Hauling an ATV around from riding area to riding area can be an experience more exciting than most of us care to admit. If you've been riding for long you've probably heard stories about some hapless fellow accidentally unloading his ATV onto a busy highway after a tie-down strap broke or came undone. No matter how you tighten or secure a tie-down strap, they always seem to loosen, break or equally annoying-refuse to loosen after they become wet. Leaving an ATV parked overnight on a trailer in a motel parking lot, secured only with straps, does not make for worry-free sleeping either. Most of us would agree that, if given a choice, straps simply are not the preferred method of securing an ATV to a trailer. The expense of purchasing a new enclosed trailer or a Highrider may not fit within the budget. So what is the solution? OUTdoor INovations' Trailer Vise is undoubtedly one of the best and most cost-effective ways of securing an ATV to a trailer that we've ever used.

The Product:
    The ATV Trailer Vise fits most ATVs with stock tires and fits some ATVs equipped with the increasingly popular bigfoot tire kits. Made of heavy-duty square tubular steel, the ATV Trailer Vise is both rugged and durable. Originally only available in black, you now have two new color choices-glossy red or blue. All three colors are applied as a high-quality, powder-coated finish, which should stand up well to the abuse of everyday use. The vise is available in a single or double chain model. While we never had a problem with a chain slipping off of the tire on our evaluation machines, we can see where the double chain model may provide some extra security for ATVs equipped with narrower tires. The manufacturer does offer custom sized chains for a small additional charge.

Installation:
     The ATV Trailer Vise is designed to fit any flatbed trailer and can be adapted for the back of a pickup truck. In the case of a Snowmobile trailer, installation is a breeze. The same tommy bolt used to secure the ski tie-down bar to the trailer's bed can be used for fastening the Trailer Vise to your trailer's bed. Simply unscrew the tommy bolt, (standard on snowmobile trailers) set the trailer vise in place, align the hole and then screw the tommy bolt back in. Voila! The whole installation process takes about three minutes.

  Adapting the Trailer Vise to fit other flat-bed trailers, or for installation in the back of a pickup truck, is straightforward and relatively easy. Simply drill holes as needed through the trailer bed or the vise and then bolt it down.

Use:
     Drive your quad up until the front (or rear) tires contact the upright metal stops. Lift the bar up against the rear of the tires, wrap the chain over the top of the tires and place the end of the chain snugly onto the locking device. Fold down the hinged top of the lock device, and you now have a secured quad! We found that we can load an ATV using the Trailer Vise in about three minutes compared to the 10-12 minutes it takes us when using straps.   

  One of the slickest features of the Trailer Vise is the ability to padlock the locking device shut, effectively making it impossible to steal your ATV without cutting the lock or chains! Additionally, when you get to your destination, the Trailer Vise can easily be removed from the trailer bed and placed on the ground. Then lock your ATV into the Trailer Vise and you have a nifty theft deterrent when sitting around camp! Simple, safe, effective and secure!

The Test:
    We have used the Trailer Vise extensively for over nine months, which included thousands of miles of traveling. We have never had a problem with the quad moving or sliding on the trailer. In only one instance, we did find that we had to back a modified Polaris Sport 400L into the Vise. The front-end of the Sport 400L was modified and much wider than stock, so it didn't fit when loaded forward. Backing the Sport 400L into the Vise wasn't an inconvenience and actually made unloading the machine easier!

What can we say? It is hard to find anything that we don't like about the Trailer Vise. There are no pull straps to lose or break, and the Vise is much quicker and easier to use than anything else we've ever tried. It installs easily, works fantastic, and it is safer than conventional tie-down systems. We highly recommend it.