When my friend came to pick me up for camping, he secured our stuff in the back of his pickup truck with something I’d never seen before: bungee cords with carabiner clips rather than hooks.
I immediately started asking him where he got them and how he liked them — the answers were Sierra Trading Post, and he loved them. I have a love-hate relationship with bungee cords. They are really useful for securing things, but the hooks get tangled in everything and they can come loose at the most inopportune time.
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What I really like about these bungee cords is that the end is round without any protrusion, so they can be threaded through and around cargo without catching. I also like that once you clip it onto something it stays put until you unclip it.
Then today I was browsing a local sports shop and found these CargoLogic Snap Hook Flat Bungees. They are a little more expensive than standard bungee cords at $4 for a single 25″ bungee, but I picked one up to test anyway.
When I got home I looked online to see if I could find a more universal — and hopefully cheaper — source. I found that Home Depot actually carries similar bungee cords, in 24″ and 48″ lengths. They are made by Keeper, a brand I’m not familiar with. The carabiner hooks are aluminum and the straps are made from rubber with a UV resistant jacket. They claim the hooks are 3x stronger than “conventional” hooks.
The 24″ bungee costs $4, while the 48″ costs $5.
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After searching for a while longer, the bad news is that $4 for a 24″ strap is the best price I could find for a single bungee strap with carabiner ends, but I did find a set of 15 straps of varying length on Amazon for $21.
These Rocket straps are a little different; they do have aluminum carabiners instead of hooks, but the carabiner ends are free to rotate rather than being encased in plastic. They are also have an 8mm core of a 50/50 blend of rubber and latex.
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I still have some questions and/or reservations about this style of bungee cord. For instance, how durable are the carabiner clips? They are cheap clips made from aluminum, with no weight rating, so can they really withstand the load?
My experience with cheap carabiners is that the gate spring is usually the first thing to fail, either locking the clip open or closed, or allowing the gate to flop around. Is this a failure mode I can eventually expect?
I’m also not sure if it’s more useful to have the carabiner clips move around the loop at the end of the bungee or if encasing the connection in plastic makes them easier to use. I suspect it’s easier to grab and control the bungees with the carabiners encased in plastic, but the more flexible end might be useful in some circumstances.
Norm Huizenga
I’ve had some for a long time… but mine came in a kit. It was a modular type system. Not sure if it’s made anymore, but I did find it 3rd party on amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/22-Pc-Smart-Bungee-System/dp/B001P9BQU8
fred
I’ve had a batch of these “smart bungees” also from Joubert SA (sounds French but made in Malaysia) for almost 10 years. they are not the most rugged. I may have bought mine at Lowes
I also have used one from Nite Ize – some that let you adjust length. These I probably bought at Home Depot – but Amazon sells lots of Nite Ize items
https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=nit+ize+bungee&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Anit+ize+bungee
The carabineer ends on the one that Ben pictured – look like they may be a bit more robust.
I second Ben’s concern about possible failure modes. Most of this stuff is relatively light duty, OK for camping , covers on the picnic table, maybe a tarp on a roof rack – but even bungees “called heavy duty” would not be what I’d trust to secure a heavy load in transport. Like with all hold downs, riggers straps etc. bungees have a useful life, need to be inspected for wear and trashed when no longer serviceable.
Brian M
I also have that modular system (A holiday HD set) which is super useful in the right application. It’s a bit annoying when trying to do something that a regular bungee would be perfect for but for larger applications, it’s great.
Nathan
I don’t seem to have had issues with bungee cords coming off before. I mean I might go a bit crazy when I use them but I guess I just always place them such as to keep them in constant tension mode. Or lucky – never discount lucky.
To that end – I don’t know that I’d like a latched connection for ALL uses. But I see the appeal. IE I think I’d still want both types.
As far as load ratings – I’d worry less about that AL carabiner than I would the cord itself. Usually when I see a bungee break it’s at the hook to cord interface anyway and it’s the cord that comes apart. So I suspect those “cheap” AL pieces are plenty strong enough. Nice find I might have to look for one or 2 to keep around.
Matt
With the Rocket straps it doesn’t look like it would be difficult to change the carabiners out for a nicer weight rated one. I’m thinking these might need to go in my hiking bag.
mike
Not a fan of bungee cords. I’ve had them come off while holding stuff on my motorcycle. Things that can bounce will work themselves loose. I prefer straps the I can cinch down and won’t come off till I release them.
Azlehria
For securing loads on my bike, I’ve had very good results from a small bungee net. OTOH I have the net on top of a tail bag and hooked down on the subframe. Anything too small to tension up the net goes in the tail bag or tank bag.
John
Can’t beat 15# for $21.
