Hive straps failing within a year of use

[Murox]

I have a problem with straps degrading rapidly and breaking. I have simply been using ubiquitous ratchet straps so I suspect that quality is poor to start with and am wondering about the webbings abilities to withstand the sun/weather for any length of time. Can anyone suggest/recommend a particular brand or material that will last longer?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I have a problem with straps degrading rapidly and breaking. I have simply been using ubiquitous ratchet straps so I suspect that quality is poor to start with and am wondering about the webbings abilities to withstand the sun/weather for any length of time. Can anyone suggest/recommend a particular brand or material that will last longer?

Trouble is, even the good quality webbing material is photodegradable so will deteriorate with time.
I get mine from the ratchet shop ratchetshop.com and they seem to last pretty well. Don't ask me to guess age but some I've had out in apiaries for 5+ years and still going strong, you just need to squirt a bit of holy water on the moving parts once a year. I also have some I bought in the Thornes sales years ago and they're still good over eight years on.

 

[Murox]

Trouble is, even the good quality webbing material is photodegradable so will deteriorate with time.
I get mine from the ratchet shop ratchetshop.com and they seem to last pretty well. Don't ask me to guess age but some I've had out in apiaries for 5+ years and still going strong, you just need to squirt a bit of holy water on the moving parts once a year. I also have some I bought in the Thornes sales years ago and they're still good over eight years on.

Thanks. I have been reading up a little about the various straps - so far - it seems that many are nylon which do degrade very rapidly. Polypropylene reportedly seem to last longer even though they do loose a lot of their strength through uv exposure.

 

[HughMann]

5mm polly rope and learn some basic knots, Save a fortune

 

[tonyofarr]

We don't use ratchet straps, we use the orange hive straps that Thornes sell that lever back on themselves. We have been using them for years and the only deterioration is the blue paint coming off the metal part and getting some rust there. Our straps have taken some serious punishment over the years and they are fine.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We don't use ratchet straps, we use the orange hive straps that Thornes sell that lever back on themselves.

Spanset straps - the webbing is the same material as ratchet straps.
#It's obvious that the OP has just been lumbered with some inferior quality kit that's all

 

[madasafish]

Spanset are great and my preferred strap. Yes they do rust but easily fixed.
Ratchet straps corrode, stick and need maintenance.

Almost all mine are over 7 years old, left out all year and the straps are still usuable.
( I have a Spanset one inherited from someone who stopped beekeeping - it must be 15 years old and is perfect apart from dirt.)

 

[Poly Hive]

I know of Spansets that are over 50 years old now and get hammered on a Bee Farm. I wouldn't use anything else and the power in them is far better than the little ratchets that depend on a very thin pin.

PH

 

[oliver90owner]

Cheap ratchet straps are just that - cheap.

to protect them over winter, I used to thread them through something (like lay-flat water pipe) and make sure the ratchet was either below the hive or under the roof. They are not too bad as long as they are not subjected to direct sunlight.

 

[jeff33]

Breeze blocks, they never fail for me...unless my stand can't bear the weight.

 

[Murox]

Cheap ratchet straps are just that - cheap.

to protect them over winter, I used to thread them through something (like lay-flat water pipe) and make sure the ratchet was either below the hive or under the roof. They are not too bad as long as they are not subjected to direct sunlight.

Agreed . Not had a problem with the ratchet at all, quick squirt of something works well. Further reading leads me to think that polyester straps might be the bees knees.
I shall take a good look at the spansets mentioned by others.

 

[drdrday]

I have both metal cam buckle straps (that I don't really use), and straps with plastic buckle clips - like luggage/rucksack straps, the sort where you squeeze the sides of the buckle to release them. I much prefer the plastic buckles as they're so much quicker and easier to release and do up again, but I didn't have expectations of them lasting long.
They've done 2 1/2 years so far, and no problems with either the straps or the plastic buckles yet...

 

[Sutty]

If you think UV light is degrading your straps it may be worth treating them with something like "Nikwax tent and gear solarproof" it's supposed to block the UV.