Over the years I have used many different products to transport motorcycles on trails and racetracks. I bought a canoe and needed new straps and I took them because the ratchet straps can be too tight. The system is a little tricky until you get the hang of it, but once you get the hang of it, it's amazing. Being able to place the buckle where you want it is great for getting it right. If you can place it, you can adjust it to give you the best mechanical advantage when closing. My only two complaints are that one of the rubber pads fell off on first use. Not a problem as I placed the buckle where it didn't touch the canoe and the canoe is old so I wasn't worried anyway. Secondly, it is strange that the longer version is cheaper to buy than the shorter one. I bought a long one and then cut it to the length I wanted and melted the ends and now it's perfect.