Why Cross Strap Your Structure?
Staking your structure down to the ground is only half the fight, the wind will come from all directions, and rack the frame side to side until something gives. We found that out in the 2025 windstorm, and internal cross strapping is what saved our camp. Roof poles were falling out on our Black Rock shade structure and fabric walls were catching wind and bending our structures legs. We quickly added as many internal cross straps as we could, it held everything together and also helped support the wall fabrics.
Amazon Links
- Ratchet Tie Down Straps — 1" × 15' · Be sure to pick straps long enough for your structure.
- 3/8" × 12" Lag Screws · The everything-else size — tents, tarps. Kit comes with chain links for attachment points. Heads up: the washers in this kit are not big enough for Kodiak tent hooks.
- 3/8" × 14" Lag Screws — zinc plated · What I use for anything important like shade structures. Not on Amazon (so not in the cart above) and the minimum order is 50 — split a box with camp.
- 3/8" × 1-1/2" Fender Washers · For Kodiak tent hooks — need at least 1-1/2" OD so it doesn't pull through the hook. Get extra.
- Impact Socket Adapter Bit Set (incl. 3/8") · Need to attach the socket to the impact driver. You'll want the 3/8" adapter.
- Impact Socket — 3/8" Drive × 9/16" · Fits the head on the 3/8" lag screws.
- Impact Driver — batteries + charger included · Drives the lags into the ground and reverses them out.
- Chain Links · No buy link for these — the 12" kit includes them, and for extras your hardware store will cut them for you if you ask nice.
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