Soft Shackles vs Steel Shackles for Heavy Lifting: When to Choose Each Heavy lifting/Rigging hardware/Technical guide For commercial lifting operations above 30 tonnes, the choice between a synthetic soft shackle and a steel bow shackle is rarely automatic. Both have their place. Both can be specified correctly and safely. The question is which one suits your lift, your environment, your crew and your project economics.

The rope on your towline is not a commodity purchase. Here is what the performance data means, where the commercial marine sector has moved, and how to choose between a coated 12-strand HMPE and a jacketed construction for your specific application.