Beginner recovery kit

[nuclear_runner]

Here's my situation I've been doing vehicle based travel for awhile but just starting to venture off road. I'm a bit overtrucked (Chevy ZR2 Bison) but of course it's still possible to get stuck, so I wanted to add some recovery gear. I leave in VA so lots of mud, and I also do a lot of beach fishing so I will be driving on the beach. Shopping for recovery gear is pretty overwhelming since there are lots of brands, styles etc, so I'm looking for brand advice as well as suggestions on what I may have overlooked.

So here's what I'm thinking (based entirely on internet research)...

General gear:

• Shovel
• Axe/saw (might leave this at home situationally)
• inReach (already own this for trail running)
• Compressor
• Bottle jack with base plate
• Jump battery pack
• Chainsaw (24V)

Recovery points:
Truck has two 3/4" shackle points on the rear bumper (welded to the frame) and two hook presumably bolted to the frame. The manual states the hooks can be used for off-road recovery but as you know there's recover and there there's RECOVERY. I assume it's two 1/2" bolts in the frame.

Recovery gear:

• Tow strap
• Kinetic rope
• 2x D rings for the rear bumper
• 2x soft shackles for the front hooks
• Bridal rope for front hooks (long enough for 20° angle, although strictly speaking the user manual states straight pull only)
• 2" hitch receiver shackle (in case I need to recover/be recovered by a vehicle without points)
• Snatch block
• Tree saver

And yes I know not to recover from the hitch ball.

 

[M Rose]

Here's my situation I've been doing vehicle based travel for awhile but just starting to venture off road. I'm a bit overtrucked (Chevy ZR2 Bison) but of course it's still possible to get stuck, so I wanted to add some recovery gear. I leave in VA so lots of mud, and I also do a lot of beach fishing so I will be driving on the beach. Shopping for recovery gear is pretty overwhelming since there are lots of brands, styles etc, so I'm looking for brand advice as well as suggestions on what I may have overlooked.

So here's what I'm thinking (based entirely on internet research)...

General gear:

• Shovel
• Axe/saw (might leave this at home situationally)
• inReach (already own this for trail running)
• Compressor
• Bottle jack with base plate

Recovery points:
Truck has two 3/4" shackle points on the rear bumper (welded to the frame) and two hook presumably bolted to the frame. The manual states the hooks can be used for off-road recovery but as you know there's recover and there there's RECOVERY. I assume it's two 1/2" bolts in the frame.

Recovery gear:

• Tow strap
• Kinetic rope
• 2x D rings for the rear bumper
• 2x soft shackles for the front hooks
• Bridal rope for front hooks (long enough for 20° angle, although strictly speaking the user manual states straight pull only)
• 2" hitch receiver shackle (in case I need to recover/be recovered by a vehicle without points)
• Snatch block
• Tree saver

And yes I know not to recover from the hitch ball.

Axe is more useful than a saw… a saw you can’t cut roots or disturb the ground to well with… the saw is great for falling dead trees or cutting up branches… but that’s about it.

The rest of your gear you have listed is about useless for self recovery. You have nothing to pull with. A come a long, winch, or even a high lift will get you out combined with the rest of your list.

When I got my first rig, first thing I did was bought 2 of the largest come a longs I could find at Tractor supply, then I got two recovery straps one was 25’ and the other 50’. I also picked up a high lift jack that was sitting behind our barn and out new pins and springs in it. Last thing I bought was a 3/4” shackle… a few years later I acquired some chain, and a few other tools that made self recovery more fun… it wasn’t u til 5 years ago that I went with a motorized winch. And my winch is still the last resort tool I go to…

 

[Desert Runner]

Here's my situation I've been doing vehicle based travel for awhile but just starting to venture off road. I'm a bit overtrucked (Chevy ZR2 Bison) but of course it's still possible to get stuck, so I wanted to add some recovery gear. I leave in VA so lots of mud, and I also do a lot of beach fishing so I will be driving on the beach. Shopping for recovery gear is pretty overwhelming since there are lots of brands, styles etc, so I'm looking for brand advice as well as suggestions on what I may have overlooked.

So here's what I'm thinking (based entirely on internet research)...

