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Best ratchet strap for ROS

Bowtech12

Bowtech12

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Messages
393
Location
Western New York
Wondering what a good ratchet strap is for Ros
I got one from Lowe’s. Pretty straight forward but are there better ones that may be a bit tougher?
Also what’s a good way to thread that loose end through the ratchet

Probably not interested in the boat buckle either
 
Not too be contrary but have you had trouble with a boat buckle? They seem to work well for me. I've never tried a ratchet for ros maybe there is something I'm missing?
 
Bowtech12 said:
Yes
Way back when
Could never get it tight enough
Click to expand...
What steps are you/were you using? The one from Bullman outdoors would be where I would look if I wanted to go to a ratchet strap. Otherwise I would look for a heavy duty yet compact model at my local hardware stores
 
You can get pretty stout ones off line pretty affordably. As stated, Bullman, Cranford, etc will have them. I use an OCB strap from Eastern Woods most of the time but I do have a set up of Cranford rope on steps and a Cranford Saddle Scaffold that I modified to use a clevis pin in place of the bolt that came on the ratchet strap. It saves me from having to thread the strap through every time. I believe these pins are plenty strong. I have seen no indication of it wanting to bend. The one below shows it on a strap with Pioneer steps from Bullman.
 

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Tree Hopper sells a diesel OCB.

Anyone make a boat buckle for outdoors? I don't think it is the same as an OCB.
 
I’ve not tried an OCB, but struggled with the idea that those loose little rivets and stamped light gauge steel would last long. I like my ratchet, except that it’s obscenely heavy compared to the rest of the gear. I had to go with a stainless ratchet from Amazon (US Cargo Control), since I hunt a lot of swamps with brackish water and everything will inevitably start rusting otherwise.
 
Alec said:
I’ve not tried an OCB, but struggled with the idea that those loose little rivets and stamped light gauge steel would last long. I like my ratchet, except that it’s obscenely heavy compared to the rest of the gear. I had to go with a stainless ratchet from Amazon (US Cargo Control), since I hunt a lot of swamps with brackish water and everything will inevitably start rusting otherwise.
Click to expand...
I popped an OCB buckle from EWO one time trying to get a ROS as tight as i could on a fairly smooth barked tree. There definitely is a breaking point but it’s an insane amount of pressure. I’ve since learned that sweet spot to get it tight enough without breaking another one. I do carry a spare buckle just in case.
 
This is my favorite. I’ve used multiple ratchets and this one was always the strongest and easiest.
doublesteps.com

1″ Black Wide Handle Ratchet

1″ heavy duty wide handle ratchet with black e-coat finish and rubber coating on the handle. This is used with a Ring of Steps Strap and 4-6 SquirrelSteps to create a Ring of Steps. 3,300 lb …
doublesteps.com doublesteps.com

I also like pairing it with this strap:
doublesteps.com

Ring of Steps Strap 7′ Camo

Custom 7′ camo strap with vinyl coated hook (NO buckle). Note: additional pic shows sample setup with optional SquirrelSteps and buckle. NEW: Webbing is Made in the USA!
doublesteps.com doublesteps.com

It is heavy but I hate spongy ROS. These two get it extremely solid.
 
I've had zero issues with a boat buckle OCB. As someone mentioned, there is a sweet spot to get it tight. I don't like the idea of a ratchet strap because of the noise. It's hard enough to get set up quietly without sounding like a mechanic wrenching on something!
 
WannaBMonkey said:
I've had zero issues with a boat buckle OCB. As someone mentioned, there is a sweet spot to get it tight. I don't like the idea of a ratchet strap because of the noise. It's hard enough to get set up quietly without sounding like a mechanic wrenching on something!
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That can be alleviated tremendously by pulling as much slack out of the strap through the ratchet as possible before as you crank. Get the ROS set, pull it tight, then crank. You should only need 4-6 cranks. Also, crank the handle VERY slowly. With the EWO black ratchet, doing so you will get a very soft metallic *chirp* rather than the CLICK CLICK CLICK. Also, when repositioning the ratchet to gain the full range (as gets reduced after a few cranks), by holding the release tab open the whole time while you reset the handle, it’s extremely quiet.

I won’t say a ratchet is as quiet as an OCB and if you’re going after highly pressured monster bucks in their beds yes a ratchet could alert them. But in general it’s my opinion most people get rammy with the ratchet like a trucker securing a load and of course it’s crazy loud. Being deliberately slow and delicate with it can be quieter than the trunk scrape of setting a climbing stick on a hardwood.
 
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