Average luggage straps are hard to tighten down--there's always a 1/2 inch of play in them. I was looking for a luggage strap that would tighten down--perhaps with a ratcheting action. I thought that this luggage strap would do the trick. I was wrong. This strap refuses to tighten down past a certain point--usually with 1 inch of play or more--more than conventional luggage straps. Once you have it tightened, it does not stay tight--a good yank will cause it to loosen. On my first trip with this strap, it loosened to the point of almost falling off. It's made mostly of cheap plastic, which explains some of the performance issues. STAY AWAY. SAVE YOUR $$$.