Blog

Best Ratchet Straps, Tested (2023 Guide)

Editorial Note: This content was researched and produced by Motor1.com‘s expert review team. Links in this article may result in us earning a commission but do not impact our advice or recommendations. Learn More

Ben Kasierski is a North Carolina native who covers the latest automotive and motorcycle products. He has tested hundreds of car detailing products – including tire shines,  car wash soaps, and full detailing kits – as well as gadgets to make life easier for the everyday driver like key finders and GPS trackers. Tow Strap

Best Ratchet Straps, Tested (2023 Guide)

These ratchet straps come with formidable power.

Soft hook ratchet straps with great hold.

Amazon’s Choice for best ratchet straps available.

Reliable heavy-duty ratchet straps for large cargo.

Easy-to-use ratchet straps with little installation hassle.

Ratchet straps are useful for securing items to your vehicle, keeping both your vehicle and your cargo damage-free. They can be used for tying down boxes to a trailer, fastening luggage onto a roof rack, or even fixing a kayak onto your car for a lake trip. Whatever you need to move, choosing the best ratchet straps is essential for safe travel and peace of mind when transporting large cargo.

In this review, we discuss the best ratchet straps on the market and what makes them stand out from the rest. All of the straps in this roundup were tested by members of our product team. For more information on how to choose the best ratchet straps for your needs, check out our buyers guide at the end of this review.

To review each product, our team thoroughly researched and evaluated each ratchet strap based on its installation difficulty, strength, accessories, and overall value. The scores in each category are compiled into a single overall rating that ranges from 1.0 to 5.0 stars.

Each ratchet strap’s ratings, including their scores in each review category, are highlighted below:

We first selected each ratchet strap by searching Amazon and other vendors for top-selling products. We looked at factors like two-day shipping eligibility, customer ratings, vendor superlatives, and prices.

Our team ordered the five ratchet straps that best met these standards and each item was rated out of 5 stars based on its performance.

Each set of ratchet straps was evaluated based on the following criteria:

We test over 350 auto products on vehicles and in our testing lab each year. Our team of product testers thoroughly researches top products, unboxes and puts our hands on each component, and tests the items on real vehicles before making recommendations to readers.

We publish hundreds of product and service reviews to bring car enthusiasts detailed guides on automotive tools, truck accessories,  and much more. Check out our methodology page here for more information on our testing methodology and how we evaluate every product .

Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 after more than 15,000 ratings

There are many reasons to love the Rhino USA Ratchet Tie Down Straps, such as their medium length of 15.0 feet per strap. This length makes them ideal for car use so there isn’t too much spare strap to tie down. The bodies of the straps are a coated full polyester-silk blend to prevent tearing and water damage. With their ergonomic padded handles and locking coated S-hooks, these Rhino straps are just as easy to assemble as they are to dismantle.

Not only do customers get a set of four ratchet straps with their purchase, but also a set of spare loop hitches for a more secure hold. Rhino USA offers a full lifetime warranty on their products, so your straps are protected.

Based on our experience with the Rhino USA ratchet straps, we rated the product 4.9 out of 5 stars. The straps were easy to install and stayed tight throughout our tests, and the additional soft belt loops were very handy for fixing the straps to our testing vehicle’s frame without scratching it. The only thing these straps lost points on was their width, which is narrower than most of the best ratchet straps.

A majority of the written reviews are positive, with satisfied customers commending their Rhino USA straps for their versatility and strength. One customer even wrote that they use their straps on a daily basis for tying production equipment around for transport and their straps haven’t faltered even with extensive use.

Negative customer feedback is mostly centered around Rhino USA’s advertising and not the straps. Although they say that their products are ‘designed and engineered’ in the United States, the straps themselves are manufactured in China. Many complain that this is false advertising by Rhino USA.

Rhino USA Tie Down Ratchet Straps are suited for anyone who needs all-around ratchet straps for light-to-medium traveling. These straps are durable and come in a handy tie-down set, making them perfect for new and first-time users alike.

Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 after more than 1,100 ratings

Performing similarly to the Rhino USA straps, Rocket Straps Tie Down Straps are a slightly longer, more vibrant alternative. They have an extra 2.0 feet of length than the Rhino USA straps, plus they’re more competitively priced. The major difference between these two straps is the material: the Rocket Straps are made of polyester. This makes them more prone to wear and tear over time.

Steel alloy buckles ensure the Rocket Straps maintain a secure grip on its cargo. They also have wire-gate S-hooks that clamp onto holds with ease. Like Rhino USA, Rocket Straps offers a lifetime warranty on its products.

Our product review team awarded the Rocket Straps ratchet straps a 4.8 out of 5 stars. Their soft hooks and size made them great for tying onto our testing vehicle. Points were lost for these straps’ lower quality materials and low WLL.

Top reviews of these ratchet straps are mixed, with the most-shared review scorching these straps for their poor longevity. Positive reviews claim these straps are great for moving large objects like dressers and couches. Negative reviews cite short lifespan and bleeding colors as the reason for their low ratings.

If you want ratchet straps at a bargain price, then look no further than these Rocket Straps. They’re great in a pinch and can hold down medium-sized loads effortlessly. Should you need to move very large or heavy items, though, look further into this article.

Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 after more than 21,000 ratings

The Augo Ratchet Tie Down Straps 4-Pack is Amazon’s Choice for “ratchet straps,” and with good reason. This kit is a beginner’s delight, packed with ratchet straps, tie-down loops, a storage bag, and even bungee cords. Although only 15.0 feet long and 1.0 inch wide, these straps have a WLL of 2,200.0 lbs., so they can securely transport anything from a few small boxes to a UTV.

The straps’ S-hooks are rubber-coated to prevent chips, marks, and scratches. It also provides them a better grip on whatever they’re attached to and creates a water-resistant barrier against corrosion. Ergonomic handles on the Argo straps make ratcheting less tedious, as well.

The Augo kit earned 4.8 out of 5 stars for its ease of use and bountiful accessories. It lost points for its shorter length.

By feature, the Augo kit scored highly for its versatility, value for money, and ease of use. Positive reviews of the Argo kit compliment its longevity even after extensive use in harsh weather conditions. Some negative reviews claim their straps began to rust shortly after purchasing them.

This is the perfect tie-down kit for medium transport and those who want extra accessories with their ratchet straps. Augo’s kit provides everything a customer could need for strong loading security for day trips with dirt bikes, ATVs, or other semi-large items.

Amazon Rating: 4.8 out of 5.0 after more than 40 ratings

Unlike other ratchet straps, heavy-duty ratchet straps are designed to handle immense weight loads without suffering major wear. Vulcan PROSeries Tie Down Straps are professional-grade quality with a WLL of up to 3,330.0 lbs. Their flat hooks create a sealed grip against any surface they’re latched on to and ensure a secure fit.

Vulcan PROSeries straps are also some of the most durable straps on the market. The PROSeries webbing is lined with hard plastic to prevent cuts and abrasions that can deteriorate a strap. These plastic-coated end fittings are also water-sealed, making them ideal for poor weather conditions. The straps’ hot neon orange color also enhances their high visibility as an added safety feature.

After testing the Vulcan PROSeries ratchet straps, we awarded them an overall score of 4.4 out of 5 stars. They’re incredibly durable and create a very tight lock on cargo. Installing them can be tricky, though.

Customers on Amazon love the Vulcan PROSeries ratchet straps. Written reviews on Amazon commend the PROSeries straps for having superb durability when transporting large cargo, even after daily use.

Vulcan PROSeries straps are built for those who need to move very large loads and have prior experience with ratchet straps. Because of their flat hooks, we recommend using these straps on flatbed trucks. Their build quality is next to unbeatable, giving these straps a longer use life than others in our roundup.

Amazon Rating: 4.7 out of 5.0 after more than 800 ratings

Installation can make or break how well a set of ratchet straps performs. Augo Extra Strong Ratchet Straps are incredibly easy to install with their locking S-hooks that can attach to nearly any surface.

These straps have a 1.0-in. by 15.0-ft. size that’s ideal for moving TVs, surfboards, and other pieces of mid-sized furniture. Like many of the best ratchet straps, the soft loop additions are helpful for hard-to-hook objects.

We scored these Augo straps at 4.5 out of 5 stars. They were very simple to install and performed well under our testing conditions.

Amazon reviews skew positive for this Augo kit. Many positive reviews praise the Augo kit for remaining tight under various weather conditions and holding down moving loads on trailers, specifically using D-rings and O-rings. Some negative reviews claim their straps snapped under little pressure.

The Augo Extra Strong Ratchet Straps are a suitable kit for low-impact transporting. We recommend them to anyone who wants a quality ratchet strap with midweight load capacity.

For those who are new to using ratchet straps, we’ve provided a buyers guide with some key ratchet strap information.

Ratchet straps are cargo tie-down straps that are used for securing cargo onto vehicles. They are typically made of durable polyester or nylon webbing. Unlike rope, ratchet straps do not need to be tied using knots: a ratchet mechanism cranks the straps down until there is enough tension to drive freely with a secured load.

Ratchet straps come in a variety of shapes and sizes, with each able to maintain various Working Load Limits (WLL), or the maximum amount of weight for safe transporting. There are four widths of ratchet straps:

If your load exceeds the weight limit of your straps, it’s best to use more than one strap to secure it. Using multiple straps takes tension off any individual strap and increases safety.

End-fittings also play a key role in a ratchet strap’s functionality. There are four types of end-fittings for ratchet straps:

A set of ratchet straps should last anywhere from two to four years depending on their usage. They can be damaged over time from overuse, moisture, direct sunlight, and mildew, so check your straps regularly and store them properly.

The three most important things to consider are: Working Weight Limit (WLL), grip design, and length and width of the strap. All of these factors determine how suitable a ratchet strap is for the job at hand. Ratchet straps with a higher WLL, chain or flat hook, and greater length and width will be better for very heavy loads such as automotive shipping.

Yes, overtightening a ratchet strap can cause lasting damage. If you hit the release handle on your ratchet strap and it doesn’t easily unravel from the buckle, then it is too tight. Be sure to check the tightness of your ratchet strap every time you tie down a load.

Transporting a vehicle requires more than just ratchet straps: you will need an axle strap, a flatbed or pickup truck with a trailer, and e-track support rails. Consult your vehicle’s manufacturer to learn the safest methods of moving your vehicle.

*Data accurate at time of publication.

Best Ratchet Straps, Tested (2023 Guide)

Trailer Mounted Winch Copyright ©️ 2023 Motor1.com. All rights reserved.