7 Best Adjustable Cargo Nets For Different Sized Farm Loads Old Farmers Use
Secure any farm load with these 7 adjustable cargo nets. Discover the durable, versatile options trusted by seasoned farmers for ultimate reliability.
You’ve just spent an hour loading the trailer with brush, old fencing, and a few empty feed sacks. Now comes the part everyone dreads: wrestling with a dusty, tangled tarp and a bird’s nest of ratchet straps and bungee cords. By the time you’re done, you’re sweating, frustrated, and still not entirely sure that old five-gallon bucket won’t bounce out on the first big bump. There’s a better way, and it’s been a secret of seasoned farmers for years.
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Why a Good Cargo Net Beats Tarp and Rope
The biggest advantage is speed. Throwing a single net over a load and clipping it down takes a fraction of the time it takes to drape a tarp, find solid anchor points, and methodically tighten a web of ropes. That’s time you could spend on another chore before the sun goes down.
More importantly, a net provides comprehensive, even pressure across the entire load. A rope only secures what it directly touches, leaving loose items in between to shift and potentially escape. A quality cargo net creates a containment system, grabbing everything at once and preventing that one rogue tool or piece of firewood from becoming a hazard on the road.
Finally, think about longevity. Tarps rip, get brittle in the sun, and become useless. Ropes and bungee cords fray, stretch out, and lose their integrity. A well-made cargo net is a one-time purchase that will secure hundreds of loads, making it a far more reliable and cost-effective tool in the long run.
Gladiator Cargo Net: For Heavy, Awkward Loads
When you’re hauling something that’s both heavy and oddly shaped, you need more than a simple bungee net. This is where the Gladiator shines. Think of securing a bulky water trough, a stack of steel T-posts, or a small engine that refuses to sit flat. The Gladiator is built from heavy-duty webbing, much like a seatbelt, providing structural strength, not just tension.
Its design is what truly sets it apart. The grid pattern is reinforced, and it features multiple grommet anchor points throughout the body of the net, not just on the edges. This allows you to add extra tie-downs right in the middle of the load, cinching down specific points on an irregular object. It effectively pins the load to the trailer bed from multiple angles.
This is not the net for a light load of leaves or loose hay. It’s heavier, more expensive, and takes a bit more effort to deploy than a simple bungee net. But for those critical, high-stakes loads where failure isn’t an option, the Gladiator provides peace of mind that a lesser net simply can’t match.
Keeper Ultra Net: Securing Loose Feed and Tools
The Keeper Ultra Net solves a different kind of farm problem: containing a multitude of small, loose items. Imagine a truck bed with a few bags of chicken feed, a shovel, a rake, and a box of assorted hardware. A standard net with a large grid might let the handle of the rake poke through or allow a feed bag to shift and tear.
The Keeper’s strength is its tight, 2-inch by 2-inch mesh. This small grid size is perfect for preventing smaller items from escaping, making it ideal for hauling tools, loose brush, or even a pile of produce crates. It blankets the load, ensuring nothing gets a chance to work its way out.
The hooks are typically a durable plastic, which is less likely to scratch the paint on your truck or trailer than metal hooks. While it’s not designed for extremely heavy or sharp-edged loads, it’s the perfect solution for those frequent, messy trips around the farm or to the local co-op. It keeps the small stuff exactly where you put it.
PowerTye Net: The Most Versatile Farm Hauler
If you could only have one cargo net in the barn, the PowerTye would be a strong contender. It hits the sweet spot between the heavy-duty webbing of a Gladiator and the flexible elasticity of a standard bungee net. This makes it incredibly versatile for the wide variety of loads a hobby farmer hauls in a given season.
One day you might be securing a neat stack of firewood, and the next you’re trying to contain a sprawling pile of pruned branches. The PowerTye’s combination of strong webbing and adjustable hooks allows it to adapt. You can cinch it down tight on a compact load or stretch it out to cover a bulky one, all with the same piece of equipment.
