Tie-Downs
The Best Cargo Nets
A net catches what your straps missed. It is the cheapest insurance on this site and the most commonly misused item on it.
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Be clear about what a cargo net is for, because the packaging is not.
A net does not restrain a load. Elastic stretches, which is the opposite of what a restraint does. What a net does is stop small, light items — a jacket, a shoe, a stuff sack — from working their way out of an open basket and onto the road behind you.
That is a genuinely useful job and it is worth ten dollars. It is not a substitute for straps, and a basket held down by a net alone is an unrestrained basket.
Quick picks
Tap any row to jump to the full write-up below. Scores are our editorial judgment on published specifications — not a star rating, and not a product we claim to have tested.
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Rhino USA Cargo NetHeavier bungee cord and steel hooks, sized for a full-size basket rather than a trunk. | Best for hitch and roof baskets | 7.9 | |
| 2 | Keeper Stretch Cargo NetThe basic stretch net, at a price where owning two is sensible. | Best value | 7.7 | |
| 3 |  Rhino USA Ratchet Straps (1 in x 15 ft)The actual restraint. A net over straps is insurance; a net without straps is an accident waiting to happen. | What should be under the net | 8.3 | |
| 4 | Thule Load StrapsIf the basket is full of bags rather than boxes, cam straps under the net are the gentler pairing. | Straps for a soft load under a net | 8.3 |
Prices checked September 25, 2026. Product photographs are representative stock images, not the exact unit. Affiliate disclosure.
#1 · Best for hitch and roof baskets
Rhino USA Cargo Net
Heavier bungee cord and steel hooks, sized for a full-size basket rather than a trunk.
- Type
- Bungee cargo net
- Hooks
- Steel perimeter hooks
- Sizing
- Basket-sized
- Warranty
- Lifetime
What works
- Heavier cord than the trunk-sized nets, so it holds its shape
- Enough hooks to tension evenly around a basket rim
- Stretches to fit a taller load without going slack
What doesn’t
- Steel hooks need care near paint
- Elastic degrades in UV like all bungee
- Not a restraint, whatever the packaging implies
Our scoring
7.9overall
#2 · Best value
Keeper Stretch Cargo Net
The basic stretch net, at a price where owning two is sensible.
- Type
- Stretch cargo net
- Hooks
- Perimeter hooks
- Sizing
- Several sizes
- Storage
- Packs into a door pocket
What works
- Cheap enough to own several sizes
- Widely available
- Packs down to nothing
What doesn’t
- Lighter cord than the heavy-duty nets
- Hooks are less substantial
- Replace it every couple of seasons
Our scoring
7.7overall
#3 · What should be under the net
Rhino USA Ratchet Straps (1 in x 15 ft)
The actual restraint. A net over straps is insurance; a net without straps is an accident waiting to happen.
- Size
- 1 inch x 15 ft
- Stated break strength
- 1,823 lb
- Quantity
- Four-pack
- Included
- Soft loops
What works
- Four straps covers a basket in both directions
- Soft loops keep hooks off paint
- Proper working load for a loaded basket
What doesn’t
- Ratchets over-tension soft items
- Manage the tails
Our scoring
8.3overall
#4 · Straps for a soft load under a net
Thule Load Straps
If the basket is full of bags rather than boxes, cam straps under the net are the gentler pairing.
- Type
- Cam buckle load straps
- Buckle
- Rubber guard
- Tension
- Hand only
- Use
- Over soft or fragile loads
What works
- Cannot crush bags or a box lid
- Rubber guard protects the basket finish
- Quick to release
What doesn’t
- Lower maximum tension
- More expensive than generic cam straps
Our scoring
8.3overall
What a net actually stops
Three specific failures, all of them real and all of them small.
- Small items escaping. A basket has walls a few inches high and the airflow over it is turbulent. Anything light works its way to the edge and then over it.
- Loads settling. Over a few hundred miles a packed load compacts, straps go slack and items shift. A net keeps the top of the pile together while that happens.
- The forgotten item. The jacket thrown on top at the last stop that nobody strapped. That is the one a net actually catches.
What it does not stop is a heavy item moving. Elastic under load simply stretches.
Using a net properly
- Straps first, always. The net goes on top of a load that is already restrained.
- Hook to the basket’s frame, not to the mesh. Mesh deforms; frames do not.
- Tension evenly around the perimeter. An unevenly hooked net pulls to one side and leaves a gap at the other.
- Keep steel hooks away from paint and from the cargo box lid — use the basket rim.
- Check it at the first stop. Bungee relaxes as it warms.
Nets are consumables
Bungee cord degrades in sunlight faster than webbing does. A net left on a roof basket through a summer will be noticeably slacker by autumn, and slack elastic does nothing at all.
Signs to replace: visible cracking in the rubber, a net that no longer returns to its original size, frayed sheathing, or a bent or rusted hook. They cost very little — replace rather than nurse.
Store it inside, in a bag, and it will last several seasons instead of one.
Common questions
Is a cargo net enough to secure a load?
What size cargo net do I need?
How long do cargo nets last?
Sources
Not sure it fits your car?
Our vehicle pages carry the published roof load limit, the roof type by model year, and what actually mounts to it — cited, and honest about what the manufacturer does not publish.
Read next
The Best Ratchet Straps
Ratchet straps ranked, plus how to read a break strength figure properly.
The Best Roof Cargo Baskets
Open roof baskets — cheaper than boxes, better with awkward shapes, noisier and unprotected.
How to Tie Down Cargo
Anchor points, strap direction, correct tension, tail management and the pre-drive checks.
The Best Hitch Cargo Carriers for SUVs
Hitch carriers for SUVs, ranked — plus the tongue weight figure that really decides your load.