You bought a cover to protect your sofa. But now the cover is in the neighbor’s tree, and your sofa is soaking wet. Irony is cruel.

Most covers rely on a thin drawstring at the bottom hem. It works in theory, but in practice, wind gets under the skirt and inflates the cover like a balloon. The pressure builds until the drawstring snaps or the cover simply lifts off.

The solution is an external strap. A heavy-duty webbing strap that goes over the top of the furniture and buckles underneath. It physically prevents the cover from inflating. It locks the fabric to the frame. It turns a loose tarp into a fitted suit.