Strap End: What is the Purpose of Each Finishing Type for Guidance Posts?

When you invest in a retractable strap guidance post, your first thoughts are usually about design, colour or strap length. The strap end – that small component at the end of the strap – is actually the part that determines the real safety level of your installation.

There are four types of strap end available from Potelet®. Each serves a specific purpose. This guide explains the differences and helps you choose.

What is a strap end?

The strap end (also called strap termination) is the component fixed to the end of the retractable strap. It connects to the receiver of the adjacent post, a wall or a safety barrier to create the barrier.

Beyond simple connection, the strap end determines three things:

• Ease of use: the reception agent must be able to open and close the passage quickly
• Resistance to accidental disconnection: the strap must stay in place under normal visitor flow
• Behaviour in emergency situations: a decisive criterion in public access venues

The 4 types of strap end

1. Standard strap end

This is the standard termination supplied on the vast majority of our strap posts, notably the entire LIMIT range. The standard strap end clips onto a ring or receiving stud with a simple gesture and disconnects just as easily.

Ideal use: business reception, bank, pharmacy, hotel, retail space. Any indoor environment with moderate traffic flow and no risk of crowding.

2. Security strap end (locked)

The security strap end incorporates a locking mechanism: to disconnect it, you must press a button or perform a deliberate action. The strap cannot be released accidentally or by simple contact.

Ideal use: airport, railway station, stadium, interior construction perimeter, public restricted area. Anywhere a visitor must not be able to disconnect the strap by passing against it.

3. Magnetic strap end

The magnetic strap end attaches and detaches with one hand effortlessly, thanks to powerful magnets. It aligns and engages automatically as soon as it approaches the receiver.

Ideal use: supermarket checkout, event reception, sports facility entrance, any position where you open and close the barrier very frequently. Staff can manage passage without interrupting another task. Our magnetic strap post is equipped with this termination as standard.

4. Panic-release strap end – fire safety requirement

The panic-release strap end releases automatically under crowd pressure without any deliberate action being necessary. Its calibrated spring mechanism maintains the strap in normal position during routine use, but opens instantly if sideways pressure exceeds the safety threshold.

Result: in case of fire alert or evacuation, the flow of people passes freely. The barrier does not become an obstacle.

Required use: any public access venue (shopping centre, museum, performance hall, public administration, hospital, school, railway station) where fire safety services mention it in their inspection report. If you have received an unfavourable assessment from the safety commission, the panic-release strap end is the immediate regulatory answer. Our Safety range posts, designed for demanding environments, are compatible with this strap end.

Comparison table

How to choose your strap end

Three questions are enough to identify the right choice:

1. Have fire services or the control authority mentioned it in their report? If yes, choose the panic-release strap end without hesitation.
2. Is your installation located in a public access venue (shop, museum, school, performance hall, hospital)? Opt for panic-release as a precaution, even without formal requirement.
3. Do your staff need to open the barrier very often? The magnetic strap end is the most ergonomic for intensive use.

In all other cases, the standard strap end is perfectly suitable. Find the strap end selection option directly on each of our retractable strap posts.

Frequently asked questions