Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps Review: Is It Worth It?

If you’re like me, you have “The Pile.” It’s that tangled, chaotic, angry ball of old, frayed, orange and black ratchet straps sitting in a plastic tote in your garage. You know, the one you have to fight with for 20 minutes every time you need to tie something down? My main intent here is to tell you to stop the madness.

If you are done with untangling, winding, and flapping strap-ends, you need to buy the Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps. They are the “easy button” for cargo, and I’m telling you, as someone who hauls cargo every week, this is the upgrade you deserve.

My Experience With Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps

My relationship with ratchet straps has always been one of pure, unadulterated frustration. I’ve owned trucks and trailers for my entire adult life. I’m an avid kayaker, a DIY homeowner, and the “friend with a truck” who is always called on to help people move. This means I am constantly strapping things down. My “system” used to be a milk crate full of those cheap, 15-foot orange straps you get at the hardware store.

The process was always the same:

1. Pull the whole, tangled “bird’s nest” out of the crate.
2. Spend 10 minutes untangling the one strap I need.
3. Hook one end, then walk the other end over the cargo, usually dropping the ratchet mechanism on my foot.
4. Feed the way-too-long strap into the ratchet, pulling 10 feet of slack through.
5. Crank, crank, crank.
6. Now I have 8 feet of leftover strap-tail. I have to tie this in three different knots, loop it around the main strap, and tuck it in.
7. Get on the highway and, invariably, the “thwack-thwack-thwack” of the strap-tail I “secured” starts flapping against the side of my truck.

I hated it. It was, without a doubt, the worst part of any project.

I had seen retractable straps before, but I was skeptical. They looked like a gimmick. They looked like a cheap, oversized tape measure that would jam the first time it saw a speck of dust. But my old straps were frayed, and I needed a new set. I saw the Rhino brand online. They looked… different. The reviews were good. They were a US-based, family-owned company. The handles looked “beefy,” not like the flimsy, painted-metal ones I was used to. The marketing video showed exactly what I wanted: a one-button-click and the strap was gone.

I bit the bullet. I bought the 1″ x 10′ four-pack.

The moment I picked up the box, I was surprised. It was heavy. These were not toys. I took one out. The mechanism was the size of my fist and felt solid. The handle was a thick, ergonomic, rubber-coated grip that fit my hand perfectly, even with gloves on. The S-hooks were thick, high-carbon steel and fully coated in rubber, not just a tiny, painted-on tip.

The first “test” was helping my brother-in-law move a refrigerator. I hooked one end to his utility trailer, pulled the strap over the fridge (which was wrapped in a blanket), hooked the other end, and click, click, click. It was “guitar-string” tight in about 10 seconds. The best part? No tail. No slack. No “what do I do with this 8 feet of extra strap?” It was just done.

But the magic… the moment that sold me forever… was the release. On a normal ratchet, you have to pull the release lever and fight the mechanism to get it to go “flat” so it spools out. It’s a two-handed, knuckle-busting affair. With the Rhino, I just held down the red release button, and zzzzzzip. The 10-foot strap retracted into the housing in about two seconds. My brother-in-law, who was already starting to wind his old, messy strap, just stopped and said, “What… what was that?”

I was sold. I immediately bought another set for my roof rack. The “real test” for me is my kayak. It’s a 12-foot, 80-pound fishing kayak. Strapping it down used to be a 15-minute ordeal. With the Rhinos? It’s two minutes, max. I get on the highway, and the most beautiful part is the silence. No “thwack-thwack-thwack.” No high-pitched “humming” from a strap vibrating in the wind. Just the sound of the wind.

When I get to the lake, I press two buttons. Zzzzzip. Zzzzzip. The straps are off. I toss the two “pods” into my trunk, and I’m on the water. No coiling, no tangles. They are, without a doubt, the best upgrade I have ever made to my truck.

