The most dependable and versatile way I’ve found to secure loads on my truck is with a 12-ft. line and three knots.
In my experience, products that try to outsmart knot know-how tend to have fatal flaws. I’ve seen more bungee cords lying on the highway than securing gear, I’ve seen the result of a snapped bungee in my friend’s glass eye, and I’ve often wrestled with ratchet straps that have frozen open or closed.
The right knots are faster and easier to use, and they work better. A 1/4-in. braided-nylon rope and three knots—the bowline, trucker’s hitch, and slippery half-hitch—help get my load down the road. I’ve tied down everything from a few pieces of trim to thousands of pounds of lumber. It takes a bit of practice, but once your brain and fingers figure out the dance, you’ll always know how to do it, like cutting crown or riding a bike.
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