Or you could have used the loop already built into your strap line.

On your running end, approx 20" from the hook, there is a loop already stitched in the strap. You are supposed to go around the pipe and then hook into that loop so it doesn't keep falling off. In your instance, you could go around the center pipe and then hook onto the one next to it so the hook cannot fall down. For all of us that have straps without that loop, this is a great tip to make life easier. Especially if you are strapping down an ATV etc. Any movement of it could allow the hook to come loose. That is why you can now spend a little more $$ and buy straps with the safety catch on them so they cannot come off. Spending a few extra $$ is better than watching your ATV pass you in the ditch going end-over-end.... lol.

Someone drank all your beer while you were messing with the ratchet straps.

Why not use the ratchet strap under the cooler to tie it down with the handles? That way you don't have to loosen any straps to get inside the cooler.

Thought I knew all the helpful tips with ratchet straps, have used them for years and years personally and commercial. First time seeing this thank you. Thought this was going to be a vid about how to secure the excess strap leftover which Ive known for years and also helpful. Great video, thank you.

Excellent and Nifty little tip. I use these straps several times daily. Thanks for sharing.

This dramatically reduces the working load of the strap, but is probably safe for light loads like a cooler.

Ben! man your technique didn chang my life but it sure got me out of the tie down nightmare i have been FOR YEARS! i tried rubberbands, little bungy cords, tape...NOTHIN WORKED! But your technique worked grrrreat! thank you for sharing. Wish i found this method a long time ago.

Brilliant my man! Just what I was looking for. I had an S hook come loose while transporting a dirt bike on a a hitch rack. Luckily I had a back up strap or I would have lost the bike. This technique will pretty much assure that will never happen. Thank you so much!

Only comment I would make is be careful for heavier loads as the constant road vibrations will cut through the strap quickly where metal and strap rub

Man. U know how frustrating it was to ratchet down cargo boxes to the roof rack by myself. Damn hooks. Thank u!!! Next camping trip using this idea💡 Don’t know how the heck i didn’t think of it.

THANK YOU thats awesome my roofrack sucks for use with the straps cant wait to try this

this is a GREAT idea!! Thanks for the video

Outstanding! Thanks!

Very handy also when your hooks are not big enough to hook onto the tie down point as well.

Thank you for posting this helpful video

It changed my life!!!!!…But, no beer in the cooler 😢

I like it! Adds some flexibility to using the straps.

Just redoing a canoe trailer. I think I can use this on the cross beams. Thanks!

If you don't yet have a tie down or ratchet strap, they sell them with clips that work like carabiners. That prevents them from falling off. Otherwise, good Plan B.

I have a couple of ratchet straps that I cut the 2 hooks off and put on large locking carabiners in their place. Never even thought of the loop method. The loops are certainly easier than mine

Nice tip. Thank you 👍

using strap directly on sharp edges will cause it to fray and shorten it's longevity.

Bloody awesome! One of those you mean to tell me all these years moments. Thankyou mate.

My life is forever changed 😮

Yep, That will change my life lol. Awesome!

Never thought about that thanks

I'd never use that method for tying down anything heavy but it looks like a great idea for securing light loads.

You sir are Genius!!!!

Fantastic tip!!

Simply genius.

Definitely didn’t change my life. Can literally just pull it taut and it’ll be much quicker.

Great idea!

You should have 2 full layers of strap around the windlass to prevent the strap from slipping loose.

Definitely useful! Thanks for sharing! =)

Thank you very much sir

im new to your channel, when are you restocking the fire pistons in your store?

this is beautiful!!!!

Thank you Ben. -Stephen, Ohio

Thanks Ben!!!!!!!!!!

Just go under the bar and drop the hook over the top

Some people have problems that others don’t consider problems…

LOL the cut where you unhooked it. Still a fantastic tip for light loads though!

Drop the hook down and around your anchor point. Loop the strap through the hole of the hook. Put the hook through the loop and snug it tight. Been doing this for 40 years. Will not come off until removed, yet comes apart easily.

I dont know about life changing but ok you figured a different way to use a ratchet strap! Now get the twists out of it before I call the teamsters!

