A while back, I read some posts on which gromets to use on my tramp, and the general consensus was - go to Home Depot and buy theirs.

With this in mind, when it came time to replace the gromets on a tramp I was refinishing, I purchased the biggest and toughest Home Depot had to offer. It took 2 to 3 mild hits with a hammer to seat them. They were light-weight, tinny, and prone to splitting and crimping - they even looked "cheap". So, I drilled them out and ordered from Hobie.

For almost the exact same money, Hobie sent me uber Gromets. They were heavy, tough and looked the part. They also have formidable teeth to grab the tramp vinyl. It took 14 to 16 hard (real hard) whacks with a hammer to seat them and they look great. 14 to 16 whacks you say? Yup, after hammering that many gromets - you count. You have to hit these things so hard and so much that I held the punch with vice-grips and not my hand - clearly too dangerous otherwise.

Moral of the story...buy the Hobie gromets! No question about it. The Hobie gromets are FAR superior to the Home Depot gromets and COST THE SAME. It doesn`t get better than that.

Hope this helps someone,

Dave