At Double Fisted we are obsessed with quality and durability. For example, to guarantee that the Double Fisted rack will be the last rack you ever buy, we employ not one, but two coating methods. First, we apply an Anodize coating (See Anodizing on this page for more details), which alone can withstand the harsh conditions that marine usage can dish out. However, we don't stop there.  We proceed to apply a clear coat (See Clear Coating on this page for more details) over the anodize to add another protective barrier and keep the racks looking new for as long as you own them and beyond. At this point you have a coating which is second only to a diamond coating.  Some may say this is extreme, but so are our customers!!

What is anodizing? 

Anodizing is the electrochemical process that uniformly accelerates the naturally occurring protective coating of aluminum. Although it sounds complicated, it's really not.

Everyone has seen rust. Rust is the oxidation of steel or iron, called ferrous oxide. Aluminum also "rusts" or "oxidizes." All aluminum has a microscopic layer of aluminum oxide on it.

There are two interesting things about aluminum oxide. First, when an aluminum oxide coating forms on the surface, the reaction ceases. Rust on a car will continue to grow and will devour the car, however, "rust" on aluminum forms a protective barrier and stops the reaction. This means that aluminum oxide has excellent weather resistance.

Secondly, aluminum oxide is extremely hard, second only to a diamond. This means it is very difficult to scratch relative to raw aluminum. Most sandpaper is made of aluminum oxide.

What does this mean to you? In the anodizing process, aluminum is intentionally rusted. Electricity, sulfuric acid and water are used to convert the top layer of aluminum into a controlled layer of aluminum oxide. The aluminum oxide coating is fused into the aluminum, not a coating which could fall off. This hard aluminum oxide provides an extremely long lasting, durable finish.

Advantages of adding the Clear Coating?

Clear coating guarantees that the product will be protected from sun's UV rays, salt air oxidation, tarnish, moisture and other damaging elements.

Sealed surfaces are highly cleansable, stay cleaner longer, show less fingerprints and will be much easier to maintain with less effort and time.