This versatility is its core strength. It may not be the absolute best for a 500-pound water tank, nor is it the best for a pile of loose mulch, but it handles both of those jobs—and everything in between—remarkably well. For the farmer who needs a reliable, adaptable tool that can handle 90% of daily tasks, the PowerTye is a smart investment.
Reese Carry Power: A Reliable, Budget-Friendly Net
Sometimes, you just need something that works without breaking the bank. The Reese Carry Power net is the dependable, no-frills option you can find at most hardware or auto parts stores. It’s a classic bungee-style net that does exactly what it promises: it holds your stuff down for a fair price.
This is the perfect net for light- to medium-duty tasks. Think securing a tarp over a load of hay, holding down empty vegetable crates on the way back from the market, or keeping a pile of leaves from blowing out of your utility trailer. The bungee cords are durable enough for regular use, and the plastic hooks are easy to attach.
You are making a tradeoff in durability and load capacity for the lower cost. It won’t have the brute strength of a webbing-based net and may stretch out sooner with heavy, constant use. However, as a primary net for light chores or as a reliable backup to keep tucked behind the seat, the Reese offers unbeatable value.
Erickson Big Bed Net for Full Trailer Coverage
There’s a big difference between securing a few items and containing an entire trailer-full of material. When you’ve maxed out the capacity of your full-size truck bed or 6×10 utility trailer, a standard-sized net just won’t do. The Erickson Big Bed Net is specifically designed for these large-scale jobs.
The key is its generous size and the sheer number of attachment points. A large net with too few hooks will sag in the middle, leaving the center of your load vulnerable. Erickson nets provide ample hooks to secure the entire perimeter, ensuring even tension and complete coverage from corner to corner.
This is the net you reach for when hauling a mountain of brush to the burn pile, moving a large round bale, or transporting a full load of straw. It’s about using your equipment to its full potential safely. Trying to make a smaller net "work" is inefficient and unsafe; having a properly sized net makes big jobs simpler and more secure.
Grit Performance Net: Built for All-Weather Use
Farm tools live a hard life, and cargo nets are no exception. They get left in the back of the truck, baked by the summer sun, soaked in spring rains, and frozen in the winter. The Grit Performance net is engineered for exactly this kind of abuse.
Its primary feature is durability rooted in material science. The webbing is often treated with UV inhibitors to prevent it from becoming brittle and weak after prolonged sun exposure. The hardware, from the hooks to the carabiners, is typically made from corrosion-resistant metal, so it won’t rust shut after a wet season.
While it might carry a higher price tag, you’re paying for longevity. A cheaper net might fail after a year or two of sitting outside, forcing you to buy another one. The Grit net is an investment in a tool that will be ready to work when you are, season after season, without degrading.
Bungee-O Cargonet: A Quick Tarp Alternative
For certain loads, the biggest challenge isn’t weight, but containment. Think of hauling a trailer full of dry leaves, wood chips, or grass clippings. A traditional net might let material blow through the gaps, while a tarp is a nightmare to secure without it flapping like a sail. The Bungee-O Cargonet solves this specific problem brilliantly.
This unique product is essentially a small, durable tarp with a heavy-duty bungee cord integrated into its entire perimeter. You simply stretch it over the load like a giant, high-tension shower cap. It’s incredibly fast to deploy and provides the solid coverage of a tarp with the tensioning ease of a bungee net.
It’s important to know its limitations. This is not the tool for securing heavy objects like firewood or equipment, as it lacks the grid structure to prevent shifting. But for containing loose, lightweight materials that are prone to blowing away, its design is faster and more effective than any other solution.
Ultimately, the best cargo net is the one that fits the loads you haul most often. Don’t try to make one net do everything if your tasks are highly varied. By matching the tool to the job—whether it’s heavy equipment, loose tools, or a full trailer of brush—you’ll save yourself countless hours of frustration and ensure every load gets from point A to point B safely.
