Following up on its MX solid halyard shackle, Wichard has created what it calls its MXL soft block for use in a variety of applications, including A-sail tack points, jib leads, mainsail outhauls and snatch blocks. Fabricated from hard-anodized aluminum, the blocks come with a pre-made Dyneema attachment loop and are available in three sizes to accommodate ropes from 8mm to 14mm in diameter. In addition to having no moving parts, MXL soft blocks are compact and incredibly strong for their size. The smallest MXL, for example, has a working load of over a ton, even though it weighs less than an ounce. From $49.Wichard