Pro tip: don't buy that $40 'storm proof' tree tie kit on Amazon

I figured I'd splurge on a fancy ratchet strap system for staking a big maple I planted last spring. Looked great in the pictures, said it could handle 80 mph winds. Well first rain we got, those plastic buckles just cracked and the whole thing flopped over. Cost me 40 bucks plus another 60 for a proper arborist grade strap and some rubber hose to protect the bark. Shoulda just grabbed some rope and hose from the hardware store like I usually do. Those Amazon kits are pure junk for anything bigger than a sapling. Anyone else fall for those shiny online tree supplies?

3 comments

3 Comments

leebrown20d ago

Nah, my 12 footer held up fine through spring storms.

josephb3521d ago

You ever actually test these things on something taller than a fence post?

the_ray2d ago

@leebrown said yours held up fine but I bet that maples way shorter than what Ray planted. I got stung by the exact same junk last year. The "heavy duty" ratchet straps on my kit snapped when a normal gust hit, and the plastic coated stake bent like a wet noodle. Meanwhile I see people using scrap lumber and bungee cords on their trees that outlast every storm. Its like those Amazon sellers think all trees are the same size as a potted fern or something.