Frequently Asked Questions
Answers on strapping, buckles & system performance.
Answers to the most common questions about Redback woven strapping, composite cord strapping, cargo lashing, buckles, tensioners, and applications. Questions organized by topic below — use a specific product or contact us if you don’t see what you’re looking for.
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Buckles, Clips & Seals: Terminology
3 questions
Do you sell clips?
Many people confuse bent wire buckles for clips. Redback offers a full range of phosphate and galvanized buckles to go with our woven and composite strapping. We even have heavy duty ladder buckles for our cargo lashing. Please see our products tab for the buckle sections or give us a call to learn more about buckles.
What is the difference between a strap clip, a buckle, and a seal
This is mostly a confusion in terminology. Woven and composite strapping uses bent wire buckles and our cargo lashing uses heavy duty ladder buckles. “Clip” and “seal” are sometimes used to refer to the same thing, but this is not entirely accurate — the strap is secured with tension and does not clip onto anything. The terms are often carried over from people’s past experience with steel banding.
What is a banding clip
Woven and composite strapping are used with wire buckles — phosphated for woven, galvanized for composite. The term “clip” is often held over from steel banding terminology. If you’re unsure what should be used with a certain strap, refer to the relevant product page or contact us.
Matching Straps to the Correct Buckle
10 questions
What is the correct buckle for woven vs. composite strapping?
Phosphate buckles are the correct match for woven strap, and galvanized buckles are the correct match for composite strap. It is important to use strap and buckles designed to work together — watch Redback Buckles Stay Closed for more detail.
What buckle coating goes with which strap?
The wire buckles for woven strap have a phosphate coating; the wire buckles for composite strap are galvanized.
Can I mix and match buckles with woven and composite strapping, or use my old clips?
It is not advisable to use galvanized buckles with woven strap, or phosphate buckles with composite strap. While it’s often physically possible to fit a strap into a similarly-sized buckle from another source, there’s no way to know what system strength that combination actually produces without lab testing. It’s best to pair Redback strap with Redback buckles — watch Redback System Strength to see why this matters. If you’re trying to solve a specific performance issue, contact us to discuss it directly.
Can I use steel banding seals on woven and composite strapping?
No — you need the matched buckle for the strap you’re using. See Redback Strapping for how the system works.
Is a galvanized buckle a stainless steel buckle? Are galvanized buckles the same as bright finish buckles?
Galvanized buckles are galvanized steel, not stainless. Galvanized buckles typically appear lighter and shinier than phosphate buckles, though not all galvanized buckles are shiny.
What's the right gauge for phosphate or galvanized wire buckles?
It’s important to get not just the right gauge, but the proper geometry and coating. We have buckle suggestions on all of our strap product pages to make this easy. contact us if you want to confirm the right buckle for your strap.
Does buckle geometry actually matter?
Yes — see 5 Star Performance for a demonstration of why geometry, gauge, and coating all affect real-world system strength.
How do I know if my buckles (or strap) have a quality coating?
It can be hard for an untrained eye to tell a good coating from a subpar one. For buckles, the safest way to be sure is to buy from Redback. For strap, one warning sign is flimsy, overly soft material — a sign of a skimped coating, though this alone won’t tell you the full story. Buying from Redback or a Redback-exclusive distributor is the surest way to guarantee quality on both.
Do Redback buckles have a weather-resistant coating?
Yes. Redback buckles have a heavy duty coating designed to perform in all weather conditions.
What is the buckle efficiency of woven and composite strapping?
Redback buckles have a high joint efficiency, generally around 70%. See Redback vs. Competitor (/redback-vs-competitor/) for a direct comparison against other systems on the market.
Tensioners & Tools
10 questions
What is a strapping gun / What tensioner do I use for woven or composite strapping?
Woven and composite strapping is secured with a windlass tensioner — a tension-based system where applying proper tension is essential to getting full performance from your straps. Redback offers a variety of tensioners, and a high quality tensioner will generally last years longer than steel banding or extruded PET strapping tools. Give us a call to confirm the right tool for your strap.
Is there a difference between a PET/extruded tensioner and a woven/composite tensioner?
