What size cam straps do I need for rafting?

Most rigs need a mix of sizes. Use 1-inch straps for light items like throw bags and paddle floats. 1.5-inch straps handle dry bags and small boxes. 2-inch straps are best for heavy loads — coolers, kitchen boxes, and anything you absolutely cannot afford to lose.

How tight should cam straps be on a raft?

Tight enough that you can't slide the load more than an inch in any direction, but not so tight that you're compressing or deforming dry bags. Overtightening collapses dry bag valves and cracks cooler lids. Aim for firm, not white-knuckle.

How many cam straps should I bring on a raft trip?

More than you think. A typical 14-foot oar rig fully loaded for 5 days uses 10–16 straps. Bring extras — straps get repurposed, lost, or lent to other boats. A 20-strap kit for a 2-boat group is not excessive.

Are NRS cam straps worth the price?

Yes, for the buckle quality. NRS cam buckles rarely slip under load and the webbing holds up to years of UV exposure. Generic straps from hardware stores often have buckles that release unexpectedly in rapids. The price difference is small relative to the gear they're protecting.

How do I store cam straps so they don't tangle?

Fold the strap back and forth in 12-inch loops, then wrap the last 6 inches of webbing around the bundle twice and tuck the end through. Store in a mesh bag or hang on a D-ring between trips. Never jam straps loose into a dry bag — you'll spend 10 minutes untangling them at the put-in.

Cam Straps — A Boater's Best Friend

No piece of gear gets more daily use on a multi-day raft trip than the humble cam strap. They hold your cooler, your dry bags, your kitchen box, your spare oar, and your throw bag. They cinch down in seconds and release just as fast. And when you flip — or someone else does — they're the reason your gear is still on the boat 200 yards downstream. This guide covers the sizes that matter, how to use them correctly, and which brands are worth your money.

Why Cam Straps Are the Foundation of Raft Rigging

A raft frame gives you structure. D-rings give you attachment points. But cam straps are what actually holds everything together. Unlike bungees (which stretch and bounce gear free) or rope (which takes forever to tie and untie), cam straps cinch down instantly and hold under load without slipping — as long as you buy quality buckles.

The principle is simple: webbing threads through a spring-loaded cam buckle, and as you pull, the cam bites into the webbing and locks. Release is one-handed. On river trips where you're setting up and breaking camp daily, that speed matters. You don't want to spend 20 minutes untieing half-hitches every morning.

Which Sizes to Buy

Cam straps come in three practical widths for river use: 1 inch, 1.5 inch, and 2 inch. Each width has a different strength rating and a different use case.

1-inch straps are for light, secondary items: throw bags, tarp stakes, paddle floats, first aid kits, water bottles strapped to frames. They're compact and easy to manage. A 6-foot 1-inch strap is the right length for most of these jobs.

1.5-inch straps are your workhorse. Dry bags up to 65L, camp chairs, ammo cans, small dry boxes — anything in the 20–50 lb range. Get lengths in the 6-foot and 9-foot range. Most rigs use more 1.5-inch straps than any other size.

2-inch straps are for the heavy stuff. Coolers, kitchen boxes, and large dry boxes loaded with community gear routinely hit 80–120 lbs. A 2-inch strap has the surface area to distribute load without cutting into gear or slipping. Get at least four 2-inch straps (12-foot length) per boat for a fully loaded oar rig.

NRS, Strapworks, or Generic — Does Brand Matter?

NRS (Northwest River Supplies) is the industry standard. Their cam buckles are forged aluminum and the webbing is 5,000 lb polyester. NRS 1.5-inch straps run about $6–9 each. The buckles haven't changed much in 20 years because they don't need to.

Strapworks and similar specialty webbing brands offer comparable quality at similar prices. If you can find them locally, they're worth evaluating — check that the buckle teeth engage sharply and that the webbing is not stiff or coated in a way that reduces grip.

Generic hardware store straps are acceptable for car camping but not for river use. The buckle cam rarely bites hard enough to hold under dynamic load — a raft bouncing through a Class III rapid generates forces that generic straps don't anticipate. Save the harbor freight straps for the truck bed.

How to Cinch Without Overtightening

The most common rigging mistake beginners make is overtightening cam straps. It feels like security. It isn't.

Overtightening a dry bag collapses the roll-top closure and can force the valve open, letting water in. On coolers, excessive strap tension can bow or crack the lid. On frames, it can distort aluminum tubing over time.

The correct method: thread your strap through or around the item, connect both ends to D-rings, then pull the free end through the buckle until you feel firm resistance. Test by trying to rock the load side to side — it should move less than an inch. If you're straining to get the buckle latched, you've already passed the right tension.

One useful trick: rig dry bags fully inflated, then press the air valve to deflate slightly after strapping. The bag will compress against the straps and self-tighten as air leaves, but without the structural damage of manual overtightening.

How Many Straps to Bring

Here's a working count for a fully loaded 14-foot oar rig on a 5-day trip:

Cooler: 2–3 straps (2-inch)
Kitchen box: 2 straps (2-inch)
Large dry bags (×3): 2 straps each = 6 straps (1.5-inch)
Small dry bags and miscellaneous: 3–4 straps (1-inch or 1.5-inch)
Spare oar and paddle: 2 straps (1.5-inch)
Throw bag and safety gear: 1–2 straps (1-inch)

That's 16–19 straps minimum on a single boat. Bring at least 4 extras. They're cheap and light, and you will use them.

Proper Storage Between Trips

Cam straps left loose in a bag turn into a snarled mess that takes 15 minutes to sort out at the put-in. The best storage method: fold the strap back and forth in 10–12 inch segments until you have a flat bundle, then wind the last 8 inches around the bundle and tuck the strap end through the loop. Store them hanging or flat.

UV exposure degrades polyester webbing over time. If straps feel brittle or the color has faded unevenly, replace them. A broken strap mid-rapid isn't worth the $7 you saved by keeping it too long.

Keep straps dry between trips — prolonged wet storage leads to mold on the webbing and corrosion on aluminum buckles. A quick rinse in fresh water after a river trip and a dry hang before storage extends their life significantly.