ATV Accessories And Tools - Abused

EK USA Ratchet Cat Tiedowns
It's a circus around here every time we try to load up to go ride. Our cramped underground parking garage offers only dim lighting and a very low ceiling height, so we usually load upstairs. Above ground, cars are constantly zooming around the blind corners of our tight parking lot, so we have to watch our backs as we load to keep from getting clipped by a Hyundai.

Enter EK USA's Ratchet Cat tiedown straps. You're probably thinking, "How much is there to say about tiedowns? They either work or they don't." The problem is most of the time they don't work. Picture this scenario: You're anxious to catch a couple of hours of ride time, but you're just starting to load up and it's already 1:45 p.m. By the time you get to your spot and unload, it'll probably be close to 4:00, but you're bound and determined to ride no matter what! You manage to get your ATV onto the trailer but struggle to get your ratchet straps opened and untangled. You pull on that tiny release lever as it painfully digs into your fingers, and try to wiggle the mechanism loose. Every time you use the things, it seems like they've been mysteriously glued together. Cussing ensues, but as much as you hate ratchet straps, you have to admit that they do pull down harder than any nonratcheting tiedown ever could, so you reluctantly continue to fool with them. Sound familiar?

The only difference between EK's Ratchet Cats and other ratcheting tiedowns is the Ratchet Cats' handles are larger and rubber-coated. However, these two small changes make all the difference in the world. First of all, the handle is actually big enough for a man-size index and middle finger to be wrapped around it. Second, the larger-than-normal release handle is also coated in rubber, a welcome addition that is especially appreciated during winter. Never again will we have to pull over to do quick roadside tiedown adjustments with bare, chapped hands as the cold metal painfully digs into our skin.

Available in 18 color combinations, the Ratchet Cats retail for $39.99 per pair. That sounds expensive, but I once got taken for $20 for a regular pair of cheesy tiedowns at Target in an emergency, and they were less than half as good as the Ratchet Cats. When you consider it that way, the price of the Ratchet Cats seems about right. The available bright color combinations are cool-looking, but they did get filthy after the first use, so my favorite would have to be plain ol' black. The plastic-coated hooks seem nice at first but the coating eventually tears with enough use, just like every other tiedown you've used. I'd like to see some type of hard powdercoating on the hooks. However, the Ratchet Cats use a "soft loop" option in which the strap forms a loop and hooks back onto itself, so the only thing tugging on your expensive handlebar is the strap material itself and not a hook, thus preventing any potential scratches.

In summary, these straps just plain work, and won't test your patience when you're antsy to get out of Dodge and go ride. Try a pair of Ratchet Cats and you'll wonder why you ever put up with the painful, anti-ergonomic handles of other ratchet straps all those years.-Brian Purtymun