The Spare Strap Every Mobile Hunter and Camper Wishes They Had Two of
Cam straps are one of those quiet pieces of outdoor gear that nobody talks about until the moment they suddenly need one. Lashing a treestand to the trunk. Cinching a kayak to the roof rack. Wrapping a load of firewood for the trip home. Pulling a tarp tight over a wet pile of gear in the back of the truck. The XOP Cam Strap Set, 8 Foot 2 Pack, lives in that exact slot in the kit. It is not flashy, but it is the kind of piece you reach for ten times a season and never regret packing.
This article looks at why the XOP Cam Strap Set has become a quiet favorite at Lotz Outdoors: where it fits, how to use it well, and who should keep a pair in the gear box.
What You're Looking At
- Brand: XOP (Xtreme Outdoor Products)
- Type: Cam-buckle utility straps, sold as a 2-pack
- Length: 8 feet each
- Working load: Rated to secure up to 350 lbs per strap
- Material: UV-treated polyester webbing with metal cam buckle
- Weight: Roughly 8 oz per strap
- Best fit: Mobile treestand and saddle hunters, kayak and canoe anglers, campers, climbers, anyone hauling gear in a truck or trailer
One Quick Cinch, No Knots, No Slip
The real value of a cam-buckle strap is what it removes from your routine. With a length of rope or a piece of paracord, every tie-down job becomes a small knot-tying exercise: which knot, in what direction, will it hold when wet, will it release after a day in the sun? Ratchet straps solve the holding problem but introduce their own friction: bulky hardware, awkward release levers, and stitched ends that wear out near the buckle. The cam buckle splits the difference. Feed the webbing through, pull tight, and the spring-loaded jaw bites the strap. Pop the release lever to free it. No knots, no levers stuck in the down position, no relearning the system every spring.
For mobile hunters who are constantly moving stands, sticks, and platforms, that simplicity translates directly into time in the woods instead of time fighting hardware. For paddlers and campers, it means you can tie a load down in the dark, in the rain, with gloves on, and trust it to be there in the morning.
Why This Cam Strap Set Earns a Spot in Our Gear Box
A few things separate a strap you trust from a strap that lives in a tangled ball at the bottom of a tote.
Real-world 350-pound working capacity
The 350-lb rating is enough for nearly every typical outdoor use: securing a treestand or saddle platform, lashing a cooler to a UTV rack, tying down a generator, holding a canoe or kayak to the roof bars. You are not pushing the strap to its limit during normal use, which is where straps tend to fail.
UV-treated polyester webbing
Polyester resists stretching better than nylon, and the UV treatment slows down the sun fade and brittleness that ruin cheap webbing left on a roof rack all summer. That matters if you leave straps on a kayak trailer or hunting rig for weeks at a time.
Eight feet is the right length for most jobs
Shorter straps frustrate you as soon as the load is bigger than a single cooler. Longer straps end up with three feet of tail flapping in the wind. Eight feet is the sweet spot for a treestand on a trunk, a kayak across a crossbar, or a stack of camp gear in a truck bed.
Sold as a pair
Most tie-down jobs need two straps, not one. A 2-pack means you can do the job with one purchase instead of buying singles and ending up with mismatched hardware.
Where the XOP Cam Strap Set Earns Its Keep
Hanging and moving treestands
If you are running mobile, the cam strap is the friend of every stand and platform you own. Use one to hang a hang-on stand temporarily while you adjust the angle, then back it up with the manufacturer ratchet. Or use the cam strap as a daypack-friendly substitute when you are scouting a tree and want to clip a stand at the right height without committing.
Securing kayaks, canoes, and SUPs
Two 8-foot cam straps will lash a kayak or canoe to most crossbars or J-cradles. Cam straps have a big advantage over ratchets for kayak hulls: it is almost impossible to overtighten one and crush the boat. You pull until the load feels firm and the buckle holds, and the boat stays in shape.
Camp setup and tarp tensioning
A cam strap will pull a ridgeline taut between two trees, snug down a footlocker on a campsite, or hold a tarp corner against the wind better than rope and a clove hitch. When the wind shifts at 2 a.m., the cam buckle gives you a tug-and-done adjustment without having to retie anything.
Climbing gear hauls and rope coils
Climbers and arborists use cam straps to bundle ropes, lash gear to a haul pack, and cinch crash pads onto a vehicle. The 350-lb working load gives plenty of headroom for a packed rope bag or a stacked pair of crash pads.
