Tying down gear and the prusik-loop

What do you use to secure gear in the back of a truck or trailer such as an ATV, motorcycle or other gear? Do you use the bright orange ratchet tie-down straps? How many of these straps have you seen that have come loose and dropped in the middle of the road? I suppose that if you wanted to risk the traffic, you could have quite a collection. I think that ratchet tie-down straps can be useful but there’s a right way to use them and a wrong way.

Before tie-down straps became popular, ropes were used to secure loads. A rope and properly tied knots will do a great job. I’ve secured loads on mules, on vehicles and on helicopters using various rope methods but I’ve never used tie-down straps - I don’t trust them. Although these straps are relatively easy to use, they have limitations. I trust ropes and knots – but then I’m old school.

Most ratchet tie-down straps have “S” shaped hooks on the ends. Easy to hook on to ATVs but also easy to unhook and fall off if the straps loosen during transport. This happens because most loads are not rigid but have some “give”, like the springs on an ATV or motorcycle. When the transporting vehicle goes over a bump, the springs of the ATV compress and the tie-downs loosen. After a few bumps, the tie-downs could fall off and become road kill.

The best tie-down straps I’ve found have clips on the ends that close around the object it’s tying down and on the anchor point. The problem is that many times the clips can’t fit around what there’re trying to hook to. Enter a prusik-loop.

Prusi loops, store bought above, homemade below.

A prusik-loop is a tool used in rope rescue to attach to another rope or anything else for that matter. It’s made from a short, about 3-foot long, piece of high quality 8-millimeter static rope that’s tied into a loop using a double fisherman’s knot (check the web site for animated knots – fisherman’s knot and prusik-loop). Because the rope has a breaking strength of 2,500 pounds, this loop is almost unbreakable. The loop is wrapped around the object being tied down with a girth hitch (again, check animated knots on the web) and the tie-down clip is attached to the loop and then tightened. Should the strap become loose, it won’t fall off because the prusik-loop keeps it on the object and the tie-down strap clips keep it on the prusik-loop. Just be careful that there are no sharp edges that can cut the prusik-loop.

What is really cool about the prusik-loop is that the loop can be tied around a rope, called the host rope which should be larger in diameter than the rope of the prusik-loop, with a prusik knot and it holds by friction. If you release pressure on the prusik-loop knot, it’ll slide along the host rope. Set the loop by tightening the wraps and it’ll hold your weight. During my Search and Rescue days, I used the prusik-loop to rescue people from cliffs when I was by myself and had no one to help with the subject. I used two prusiks on the host rope, one attached to the waist D-ring on my harness and the other on a loop for my feet. Like an inch worm, I worked my way up/down the rope hauling the subject along for the ride. The subject was attached to my rescue harness using a Swiss seat and, of course, a prusik-loop.

This can be very exciting for both rescuer and subject. I was even asked by one person I rescued, “Have you ever done this before?” With a smile on my face I told him, “Sure, I do this all the time.” He believed me even though it was actually my first time in a real rescue scenario - practice rescues aren’t the same thing!

I carry three prusik-loops in my day pack made out of 6-millimeter cord and six to ten prusik-loops in my vehicle made out of 8-millimeter cord. You can buy factory sewn prusik-loops from a climbing store but I’m budget minded and make my own. I buy 18-feet of cord at a climbing store and have it cut into 3-foot lengths. I then have them sear the ends so the rope doesn’t unravel. Finally, I make the loops using the double fisherman’s knot. Cost per loop is about $1.20.

Ratchet strap attached to prusik-loop with girth hitch around item to tie down.

To effectively tie down gear I suggest you learn how to make prusik-loops, how to tie a girth hitch and use tie-downs with clips rather than “S” hooks. Let’s try to keep our roads free from orange road-kill.