Read More: My Thoughts On Sunnyglade Slackline Kit

Pros Of Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps

• The Obvious: The Retraction Mechanism is a Life-Changer: This is the #1 reason you buy this, and it works perfectly. It completely, 100% eliminates the “bird’s nest” of tangled straps in your truck bed. It saves so much time and, more importantly, frustration. You will never, ever again have to untangle a strap. You will never again have to meticulously “coil” a strap just to watch it immediately unravel. You pull out exactly what you need, and when you’re done, it’s gone in two seconds.
• Massive Improvement in Highway Safety and Noise: This is a “pro” I didn’t even think about until I used them. That flapping “tail” on a standard strap is not just annoying; it’s a danger. It can come loose and flap against your paint, wearing it down. It can get caught in a wheel well. It can flap itself to ribbons on a long drive, weakening the strap. The Rhino’s self-contained system means there is zero excess webbing. The strap is tight, and that’s it. This also eliminates that infuriating “thwack-thwack-thwack” or “hummmmmmm” sound on the highway. My drives are silent now.
• Superior “Overbuilt” Construction: These are not a gimmick. The entire unit is overbuilt. The ratchet mechanism is beefy. The handle is a large, ergonomic, rubber-coated grip that you can actually get your whole, gloved hand around. This allows you to get real torque when you’re ratcheting down, far more than with those tiny, flimsy, flat-metal handles. The S-hooks are thick, high-carbon steel and fully encased in a non-marring rubber, so you don’t have to worry about them scratching your truck’s paint or your trailer’s anchor points.
• The “One-Button” Release is Fast and Simple: This is the other half of the “magic.” You don’t have to fight the ratchet mechanism to get it “flat” to release. You just hold down the large, obvious, red release button, and the strap spools out. When you unhook it, you just tap the button, and it retracts. It turns a 2-minute un-strapping and coiling job into a 10-second “click-and-go” process. This is especially amazing in the cold or rain, when you just want the job to be over.
• US-Based Company and Lifetime Warranty: This is a huge peace of mind factor. Rhino USA is a US-based, family-owned business. They are not a faceless, “white-label” drop-shipping brand. They have a reputation to protect, and they stand by their product with a Lifetime Warranty. If your strap frays, if the mechanism jams, you can actually call them and get a real, English-speaking person who will send you a new one. That warranty alone is worth the premium price over a generic, disposable strap.
• They Look Professional and Clean: This is a vanity “pro,” but it’s real. When you secure a load with these, it just looks clean. There are no knots, no flapping tails, no tangled mess. It looks professional. It looks like you know what you’re doing. It’s a small detail, but it makes me feel good about my setup.

Cons Of Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps

What To Keep In Mind

• The Price is a Significant Jump: This is the most obvious “con.” You can buy a 4-pack of standard, messy, orange ratchet straps for $20-$25. A 4-pack of these Rhino Retractables is going to cost you significantly more. You are paying a massive premium for the convenience, the build-quality, and the warranty. For someone who only uses straps once a year to tie down a Christmas tree, it’s probably not worth it. For a regular user like me, it’s a “buy once, cry once” investment.
• They are Heavy and Incredibly Bulky: This is the necessary trade-off for the retraction mechanism. A standard 1″ strap can be rolled up into a tiny bundle and tossed in your glove box or under your seat. One of these Rhino units is the size of a large grapefruit and weighs a couple of pounds. A 4-pack of them takes up a lot of space in a truck-bed toolbox or a storage bin. They are not compact.
• The Mechanism is Vulnerable to Dirt, Sand, and Ice: This is the Achilles’ heel of all retractable straps. That retraction spring is in a housing, but it’s not hermetically sealed. If you are an ATV rider who is constantly in the mud, or a beach kayaker (like me) who is always around sand, you have to be careful. If you drop this in the sand and then retract it, you are sucking all that grit right into the spring mechanism. This will cause it to jam, grind, and eventually fail. It requires more care than a simple, “dumb” strap.
• You are Limited to the Fixed Length: The 1″ x 10′ model is perfect for 90% of my jobs (kayak, furniture, truck bed cargo, ladders). But the one time I had to help someone move a massive, side-by-side refrigerator? The 10-foot strap was just too short. With a standard 15-foot strap, I’d have no problem. You can’t “add length.” You’re limited to that 10 feet, period. You have to buy the right size for your most common jobs.
• They Can Be Too Easy to Release (User Error): This is a weird “con,” but it’s a real one for beginners. The big red button is so easy to press. On a standard ratchet, the mechanism is “locked” when you close the handle. On these, the ratchet is always locked, but the release is always available. I’ve seen a new user accidentally press the release button instead of the ratchet handle when trying to tighten it. This is a “user-training” issue, but it’s a possibility.

