Cam Straps Are Ideal for Overlanding – Here’s Why

Overlanding represents a unique way to get out and see the world. To do it comfortably, you need to take a certain amount of equipment with you. Among the many items on your equipment list are the tiedowns you will use to both secure cargo during travel and set up your camp at the end of the day. Cam straps are ideal for this purpose.

A cam strap is a specific type of tiedown that incorporates a nylon mesh strap with a cam buckle. It is similar to the ratchet straps truck drivers use to tie loads to flatbed trailers. The big difference is the buckle.

Cam straps are ideal for overlanding. Below are four reasons explaining why. If you are not familiar with how a cam buckle works, it might be helpful to study up on this so that you understand the following points more clearly.

1. Cam Straps Are Easy to Use

First and foremost, cam straps are stupidly easy to use. The designers behind the Rollercam brand say it is all in the cam buckle’s design. If you can thread a strap through a buckle, you can use a cam strap without breaking a sweat. There is no learning to tie knots or struggling to pull ratchet straps tight. And when it’s time to unpack, the flip of a switch safely releases the strap in question.

2. Cam Straps Are More Efficient

In terms of actual function, cam straps are more efficient than any other tiedown option. But don’t think ease-of-use here. Think efficiency in terms of the amount of work necessary to realize maximum benefit.

When you use a ratchet strap, you generally need to pull pretty hard to get it tight. You need to pull it beyond the desired point so that, when you let it go, it backs itself into the ratchet. You don’t have to do that with a cam strap.

A cam buckle is designed to allow the strap to move through the buckle with almost no friction. Additionally, there is no need to pull the strap beyond the desired position because the cam buckle grips and holds secure without any extra effort. In the end, you can tighten down your load with less effort and guarantee it is actually as tight as you want.

3. Cam Straps Are Versatile

The cam buckle’s design guarantees that cam straps are incredibly versatile. You can use them to secure cargo to the top of your rig during travel. They will hold down everything from tents to water coolers and bikes to canoes. When it’s time to set up camp, your cam straps can double as tiedowns for your tent or tarp.

Cam straps strung between two trees become laundry lines. Wrap one around a load of firewood and carry it over your shoulder. You will get more wood in a single trip. A cam strap can pretty much be used for any application that would otherwise require rope or a bungee cord.

4. Cam Straps Are Durable

Provided you invest in a name brand, like Rollercam for example, you’ll find that cam straps are pretty darned durable. They aren’t bothered by water or direct sunlight. They are less susceptible to UV breakdown. And if you buy straps with stainless steel cam buckles, you will not have to worry about rust.

When it comes to cargo securement, very few tiedowns work as well as cam straps. You may be partial to rope, ratchet straps, or bungee cords. But just try cam straps once. You’ll discover they are ideal for overlanding. You may never go back to your other choice again.