Recovery Gear: Getting Out of a Bad Situation - Off-Road Recovery Essential Equipment
OFF-ROAD RECOVERY GEAR
Before you hit the trails, know what you need in your rig’s basic recovery kit. You could just go nuts ordering the most expensive stuff (because it must be the best, right?), but consider what you’re working with. What’s your truck weigh? What kind of attachment points are you working with? Are you wheeling with a group? With anyone else at all?
Maybe most importantly - it doesn’t take an expensive winch to have some peace of mind on the trail. Just make sure you know what you need for recovery, and then actually buy it before you need it on the trail. If you don’t know what you need, our team is happy to help - give us a call or shoot us an email.
Take a look at some of our winches here-
Shop Now
GET THE BASICS
You could always buy a quality pre-assembled recovery kit. A good pre-assembled recovery kit like the ones made by ARB will include a snatch strap, damper, and shackles. A great one will include gloves, and maybe even a snatch block for a little extra oomph when you need it.
If putting your own kit together is more your style, read on, and put together the right tools to get you out of anything on the trail.
Shop Now
TOW STRAPS VS SNATCH STRAPS
The short version: tow straps tow things. Snatch straps snatch people out of mud (or other obstacles!).
The longer version: A tow strap (or recovery strap) is designed for slow and steady pulls - like that guy rolling a questionably roadworthy 80-something mini truck down the road with the flashers on. They’ll work for a not-so-serious recovery on a light rig if they’re used carefully. Don’t jerk on a tow strap under any circumstances. They’re just not meant for pulling that way, and they’re a very serious breakage risk.
If you’re looking for a dedicated recovery tool, and not an in-the-moment necessity, choose a snatch strap (sometimes you’ll see them called a recovery strap or rope). Snatch straps are made of a more elastic, synthetic material, designed to absorb the shock of jerking another truck out of place by behaving like a rubber band. You’ll want one rated for at least twice your rig’s GVW (gross vehicle weight). Use a reliable recovery point, like a tow hook, or a well-engineered shackle mount on a well-secured bumper, then go to town. You can jerk on a snatch strap without worrying about it breaking.
That said, a quality tow strap is a necessity in every recovery kit. When you’re on the trail, there’s always a risk of unexpectedly finding yourself with a truck that won’t even run to a spot where a tow truck could get to you and help get your ride home. They’re a great tool for steadily plodding down an old access road in a disabled vehicle.
Shop Now
AXLE STRAPS
Axle straps are a great tie down choice for securely strapping down a truck on a trailer when you’re headed out to your favorite trails. Like a tow rope, they’re not designed for active recovery. Unlike a tow rope, they’re not versatile enough to even be considered for the task.
They’re designed to take it easy on your wheels and be the most secure straps on the market for strapping down even tall, top-heavy rigs in a safe, non-damaging way. Axle straps also secure quickly and easily, which is a major perk when you’re contorting your body under a truck, over a trailer, at a crazy angle. The actual axle strap is a short run of webbing with a loop on both ends, designed to connect to a ratcheting hook that runs to an anchor point on your trailer.
The vast majority of axle straps come in multi-strap sets to make sure you’re ready to hit the trails with a single purchase. Some, like the Mac’s Tie Down sets even include padding that covers the contact points where the strap will come into contact with the axle. On a long road-trip, that’s protection of critical parts to help keep your truck in prime condition.
One word of caution here: make sure to check the weight ratings of any straps you buy, and know the weight of your own rig to avoid any issues.
Check out more of our recovery options here-
Shop Now
TREE STRAPS
Tree straps are - you guessed it - a strap that goes around a tree. If you’re ever in a situation where you need to winch yourself out of a bind, a tree strap is an important accessory to keep on hand. Rather than throwing a winch right around a tree, which can cause irreparable damage or even the death of the tree, use a tree strap to protect the trunk.
Think of that axle strap we talked about - webbed strap with a ring on either end. Bring the ends together around a tree, attach to a d-ring clevis, hook up a winch, and get yourself unstuck - without worrying about damaging the tree.
Don’t give people a reason to hate on off-roaders - we’re already struggling to keep public lands open. Be as kind as possible to your surroundings, and respect the trails - use a tree strap.
Shop Now
SOFT SHACKLE
Soft shackles are a fairly recent development in the off-roading world, but they’ve been a major step. They’re incredibly lightweight, and using modern synthetic materials, are strong enough to compete with hard shackles - 32,000 pounds breaking strength or more. What’s more - if something gives in the recovery process, this is one less lethal bit of shrapnel to worry about.
You have to be careful with them if they’re exposed to the rough edges on a traditional anchor point, though. As with any recovery tool, be sure to check it for damage before and after use to avoid serious injuries or death in the event of breakage.
Shop Now
D-RING/CLEVIS/HARD SHACKLE
So many names - one classic recovery accessory. The traditional D-ring, or hard shackle is unparalleled in strength, but the trade off lives in the weight of them. If you’re particularly hard on ropes, they still might be the right answer for you. The strength is still unparalleled, and the cost can’t be beat. However, they’re a more dangerous option for the trails. There have been plenty of people maimed or worse thanks to a shackle giving way and sailing out of control.
However, they’re a more dangerous option for the trails. There have been plenty of people maimed or worse thanks to a shackle giving way and sailing out of control. If you buy quality parts and inspect them regularly, though, you should be fine.
Shop Now
JUST REMEMBER...
With any recovery gear, the most important thing is to always check the condition of all of your recovery equipment before and after every use. When you use good recovery equipment and maintain it well, you can look forward to a long day on the trails, and a safe trip home.
When traction is limited, having recovery boards on hand can make all the difference in getting out of a rut. Check out our recovery boards here-
Shop Now
Whether you’re looking forward to time on the trails, or you just want to get the most out of your new grocery-getter, IAG Off-Road has the accessories and expertise you need. If you’re looking for advice, need help with an install, or just don’t know what truck modification you might want to check out next, IAG Off-Road has your back. Give us a call at 1-410-840-3555, or shoot us an email at sales@iagoffroad.com - we’d love to help!