Warbonnet RidgeRunner - spreaderbar endcaps - anyone?

[OverTheHill]

I've got a WBB RR and love the thing. However, what I don't "love" is how the ends of the spreader bars on the RR rub against my tarp in a heavy wind when I pitch the tarp tight (even with spreader bars on the tarp pullouts). Other than some goofy looking 3D printed endcaps that I've seen on someone's YT channel is there anything that you have used to protect your tarp from the spreader bar impacting with your tarp?

[Bigshift]

I have the older RR with aluminum connector pieces with a hole drilled in them that the pole ends connect to. All I did was cut a small piece of thin foam, attach it to outer side of the aluminum connector by raping it in Duct tape, poke out the drilled hole through the Duct tape on the inner side so now the pole ends pass into hole but just poke into the foam on the outer side that contacts the tarp. Takes seconds, is basically free.

[VanillaPoltergeist]

Someone here suggested these and they have worked well for me. Cheap and seems to do the trick. I keep 5 in a small pill bottle wrapped with a bit of duck tape.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...9072/206758282

[iceman857]

These work so well there's no point looking for anything else: Bridge Buttons – Fugal Innovations (fugal-innovations.com)

[Just Bill]

https://www.amazon.com/Pieces-Rubber...750250148&th=1

Vinyl rubber screw thread protectors- though finding the exact size that fits your pole tips can be tricky.

I'd just go with the goofy 3d printed crap Nich makes.

[OverTheHill]

I have the older RR with aluminum connector pieces with a hole drilled in them that the pole ends connect to. All I did was cut a small piece of thin foam, attach it to outer side of the aluminum connector by raping it in Duct tape, poke out the drilled hole through the Duct tape on the inner side so now the pole ends pass into hole but just poke into the foam on the outer side that contacts the tarp. Takes seconds, is basically free.

I like the simplicity and DIY of this. I've got one of the newer models, so, no hardware to tuck up against. I'll experiment and see what works.

[OverTheHill]

Someone here suggested these and they have worked well for me. Cheap and seems to do the trick. I keep 5 in a small pill bottle wrapped with a bit of duck tape.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt...9072/206758282

Nice idea, I'd like to spread the force out a bit more than that one shown, I'll see how wide they go and maybe give them a try.

[OverTheHill]

These work so well there's no point looking for anything else: Bridge Buttons – Fugal Innovations (fugal-innovations.com)

DRAT! This is exactly the thing I was referencing. Glad you posted it because there are several other items (including the buttons) that he makes that I definitely want to purchase. I'm going to bookmark this and try the DIY foam/padding idea first and then likely come back and buy these along with other goodies... :-)

[AG2020]

Fugal bridge buttons work great!

[DrPhun]

I used some 1” shrink wrap tubing around the aluminum pieces. I used a hole punch to make a hole for the tip to go in on the one side. No hole on the other side for the tip To poke out.