Maintenance Tips For Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps

How to Protect Your Investment

• Rule #1: Keep Them CLEAN: This is my most important tip. That retraction mechanism is your best friend and your worst enemy. It hates dirt, sand, and mud. If you drop it in the dirt, DO NOT retract it. You will pull all that abrasive grit right into the spring. My rule: I take it home, extend it fully, and use my air compressor to blast the mechanism, the strap entry point, and the ratchet itself. This blows out all the dust.
• Rule #2: Dry Them Out (The “Anti-Mildew” Tip): If you haul your boat, kayak, or anything else in the rain and the straps get soaked, DO NOT retract them. This is the #1 way to kill these. You will be retracting a wet, muddy strap into an enclosed space. It will mildew. It will stink. And it will rust the internal spring mechanism. My rule: I get home, I extend the strap all the way out, I clip it to a rafter in my garage, and I let it hang overnight to dry completely. Then, and only then, will I retract it for storage.
• Rule #3: Lubrication is a “Dry” Job: Over time, especially after getting wet, the ratchet mechanism can get a little stiff. Your first instinct is to spray it with WD-40. DO NOT do this. WD-40 is an oil-based lubricant that will attract dirt, dust, and sand, creating a sticky, gritty paste that will destroy the mechanism. You must use a DRY lubricant. I use a PTFE spray (like you’d use for a bike chain) or a silicone spray. I extend the strap, spray a tiny amount only on the ratchet cogs and the release button’s moving parts, and wipe off all the excess. This keeps it smooth without creating a sticky mess.
• Rule #4: Inspect the Webbing (The “Safety” Tip): This is a tip for all straps, but it’s important. Before every single use, do a quick “pinch-and-pull” inspection. Run your hand along the entire length of the extended strap. You are feeling for frays, nicks, sun-fading, or cuts. A tiny 1/4″ cut on the edge of a strap can dramatically reduce its break strength. If you find a cut, do not use it. This is what the Lifetime Warranty is for. Contact Rhino. Don’t risk it.
• Rule #5: The “Storage” Tip: Because they’re bulky, don’t just toss them in a pile in your truck bed. They’ll roll around, get rained on, and get full of dirt. I bought a simple, cheap canvas tool bag. My 4-pack of Rhinos lives in that bag, clean, dry, and ready to go. It keeps them from getting banged up and, most importantly, keeps them clean.
• Rule #6: Don’t Be a Hero (Respect the WLL): My straps are rated for a “607 lbs Working Load Limit (WLL).” That does not mean they can hold a 2,000 lb pallet. That WLL is for a static load. A load that bounces (like on a trailer) exerts far more force. My rule: use more straps than you think you need. If I’m hauling one 300lb freezer, I’m using two straps. That gives me a combined WLL of over 1200 lbs and provides redundancy in case one fails.

Comparison With Other Brands

Rhino isn’t the only “easy” strap, but after testing a few, it’s the one I stuck with. Here’s how it stacks up.

Rhino Retractable Straps vs. Standard “Budget” Straps

• The Main Difference: The main difference is convenience vs. cost. A standard strap (like the cheap, bright orange ones) is just a piece of webbing and a ratchet. It’s messy. It’s cheap. It’s frustrating. The Rhino is a premium-convenience product. It’s a self-contained system.
• My Verdict: If you use straps once a year to tie down a Christmas tree, save your money and buy the cheap ones. If you use them once a month (or more), the Rhino straps are a life-changing upgrade that you will thank yourself for every single time. The “cost-per-use” becomes worth it very, very quickly.

Rhino Retractable Straps vs. Erickson Retractable Straps

• The Main Difference: This is a very close, “apples-to-apples” comparison. Erickson is another huge name in the cargo world, and their retractable straps are very good. Their mechanism is smooth, and they are also well-built. The main difference I’ve found is in the ergonomics. The Erickson handles are often a bit “boxier” and more “standard” feeling, whereas the Rhino handle feels like it was specifically molded for your hand.
• My Verdict: Both are excellent. You won’t be mad if you buy the Erickson. But I’ve found the feel of the Rhino handle, the “beefiness” of the hooks, and the customer service from the US-based company to be a clear step above. Rhino feels more “premium heavy-duty.”

Rhino Retractable Straps vs. CargoBuckle G3

• The Main Difference: This is a philosophy difference. The Rhino is a portable strap. You hook it, use it, unhook it, and store it in your truck. The CargoBuckle G3 is the other premium name in retractables, but it’s designed to be permanently bolted to your trailer, truck bed, or ATV rack.
• My Verdict: This isn’t a “which is better” question. It’s a “what do you need” question. For a permanent setup on my utility trailer, I would 100% buy CargoBuckles. They are always there, ready to go. But for my portable needs—hauling things in my truck bed one day, my roof rack the next, and my friend’s trailer the day after—the Rhino is infinitely more versatile.

Also Read: My Thoughts On Thule T2 Pro XTR

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Conclusion

My final word is this: just buy them. The frustration of tangled, flapping, messy straps is a “death by a thousand cuts.” The Rhino Retractable Ratchet Straps are the one-time, premium upgrade that solves that problem forever. It’s the best $50 (or so) I’ve ever spent on my truck, period. You’re not just buying a strap; you’re buying time and convenience. They are worth every single penny, and I will never go back to a standard, messy strap again.