If you’re using a buckle with your PET strap, the difference can look small at first glance. In practice, though, the gripper foot, maximum tension, and durability differ significantly for woven and composite strap. While it’s sometimes physically possible to use a PET/extruded tensioner on woven or composite strap, it isn’t advisable. If you’re using a friction weld tool for PET or extruded strap, it will not work on woven or composite strap at all, since those are secured with a wire buckle in a tension-based system.
Do you have automatic strap guns?
Redback offers battery powered and pneumatic tools alongside the popular windlass tensioner options. These aren’t fully automatic strap guns — you’ll still need to thread the strap onto a wire buckle before using a powered or unpowered tensioning tool. This applies to Fromm-style automatic guns as well: our powered options still require threading onto a wire buckle first.
Do you have battery powered or pneumatic tensioners?
What is the cheapest tensioner I can use, and why would I pay more?
Our disposable TRT6 is an extremely affordable option. That said, achieving proper tension is essential to getting rated performance from any strap — under-tensioned straps are the most common cause of loose loads, unsecure buckles, creep, sag, and reduced impact resistance. A heavy duty tool’s higher quality parts and repairable design also mean it typically lasts years longer than an inexpensive one.
Where can I get a good heavy duty tensioner?
How long does it take to tension woven or composite strapping?
Not much time at all — see our Tips and Tricks video for how quick the process is, even while getting familiar with windlass tensioners.
Do you sell everything I need to use woven and composite strapping?
Yes — carts and accessories/tools are in the marked sections of our Products page.
Does Redback offer cord strapping kits?
What tools do I use to secure the strap (band clamps, crimping, heat sealing)
Woven and composite strapping is a tension-based system using a buckle — it does not use crimping tools or heat sealers. See Redback Strapping to watch how the material is secured.
Strength, Elongation & Performance
7 questions
Does composite or woven strapping stretch or elongate? How stretchy is it?
All strap has some elongation. The more important question is how much of that elongation is pulled out during initial tensioning, and how much “creep” occurs after the load is secure. Redback straps stay tight on your loads and produce consistent, all-weather, long-lasting system strength.
What is the linear break strength vs. system strength of woven and composite strap?
Linear break strength is end-to-end strength — if you pulled a piece of strap apart until it broke, that number is its linear strength. System strength is the strength of the strap and buckle together in loop form, which is what actually matters in the field. Each strap has its own linear break strength listed on its product page. For example, our RBC65 has a linear break strength of 1,375 lbs but a system strength of 2,200 lbs when paired with the correct buckle. Redback displays system strength on all category and product pages, so you can compare directly against the linear strength of steel banding you may be replacing.
What is the tensile strength of Redback products?
It depends on the specific item. Our range spans from half-inch material around 1,000 lbs all the way up to 18,000 lb system strength cargo lashing.
What is the optimum tension, and what tension levels can woven/composite strapping achieve?
This depends on the strap and application. For higher tension needs, choose a high-strength strap and buckle combination and a heavy duty tool such as the TM325 for 3/4″ straps or the TM375 for up to 1-1/2″ strapping, such as our AAR Grade 5 CW125. Give us a call to talk through your specific application.
Is composite or woven strap heat resistant?
Yes — Redback strapping performs well in all weather conditions. The one limit: avoid applications running over 200°F.
Does woven and composite strapping have the same quality/strength as steel?
Redback strapping has superior tensile strength in most applications and better impact resistance than steel banding. It’s also safer — it will not lash back dangerously, will not cut your hands, and is much easier to dispose of. See our Redback vs. Steel flyer for a full comparison.
How do I get maximum strength out of Redback strapping?
Always pair Redback strap with Redback buckles, use the recommended buckle for your chosen strap, and use a high quality tensioner such as the TM325.
Applications & Industries
7 questions
What range of industries and applications can use woven and composite strapping?
Virtually any application currently using steel banding is a strong candidate for woven or composite strapping — it’s safer, stronger, and less expensive, with a better hold that better protects both product and personnel.
Is this suitable for cargo securement, maritime, intermodal, boxcars, or shipping containers?
