Thule Tie Downs

After 8+ years of use my originals were getting worn and corroded so I decided to replace them. These are still the best I’ve ever seen, although I do discard the metal hooks they include in favour of loop-to-loop connections.

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I love mine too and hope they last a while longer (I wash them every once in a while and keep them stored in a zip bag in the car to protect from UV). Have bought a couple of other makers’ versions but the cordage just is not as good. I replaced the end hooks with my old mountaineering carabiners to affix to my trailer hitch in the rear and the hood loops in front.

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Carabiners sound like a great solution if you’re attaching to a trailer hitch. I just use loops of sail rope permanently attached to D-rings inside the rear hatch of my SUV. I used to use those hooks until one time I bought 2 new kayaks - secured to my car by the boat shop - and on the drive home one hook came loose. That heavy metal hook flapping around scared me although I pulled over and secured it before it could do any damage.

The old ropes of my tie downs were getting worn, especially from contact with the gears inside the ratchet carabiners. And even though I lubricated them frequently the salt was getting to all those metal parts causing corrosion and binding. To me, the hundred dollars for two packs of tie downs is worth it for the peace of mind.

I have used those Thule tiedowns for years and replaced the scary hooks with 'biners.

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Best lube for metal parts for salt exposure is Boeshield (bike shops and REI stock it.). Won’t get gummy or degrade nylon, rubber or polyester. I have used it fir 20 years to grease up the aluminum frame connections of my folding kayaks and for my bike chains.

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Agree these are very well made, sold a lot of them when I worked for the local outfitter but personally I just prefer a good line and a truckers hitch for my touring kayaks. That said, love the Thule load straps.

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Yes, Thule’s load straps are superior to any other I have owned. In fact I still have, and use, the first pair I got back in 2002. Those and a more recent longer pair of Thules are my “go tos” for rack hauling. The NRS straps are a close second but the webbing Thule uses has just the right texture and heft and the buckles are bombproof. Tried straps from L. L. Bean once and they are “meh”.

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Same. I’ve looked in to the ratchet pulley lines but I just see that as one more set of moving parts and thus one more point of possible failure. We just use the lines that came with our Malone racks and put them through the bow/stern handles with carabiners.

Any connection you make is a potential point of failure. As a sailor for much of my life I can tie more knots than I’ll ever need, but bow and stern lines are really a secondary attachment as the cinch straps on my Hullavator cradles are doing most of the work. After many years and many hundreds of trips I have total confidence in the Thule tie downs.

But whatever works for you is good.

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Been using the Thule tiedowns for over 20 years and really like them, but the open hooks are a stupid design and dangerous. After having a tiedown bounce loose on a rough road I took a heavy bench vise and bent the open hooks into a closed loop and then used stainless carabiners.

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