Sunday 28 November 2010

Electronics - reusable, cable organizers


First let me say that these velcro cable wraps are great for their intended purpose, especially if you will not be adjusting them very often after you have secured your cables. I had purchased the Velcro One-Wrap Straps, 8" x 1/2", 5 Pack from Office Depot for about $4 a few years ago to tame my microphone and guitar cables and I love them. When I found these straps (100 pack) for under $10 I jumped at the opportunity to buy them, but was a bit disappointed when compared to the 5-pack, as these are considerably thinner and have much smaller "hooks" and "loops" so they do not stay as secure as the former straps (-1 star). Also, since I use them for gigs I am constantly adjusting them and so far two have ripped at the through-hole (-1 more star) which has yet to happen with my 3+ year old straps. If you are looking for a convenient way of securing your cables and do not intend to subject them to heavy use, then I highly recommend them, however if you are planning on using them a lot (i.e. for highly used audio cables) then I would recommend buying the larger heavy duty multicolor 5 pack instead. Velcro Reusable Self-Gripping Cable Ties, 0.5 Inches x 8 Inches Long, Black, 100 Ties per Pack (91140)

The solution to wayward cabling couldn't be simpler. Wrap one or more cables together with an adjustable Velcro strap. It does what it should, is simple to apply, and is affordable.



The only negative aspect of the Velcro solution is that it will pick up dust and lint from your surrounding environment which will obviously render the Velcro less 'attachable' to itself over time, if you re-adjust or change the straps. However, in the $10-$15 price range for a hundred of these, you really can't go wrong and buying more if you have to throw old cluttered ones away is reasonable.



I'd advise this method over zip-ties or twisty-ties in a heart-beat.

Have you ever used zip-ties to hold cables in place? How about twist-ties or those long cable "tubes"?



If you've ever had to deal with these, you know how difficult they can be, and when you're done you just never want to touch them again (as it means either bringing out the scissors for the zip-ties or un-tubing about a mile of wires.



I picked up the 100-pack of these to try and clear out the mess behind my home theater, and it worked out great!



The cable ties are a good size and the velcro is wonderful (to note: its not the "normal" velcro you find, it doesn't even feel like velcro, but it works just as good as the other stuff!) One nice thing is being able to "wrap" the tie around itself (so there is no loose end hanging off of it).



As mentioned by another reviewed, these come in "rolls", so you have to unwrap (and tear off) pieces. Not a big hassle, and probably better than a bunch of loose velcro pieces thrown in a bag (they'd stick together).



While easier to remove than zip-ties (and these do a much better job), it's still a bit of a challenge at first (since the connector sticks to itself - after doing a few you'll get the hang of it). For anyone with a home-theater, this is perfect! Bundle any AC cords, speaker wire or A/V connectors into a ball. Also works for other corded equipment that you might normally put away (such as a Rockband microphone).



The only thing I can say is better about the "other stuff" out there, is that the plastic-tubing is still needed if you want to conceal wires. These will keep the wires together, but it still looks like a long string or cables. The 100-pack is more than enough for doing a computer room (with loads of accessories) and a home-theater (8 speakers, TV, receiver and about 6-7 devices). They sell a 50-pack for a little less, but you might want to go for the 100-pack just to have some in the future.



The only negative thing I can say, is that buying these made me go around and have to cut-off all of the old zip-ties I was using before!

These are not as high-quality as the multi-colored ones you get at Home Depot in packs of 5... but for the price they are a great value. My band is going on tour with our own PA and lights. I bought these and they're now wrapped around every kind of cable imaginable and holding up great. Highly recommend these.

These Velcro ties are very handy and with 100 ties, it is quite a good value. The Velcro holding strength is fairly weak, however, compared to some other Velcro ties I've used. Still, I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a fairly inexpensive way to wrap up cables. - Velcro - Reusable - Cable Organizers - Ties'


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