A working load limit, not a breaking strain

The best motorcycle straps and cargo nets for 2026

Straps are rated by two different numbers, and confusing them is the reason things come loose. The breaking strain is the load at which the strap fails; the working load limit is what it is rated to hold in use, and it is a fraction of the first. Only the second is a specification to use, and reputable makers publish both, clearly labelled. A listing that quotes one large number without saying which it is has told you very little. The second decision is the buckle. A ratchet applies far more tension than hands can and is right for securing a machine in a van; on soft luggage it applies enough force to crush a bag or bend a rack. A cam buckle applies hand tension and no more, which is exactly right for a tail pack and not enough for transport. Riders who do both need both, and the mistake is using a ratchet where a cam buckle belongs. Then the ends. Bare metal hooks mark paint and can come off a rail when tension drops; soft loops pass around a frame or a handlebar and give the hook something to close on, and they are the accessory that makes the rest work. Length is published and matters more than it looks: a strap that is twice as long as needed has a tail that flaps into a wheel. Cargo nets are judged on mesh size, on the number and type of hooks, and on whether the cord is elastic throughout or only at the edges. We compare the published working load limit and breaking strain, buckle type, hook and end fittings, soft loops, length and, for nets, mesh size and hook count.

These parts compared, figure by figure

1. 

   Rhino USA HDKIT-4PK

   A four-pack of 4 cm by 2.4 m ratchet straps rated at 2,000 kg with electro-galvanised ratchets, coated S-hooks and a lifetime replacement warranty.

   Rating

   2,000 kg (from the title). The listing does not state whether this is a break load or a working load limit.

   Dimensions

   4 cm × 2.4 m, four straps (from the title)

   Release

   EZ-Release system with a patented end cap, stated to protect the ratchet mechanism (maker’s bullet)

   Construction

   Electro-galvanised ratchet, ergonomic padded handle, coated S-hooks (maker’s bullet)

   Warranty

   Lifetime replacement warranty (maker’s bullet)

   Standard cited

   None — the LoadCare set in this family cites DIN EN 12195-2.

   Amazon reference

   DE B07JHGKFXQ · US B0CHMCN44T · GB B07JHGKFXQ · FR B07JHGKFXQ · IT B07JHGKFXQ · ES B07JHGKFXQ

   EAN

   0711841545291

   • A lifetime replacement warranty, which is the longest commitment in this family
   • A padded handle, which matters when four straps are tensioned in the cold
   • Publishes one load figure without saying whether it is break load or working load — and they differ by about three times

   Best for: Frequent transport, where the warranty is the argument.

   ≈ £48 / €56

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2. 

   LOADCARE 770105

   An eight-piece motorcycle strap set with four 1.5 m ratchet straps at LC 300 daN and four 0.3 m adapter loops at LC 800 daN, tested to DIN EN 12195-2.

   Load capacity

   Straps LC 300 daN, adapter loops LC 800 daN — tested to DIN EN 12195-2 (maker’s bullet)

   Standard cited

   DIN EN 12195-2, with the company certified to ISO 9001 by DEKRA (maker’s bullet)

   Contents

   4 two-part ratchet straps of 1.5 m with secured S-hooks, plus 4 adapter loops of 0.3 m (maker’s bullet)

   Webbing

   25 mm polyester in grey, stated resistant to abrasion, weather and UV (maker’s bullet)

   Hooks

   S-hooks with a safety catch (maker’s bullet)

   Break load

   Not published — LC is the working figure and it is the one given.

   Amazon reference

   B0H624FBRB (one reference across 5 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   4262429277173

   • The only set here citing a standard AND publishing LC figures in daN
   • Soft adapter loops included, and rated separately from the straps
   • 1.5 m straps are the shortest in this family

   Best for: Transporting a machine where the figures need to mean something specific.

   ≈ €25

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3. 

   Ohuhu Y60-82000-41

   Four 40 mm by 4.6 m ratchet straps publishing both a 500 kg working load and a 1,500 kg break load, with rubberised S-hooks, safety clips and soft loops.

   Working load

   500 kg (maker’s bullet)

   Break load

   1,500 kg (maker’s bullet)

   Dimensions

   40 mm wide, 4.6 m long, four straps (maker’s bullet)

   Hooks

   Rubberised S-hooks with safety clips, stated to prevent them falling off (maker’s bullet)

   Soft loops

   Included, to avoid damaging load and equipment (maker’s bullet)

   Labelling

   Labels with legal information are attached to the webbing (maker’s bullet)

   Amazon reference

   B08H4HFTSH (one reference across 4 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   6934911708035

   • The only set here publishing BOTH load figures, which is what makes either of them readable
   • Safety clips on the hooks, so a slack strap does not drop its hook
   • No standard cited, where the LoadCare set names DIN EN 12195-2

   Best for: Any transport where you want the working number, not the headline one.

   ≈ €40

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4. 

   FORTEM FRTM-RTDS

   A set of four 4.57 m ratchet straps published at 748 kg break strength, with stainless steel rubber-gripped handles, four soft loops and a storage bag.

   Break strength

   748 kg — the maker names it as break strength, not a working load (from the title)

   Working load

   Not published — a working figure is typically about a third of a break load.

   Contents

   4 metal ratchet buckles with rubber grips, 4 soft loop straps, 4 heavy-duty S-hook straps 2.54 cm wide, in a bag (maker’s bullet)

   Length

   4 × 4.57 m (from the title)

   Handles

   Rubber-coated stainless steel with a smooth, easy release (maker’s bullet)

   Standard cited

   None.

   Amazon reference

   B081794JZT (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   0819853025029

   • Names its figure as BREAK strength rather than leaving the type unstated
   • Soft loops and a bag included at the lowest price in this family
   • 748 kg break implies a working figure around a third of that, and it is not published

   Best for: Light loads and occasional transport, where the whole set including loops is the point.

   ≈ $25 / £20 / €21

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5. 

   AUGO 4-R-4-SFTLP

   Four 4.5 m ratchet straps rated at 1,000 kg with rubber-coated S-hooks and moulded handles, supplied with four soft loops, two bungee cords and a storage bag.

   Rating

   1,000 kg, published as "Tragkraft" — the listing does not state whether this is a break load or a working load.

   Length

   4 straps of 4.5 m (from the title)

   Hooks

   S-shaped, rubber-coated, stated not to scratch (maker’s bullet)

   Handles

   A moulding process the maker states ensures the handles never come off (maker’s bullet)

   Extras

   4 soft loops, 2 bungee cords, a storage bag (from the title)

   Standard cited

   None.

   Amazon reference

   B01N2RK6IO (one reference across 6 Amazon marketplaces)

   EAN

   0688474024977

   • Four soft loops AND two bungees in the box, which covers tying down a machine and its loose bits
   • Handles moulded rather than pinned, addressed as its own design point
   • The 1,000 kg figure is not qualified as break or working load

   Best for: A complete transport kit in one box, where the extras matter as much as the straps.

   ≈ $40 / £35 / €29

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