Yes across the board. AAR and cargo shipping are common applications for Redback woven and cord strapping — see our full Cargo Lashing line for AAR-approved options suited to rail, ocean containers, flat racks, boxcars, and intermodal shipments. For export packaging specifically, see CW105AAR and RBC105AAR.
Can woven and composite strapping be used in the steel industry?
Yes — in fact it’s often a better option than steel-on-steel banding, since avoiding steel-on-steel contact reduces product damage. Our superior impact absorption is especially useful when transporting steel and metal materials.
Is Redback strapping good for heavy, heavy-duty, or medium-duty loads?
Yes to all three. Woven and composite strapping excels with heavy loads, odd-sized loads, and irregular shaped objects, and is also an excellent fit for most medium-duty shipping and cargo securement applications. If your load is currently being strapped with anything else, Redback is very likely a good option — contact us to talk through specifics.
Is Redback good for non-compressible or moderately settling loads?
Yes, it’s frequently used on lumber, scaffolding, crates, steel, and other non-compressible products. For settling loads: unlike steel banding — where you can only pull out existing slack — you can apply extra tension to a woven or composite strap. This doesn’t guarantee a settling load stays perfectly tight, but it does help mitigate the risk.
Does woven/composite strapping secure the complete load, or do I still need corner protection, dunnage bags, or airbags?
Strapping provides loop securement, not a complete wrap like stretch film — it’s up to you to determine how many straps your load needs, and whether additional securement (dunnage bags, airbags, anti-slip sheets, friction mats) makes sense for your specific shipment. If corner protection is standard practice for steel banding on your load, it’s a good idea to keep using it with woven or composite strapping too, since the load is still under real tension even though the strap itself is gentler on the corners. Contact us to talk through your specific application.
Is this a viable, economical alternative to steel banding?
Yes. Redback strapping is safer, stronger, and less expensive than steel banding, and our tools are less expensive and easier to repair than steel banding tools. If you’re a distributor interested in discussing customer conversions from steel to Redback, contact us.
Cargo Lashing Specific
5 questions
What is cord lashing / cargo lashing strap?
Cargo lashing is Redback’s heavy duty lashing designed for AAR, cargo, and heavy haul applications — typically used with a ladder buckle instead of a wire buckle. See our full Cargo Lashing line.
What is the difference between lashing and truck straps?
Truck straps generally refers to 4″ wide straps with a built-in ratchet, made from a different material and generally not intended for securing pallets, bundles, or large cargo. Contact us if you have questions about which is right for your application.
Do you carry lashing hooks or cargo strap hooks?
Yes — we carry both buckles and hooks. A common hook used for cargo lashing is the RLH40E.
Do you sell dynamic load buckles, and what is a dynamic load buckle?
Yes — see our Lashing Buckles page. A dynamic load buckle is a ladder buckle with enhanced friction, designed to provide a better hold when a shipment experiences repeated impacts or vibration. In most applications, though, a well-performing standard ladder buckle is all that’s needed.
How do you use a lashing buckle or secure lashing straps?
Redback cargo lashing is a tension-based system — see Redback Lashing for a video showing several ways to apply and secure our lashing straps.
Ordering, Packaging & Logistics
3 questions
How many coils are on a pallet or in a box?
Generally 108 coils of woven strapping and 90 coils of composite strapping per pallet; cargo lashing varies more, so check the specific product page. Most strapping ships two coils per box, though a few items (like the CW40 and RL150) ship four per box — always check the individual product page before ordering.
What is the minimum order quantity, and can I only order by the pallet?
You can order by the box (typically two coils), though better shipping rates are available at the pallet level. We do prefer pallet-level orders when possible.
Where can I find product details or a break strength comparison?
The Products page has our full range of categories and product pages, each listing linear and system strength. Generally, compare the linear strength of your current steel banding to the system strength of the woven or composite strap you’re considering — the final choice is a judgment call based on your application.
About This Page
Have a question that isn’t answered here? Contact us or call **425-455-9200** — our team can walk through your specific application and recommend the right strap, buckle, and tool combination.