I was recently writing some articles about the cam buckle straps overlanders frequently use to secure their gear. While researching those articles, it dawned on me just how versatile these straps are. It also occurred to me that overlanders are not the only ones who use them. Lots of people find cam buckle straps handy for all sorts of applications.
At this point, it is important to differentiate between a cam buckle strap and a ratchet strap. Both types of straps are designed primarily as tie-down solutions for keeping cargo secure in pickup trucks, on open trailers, and so forth. The differences between them boil down to two things: load capacity and buckle mechanism.
More About the Differences
Ratchet straps tend to be wider, thicker, and capable of handling heavier loads. On the other hand, cam buckle straps tend to be thinner and narrower. They are designed for smaller and lighter loads.
As for the buckles, the names of each device tell the story. The buckles on a ratchet strap employ a ratchet mechanism to tighten and hold straps in place. Cam buckle straps utilize buckles with built-in cams that allow users to pull straps as tightly as possible without the need for a ratchet.
So Many Valuable Uses
With all of that out of the way, let us talk about a cam buckle strap’s many valuable uses. All the below suggestions are compliment of the Rollercam brand of cam straps.
1. Hauling Outdoor Toys
How many people haul out indoor toys on utility trailers or pickup beds? Everything from dirt bikes to personal watercraft gets carried from residential homes to the great outdoors every weekend. Cam buckle straps are the ideal tie-downs to keep all those toys in place.
2. Transporting Lawncare Equipment
Your local lawncare provider probably has a trailer loaded down with mowers, trimmers, edgers, and blowers. Every piece of equipment needs to be kept secure during travel. Once again, cam buckle straps are the perfect solution.
Cam buckle straps keep equipment more secure than bungie cords. They are easier and faster to deploy than ropes. Why a lawncare professional would choose any other means of securing equipment is a mystery.
3. Weekend Campers
Weekend campers looking to spend a few days in nature might be able to put everything they need inside their cars. But if not, the roof is another option. Securing things to the roof is easy when you use cam buckle straps. It only takes minutes to put a strap or two over a load and tighten everything down.
4. RV Owners
One step above the weekend camper is the RV owner for whom a tent and camping chair are not enough. RV owners are well known to attach things like bicycles and lawn chairs to their rigs. Guess which type of tie-down is the easiest to use for this type of job? Yes, it’s the cam buckle strap.
5. Homeowners
The last group of people represent the largest category of all: homeowners. As a homeowner yourself, think of all the ways you could use cam buckle straps. Tie down that gas grill you are taking to the family reunion. Secure a tarp over the wood pile in your back yard. It goes on in on. The possibilities are endless.
Overlanders are one of the main audiences for cam strap advertising. But they are not the only ones who find the straps incredibly useful. Cam buckle straps are ideal for a lot of jobs that were once the domain of ropes and bungie cords. In so many cases, cam buckle straps are just better.
