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This Simple $11 Product Solves a Thousand Outdoor Problems

File under “wish we’d thought of that”: Matador’s über-handy and earth-friendly reusable zip ties.

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As a great, bald evil genius once advised his son, “when a problem comes along, you must zip it.” And while we don’t see Austin Powers’ nemesis as much of an outdoorsman, the dude had a point. Because when it comes to securing gear, bunching items together, strapping stuff to your pack and so much more, zip ties are indispensable. And Matador just made them even better.

See, the biggest problem with zip ties up till now is that they are essentially single-use only, so you’re always packing extra ones and making trash. Solving both problems at once are Matador Re-ties, rubber versions with plastic toggles that serve the same purpose and can be used over and over again. Adjustable from 1 to 12 inches in circumference, they’re perfect for doing almost all the stuff you’ve used regular zip ties before in the past: sealing open bags, salvaging broken equipment (a busted shoelace, for example), adding an extra level of protection to your luggage, etc.

There are literally hundreds of uses for these things, and just one caveat: the maximum load for Re-ties is 15 pounds, while standard zip ties tend to have a tensile strength of 50 pounds and extra heavy duty ones can handle much more. Pro tip: pack a few traditional ones for bigger jobs and you’ll be good to go.

Buy now: $11/4-pack


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