Poll

How do YOU "thread" a ratchet strap?

Only registered users are allowed to vote for this poll.
7 votes were received.

Option A (back over the top toward the long end)	5		71%
Option B (straight through toward the short end)	2		29%

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Today I had to break out my seldom used ratchet straps. Turns out I didn't need them after all, but when I took them out of the bag I realized that I had forgotten how frustrating they can be (for me) to use. So this afternoon, I headed to YouTube for a quick refresher. Only to discover there's more than one "best way" to use them, as evidenced by the pics below. So I turn to you dudes and dudettes on the forum. For the sake of the poll, I'm giving you 2 options. Option A being to thread the loose end through the windlass (I just learned that name today) and then back over it and out the long end. Option B is to thread it through the windlass and just keep pulling it straight out toward the short end with the ratchet. I hope my description makes sense.

Option A [www.youtube.com] (relevant part is around the 3 minute mark)



Option B [www.youtube.com] (relevant part is around the 1 minute mark)





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2021 04:25PM by wurm.

I need to watch the videos. The only way I can make mine work results in the handle being against the item, not out like it should be.

I’ve never considered doing option B, but I can’t see how it would matter either way. I usually thread the strap through when the ratchet is in the closed position, so it ends up like option A.

I use option A. And tie down the roll of excess.
And grab the strap , shake it, and say “that will hold you”.

A, but half the time I have to undo it to get the ratcheting part to go the right way.

I pat it twice and say "that's not going anywhere."

It doesn't really matter which way unless you have a lot of excess.
[youtu.be]

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In tha 360. MRF User Map

Usually, I look at the tangle of straps I have and then go buy another 3-pack.

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Hurts like a bastid...

I just keep trying things until the mechanism grabs.

Thanks for the replies. Well, I don't feel so bad knowing I'm not alone in my frustration. All the videos on YouTube acknowledge the confusion and frustration but make it look so damned easy. Worse, some of the best ones that explain it show about three different ways to do it. I guess I'll worry about it next time I need to haul them out.

Then I'll ask again. ;)