Tension belts are used today in many different areas. The range of applications is quite wide, ranging from road load securing straps to straps used to close backpacks and bags. They are extremely robust and made of high quality fabric. When used correctly, they simply fulfill all tasks flawlessly.

Straps – General

Straps are made of high quality fabrics, mainly polyester tape. The really high-quality models, which are used for special purposes, are also made of nylon. In order to reduce or eliminate their elongation during use, the straps are pre-stretched during their manufacture. Thanks to the impregnation of the upper layer is very dense and extremely resistant to various influences and soiling. The standard straps are manufactured in widths of 25, 35, 50 and 75 mm. When it comes to tear resistance, it can range from 250 daN to 10,000 daN, depending on the model. Lashing straps have a closure for easier attachment of the respective load. At the end there are either eyelets or hooks for attaching and fixing the tension belt, which can be additionally tensioned by means of a ratchet. These ratchets are very often made of stainless steel. In addition, these are often fully galvanized. These ratchets provide the necessary security of the cargo during its transport. An ERGO long-lever ratchet, for example, can not jump on its own, providing additional safety. Some straps are completely dispensed with the end fittings.

Application areas

The areas of use for the straps are diverse. As an aid for load securing in road traffic, they are simply irreplaceable. Because here they ensure that loose objects are attached so that the cargo remains securely in place during transport. The straps used are so high-quality that even with full braking the load does not slip. To secure the load, chains or steel cables can be used in addition to the tension straps. The respective width of the tension belt depends here on its intended use, as well as on the type of cargo to be fastened. The respective versions of the straps differ from the different load classes. Otherwise, there are legal regulations for the tension straps that are used in road traffic for load securing. If there is a traffic accident due to insufficiently secured cargo, a fine or even a fine or imprisonment must be expected. The tension belts used in road traffic are subjected to special testing procedures for their professional use. Subsequently, the permissible breaking loads are printed on the straps. If this test plate is missing, the straps must not be used.
However, there are no legal requirements for the other areas of application for the strap , This is used here for example on hiking rucksacks, in the industrial sector as well as in everyday life for attachment of backpacks, bags and luggage.

The most important feature: stretching

So that straps can provide the necessary security, they must not stretch too much. The industrial straps that are tested are not allowed to stretch more than seven percent. Such straps, which have a professional use, have an elongation of five to seven percent. In contrast, inferior products, which do not have a test certificate, in some cases have an elongation of up to 30 percent. Therefore, these offer by far not as much safety as the high quality models. These are certainly a bit more expensive in price. But considering how much more security these provide, it’s basically not worth it to resort to inferior products. At least not if safety should be in the foreground. For straps whose intended use does not require such high resistance, inferior straps may be sufficient. In road traffic, straps without a test certificate are not permitted at all and are out of the question. Because even the tested straps are subjected to regular checks and immediately exchanged for the smallest defects. Because only in this way both damage to the vehicle and personal injury can be avoided.