Which Zip Ties Should You Grab at Fleet Farm?
If you happen to live in the states between Wisconsin and South Dakota, there’s a chance you used Fleet Farm zip ties to secure your fence, trailer wiring, or deer stand. Customers often inquire about Fleet Farm zip ties before going to the store so that they can find out which packs to buy. The shelves in the store will tell you whether or not the store carries zip ties. The packaging, however, doesn’t indicate what zip ties would suit your particular purpose because both 650-piece rainbow ties and black UV ones look alike until you use them for some project.
We manufacture nylon zip ties on a professional level, and we don’t cooperate with Fleet Farm, which means we are qualified to provide an impartial opinion. We will answer your questions about what kind of ties you can find at Fleet Farm and which specific kinds would suit your needs.
Fleet Farm is a home and outdoor retailer which operates stores across the Midwest, from Wisconsin to South Dakota. The utility ties are located in the electrical section among other products. The assortment is mainly represented by Gardner and TruConnect zip ties packs with UV black zip ties being offered along with natural and colored cable ties. If you need zip ties for indoor usage or minor repairs, you can pick any of the types found in Fleet Farm. But for outdoor work, such as fencing and netting, you need to ensure that you choose UV-resistant zip ties and verify the tensile strength rating from the package, as the black zip ties might be tricky to use.
What Zip Ties Does Fleet Farm Sell?
In the organization of its offerings, Fleet Farm categorizes cable ties under Home Improvement and subsequently underElectrical then finally into Staples, Ties and Tubing. Usually, if you find yourself browsing for these items in the store, you would visit the electrical part of the store instead of the farming or fencing section, thus shocking those who came to the store to find fencing items.
The current online listing can broadly be categorized as follows:
Gardner assorted multipacks that include 500 piece natural assortments and a 650- assorted color canister which serves to accommodate “everything”.
Gardner’s UV black ties that are available in single-sizes packs and 200 piece black assortments.
TruConnect’s black cable ties as a general-purpose product.
Gardner’s stainless steel cable ties that are available in a small 10 pack for an occasion when nylon is not durable enough.
It is important to note that availability differs from season to season and from store to store. Therefore, before making your long trip, it is recommended that you check the product page or call ahead. Although Fleet Farm may not be in the vicinity, you will find similar packs in large home improvement stores as stated in our guides on buying cable ties at Home Depot and finding the zip tie aisle at Lowe’s cover those shelves.
How to Read a Fleet Farm Zip Tie Pack
Every pack of Fleet Farm zip ties, whatever the brand, gives you three numbers worth reading and one word worth looking for.
| What the pack says | What it means | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Length (4 in to 14 in and up) | How big a bundle the tie can wrap | Pick a length that wraps the bundle with tail to spare |
| Tensile strength (18 lb to 175 lb) | Force needed to break the closed loop | Work at roughly a third of the rating for loads that hang |
| Width (sometimes listed) | Thicker straps carry higher ratings | A wide tie may not fit small mounts or tight holes |
| “UV resistant” or “UV black” | A sunlight stabilizer is in the nylon | The difference between one season and several years outdoors |
The UV black ties by Gardner available in all other stores provide the same tensile strength of about 75 lb for the 8” and 14” tie versions. Our guide on how much weight zip ties can hold lists typical ratings by width if you want to compare packs side by side.
There is one simple idea that helps avoid a great deal of trouble: if there is no tensile strength specified, assume it is of the lowest degree. Colorful canisters are made mostly for the purposes of making the organization easier rather than for heavy-duty purposes.
Are Fleet Farm Zip Ties Good for Outdoor Use?
Certain nylon ties are UV protected. Therefore, the packaging will identify the ones that are not. Fleet Farm customers, for instance, use nylon ties on fences, obstacles when hunting, and in the transportation of accessories.
This is where the problem appears. UV rays will cause nylon to deteriorate. The first sign will be its color changing, then it will become fragile until it finally breaks apart. The black ties, on the other hand, are not affected, thanks to their chemical ingredients that resist the UVA, which will guarantee the same great tensile strength forever.
Color alone is not a sign that the given nylon tie is UV protected. Unless the wording says “UV resistant”,” the black tie should be thought of as useless outside and kept indoors.
Other points concerning nylon qualities and use:
The first point is that strength is not equal to longevity. The quality nylon tie that can hold a weight of 175 pounds without UV stabilizer will break apart in the sun, meanwhile only 50lb tie containing carbon build-up will last much longer.
The second thing is that the cold weather does not help nylon. This means that if the nylon was installed on the very cold weather, it might bend too easily.
For a closer look at why black ties dominate outdoor work, see our complete guide to black zip ties. If you want realistic replacement intervals, our answer on how long zip ties last outside breaks it down by material.
Which Zip Ties Work Best for Farm and Garden Jobs?
