It is amazing to realize just how much of the internet has become a sales and marketing platform. I wanted to know a little bit more about tie-down straps. So I ran a standard Google search – but not under the ‘all’ category. Instead, I searched Google News. And still, I saw one article after another discussing the best tie-down straps for 2024. Most of them were sales oriented.
One of the articles I briefly looked at listed ten different brands and models. Another one listed fifteen. But wait. They can’t all be the best, can they? No. By definition, only one can be the best. So which brand or model is it? That depends on who you ask.
My preferred brand is Rollercam. I happen to like Rollercam’s patented cam that actually rolls as you pull the strap through the cam buckle. As far as I’m concerned, a rolling cam reduces friction and makes it easier for me to get the straps as tight as I want them with little effort. But I understand this is just my preference. Other people prefer other brands.
Appropriate Strength
I have come to the conclusion that the best tie-down strap is the one that best meets my needs at any particular time. When I am choosing straps, one of the first things I consider is strength. Every application requires straps strong enough to hold. So, the next question is what I hope to accomplish.
If I am securing something to the back of my utility trailer, the straps need to be strong enough to hold the load in place without any chance of breaking. But if I am strapping a sleeping bag and tent to my backpack, it is a different story. I still need appropriate strength, but the application does not require the same type of strength I would need for my utility trailer.
The Appropriate Buckle Type
My next consideration is the type of buckle I’m dealing with. Tie-down straps can have either cam buckles or ratchets. A cam buckle is for less robust applications – like rigging a whitewater raft or moving a gas grill in the back of a pickup truck. Ratchets are for bigger and heavier loads. Truck drivers will usually choose ratchet straps for carrying cargo on flatbed trailers.
A ratchet is specifically designed to manage heavier loads. Not only does it come equipped with a heavy-duty plate that sinks its teeth into the strap’s webbing material, but it also utilizes a spring-loaded mechanism that allows extreme tightening. When you are carrying something like roof trusses on a flatbed trailer, you want to be able to tighten down your straps as tightly as possible.
High Quality Materials
As with any other consumer product, you generally get what you pay for in terms of materials. My personal opinion regarding tie-down straps is that I want high quality materials I can trust. I have no interest in straps that I can only use two or three times before having to retire them. When I buy a new tie-down strap, I expect to be able to still use it ten years down the road.
Every brand on the market claims to be the best. And it is not true of just tie-down straps alone. Claiming to be the best is pretty common in manufacturing and retail. We all have our preferred brands. In the end, the best ratchet strap is the one that best meets your needs for a given application. If that means you can use the same brand every time, great. If not, there are plenty of others.
