Product Review: Lockstraps
In a utopian society perhaps concepts such as theft and the measures taken to guard against it will be a forgotten concept but until then it’s a pretty shady world in which we all live.
There are many products on the market designed to lessen the risk of ATV theft (or at the very least require more effort than the would-be criminal can invest) but perhaps none so cleverly integrated as the Lockstrap.
What is it?
It is a tie-down strap not unlike any other that you would use to fasten down your ATV or side-by-side to the bed of your pickup truck, trailer, box van and so on. The difference here is that there are two key theft-prevention systems integrated into an item nearly every ATV enthusiast on the planet already has to invest in: These tie downs feature a programmable combination lock to be released and double nylon construction with a steel cable running cleaning down the center.
How Do They Work?
In short, not unlike any other tie down you’ve ever used. The biggest difference in this situation is the combination lock feature. Rather than simply pressing a tension-release then unhooking the tie-down hook from your machine, the Lockstraps require the successful input of a 3-digit combination to release the locked hooks. Unlike your high-school locker, however, you can decide what the 3-digit combination can be yourself and it can be changed as many times or as often as you see fit.
The hooks themselves are rubber-coated (hence removing the risk of scratching/ scoring metal surfaces) and the straps are good for 1,200 pounds apiece meaning even the heaviest UTVs are eligible for support.
In the Real World
Setting up the combination is a breeze. You simply depress a small lever with a pen when the hook is open and dial in the three digits of your choosing. Release the detent and you’re good to go. Of course the only downside is that it’s your responsibility to remember what you decided on so if there’s a chance of having a brain fade, be sure to write down the combo each time you change it.
We don’t wish to suggest that the additional nylon and steel cable make these straps impervious to cutting. A determined thief with some resources and time would be able to get through these straps. But like anything else in the theft-prevention department, the idea is generally to make it more effort than the thief is willing to invest or to demand enough time that the risk of being caught in the act is too great. In that line of reasoning, every little measure helps and these straps are certainly much, much more difficult to deter than simply releasing a standard tie down.
Conclusion
Anyone who has ever traveled to the races or transported their ATV to a recreational area (or in some cases even stored their ATV on their own property) understands the fear of turning their back, even for a moment. The Lockstraps provide a priceless respite to such concerns. We especially appreciated this peace of mind when performing such simple tasks as say heading into the gas station to pay for your fill up or checking in to the hotel.
At .99 each, the straps can be used as a single deterrent (kind of like a giant version of your old bicycle chain/lock), a pair can take the place of traditional tie downs (handle bar to latch points) and resourceful users can use several Lockstraps to anchor multiple points of their ATV (making theft attempts that much more difficult).
In the end, it’s tough to put a price on peace of mind and while no theft deterrent measure is infallible, we do appreciate anything that makes it more difficult for a thief. We strongly recommend the Lockstraps product for doing just that.
Contact
For more information, head over to Lockstraps official site:
For the price of admission, do you think these theft-protection tie downs give you peace of mind? Or do you want to give the manufacturer a piece of your mind for charging .99 per strap? Whatever your opinion, discuss it here!