Zip ties are useful not only for garages but also for working farmlands. A 2023 study conducted by the University of Minnesota on hail netting in apple farms, which got published in Frontiers in Insect Science journal, used zip ties that were bought from Fleet Farm which were used to install the netting on the base of trees. The cost of the zip ties in the studies was approximately one cent. This seems like an insignificant detail of the experiments, however it is significant in the fact that ordinary zip ties perform real agricultural functions on the scale.
Here is a quick way to match the pack to the job:
| Job | Tie to grab | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Garden netting and trellis lines | UV black, 8 to 11 in | Do not cinch netting so tight it tears in the wind |
| Fence repairs and gate wiring | UV black, 11 to 14 in, 75 lb or more | Check yearly; replace any tie that has gone dull or chalky |
| Irrigation tubing and drip lines | UV black, snug but not crushing | Over-tightening can pinch soft tubing |
| Trailer and equipment wiring | UV black, medium width | Leave slack near hitches and moving joints |
| Near exhaust, heaters or engines | Stainless steel | Nylon softens with heat long before it melts |
| Shop, barn office, indoor wiring | Natural or colored multipack | Colors are handy for labeling circuits |
Our agriculture and irrigation solutions page covers the UV- and moisture-resistant ties we supply for this kind of work.
Fleet Farm vs Farm and Fleet: Not the Same Store
This type of confusion is quite common. Fleet Farm (the former Mills Fleet Farm) was founded in 1955 in Marshfield, Wisconsin, and is currently headquartered in Appleton. The company Blain’s Farm and Fleet was founded during the same year by some Mills family members, but it is a different company having its own stores and products. Both offer zip ties, and both possibly offer some of the same brands, but a product from Fleet Farm is not likely to be found at Blain’s and vice versa.
When going through reviews and price comparisons, make sure you know the exact store that the listing refers to.
When a Retail Pack Stops Making Sense
A single retail pack is adequate for carrying out one fencing repair or any small job. You get the pack today, take the fasteners you need and keep the rest for future tasks.
However, the decision to utilize retail packs becomes complicated when you need thousands of fasteners. A study conducted on the matter shows that you need approximately 2,700 fasteners for one hectare of netting. Seasonally-operated businesses, contractors, nurseries and any other companies reselling fasteners will encounter the same problem: retail packs are too expensive because of their convenience.
When buying fasteners in bulk, make sure to check the specifications provided in written form: the material, amount of UV stabilizer, length, width and tension strength.
At that scale, buying from a manufacturer lets you choose exact lengths, colors, UV-stabilized material and packaging. Our OEM cable tie service handles custom sizes, private-label bags and export cartons, and our UV resistant cable ties are made from UV-stabilized nylon 6/6 for outdoor jobs. For everything in between, our guide to finding zip ties near you compares the local options.
FAQ
Does Fleet Farm sell heavy duty zip ties?
Sure. Fleet Farm has longer, better quality cable ties in its stock in addition to the multipacks, such as Gardner UV black cable ties, which the manufacturer rates as having a tensile strength of 75 lbs at 8 and 14 inch lengths, and stainless steel cable ties for tough, high-heat applications. Instead of relying on the term “heavy duty” that does not have a standard meaning, check the tensile rating on the package instead.
Are black zip ties better than clear ones?
Outdoor use is okay, yes, provided that the ties are UV resistant. Carbon black serves as a protective agent for the nylon against sunlight, so black UV ties have a longer life compared to either white or colored ties while being exposed to direct sunlight. Indoor usage is no different in terms of strength since no significant difference exists between clear and colored ties.
Where are zip ties in Fleet Farm?
At Fleet Farm, these items are found in the electrical section under staples, ties, and tubing. This typically refers to the electrical aisle in general. Different layouts apply in different stores, so if you can’t find these items, make sure to check with the staff/Formark Team or search their availability using the product page.
Is Fleet Farm the same as Blain’s Farm and Fleet?
No. They were both founded in 1955 by families who knew each other, but they are separate companies. Fleet Farm is headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, while Blain’s Farm and Fleet operates its own stores across parts of the Midwest.
References
- Fleet Farm: Staples, Ties and Tubing category
- DiGiacomo et al. (2023), Hail netting: an economically competitive IPM alternative to insecticides for Midwest apple production, Frontiers in Insect Science
- Wikipedia: Fleet Farm
- Wikipedia: Cable tie
Conclusion
Buying zip ties on your way home is made possible thanks to Fleet Farm, and when it comes to indoor tasks, any of the packs on the shelf will do. However, keep in mind that when it comes to outdoor tasks, the label matters. You should be looking for black or UV resistant ties, checking for their tensile strength, opting for stainless steel when dealing with heat, and keeping in mind that the strength of a tie at the very outset won’t tell you the story of its strength throughout the summer.
If your job requires a box rather than a bag, that’s the moment when you should think about a manufacturer instead of just buying stuff off a store shelf.
