Why does nobody talk about how much better a ratchet strap is vs a rope tie-down for cargo nets

I used rope tie-downs for years on the ramp and always had to re-tighten them after every flight. Switched to ratchet straps last month after a buddy insisted and they hold solid the whole turn with zero sag. Anyone else find a random tool that just works way better than what you learned on?

3 comments

3 Comments

brianm661mo ago

Why would anyone still use rope when ratchet straps exist? The difference is night and day. I used rope for years and always had to double back and retighten after every bump in the road. Ratchet straps just lock down and stay put. They take a few extra seconds to set up but save you so much time later. It's one of those things where once you switch you never go back.

jana8811mo ago

For real, right? I was the same way with rope for years and it was honestly annoying always having to stop and redo knots. Ratchet straps are such a game changer once you actually get the hang of them, I'm never going back either lol.

martin.riley1mo ago

Honestly though @brianm66, I gotta push back a little on one thing. You said ratchet straps "just lock down and stay put" but that's not totally true if you don't get them tight enough or if the load shifts weird. I've seen ratchet straps loosen up on long drives, especially in hot weather when the material stretches a bit or the tie-down points flex. They're def better than rope for most jobs but they still need checking every now and then. A strap that's not snug can vibrate loose over bumps just like rope can, just takes longer. Plus ratchet straps can actually snap if you overload them or if the webbing gets frayed from rubbing on a sharp edge. So yeah they're an upgrade but not a perfect system where you can set it and forget it.