Biggest benefit for me is anti-tangle ends.
True, cheap hinged gates may not be super long lasting, but I tend to lose bungees before the caribiner will likely fail.
Scott K
These work well for shallow boat moorings- we use them to connect sunfish to buoys anchored in shallow water. They work well, but the clips aren’t very durable.
Brian
I woke in a high school theatre, and these have been amazing for the kids attaching a wrench to their pants so they don’t fall. Simple fix for a possible dangerous situation.
firefly
I have used multiple Keeper brand tie down products in the past and they all have performed flawlessly.
I really like the bungee cords with carabiner clips. The one with just the hook is pretty dangerous. While it’s true that one should wear safety glasses while using it’s easy to overlook. So the one without the hook are just inherently safer.
For heavy load I typically avoid bungee cord all together. I do use the one with the carabiner to secure my ratchet strap hook on trailer without etrack in case the strap work themselves loose.
ktash
Nice find, Benjamen! Tonight I was struggling with bungee cords, trying to get a futon mattress in a van via a dolly. It worked ok, but these would have been a better way to attach it to the dolly to get it to the van. I’ll certainly try them, not sure which brand, though.
JoeM
Wow… I need these! Thanks Benjamen! I’m ALWAYS losing bungee cords, and it’s usually because the ones I have had in the past are so cheap at both ends that they get themselves thrown away by mistake, holding onto something else or just breaking.
Now I’m on the lookout for these up here in Canada! With current political situations going on, this may be more difficult than it sounds.
KokoTheTalkingApe
I detest bungees. They are a sure way to bind a load with insufficient pressure. I once was riding my bike behind a buddy, and he had a heavy load bound to his rack with a bungee. He went around corner, the load leaned out, pulling on the bungee, which stretched, letting the load lean out more, stretching the bungee more, etc. It actually pulled the bike right over, almost when he was out of the turn. He was lucky to come away with just a few scratches.
Also, bungees are a safety hazard. When you undo them the free end can come whipping around at your hand or your eyes. When there is just a hook at that end, that’s bad, but other terminating hardware like these carabiners can be bad too. Often there is no way to release the tension slowly. You just have to let go of the bungee end and duck.
Adjustable bungees at least let you control the tension somewhat. But they are still weaker and less secure than ropes.
If you want to bind a load securely, use ropes and knots. They are versatile, secure and cheap. No need for carabiners or other hardware. Just good knots.
fred
With all the rope connectors (figure 8’s, figure 9’s, cam-jams etc.) that are out there – I take it that many folks detest tying knots. Sometimes a connector is the best way to go for the application – such as in climbing or when a quick release might be needed. But other times a simple binding is easier and just as secure.
Securing one end of the rope to an anchor point can be as easy as using 2 half hitches. So secure one end of the rope to an anchor point on one side of the item to be held down. Then create a loop (simple overhand, figure 8, alpine butterfly, bowline etc. ) along the run of the rope (called the bight). Run the rope over the load and loop it through the next anchor point on the far side. From the far side anchor point run the loose end (running end) of the rope through the loop you made. Then pull on the running end to cinch up the load tying it off with two half hitches.
Hilton
You’re speaking my language now Fred. I learnt a ton of knots during my scouting days and I prefer to use rope to tie stuff down. Ratchet ties are great of course but only a mad man would use bungee cords to tie a load down on the back of a truck.
KokoTheTalkingApe
Absolutely. Sailors and lumbermen have been using ropes and knots for eons, usually in much rougher conditions, and with greater consequences for failure, than most of us will ever deal with. You just need to learn a few knots to handle most jobs.
But even bad knots are usually better than bungees. I think bungees are good for building giant, dangerous slingshots, things like that.
firefly
I think it depend on the environment that we are in. For example we transport commercial appliance on our trailer from time to time and I have found ratchet strap with etrack and load bar give me the best result. Even though there is a learning curve to ratchet straps as well it’s a much smaller learning curve. Especially when I bring an inexperience helper along the way to help me. Ratchet strap are great when the load shifted a little and we need to cinch it down just a bit more along the way.
KokoTheTalkingApe
Sure, ratchet straps and load bars are also fine.
Do you know of a situation where a bungee is better than ropes OR straps?
Benjamen
I’ll wrap bungees around lumber to keep it together in the back of my truck — still securing it with straps if it’s going to move around. If I have gas cans in the back I’ll just throw a bungees around them and hook into my bed loops to keep them from moving around. When I’m carrying boxes like Rubber made containers or coolers I’ll wrap a bungee around the box to keep the lid from flying off. I use a tarp in the back of my truck when I’m hauling leaves to the compost yard. I use bungees through the eyelets to wrap up the tarp and keep the leaves from flying out.
