safest way to secure crash pads to the roof of your car

So me and some of my friends are heading to saint george this weekend. there will be 5 people and 5 crash pads in my little subaru legacy, and i'm not quite sure how we're going to make everything fit.

we had the idea of tying some (2 or 3) crash pads to the top of the car, but i'm not sure the best way to do that.

we'll be on the freeway for 5 hours and i don't have a rack. so we need a sturdy set up.

does anyone have experience with this?

Get some good straps to strap them down to the roof obviously. If you can close your doors on the straps then strap the pads down with the doors open. If you can't close your doors with the straps going through the car then crack your windows and strap them down that way. If you do that you'll have to crawl in and out of the car through the window or the back... Those are my first ideas. good luck!

Tie them open (stacked flat) with Ratchet cinch straps. If you don't have cinch straps, it may be a good idea to purchase some; they come in real handy for many things. You'll get your money's worth out of them for sure!

Example, click here

EDIT: I've never secured crash pads to my car's roof-top, but have mattresses back in the day; that should count for something, damnit.

A lot of people are divided on the issue, but I prefer to take the boulderers off the pads before strapping them to the roof. While all the kicking and screaming is kinda funny, it's just not worth the $39.95 to replace the antenna.

I've lashed them to the trunk, which worked better for the shape of my car.

I'd warn against ratchet straps because you can actually put enough pressure on them to damage the car and the ratchet will scratch the hell out of your car. Instead, get some one inch webbing and learn how to do a truckers hitch. otherwise, get cam straps(they have a buckle like a yates adjustable daisy) because they won't damage your car.

National River Supply makes some awesome ones that you'll use until your friends steal.

Evan

Just be ready for your gas mileage PLUMMET. Every time you let off the accelerator, the increased wind resistance will make the car slow down very noticeably. You'll actually feel the car slow down as if you were gently holding the brakes.

I once drove 100 miles with 2 pads on the roof of my Camry. I normally got about 390-415 miles to the tank of gas. This trip I got about 270 miles out of the tank (mathematically extrapolated, of course). I used cam straps, as suggested by Evan. Much better idea than ratchet straps for this particular purpose. Just tying them down with webbing is a hassle and definitely less secure. You can probably pick up cam straps from Harbor Freight for about $10.

Guy with longest ape gap stays up there with them and gets to strengthen his pinch grip for 100 miles.

Jon H wrote: Just tying them down with webbing is a hassle and definitely less secure.

Have to rspectfully disagree with you. Trucker's hitches are just as secure, if not more so than a cam strap because they won't loosen up and have a 3:1 pulley rather than a 2:1. Also, very quick to tie. Use old webbing or whatever.

Also, a great trick to have for staking your tent, rigging tarps, etc. Every outdoorsy person should know this hitch.

animatedknots.com/truckers/…

Evan

why don't you just take a couple of ropes and a bunch of draws and sport climb. or if you want to boulder, try T.R.ing for safety instead. it would beat the hassle of the pads.

Do you really need to bring 5 crash pads?

I use the existing vehicle floor-mats (stack 6 of them if you like!) and trusted friends to spot the head. Still cant say much for my gas mileage anyway.
Steve

Kia Marie wrote:So me and some of my friends are heading to saint george this weekend. there will be 5 people and 5 crash pads ...

As long as it's not 5 people and 5 dogs... ;)

Being a traddie', it always baffles me how these 5 pads costing 200 some bucks each could instead be a fantastic trad rack of gear and a couple 60M ropes. Which all fits in the pack inside the car. That's climbing.

woodchuck please stop pissing on people who boulder and waxing on about how your a traddie and how bouldering isn't "REAL" climbing. Are you not bouldering in your profile picture? Yeah maybe there is more of a mental game to trad climbing but that doesn't mean bouldering is any less of a sport. It's just different. Any person who pigeon holes themselves into one discipline and puts down others because they feel that they're form of climbing is superior is just plain missing out. Sorry dude just my 2 cents.

Woodchuck ATC wrote:Being a traddie', it always baffles me how these 5 pads costing 200 some bucks each could instead be a fantastic trad rack of gear and a couple 60M ropes. Which all fits in the pack inside the car. That's climbing.

More baffling that someone who climbs wouldn't know how to tie something to the roof of a car.

Tom Fralich wrote:More baffling that someone who climbs wouldn't know how to tie something to the roof of a car.

Which could be why they are just going bouldering.

It is poor form to stash pads on top of your car. Please keep them securely out of sight or risk being ridiculed.

Also, if one blows away in a breeze, it is booty.

David Appelhans wrote:It is poor form to stash pads on top of your car. Please keep them securely out of sight or risk being ridiculed. Also, if one blows away in a breeze, it is booty.

I knew this one was coming. Well played sir.

Mark Cushman wrote: Which could be why they are just going bouldering.

Touche' sir. Well said.

you can get cam straps at home depot pretty cheap

Brandontyrrell wrote:you can get cam straps at home depot pretty cheap

And if you can't find those - remember two words:

Liquid Nails. (Sh*tloads of it)