General gear:

• Shovel
• Axe/saw (might leave this at home situationally)
• inReach (already own this for trail running)
• Compressor
• Bottle jack with base plate

Recovery points:
Truck has two 3/4" shackle points on the rear bumper (welded to the frame) and two hook presumably bolted to the frame. The manual states the hooks can be used for off-road recovery but as you know there's recover and there there's RECOVERY. I assume it's two 1/2" bolts in the frame.

Recovery gear:

• Tow strap
• Kinetic rope
• 2x D rings for the rear bumper
• 2x soft shackles for the front hooks
• Bridal rope for front hooks (long enough for 20° angle, although strictly speaking the user manual states straight pull only)
• 2" hitch receiver shackle (in case I need to recover/be recovered by a vehicle without points)
• Snatch block
• Tree saver

And yes I know not to recover from the hitch ball.

==========================================================================================
Your list is pretty complete, however you mentioned beach travel, and that is where you should invest in some traction boards. The X-Bull gen 2 or 3 or a clone are very reasonably priced and along with your shovel and compressor, should compliment what you already have. Just a note, the gen 2 do not nest with a gen 3 due to a slight change in design, so stick to the version you prefer. Also get a base extension for a jack, or make a square wood plate to support a jack (bottle or farm).

Depending on how deep into the beach or Dune area you go into, you might in that case up the board count from 1 pair to 2, so all 4 wheels are covered. Although for a medium truck, 2 would probably be sufficient in most cases.

 

[slomatt]

I'm curious about the snatch block and tree saver since these are almost always used with a winch, are you planning to add one in the near future? If not, these might not be worth the cost or weight.

Do you usually go by yourself, or with one or more other vehicles? Given the items on your list it sounds like there is usually someone around who can help out (kinetic rope isn't useful without another vehicle). If not, then I'd recommend focusing on items that enable self recovery. The #1 thing is good tires, which your truck should have from the factory. If there are trees around then a winch is an excellent tool for self recovery. That said, a winch wouldn't be as useful on the beach unless you also carry some kind of anchor (or can bury a tire). A set of Maxtrax might be a good idea given that you run into a lot of soft surfaces such as mud and sand.

I completely agree with the bottle jack, but make sure you can use it to lift an axle and not just the frame. Most factory bottle jacks have a circular post that fits the factory jack points, but that cannot be safely used to life from the axle, which is the easiest way to change a tire. You can buy jack saddle adapters that make a bottle jack more versatile.

https://www.4wd.com/p/safe-jack-6-ton-3-universal-lift-pad-37m-sjr3/_/R-SAJK-37M-SJR3

 

[madcratebuilder]

A 20' kinetic rope can double as a bridal on the front. You can use the RC shackle mount on the front the remove the oem loops and use shackles. Traction boards can be very helpful in sand. The cheap ones work if you don't spin your tires on them.
Tractor Supply has a very nice 3 in 1 bottle jack/jack stand. The large base sold for the Hi Lift works great with bottle jacks.
A winch is very nice to have for self recovery.
I use rope and soft shackles more than anything.

 

[grubworm]

best recovery gear is a woman's 6 1/2 hiking boot....when things go south, she can get to high-steppin' to solicit help...

 

[nuclear_runner]

Axe is more useful than a saw… a saw you can’t cut roots or disturb the ground to well with… the saw is great for falling dead trees or cutting up branches… but that’s about it.

The rest of your gear you have listed is about useless for self recovery. You have nothing to pull with. A come a long, winch, or even a high lift will get you out combined with the rest of your list.

When I got my first rig, first thing I did was bought 2 of the largest come a longs I could find at Tractor supply, then I got two recovery straps one was 25’ and the other 50’. I also picked up a high lift jack that was sitting behind our barn and out new pins and springs in it. Last thing I bought was a 3/4” shackle… a few years later I acquired some chain, and a few other tools that made self recovery more fun… it wasn’t u til 5 years ago that I went with a motorized winch. And my winch is still the last resort tool I go to…

Any recs for a shovel and axe? Tons and tons of options...

WRT self recovery, you're 100% right. On the beach I'd almost never be alone (and OBX is pretty high traffic), and for other off-road situations I'd only venture on moderately trafficked areas alone. I just want to have enough stuff to get pulled out. I'm pretty terrified of self recovery and want to do some off road clases before I kill myself with a pull-along.