That’s a short list. Could I use rope or a ratchet strap? Sure, but the bungees are faster. When something needs to be tied down, I use ratchet straps. Ropes could work too, I know some good knots, but I’m lazy and ratchet straps are easier to crank down.
firefly
What Ben said, fairly light load. It was my wife favorite method to secure a few bag of trash on our cargo carrier. We did have a fairly nice bungee cord at just the right length. It make tie down a snap. Nowadays we resort to a retractable ratchet for such task. It wasn’t so much that the ratchet is superior but I have since lost her favorite bungee cord and I just happen to have many retractable ratchet straps available.
The bungee cord that we had come from an assortment similar to this https://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-Flat-Bungee-Cord-Assortment-6-Piece-JB6FSB/206850901 So it was big, flat with very large well coated hook. The hook wasn’t sharp in anyway.
firefly
On a related note, there is a ratchet strap called the shockstrap. It’s very much the marriage between a bungee cord and a ratchet strap. I haven’t have the need to use it for my particular application but from what I gather it’s a well made product with a decent following from the ATV/UTV/Motorcycle crowd.
So there is value in the elasticity of the strap in tying down a load beside just become a giant sling slot.
firefly
fred, I wish there is a video to show all that you just said. I know I can look at each knots individually and have a rough idea but they just aren’t the same.
fred
There are videos on line that show you how to tie a “trucker’s hitch” – a variant of what I talked about. I prefer making the loop with a bowline on the bight – or alpine butterfly as they are not prone to slip or loosen up.
firefly
Having watched several YT video on the trucker hitch before I kinda guess what you said was a variant of the trucker hitch. I have never practice using it in real life but from what I can see there is some finesse in execution on how to tie the final knot after cinching down the load.
Nathan
yeah sorry while I was a boy scout and got that card I don’t like tying knots all the time for stuff either.
I keep 3 things bungee cords and ratchet straps and hemp rope. (I don’t like plastic rope call me crazy).
I use the rope rarely – I used the ratchet straps probably the most. Bungees are nice to have to stability while strapping or to quickly set something.
Matt
While admittedly significantly more expensive than a standard bungee cord, these bridge the gap between ratchet strap and bungee cord. I’ll never go back to a standard bungee cord. Especially for securing light loads in the back of a pickup truck and such.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FB6TXA/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&th=1
Joe
Gotta ratchet strap loads…but…..I have the rocket strap kit $15 for15 bungees, awesome. I replaced each aluminum carabiner ends with heavy duty ones.,before I used them as the ones that came had weak springs . That’s what makes the rocket straps great , the bungees are HD , and you can replace the ends…
Coach James
If I had to use a bungee, I would prefer a carabineer, but I still stick with ratchet straps and rope. I always worry about the hook breaking lose from the rubber or not being able to get the tension as tight as I want.
Coach
Jason
I’ve been happy with bungee cords from The Perfect Bungee. It looks like several of their products could accommodate carabiners.
I agree though that rope and good knots are often what I default to. For those that don’t have that skill set, get yourself a set of Pro-Knot cards, and keep it in your glove box.
Tl
The standard bungee with metal hook are very unsafe. I have seen two incidents where the hook has been stretched and come off the anchor point and did major injury to the eye. In one case it was responsible for loss of vision. After these incidents we banned all use of them. The carabineer is worth any extra cost
Hang Fire
I’ve driven 100 miles with 5 bicycles on a hitch tray secured only by bungee cords… and 100 miles back… at each end, bikes were exactly as I secured them.
Also you can tie knots with bungee cords. It’s not like knots and bungees are mutually exclusive.
No matter what your load or your method to secure it, you have to know what you’re doing to make it work. I like the carabiner idea, but I won’t be buying until I’ve lost or worn out the bungees I already have.
firefly
^^ knowing what you are doing always help.
Just curious what kind of bungee cord do you have?
Jared
Bungees always seem to be to short or to long so I also bought a nite ize cord at Lowe’s and absolutely love it. Adjusts to any size. Used it a ton!
Benjamen
Ooh! I have to pick up some of those too.
Here’s the link to the website: http://www.niteize.com/product/KnotBone-Adjustable-Bungee.asp
Looks like Cabela’s have them in store cheaper than most places online: https://www.cabelas.com/product/Nite-Ize-KnotBone-Adjustable-Bungee-Cord/1168173.uts
Pat McGuire
I’ve been making my own for years. Bulk bungee cord is a lot less expensive and so are some decent Carabiner assortments. By the way, one should seldom use bungee cords stretched so tight that if one breaks it could cause serious injury.