I'm an outdoors gear nut and there's plenty of gear out there.

I was out looking for gear for Idaho Outdoors when I came across the No Knot Rope Lok. It's a rope tie-down with a plastic lock on the rope. The lock is attached to one end of a 8- or 15-foot rope and you slip the other end through a hole on the lock.

When you tighten the rope down on gear, such as tying a canoe to a car rack, you clamp the lock shut and it holds the rope tight. It's pretty slick.

I'm a boat strap person. I think boat straps used by whitewater boaters are pretty easy to use. But, if you're a rope person, the No Knot Rope Lok is something to take a look at. It is a more expensive system than boat straps.

One application for whitewater boaters or other boaters could be as a boat line. A lot of times you have to eddy out quickly and tie the boat up fast on a tree or rock. The Rope Lok would work fast for that. I think I might try it on my tandem whitewater canoe.

It can be used to tie down other cargo on a car rack, in sailing situations and also as a tent line in an emergency.

Cost: $15.95 for two 8-footers; seen at The Benchmark. See at www.ropelok.com.