I'm curious about the snatch block and tree saver since these are almost always used with a winch, are you planning to add one in the near future? If not, these might not be worth the cost or weight.

Do you usually go by yourself, or with one or more other vehicles? Given the items on your list it sounds like there is usually someone around who can help out (kinetic rope isn't useful without another vehicle). If not, then I'd recommend focusing on items that enable self recovery. The #1 thing is good tires, which your truck should have from the factory. If there are trees around then a winch is an excellent tool for self recovery. That said, a winch wouldn't be as useful on the beach unless you also carry some kind of anchor (or can bury a tire). A set of Maxtrax might be a good idea given that you run into a lot of soft surfaces such as mud and sand.

I completely agree with the bottle jack, but make sure you can use it to lift an axle and not just the frame. Most factory bottle jacks have a circular post that fits the factory jack points, but that cannot be safely used to life from the axle, which is the easiest way to change a tire. You can buy jack saddle adapters that make a bottle jack more versatile.

https://www.4wd.com/p/safe-jack-6-ton-3-universal-lift-pad-37m-sjr3/_/R-SAJK-37M-SJR3

I thought they had blocks for rope too. Again, I have no clue what I'm doing

Good tip on the bottle jack. According to my manual, the read jack point is the axel and the front is the control arm. I'll check it out and I'm not against upgrading the one it comes with.

 

[M Rose]

Snatch block you will need a winch, come a long, or high-lift Jack to use. Tree saver also won’t help you in anything but a self recovery situation with the same gear listed earlier.

Enough gear to get pulled out… a 50’ recovery strap or kenetic rope and a shackle is all you NEED for someone else to pull you out.

For an axe and shovel… for my trail use axe and shovel I just use cheap fiberglass handled equipment from Walmart Garden Center. They live on my rig full time because out here they are required when driving through State and NFS lands. Since they live in my rig, I just want them to work weather they are rusted and abused looking or not. For camp duty, they work OK, but typically I use a double bit axe in camp… and if the shovel is too dull, I break out the file and sharpen it.

Robot or human?

 

[Old Tanker]

...

• Shovel

I just use a military E-Tool.

...

• 2x D rings for the rear bumper
• 2x soft shackles for the front hooks
• Bridal rope for front hooks (long enough for 20° angle, although strictly speaking the user manual states straight pull only)
• 2" hitch receiver shackle (in case I need to recover/be recovered by a vehicle without points)

Forget D rings, which can't take side loads like a bow shackle. One bow shackle in the hitch receiver may be all you need in back, but a second isn't a bad idea. Use Van Beest (Green Pin), Crosby, or Columbus McKinnon.

 

[nuclear_runner]

Forget D rings, which can't take side loads like a bow shackle. One bow shackle in the hitch receiver may be all you need in back, but a second isn't a bad idea. Use Van Beest (Green Pin), Crosby, or Columbus McKinnon.

While I understand there is a difference, it seems like these terms are used interchangeable in the industry, which makes shopping difficult.

 

[KAIONE]

A 5 ton come along with extra 50’ cable and another snatch block would be great for self recovery. IF you have the trees to use. Definitely the recovery boards as mentioned earlier. Beach towels can work well on sand too, used just like a recovery board.

Happy trails!

 

[freak4life]

Here's my situation I've been doing vehicle based travel for awhile but just starting to venture off road. I'm a bit overtrucked (Chevy ZR2 Bison) but of course it's still possible to get stuck, so I wanted to add some recovery gear. I leave in VA so lots of mud, and I also do a lot of beach fishing so I will be driving on the beach. Shopping for recovery gear is pretty overwhelming since there are lots of brands, styles etc, so I'm looking for brand advice as well as suggestions on what I may have overlooked.

So here's what I'm thinking (based entirely on internet research)...

General gear:

• Shovel
• Axe/saw (might leave this at home situationally)
• inReach (already own this for trail running)
• Compressor
• Bottle jack with base plate

Recovery points:
Truck has two 3/4" shackle points on the rear bumper (welded to the frame) and two hook presumably bolted to the frame. The manual states the hooks can be used for off-road recovery but as you know there's recover and there there's RECOVERY. I assume it's two 1/2" bolts in the frame.

