yep.
OP - google is your friend. Googled “kayak straps Dick’s” to find these:
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12102539&camp=CSE:GooglePLA:12102539:11194600:SNOW%20SPORTS&CAGPSPN=pla&CAWELAID=120138600000153429&catargetid=120138600000330110&cadevice=c
Go to waltucky to get a look at the crappy straps so you know what you’re comparing to when you shop Dick’s or your local outfitter. Or you can get them online.
Who said one method was “better”?
You are reading between the lines too much. I only made the comment about fabric texture being embossed into a Royalex surface in response to one person who was clearly taking precautions to avoid marring his boat. You may notice that I DO use straps sometimes, and sometimes rope.
As to the slippage, I didn’t suggest straps won’t hold. Again, I do use them and have no concerns about them coming loose. But under a load that’s bound to be greater than they see in normal use, they can slip. It’s only friction that holds them. By design, the friction is supposed to increase with an increase in applied tension, but that won’t always guarantee it won’t slip a little in the process. I’m quite certain that it was Jack who had a post here many years ago saying that his brand-new straps were not gripping well, but that they were okay after he washed them to get rid of what he perceived as removable “slipperyness”, and thus encourage the buckles to grip better.
Anyway, you really need to try harder to realize that not every statement of observation is meant to be an absolute statement of right versus wrong. Things will seem a lot less “silly” to you then.
NRS 1.5" straps
– Last Updated: Jul-17-14 12:05 PM EST –
15 footers an' de 20 footers be wat ah' uses mostly. Still like ropes though. De 1.5 inch ones might be a little over-kill but it do spread de load over a greater area so ah' gits no marks. Never seen dem anywaar else udder than NRS website. Unfortoonatley de NRS straps are all made in China too.
FE
Straps
Thanks guys. I think I’ll get them at REI locally. The ones on their website look good.
Salamander’s cam straps, & WASH them 1st
Better than the other brands, in my opinion, thanks to the optional thick nylon piece that lies under the metal cam buckle. You can order them in different lengths and colors. The extra nylon piece eliminates direct contact between the metal buckle and either the boat or the car.
Also: With any straps, before you use them soak first in a vat full of plain, warm water, then rinse at least twice and dry thoroughly. There will be a lot of soap suds emerging, soap that YOU did not put in. For whatever reason, the straps come infused with soap/detergent, and it does make the straps slippery right off the bat, if you don’t wash it out.
What about seat belts?
I’m in the process of making a boat trailer and am in the market for some straps that I can leave or attach to the trailer. I agree that the cam straps are most convenient and sturdy. Has anyone ever used or thought of using car seat belts? I was thinking of the middle seat type adjustable buckle. You could snap it in and then adjust it to be tight. Those straps are meant to hold a lot of force and be secure plus they are wide. I’m basically trying to devise a really quick and secure solution for loading boats of various sizes.