Quick verdict
Four hundred black polypropylene clips, about 3 by 1.1 inches, with a double buckle that pinches shade cloth or bird netting and gives a loop to tie or hook to a frame. They let you fix cloth anywhere along its edge instead of only at grommets, reposition without tools and reuse them each season. Four hundred is a lot; a hoop house uses a few dozen. They are plastic, so sun will embrittle them over several years.
Strengths
- Fix shade cloth or netting anywhere along the edge, not just at grommets
- Double buckle grips mesh securely without tearing it
- Tool-free, repositionable and reusable
- Four hundred clips covers large structures or many seasons
- Black blends with shade cloth
Weaknesses
- Polypropylene becomes brittle after years of UV
- Too small for very thick knitted shade fabric
- Most gardeners will never use 400
The overall YardToolLab Score is out of 100. Section scores are out of 10.
The Problem With Grommets
Shade cloth and netting come with grommets every few feet, never where you need them, and the first strong wind tears the cloth at the grommet. Clips solve both problems: fix the cloth wherever you like along the edge, as often as you like, and the load spreads across the clip rather than a single hole. Barydat’s pack is 400 black polypropylene clips with a double buckle and a loop for cord, zip ties or hooks.
This review is based on the listing specifications and on how plastic netting clips perform generally. We have not used these clips ourselves and the brand is a generic importer.
How They Work
Fold the clip over the fabric edge and press the buckle closed. The two jaws pinch the mesh and the buckle locks them, leaving a loop on the outside. Tie or hook that loop to the frame, a wire or a stake. To move the cloth, open the buckle, slide and close. No tools and no damage to the fabric, which is why growers use clips on shade cloth that has to come off and on with the seasons.
Grip and Spacing
The clip holds shade cloth, bird netting, insect mesh, fleece and greenhouse film. Space them every 2 to 3 feet along each edge, closer in windy sites, and add clips rather than tightening a few; many light attachments beat a handful of strained ones. Very thick knitted shade fabric may be too bulky for the jaws.
Lifetime
Polypropylene is tough and weatherproof but ultraviolet light slowly embrittles it. Clips left on a structure year round last several seasons before some start to crack; those taken down with the cloth last longer. With 400 in the pack, replacements are not a concern.
Who Should Buy It
- Greenhouse and hoop house owners fitting shade cloth each summer.
- Fruit growers netting bushes and trees against birds.
- Vegetable gardeners fixing insect mesh and fleece to frames.
Common Owner Complaints
Clips that will not close on very thick fabric and brittleness after long sun exposure. Both are limits of a small plastic clip.
Tying Them Off
Bungee cord through the loop is the best attachment for shade cloth, because it gives in gusts instead of tearing the fabric or snapping the clip. Zip ties are fine for netting that stays put all season. Where cloth meets a wire, a small S-hook through the loop lets you unhook the whole sheet in minutes when a storm is forecast.
Alternatives to Consider
Snap clamps that grip PVC pipe hold cloth directly to hoop frames. Metal shade cloth clips last longer in sun. Zip ties through grommets are the no-cost option with all the grommet problems.
Verdict
For fixing shade cloth and netting exactly where you want it, these clips are quick, gentle on fabric and sold in a quantity that will outlast the structure. Space them generously and store spares out of the sun.
Full specifications
Barydat 400 Piece Black Plastic Shade Cloth and Netting Fixing Clips FAQs
Fold the clip over the edge of the cloth and snap the buckle closed; it grips the mesh. Then tie cord, a zip tie or a bungee through the loop to the frame, post or wire.
The buckle spreads the load across its width, which is gentler than a grommet under tension. Add more clips rather than pulling harder on a few.
About one every 2 to 3 feet along each edge, more in wind. A 12 by 20 foot cloth uses 25 to 30.
Several seasons outdoors. Sun eventually makes polypropylene brittle, which is why the pack is generous.