Recovery gear:

• Tow strap
• Kinetic rope
• 2x D rings for the rear bumper
• 2x soft shackles for the front hooks
• Bridal rope for front hooks (long enough for 20° angle, although strictly speaking the user manual states straight pull only)
• 2" hitch receiver shackle (in case I need to recover/be recovered by a vehicle without points)
• Snatch block
• Tree saver

And yes I know not to recover from the hitch ball.

Hello Wade
For my bottle jack I really like the Safejack.com the customer service was very good and they make quality products.
For recovery gear on a beach where you might not always have a tree or rock to hook up to you should look at Deaadmanoffroad.com they make a fantastic product for just such an occasion.
Hope that helps.
Rich

 

[lhoffm4]

Depending on the woman, I might prefer to stay “stuck” with her! Ha! You know you were thinking it too!

 

[Overlanding Lawyer]

I’ve added a Dewalt battery chainsaw, got a 12” rechargeable for about $150, it’s great for firewood or if you have to process wood for recovery. Just a thought.. uses the same battery as my drill and impact driver, charges Thur the vehicle or a solar panel.

 

[nuclear_runner]

The rest of your gear you have listed is about useless for self recovery. You have nothing to pull with. A come a long, winch, or even a high lift will get you out combined with the rest of your list.

When I got my first rig, first thing I did was bought 2 of the largest come a longs I could find at Tractor supply, then I got two recovery straps one was 25’ and the other 50’. I also picked up a high lift jack that was sitting behind our barn and out new pins and springs in it. Last thing I bought was a 3/4” shackle… a few years later I acquired some chain, and a few other tools that made self recovery more fun… it wasn’t u til 5 years ago that I went with a motorized winch. And my winch is still the last resort tool I go to…

So I slept on this and I think the come-along might make a ton of sense. People kept recommending one and it seems like it can get you out of a bunch of sticky spots without a ton of work. I live in the city so there's no Tractor Supply near me, and the ones on amazon do not look promising! Lots of reviews about failures after a few uses.

 

[Old Tanker]

Amazon does sell the Wyeth-Scott Power Pullers, but you can find them for cheaper prices elsewhere.
www.amazon.com/Puller-AmSteel-Blue-Synthetic-Industrial-Ratchet/dp/B08B6DLWXB/

Wyeth-Scott 3 Ton x 35 ft Rope Puller - #3-35-A-SLT

Wyeth-Scott 3 Ton x 35 ft Rope Puller - #3-35-A-SLT | Buy Online | Lifting.com

www.westechrigging.com

 

[nuclear_runner]

Amazon does sell the Wyeth-Scott Power Pullers, but you can find them for cheaper prices elsewhere.
www.amazon.com/Puller-AmSteel-Blue-Synthetic-Industrial-Ratchet/dp/B08B6DLWXB/

Wyeth-Scott 3 Ton x 35 ft Rope Puller - #3-35-A-SLT

Wyeth-Scott 3 Ton x 35 ft Rope Puller - #3-35-A-SLT | Buy Online | Lifting.com

www.westechrigging.com

3 ton would be tight with a GVWR of 6100 lbs no?

 

[Old Tanker]

3 ton would be tight with a GVWR of 6100 lbs no?

Hopefully you won't be mired fender deep and relying on human-power and leverage to make such a hard pull, but if that's the concern, get a 10K electric winch, or an extension line and a snatch block to double the 3-ton pull.

 

[nuclear_runner]

Hopefully you won't be mired fender deep and relying on human-power and leverage to make such a hard pull, but if that's the concern, get a 10K electric winch, or an extension line and a snatch block to double the 3-ton pull.

Oh right. I'm not trying to hoist the vehicle in the air. I briefly forgot how rolling works.

 

[M Rose]

So I slept on this and I think the come-along might make a ton of sense. People kept recommending one and it seems like it can get you out of a bunch of sticky spots without a ton of work. I live in the city so there's no Tractor Supply near me, and the ones on amazon do not look promising! Lots of reviews about failures after a few uses.

It looks like you have three Tractor Supplies near Arlington… TS also has free shipping as well.