Presenting the king of over thinking. Pretty sure it would be faster every time to just use the hook as designed and hold a little tension in the strap with your free hand. Idk, its just the way i do it. Alternatively they sell these with carabiners instead of hooks which is the easiest to use

Good stuff! 👍

Brilliant!!!

Good stuff! Thanks!

Genius!

Brilliant! 👍😃

I did not see any beer when you opened the cooler. You said it was full 😮

Ya those little sewn in pieces on each end are to run the hooks in

Best way to make a simple job difficult.

Brilliant.

I thought you were going to show us a hack. Wait a minute . How old were you when you figured this out.

That changed my life forever. 😂

Or you could buy the straps with carabiner type snaps on them.

But now the tension of the load contact point is strap against the metal bar of the cargo basket, instead of the metal hook and under heavy loads that strap will tear from the sharp edge of the metal

You have a loop on it all ready

Seriously, this is a great tip but does anyone else think Ben sounds like "Red Green"?

Despite his comment, don’t ever use a ratchet strap to tie down your canoe unless you want a deformed canoe.

Don't pull so much slack out of strap before beginning to ratchet. You want the strap to overlap strap. If it's just on metal barrel, there is potential for it to slip. One complete wrap of strap, at least if load is important to you. Nice trick!

I think I can die happy now!

What your doing is reducing to load capacity of your strap . I know it’s only a cooler but for bigger loads I wouldn’t use it . 🇦🇺

Easier solution is to wrap the strap around the aluminum bar and run back through the hole in the hook.

Good luck getting those straps undone after a rain storm and then they dry in a super tight knot.

Keep some duck tape with yer straps. Just tape the first hook in place.

You can just put the strap through the hook and do the same thing

You have latches on the cooler. Could have literally ran the strap through the handles and placed the hooks towards the front and had access to the contents of the cooler without ever even needing to touch the strap at all.

Just keep tension on it...

Run your strap through your cooler handles.

Should have made the first part black and white with increased frustration

your strap will rub over time and get cut that is why they gave you metal ends to hook onto it is very easy to keep tension on the strap to secure it

Why does everything have to be a life changing hack? 😆 How about calling it thinking?

don’t be scared it’s not a pillow….you won’t get in trouble cutting the white tag of it

My life was changed

HEY!!! Where's the beer!!?

And you effectively reduced the working load limit of the strap by half. Don't use that trick on anything heavier than your beer cooler.

FYI there is a loop sewn into the strap for that reason.

I've seen coolers full of beer... and that sir is not😂

Good tip but was disappointing beecause I did not see any beer in the cooler.

Dad taught me how to tie knots when I was ten.

Hey, where is the beer?

Did you ever wonder what that little tab sewn on the strap is for?

Absolutely changed my life,,, I lost 6 whole minutes on this!!!!

You didn’t slap it when you said “that ain’t goin’ anywhere”. So in fact it will go somewhere. Everyone knows this.

Or you could just throw the cooler in the bed of your truck like a real man.....ohh wait 😂

“That ain’t going anywhere”

Nice hack, not quite life changing but still good hack.

Or you could just use a rope like they are made for. The point of a ratchet strap is to hook onto things and pull them down. What's the point in the hook if you just decide not to use it. Ropes are definitely cheaper anyway so what's the point in the ratchet strap.

I have these same straps! How do you choose to store them? Do you use that little extra loop to fasten it with the velcro?

I don’t know about Y’all, but I don’t have any problem securing a ratchet strap without making any loops.

All that hassle and you forgot the Beer and the Coke a Cola 😱

perty goood

instead of looping, then using the hard hook against the object, why not just take the whole strap around X, then loop and hook to itself ? you'll have fabric against the object instead of the metal hook at an awkward angle

Cool, I tend to buy straps with safety hooks.

Nice 🇵🇬

NYCEEE!!!!!

This hack changed my life soooo much. Everytime my straps would come loose, I'd get pissed, cuss & slap the wife and kids, kick the dog, and use the Lords name in vane. Now, if I could find hacks for all the other reasons I assault my loved ones. Thanks!