Hasta La Ideas

You could be forgiven for thinking these cast aluminum pieces are trivets…

…but in fact they’re rope connectors.

The friction of the ropes hold them in place. These doodads are a knot-free way to make a climbing net, like you’d see at a playground (or perhaps at the American Ninja Warrior obstacle course your deluded neighbor built in his backyard to practice on because winning the show seems to offer more of a spiritual payday than continuing to work as a claims collector).

There are alternative designs, in machined steel and molded plastic. These designs allow the ropes to bypass each other.

Subjective: I think the Celtic-looking design up top is better looking. Objective: The alternative designs don’t lock the rope in place during assembly. Depending on how you’re putting your net together, that could be a plus or a minus. Discuss with your neighbor.