Raingler Nets

Next came the “Side Nets”.  As with the Full Net, these come with the same quality strap fasteners.  Each corner of the net has a strap to secure it to the roll bar.  If you are wondering what is mounted behind the sound bar, it is a 4″ wide board that provides a mounting platform for the two ham radios that live in the TJ.  I wasn’t crazy about having them mounted down on the floor (the first mounting location I tried) and so I moved them up to this location.  I use a huge zip tie to secure the board to the roll bar.  It works pretty well and I run the power and control wiring for it under the roll bar padding. 


 After installing the other side net, I decided to try the new Partition Net that Eddie had sent.  As shown here, it fits nicely behind the front seats and makes for good separation between the front and rear halves of the TJ.  It would certainly keep the pups from getting into the front of the vehicle (kids too!), but after I installed it, I wasn’t so sure that I wanted it there.  Not a problem, the nets are easy enough to install and remove (it only takes a few minutes).  I could remove it later on if I came up with a better idea.

Another net I got from Jason was the “2 inch Mini-Net”.  I decided to try this one above the tail gate.  I needed something to keep the dogs from going over the tail gate.  After installing it, I decided that the opening along the sides offered a bit too much space.  Not a problem….time to do some net shifting!  (gotta like the flexibility the Raingler nets offer the user)

Oh yeah….this is looking much better.  The webbing pattern is the same size as the side nets, which makes it perfect for the pups.  They won’t be squeezing through those square holes any time soon.  Since you probably don’t have a storage box in the rear like I do, opening the tail gate will most likely allow you to gain adequate access to the rear of the vehicle for most things.  In my case, I’ll have to loosen a couple of fasteners, but I don’t see that to be much of an problem.  Once on the trail, I’ll see if the dogs can slip under or not once the tail gate is opened.

Note:  I was browsing the Raingler.com web site and noticed that the Partition Net had recently been modified with smaller openings and extra straps for more mounting options.  I’m not sure if this was a result of customer feedback or not, but what ever the reason, it sure seems to have been a good change.

Another view of the Partition Net being used as my rear net.  The Full Net on top comes down just far enough to pretty well close up the rear of the vehicle.  The pups are very well behaved in the vehicle, unlike some dogs I have seen.  This configuration should keep them from accidentally bailing out on me while the vehicle is in motion.

I did a trail run yesterday and opted to put the hard top back on.  The trail is about an hour and 45 minutes from my place, with an hour of that being highway travel.  I didn’t feel like starting a 6:30 AM trip in 40 degree weather with no doors and no top.  So….the hard top went back on to keep things a little warmer.  Syra is sitting on her pillow while we have lunch on the trail.   She is 55 lbs. of pit bull and Doberman pincher and loves to go Jeepin’. 

I found that the side nets also work nicely for keeping things away from the windows when the hard top is on.  This has always been a problem when I had to stack gear in the back of the TJ.  I look forward to trying a trail with the nets (and dogs) in place.  (this time without the hard top and the doors)

In summary, I have to say I am impressed with the Raingler nets.  I would recommend them to anyone that is looking for a way to manage their camping gear, dogs, etc.  I’ve ran across a write-up or two on the web (forums, web pages, etc.) and the uses that some folks find for them only seem to be limited by their imagination.  The net quality is second to none and the customer service I experienced all goes a long way in my book.  Nice product for sure!

Good trails to you and remember to TREAD Lightly!

Note:  The Partition Barrier Net along with other Raingler Nets are not designed as a safety restraint or securement device, follow the vehicle manufacturers recommendations for passengers in the vehicle.