Best Ratchet Tie Down Straps for ATVs and UTVs

With so many varieties of ratchet tie down straps available, it can be hard to determine which is best for your needs. That is where our team of editorial experts come into play. We’ve covered thousands of miles towing ATVs and UTVs securely and have picked out what we feel are some of the best ratchet tie down straps for you to choose from.

Lead Photo By Eli Madero

When it comes to quality tie-downs, rest assured that what you get from Mac’s Tie-Downs are going to be some of, if not the best in the business. If you wonder why, it’s because that is all they do and it shows in the high quality of their products like their Ratchet Strap Utility Pack. This pack comes complete with 4 of Mac’s 6’ x 1” ratchet tie-downs that each have a 2,800 pound minimum breaking strength, 4 1” x 18” soft loops, 4 strap bands and a compact duffel bag to keep everything together when not in use. To see just how good this strap kit is, we ordered a set to put to the test while transporting some of our ATVs.

Before using new products to transport machines, I really like to inspect the quality of the products that I’ll be using. Things like the quality of the strap material, the stitching to secure the strap to the ratchet mechanism and hooks, and most importantly the ratchet itself need to be inspected before use. If any of the aforementioned are inadequate, you stand a good chance of having a loose load and we all know what that can lead to.

Well, upon inspection everything appeared perfect on the products in the Mac’s Tie-Downs Utility Pack. The ratchet assemblies are large when compared to some lesser priced ratchet straps that you might find at big box stores and feature a patent pending “EZ-Release” design. To secure your load to the truck or trailer, Mac’s uses a strong select nylon webbing that gets secured to the ratchet assembly and ?” thick, vinyl coated S-hook utilizing their characteristic “double box” stitch that provides maximum tear resistance under the most extreme loads. This same stitching is also utilized on the 1” x 18” soft loops.

One of my favorite features of these straps is that they are a 1-piece design. This means that you don’t need to worry about feeding the strap through the ratchet mechanism before use. While this might not seem like an important feature to many, I appreciate it because it’s one less item that can get lost or misplaced. Some might see this as a disadvantage in the event that the webbing material becomes damaged from tears or abrasion, but Mac’s offers a rewebbing service that other brands don’t. In fact, you can get replacements for every part of your tie-downs directly from Mac’s to keep your pack in perfect condition.

As for the operation of the ratchet tie-downs, I can’t say enough good things about them when I used them to tie down my ATV and spare parts during a move to my new state. The large, vinyl S-hooks were easy to place on my trailer's anchor points, and by utilizing the soft loops I easily found a good securing point on my ATVs frame without having to worry about the frame paint being damaged. The shining star of the strap assemblies is the ratchet mechanism. I’ve had plenty of ratchet tie-downs from a number of different brands, and the ones from Mac’s are hands down the best I've ever used.

For starters, the ratchet assembly is larger than many competing brands, meaning that it’s easier to grab the handle and release mechanism. Oh…. the release mechanism. This has been the headache component of many ratchet straps, but not with the Mac’s. When you pull the release mechanism, the barrel of the ratchet spins freely so you can loosen the strap with ease. As for the ratchet itself, the operation is smooth and the locks firmly hold the strap barrel in place. Of course with any strap, regardless of how good everything is, I still recommend double checking the tightness of your straps after towing 20 miles or so. As you travel it’s not uncommon for straps to slightly stretch and loosen up

To wrap the review of the Mac’s Tie-Downs Utility Pack, I don’t think you could find a better set of ratchet tie-down straps anywhere for transporting ATVs and large motorcycles. Mac’s has hit it out of the park with the quality of materials and workmanship in this kit. The tie-down’s themselves are amazing, but when you throw in a good set of soft loops, hook and loop bands to make storage and securing of excess strap webbing easy, all with the convenience of a carrying bag, there isn’t another set that I’d want for my hauling needs. Now if you’re looking to haul something larger like a UTV, don’t fret because Mac’s also has a UTV Tie Down Pack that is designed for the additional weight of those loads.

Coming in a close second on our list, the Rhino USA ratchet tie down kit is a good option for those that want a strong set of ratchet tie downs but don’t want or can’t spend as much as our top pick. If you think the name sounds familiar, you’re right as you’ve probably seen some of the other products that they manufacture such as tow straps and recovery gear in addition to the tie down kits.

I was able to get my hands on their Heavy-Duty Ratchet Tie Down kits to see if they were as good as they claim. The kit comes with 4 ratchet tie downs that feature 1.6” wide poly/silk blend webbing straps with vinyl coated S-hooks. These S-hooks also feature integrated safety clips that have a rubber cover to prevent surface scratching. The ratchet assemblies also feature a rubber end-cap design that are claimed to increase comfort when tightening or releasing the ratchet and the straps are secured in place on the hooks and ratchet assemblies using premium double diamond stitching, which Rhino USA claims to provide a breaking strength of over 5,000lbs.

The kit also comes with 4 strap extenders that are made from the same 1.6” webbing used for the tie-down straps, 4 velcro straps so you can secure any unused strap material, and a convenient draw string storage bag to keep everything together and your tow rig uncluttered. Combine all these features with a lifetime warranty surely has to be the winning combination, right?

