Tie-Downs
The Best Ratchet Straps
The cheapest part of the load, and the part that fails. Here is what to buy and, more usefully, how to read the number on the packet.
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Before the picks, the one thing that will make you better at this than most people buying straps: break strength is not working load.
A strap advertised at 1,800 lb break strength is not rated to hold 1,800 lb. Break strength is where the webbing fails in a lab. The figure you should work to is the working load limit, conventionally a third of break strength — so that 1,800 lb strap is a 600 lb strap in practice, and it is sized for one strap of several, not for the whole load on its own.
Packaging almost always advertises the bigger number. Once you know to divide by three, strap shopping becomes much simpler, and the honest conclusion is usually that you need fewer, better straps than you thought.
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 Ratchet Straps (1 in x 15 ft)Four 1-inch straps with S-hooks and soft loops at a sensible strength for roof and hitch loads. | Best all-round set | 8.3 | |
| 2 | Rhino USA Retractable Ratchet StrapsSelf-retracting straps wind the slack back into the housing — which removes the single most annoying thing about ratchet straps. | No loose tails | 8.1 | |
| 3 | Keeper Ratchet Tie-Down Straps (4-pack)The hardware-store standard. Fine hardware, adequate webbing, and the lowest price of anything we would use. | Cheapest set worth owning | 7.7 | |
| 4 | Thule Load StrapsCam buckle rather than ratchet, with a rubber buckle guard — the correct tool for anything on a roof. | Roof loads specifically | 8.3 |
Prices checked September 25, 2026. Product photographs are representative stock images, not the exact unit. Affiliate disclosure.
#1 · Best all-round set
Rhino USA Ratchet Straps (1 in x 15 ft)
Four 1-inch straps with S-hooks and soft loops at a sensible strength for roof and hitch loads.
- Size
- 1 inch x 15 ft
- Stated break strength
- 1,823 lb
- Implied working load
- Around 600 lb per strap
- Included
- Soft loops
What works
- Four straps is the right quantity for a basket or a hitch carrier
- Soft loops let you anchor without metal hooks touching paint
- 1 inch is the right width for cargo — 2 inch is overkill and harder to stow
- Lifetime warranty from a brand that honors it
What doesn’t
- S-hooks can scratch if you use them directly on paint — use the loops
- Ratchets can over-tension soft or fragile items
- 15 ft is long for small loads; you will be managing tails
Our scoring
8.3overall
#2 · No loose tails
Rhino USA Retractable Ratchet Straps
Self-retracting straps wind the slack back into the housing — which removes the single most annoying thing about ratchet straps.
- Type
- Retractable ratchet
- Size
- 2 inch
- Stated break strength
- About 3,000 lb
- Notable
- Tail retracts into the housing
What works
- No flapping tail, which is both quieter and safer
- Faster to deploy and faster to put away
- Genuinely useful on a cargo box or a loaded basket
What doesn’t
- Costs considerably more per strap
- The retraction mechanism is another thing to fail
- Fixed length range — less flexible than plain webbing
Our scoring
8.1overall
#3 · Cheapest set worth owning
Keeper Ratchet Tie-Down Straps (4-pack)
The hardware-store standard. Fine hardware, adequate webbing, and the lowest price of anything we would use.
- Type
- Ratchet straps, four-pack
- Size
- 1 inch
- Brand
- Long-established
- Extras
- None
What works
- The cheapest set we would actually put on a load
- Widely available, so replacements are easy
- Simple and robust
What doesn’t
- No soft loops included — buy some
- Webbing quality is a step below the premium sets
- Ratchet action is stiffer
Our scoring
7.7overall
#4 · Roof loads specifically
Thule Load Straps
Cam buckle rather than ratchet, with a rubber buckle guard — the correct tool for anything on a roof.
- Type
- Cam buckle load straps
- Buckle
- Rubber guard
- Tension
- Hand tension only
- Sized for
- Roof-rack loads
What works
- Cannot over-tension the way a ratchet can
- Rubber guard keeps the buckle off paint and hulls
- Sized and shaped for roof carriers rather than flatbeds
What doesn’t
- Lower maximum tension — wrong for heavy freight
- Costs more than generic cam straps
Our scoring
8.3overall
Working load limit, and how to use it
The convention across the tie-down industry is that working load limit is one third of break strength. That safety factor accounts for knots, wear, UV degradation, shock loading over bumps, and the fact that a strap rarely pulls in a perfectly straight line.
Two practical consequences. First, divide any advertised number by three before you judge whether a strap is adequate. Second, never plan on a single strap carrying the whole load — use at least two, ideally four, and treat each one’s rating as part of a total.
Hardware matters too. A strap is only as strong as its hook, its stitching and its buckle, and on cheap straps those are the weak points rather than the webbing.
Ratchet or cam buckle
A ratchet uses a gear and pawl to apply mechanical advantage. It gets very tight and it stays tight. That is what you want over a steel basket full of dense cargo.
A cam buckle takes hand tension only. It is faster, it is quieter, and it physically cannot crush what it is holding. That is what you want over a kayak hull, a cargo box lid, or anything with a shell.
The mistake that costs money is a ratchet over a boat. It is entirely possible to deform a plastic hull with a ratchet strap on a hot day, and people do. We go into the full comparison in ratchet vs cam buckle.
Using them properly
- Anchor to structure, not to trim. A hitch carrier's welded loops and a roof basket's frame are anchors. A plastic roof rail cover is not.
- Use soft loops where the hook would touch paint. A steel S-hook against a painted panel is a scratch waiting for a bump.
- Strap in both directions. Down holds the load on; fore-and-aft stops it sliding. Both matter.
- Deal with the tail. A loose tail flogging at 70 mph will destroy paint and can find its way into a wheel. Tie it off or tuck it.
- Re-check after the first 20 minutes. Everything settles. This one step prevents most incidents.
Our tie-down guide covers the full sequence, including the knots worth knowing.
When to throw a strap away
Webbing is a consumable. Retire a strap when you see any of these, without trying to judge how bad it is:
- Cuts, nicks or abrasion on the edges of the webbing
- Fading and stiffness — that is UV degradation, and it is strength loss you cannot see
- Any damage to the stitching, particularly at the hook
- A bent hook, a cracked buckle or a ratchet that skips
- Chemical staining, especially from fuel or solvents
Store them inside, out of sunlight. Straps left coiled on a roof rack through a summer lose real strength.
Common questions
How strong do my ratchet straps need to be?
Are ratchet straps better than cam straps?
How often should I replace tie-down straps?
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
Ratchet vs Cam Buckle Straps
Mechanical advantage versus hand tension — and which load each one belongs on.
How to Tie Down Cargo
Anchor points, strap direction, correct tension, tail management and the pre-drive checks.
The Best Cam Buckle Straps
Cam straps for hulls and cargo boxes, why hand tension is the point, and how many to buy.
The Best Hitch Cargo Carriers for SUVs
Hitch carriers for SUVs, ranked — plus the tongue weight figure that really decides your load.