UTV, truck bed, and trailer tie-downs
For the trip from the truck to the hunt or the boat ramp, a cam strap secures coolers, ice chests, gas cans, generators, and packs against the side rails of a truck bed or trailer. No knots, no levers, no creative bungee work that lets the load shift on the first dirt road.
Is the XOP Cam Strap Set the Right Strap for Your Setup?
This 2-pack is built for hunters, paddlers, climbers, and campers who want a clean tie-down for medium loads. If your typical haul is in the 50 to 300 pound range, the working load is well within range and the cam buckle is easier to live with than a ratchet. If you are securing heavy equipment, a loaded ATV, or anything that needs verifiable preload, you want a ratchet strap rated for that load instead. Most outdoor users land squarely in the cam-strap zone, which is why this set has become one of the most repeat-purchased small accessories in the store.
Common Questions About the XOP Cam Strap Set
Will the cam buckle slip when wet?
Cam buckles bite the webbing mechanically rather than relying on friction, so a wet strap holds nearly as well as a dry one. Give the tail a firm tug after cinching and you can ride out a soaking weekend without losing tension.
How do I keep the straps from fraying?
Two habits help. First, cut a clean angle on the tail (a few inches at 45 degrees) and singe the end with a lighter to seal the fibers. Second, store the straps coiled or hung rather than balled, so the webbing does not abrade against itself in the bottom of a tote.
Are these legal for car-topping a kayak across state lines?
For recreational car-topping with a polyester cam strap of this rating, two well-cinched straps plus bow and stern lines is a standard, widely accepted approach. For long highway trips, also add a bow line and a stern line for redundancy. State DOT requirements vary, so check your state if you are hauling commercially.
How long will the webbing last?
With UV-treated polyester and reasonable care (rinse off salt water, do not store wet), a working set commonly lasts many seasons. Replace any strap that shows cuts, melt marks, or stitching damage near the buckle.
Can I tie two straps together for a longer run?
You can daisy-chain by feeding the tail of one strap through the buckle of the next, but the connection is the weakest point. For long runs, use a single longer strap rated for the load.
A Tip From the Lotz Outdoors Bench
Coil your cam straps the same way every time and your gear setup time drops dramatically. The trick: lay the strap flat, then fold the buckle end back about 6 inches, then begin rolling toward the buckle while keeping the webbing flat. Tuck the tail into the last coil so the strap stays bundled. When you grab it next time, the buckle ends up on top, the tail pulls free in one motion, and you can feed it directly into the buckle without untangling. Hunters tying stands in the dark before dawn will appreciate this small habit by the third tree of the season.
Outdoor Users Who Should Have a Pair (or Three) in the Kit
- Mobile and saddle hunters who haul platforms, sticks, and tarps in and out of the woods.
- Kayak and canoe anglers who car-top to the put-in each weekend.
- Climbers and boulderers who lash crash pads and ropes to their car or pack.
- Campers and backpackers who want a reliable tarp tensioner and gear bundler.
- Truck and trailer users who haul coolers, generators, and gear without wanting to learn a fresh set of knots.
- Anyone who has cursed at a tangled ratchet and wants a cleaner tool for medium-duty jobs.
The XOP Cam Strap Set at a Glance
The XOP Cam Strap Set, 8 Foot 2 Pack, is a pair of cam-buckle utility straps designed for outdoor tie-down jobs. Each strap is 8 feet long, made of UV-treated polyester webbing with a metal cam buckle, weighs about 8 oz, and is rated to secure up to 350 lbs. It is built for hunters, paddlers, climbers, and campers who need a fast, no-knot way to lash treestands, kayaks, canoes, tarps, rope bags, crash pads, coolers, and gear in trucks or trailers. It is a versatile, repeat-purchase accessory at Lotz Outdoors and is best used for medium-duty loads in the 50 to 300 pound range.
Add the XOP Cam Strap Set to Your Outdoor Kit
The straps you keep in the truck are the straps you end up using, and the XOP Cam Strap Set, 8 Foot 2 Pack, is a clean, dependable choice for nearly every outdoor situation a 350-lb load can throw at you. If you have ever fumbled with a tangled ratchet in the dark or watched a cooler shift on a logging road, this is the small upgrade that pays you back every trip.
See the XOP Cam Strap Set at Lotz Outdoors and add a pair (or three) to your gear box.
