it all depends on what you are hauling!

Equipment larger than a riding lawn mower: Chains and boomers (either the throw over or ratchet)

small equipment: straps

Cars: Frame hooks and straps, or I like to use my tire straps as well.

That is just the way I deal with securing loads.

 

My backhoe gets chained, the cars get strapped.

 

If anny one watch ice road truckers. There was a guy one there named TJ that got hurt with the chains. I always use straps,
Nick

 

Because of the tractor, I voted chains, but as mentions, a combination is best. The tractor pretty much mandates chains to me. I use both depending on the load and situations.

 

I use both and say it all depends on what you're hauling. On a scrap car I chain it, on my old Mustang I strap it.
I do, however, use short sections of old fire hose as a sleeve over my straps where I think it may rub on anything and wear or cut the strap. I learned the hard way that a square corner on a bracket takes no time at all to cut a strap!

 

I didn't vote but use both.
Most of the time I use chain because I have LOTS of it. Straps work GREAT for the smaller stuff.

 

Something that nobody has touched on is storage of the straps or chains. I have both and keep them in my toolbox. The straps I keep rolled up tightly in a canvas bag. The chains I just throw in the bottom of the box. I don't have to worry about anything rubbing on them like the straps. I have had a strap snap becasue it was tightened against something. I don't remember what it was, but I remember wondering how it could possibly have cut the strap. You would be surprised. I like the firehose idea. As far as the chain binders go, I use a large zip tie through one of the chain links that goes around the handle to make sure it doesn't pop. If they are used properly, they shouldn't pop anyway, but a little insurance never hurts.

 

Straps.

Less damage potential from straps to the item being hauled.
Straps are clearly marked for their rated capacity while chains are guess work.
Straps are more versatile with lots of variations in hardware designs.

You do need to take care of the straps and replace them more often.