Updated on 01/26/24
For some people, selecting a Tie Down Strap is as easy as going to the store and grabbing the first one they see on the shelf. This is okay when you are taking your child’s bicycle down the street or working on an at-home project, but when you are transporting your most valuable items across the country you will undoubtedly dig a little deeper into the type of tie-downs you should use.
There are many debates as to which Tie-Down is better and this article is meant to compare and contrast Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckles to help you decide on your own!
In this article, we will be using 4 different categories to compare and contrast Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps: Strength, Usability, Customization, and Durability.
The Strength Differences Between Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps
To compare and contrast the categories as a whole instead of one individual strap, we will do our comparisons based on the lowest and highest possible values for breaking strength and Working Load Limit within each category. This allows you to get a better picture of the strength of Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps in general. If you have any questions about breaking strength or Working Load Limit, feel free to call us at 800-483-2189, and our experts will be happy to answer any questions you may have!
Ratchet Straps – Our Ratchet Straps are available in sizes ranging from 1 inch to 4 inches. Each is made from durable polyester webbing that is designed to resist the elements. 1-inch and 2-inch Ratchet Straps are designed for use with securing cargo applications such as ATVs, Motorcycles, Automotive securement, professional movers, pickup trailers, and for securing cargo in the back of a pickup truck bed. These are the most common applications and sizes of ratchet straps that are used for the house type of securement applications.
When it comes to securing the largest in size, heaviest in weight, and oversized loads using ratchet straps is an absolute must. Our 4-inch Ratchet Strap webbing has a breaking strength of 20,000 pounds with a Working Load Limit of 5,400-5,670 pounds. These are some of the strong straps on the market and are used for securing cargo such as farm equipment, heavy-duty machinery, construction materials, and various other heavy-duty cargo.
Cam Buckle Straps – Our Cam Buckle Straps are only available in 1-inch and 2-inch widths and are designed for a quick-to-use securement solution for professional movers, dry vans, and those who are securing cargo that is at risk of overtightening. One of the added benefits of using cam buckle straps over alternative ratchet straps is that they are tightened by using hand strength. This helps to prevent cargo from becoming overtightened as well as securing cargo that is much more fragile, sensitive, antiques, or items with sentimental value.
Ratchet Hardware is great at ensuring that the cargo is secured with a heavy-duty securement, but when it comes to applications where cam buckles are strong enough to safely secure the load it often comes to personal preference. Cam Buckles can normally be secured quicker than ratchet straps but at the cost of not being able to tighten as much as the ratchet buckle hardware tightens in one direction allowing you to tighten the cargo much tighter to provide the ultimate peace of mind that your cargo will not come undone during transport.
When working with any kind of Tie Down Strap it is important to know the Working Load Limit. These limits are set by the Department of Transportation for your safety and the safety of those around you. All of our Tie Down Straps have a clearly labeled tag that contains the Working Load Limit and failure to adhere to that limit could cause serious damage to you and your cargo.
The Usability Between Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps
Ratchet Straps – Ratchet Straps are extremely great at securing cargo in place securely while providing peace of mind that your cargo is not at risk of coming undone while going down the road. One of the issues many first-time users of ratchet straps find it can be extremely frustrating to use at times and can take a little bit of time to learn. The design of Ratchet Straps that provide great heavy-duty strength and durability can also cause the straps to jam from time to time if you are in a rush.
This is why cam buckle straps are usually considered to be the ideal choice for professional movers and with used in dry vans during time crunches to maximize the amount of time in a day on the road. If you can take a few more seconds while securing to ensure heavy-duty strength and durability ratchet straps are likely the perfect strap combination for you. If you have any questions regarding any of our ratchet straps or if you need it completely custom made give our experts a call at 800-483-2189 today!
Cam Buckle Straps – Cam Buckle Straps One of the best features of Cam Buckle Straps is their ease of use design and the great time savings you can expect from using them. Cam Buckles are great for those who are going to numerous locations throughout the day as make securing cargo quickly a breeze. Cam Buckle Straps are one of the best alternative straps for securing cargo when the cargo can be safely secured by the cam buckle straps’ working load limit.
Cam Buckle Straps work great for applications such as securing cargo in a moving van, or dry van, and securing dirtbikes, motorcycles, pickup trailers, and pickup truck beds as a few of the popular applications. If you are interested in any further information, or quotes, or if you need it completely custom made you can give our experts a call at 800-483-2189 or by using our online contact us form.
Shop our Popular Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps
The Different Customization Options Between Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckles
Ratchet Straps – All of our Ratchet Tie Down Straps are customization with a variety of different options that fit your securement applications best. Don’t settle for less when it comes to choosing the working load limit, the color of webbing, hardware options of choice, end fittings, or even printing your branding on the webbing of the straps itself. If you need it completely custom made you have come to the right place. Give our custom tie-down strap experts a call at 800-483-2189 or by using our online contact us form.
Create the perfect custom strap starting with the webbing size, strength, and color. Next choose the ratchet hardware for the webbing size with options such as stainless steel, rubber grip, or a wide handle to name a few. Next, choose the length of the strap and the length of the short end of the strap. Finally, choose the end fittings of choice to help you quickly latch your cargo securement into place. If you can think of it, odds are we can make the custom strap to fit your securement needs.