I tested these straps head-to-head with our Editor’s Choice winning straps while transporting my Honda TRX 450R, with each side of the machine set up identically as the other. Right off the bat, as I wrapped the strap extender around the frame of my ATV I could instantly see a difference between brands. While the 1.6” strap does provide excellent strength, it also does make the strap less pliable when trying to wrap it around a tight corner of an ATV frame. The bulkiness of the wider strap just isn’t as easy to work with. This was also noticeable when securing the strap in the S-hook of the ratchet-tie down. If you just looped the extender through itself requiring only one end to be secured in the S-hook, it was no problem. If you are going to run both looped ends of the extender through the S-hook the bulkiness made it tougher to get properly in place. Part of this issue is just the amount of space you have in the S-hook because of the safety clips placement. It’s not a horrible issue, but just requires more finesse and time to get things secured.

Now to the ratchet assembly itself. Just like the ones found on Mac’s products, these are fairly large giving you confidence that they will hold large loads in place without worry. During transportation, I never had any issues with them and tightening the load down before I left was easy. The difference I found was when releasing the tension of the tie-down when unloading. The Rhino USA ratchet tie-downs do have a smooth release as claimed but didn’t freewheel as easily as our winners when in the release position. In fact, I found that I had to hold the release mechanism back and give some good tugs to get the spool to start unwinding. Again, not a horrible issue, but when compared to our top choice it just wasn’t as easy.

When done you can easily wrap the straps up and secure everything together with the supplied Velcro straps and toss them into the drawstring bags to keep it all together. The bag not as nice as the small, zippered duffle bag as our winner, but still functional just the same.

Are these straps bad? Not at all. In fact, I felt confident in them to secure my ATV down rough country roads. The differences between our two top options are very small details, which you might say are reflected in the price you pay since these cost a little less than a third of our top choice.

if you're in a pinch and on a budget, these ratchet straps from Augo come in clutch! For less than thirty bucks, you get for 15' x 1" ratchet straps that Augo claims to have a 2,200 lb break strength, but have a recommended load capacity of 733 lbs. The straps feature vinyl coated S-hooks that have an integrated safety lock to ensure that your straps won't come free in the event that they loosen up. The ratchet assemblies themselves feature a rubber

For less than $20, the AUGO ratchet tie down straps kit features four 15-foot ratchet straps with a 1,500-pound breaking force and two bungee cords. The ATV and UTV tie downs have coated S hooks to prevent scratching, and what AUGO says is a unique molding technology that “ensures that the handles never fall off and our equipment is completely secure.”

If you've got one of those new multi-passenger UTVs, you'll want use something stronger than your average ratchet strap. Sure some of straps with narrow webbing have a great weight rating, but do you really want to take a chance of your new $40,000 UTV coming unsecured on the highway from a broken strap? The 2" HD ratchet straps from Gaoxin are rated for 10,000 lbs. each and come with super strong J-hooks to secure your UTV to the anchor points of your trailer. You might be scratching your head about where to secure a J-hook on your UTV because we've honestly complained that there simply aren't enough, if any, quality places to secure tie down straps on them. One of the things we feel is great about this set of heavy-duty ratchet straps is that they come with (2) soft-loop extensions. Not only do they allow you to make your own anchor point on your UTV, but they also prevent your paint/powdercoat from being scratched up by the large solid steel double wire J-hooks. Even though they're sold in packs of two, buying enough of these to safely transport your heavy UTV still come in under $100.

Whether it be an ATV or UTV, one of the best way to secure your rig for transport is with the use of a wheel chock tie down system. This kit from Autofonder has everything you need to setup your trailer to secure the wheels of your ride at each corner. While installing the E-track requires a little time, it easily allows you to cinch your ATV or UTVs wheels to the trailer, essentially locking it into place. The 2" x 9' straps feature a nearly 6,000 lb. breaking strength, that are tightened with super strong steel ratchet buckles. The 9' long straps allows you to use this system on both Sport ATVs and UTVs with large tires since the straps are long enough to accommodate tire sizes from 10" to 35".

A tip I picked up from long-haul truckers is to give the ratchet tie down straps a twist before you tighten them down. The most common point of failure comes when the strap wears against a surface and breaks, or comes loose. Having that twist causes the strap to move with the wind and greatly reduces the amount of force the wind exerts on the strap, reducing fatigue on the strap, and on the anchor points. Sounds crazy, but ever since I was told this, I haven’t lost a tie down!

A shot of WD-40 on the ratchet mechanism will save you so much grief, too. When they start to stick, and you know what I mean, spray some good penetrating oil into the ratchet and slowly work it for a few minutes. I always like to use WD-40 because it is naturally based, made from mostly fish oil, do it won't hurt anything it gets on, except maybe a nice, clean shirt. Don't ask me how I know this.

When you use the wheel chock kit, you're strapping down the wheels of the machine at each corner, which in theory shouldn't allow your ride to move at all. While you might be seeing your high-dollar RZR or X3 bouncing around in your rearview mirror from the suspension action, the tires are locked down to the trailer. Ultimately the only way that your machine should come loose would be if you got a flat tire, but the other three wheels should still suffice.

Recent Updates

9/6/2022: Added two product reviews (Mac's Custom Tie Downs and Rhino USA ), updated product links, removed OOS items, added FAQ questions, added additional resources

4/18/2023: Updated with two new products (best wheel chock tie down system and big UTV strap) and added new FAQ question.

Become an ATV insider. Get the latest news first by subscribing to our newsletter here.

We are committed to finding, researching, and recommending the best products. We earn commissions from purchases you make using the retail links in our product reviews. Learn more about how this works.