there is a bungee cord for that. They have flat ones, which are similar to the pannier rack ones you see around the Netherlands. It works perfectly for attaching my normal bag to the bike and keeps my back free.
The perfect practical gift
Over the years I have become increasingly keen on giving and receiving practical gifts. Of course something nice for a treat always goes down well, but I love something longer lasting. I now know what my parents meant when they asked for something which I deemed as boring or random. I am now super excited to get things like a hoover, a washing machine or indeed bungee cords. It is the gift that keeps on giving. And, although you might not celebrate them every time you use them, they make life easier and isn’t that a gift in itself? I certainly think so.
Something for everything and everyone!
It is funny how something as simple as a bungee cord can be the most perfect of all purpose kit for outdoor lovers and DIY enthusiasts. I remember when my friend Allysse came to stay before she went cycle touring. We had to get some bungees to send her off with as her back bag rack came lose. It held for her whole trip and didn’t cost much at all. I have a feeling she might carry one or two when she is out and about now, just in case.
Seeing how useful a bungee was for Allysse, I have decided that I need this kit more than I imagined. Once things settle down a bit (around the whole travel and Covid stuff) I am planning on a cycle touring adventure around the Netherlands, which would mean carrying all our gear on the back (and front) of our Bromptons. I have a feeling that we are going to be bungee corded up to the handle bars and I’m happy with that. If we can use our regular kit and get it strapped onto our bikes we can make our money and trip go further.
I am currently being inspired by Gianni from The Brompton Traveller, although I didn’t spot any bungees in his kit – so perhaps this will inspire him.
Multi-functional kit
So s not to overload this post, I have really only covered a fraction of the uses for bungee cords. With their flexible sizes, different hooks and bobbles, there is an unlimited amount of things you can do with them. Plus, they are easy to carry in your rucksack for times you need something to help you out on the go.
If you’re looking for something to add to your kit, I really recommend you checking out the Bungee Store. My order was processed really quickly and arrived within days. And they are so much cheaper than you would imagine too. I have sixteen bungee cords for around £16, which is brilliant for something which will last for decades.
Are you a fan of the bungee cord? Have you got some as part of your outdoor kit?
Share in the comments your favourite uses for the good old bungee cord and I will share them in my next post.
GIFTED: I WAS GIFTED THE BUNGEE CORDS. I ONLY WORK WITH PRODUCTS, ORGANISATIONS AND SERVICES THAT I WOULD PERSONALLY PURCHASE MYSELF. AS ALWAYS, ALL TEXT, PHOTOS AND OPINIONS ARE MINE AND TOTALLY GENUINE. I GET NO MONETARY COMPENSATION FOR ANY PURCHASES MADE VIA THIS BLOG POST.
THANKS TO THE BUNGEE STORE FOR PROVIDING THE CORDS AND A GREAT CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