Cam Buckle Straps – Cam Buckle Straps are extremely customizable when it comes to the color of webbing, the end fittings of choice, and the length of webbing. Although the Cam Buckle hardware itself may be a more limited selection compared to the alternative ratchet hardware options the customization options are nearly endless. No matter if you need a more affordable push-release clip for your light-duty cam buckle securement applications or if you need it heavy-duty to secure your sweet ride to your next destination we have a wide variety of different working load limits to help meet your securement application needs.
Some of our popular Cam Buckle Strap configurations include our cam buckle e-track straps, cam buckle straps with s hooks, and cam buckle straps with wire hooks to name a few of the many different configurations. Cam Buckle Straps are also available in custom lengths and colors including blue, yellow, and even camouflage. Allowing custom lengths allows us to meet your specific needs and provide you with the best product for your needs.
We know all of the options on our site can be overwhelming at times so if you have any questions about the customization options on any of our Tie Down Straps, please give us a call at 800-483-2189 and one of our experts will be happy to speak with you!
Popular Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps
The Durability Differences Between Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckles
Ratchet Straps – Ratchet Straps are extremely durable and are often used in the cargo control industry where durability and strength are extremely important. The polyester webbing used for our Tie Down Straps is resistant to scratches, the sun’s UV rays, and water while being outside in the elements. This sturdy construction allows our Ratchet Tie-downs to hold tight throughout the trip as long as the Working Load Limit is not exceeded. All of our webbing and hardware are tested rigorously to establish Working Load Limits and breaking strength so we can ensure the safety of each one of our customers.
Cam Buckle Straps – Cam Buckle Straps are not as strong as ratchet straps, but they are just as durable. Cam Buckle Straps are constructed from our heavy-duty polyester webbing blends that are designed to be resistant to moisture from rain, direct sunlight UV rays, and potential harmful scratching. The hardware for our cam buckle straps is made from steel and sometimes is even zinc plated to ensure that every strap that leaves our shop can withstand the burdens you need it to. As long as you are never exceeding the Working Load Limit on Cam Buckle Straps they are more than capable of getting the job done in most cases with ease. Consider purchasing or trying cam buckle straps on your next cargo securement today.
One important thing to remember is how you store and use your tie-down straps greatly influences how long they will last in the long run. It is important to always store your straps in a dry place and to prevent them from rubbing on your cargo when at all possible to prevent friction burns or tears in the webbing that could weaken your straps over time and cause them to need to be replaced or repaired. Also, when at all possible you should look into using strap corner protectors to provide a barrier when potential scratches and burns and the webbing that is on your straps. Another great way to improve the durability of any tie-down strap is by the use of a Cordura Sleeve which helps in situations where potential sharp edges, metal surfaces, or potential cuts could come into play when securing cargo.
How to Decide when to use Ratchet Straps or Cam Buckle Straps
When you compare and contrast two Tie Down Straps such as Cam Buckle Straps and Ratchet Straps your decision is ultimately made based on two things: what you are using it for and personal preference. Each strap has its pros and cons and can vary greatly depending on the cargo you are securing. Ratchet Straps are built to often be stronger, but Cam Buckles are easier to use and are better to use when you are looking to save time.
Those are just the facts. But sometimes either tie-down will work just fine. That is when it comes down to personal preference. As long as the Working Load Limit matches up with the one given on the strap you can use whichever you prefer. We hope this article was helpful and informative. If you ever have any questions about Tie Down Straps of any kind, give us a call at 800-483-2189 and we will be happy to assist you in any way we can!
Frequently Asked Cam Buckle Strap and Ratchet Strap Questions
What is the better strap for heavier cargo? – We strongly urge our customers to always opt to go for ratchet straps over cam buckle straps if the load of the cargo is above 700 to 750 lbs. When dealing with heavier cargo the risk of the cargo not being tightly secured enough by hand strength could cause the cargo to move or even become unsecured if you are not careful. Whereas a ratchet strap tightens using a mechanism that can get the strap much tighter and help to remove the chance of the cargo moving from not being tight enough.
What are the more affordable straps between Cam Buckle Straps and Ratchet Straps? – Cam Buckle straps are by far the most economical straps out of the two due to the smaller amount of materials to make them. These straps are easy to use and are much cheaper to use for most normal-sized cargo securement applications. However, if you are transporting higher physical weight cargo you will want to typically opt for ratchet straps instead.
What is the longest a strap can be made? – As we can make these straps in-house the length of the webbing can be made to almost any length of webbing. We have previously had customers order 100-feet long straps or longer depending on their cargo securement application needs. If you are interested in purchasing a longer strap please contact our experts at 800-483-2189 or by using our online contact form located at the top of the website and our team would be happy to assist you further.
How long do Ratchet Straps and Cam Buckle Straps last? – Depending on the amount of usage the straps see every year they can range from several years to upwards of 6 years or longer. As long as you are stopping and inspecting your straps before and after every use to ensure that the straps are safe to use there is no real-time limit on any tie-down straps as it varies from user to user.
What is the best way to determine how long of a strap I need? – We often recommend customers use a string or a bundle of yarn and wrap around the cargo or simply edge to edge and then use a tape measure to measure the amount that is used. This is the easiest and cheapest method to find the length of webbing that you need for your next cargo securement.
What are some alternative names for Cam Buckle Straps? – some of the alternative names for cam buckle straps include lashing straps, cam buckle tie-down straps, cam straps, and lashing tie-down straps to name a few the many popular names for cam buckle straps around the industry.
What are some alternative names for Ratchet Straps? – some of the alternative names for ratchet straps include ratchet tie-down straps, ratchet buckle straps, and ratchet tie-downs are used in different names throughout the cargo control industry.