Enthusiast I
I am looking into straps and ropes for recovery purposes. Are there any pros and cons to using a rope over a strap or vice versa?
Recovery rope vs recovery strap
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Expedition Master I
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Quality kinetic ropes generally have more elasticity which is what you want and is worth paying for.
Member III
I agree with the kinetic ropes being the way to go. Definitely not cheaper option, but they work much better
I’ll edit to add a little reasoning on my choice...
kinetic ropes will pull you out of a suction/stuck spot without the harsh jerk that would happen with a typical strap. That’s how I’ve typically broken straps before. A kinetic rope will stretch, to add tension while pulling against it instead of just makingall of the force be applied instantly.
now, if I am using a winch with a strap combo, I prefer a solid strap, as i don’t want the stretch in that situation.
I’ll edit to add a little reasoning on my choice...
kinetic ropes will pull you out of a suction/stuck spot without the harsh jerk that would happen with a typical strap. That’s how I’ve typically broken straps before. A kinetic rope will stretch, to add tension while pulling against it instead of just makingall of the force be applied instantly.
now, if I am using a winch with a strap combo, I prefer a solid strap, as i don’t want the stretch in that situation.
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Enthusiast I
So something like an ARB snatch strap would give a harder jerk than a rope with the same rating used in a similar situation?
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The ARB snatch strap is designed to stretch 20% while a Bubba Rope kinetic rope is designed to stretch 30-35%. There's no comparison.
The most important part of these, first and foremost, is a properly sized rope/strap. Too light and it could snap, too strong and it will jerk like a tow strap. Some say 2-3x GVWR and others 3-4x. I split the difference and settled on 3x.
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The OPs question is like asking what’s better, a flat blade screw driver, or a Phillips #2 screw driver . Both are similar tools, used with the same goal in mind, but have very different needs.
Kinetic ropes are great for slow tugs (best way to recover any vehicle if possible) but are easily damage from sharp abrupt jerks. Also most ropes aren’t good for wrapping around an object for self extraction with a winch.
Straps however are designed for the quick hard jerk, wrapping around trees and other objects for self recovery.
Straps and Ropes with hooks attached to them are designed for towing a disabled rig only and are not to be used as a recovery device. Recovery straps and ropes have loops built into the ends of them.
Kinetic ropes are great for slow tugs (best way to recover any vehicle if possible) but are easily damage from sharp abrupt jerks. Also most ropes aren’t good for wrapping around an object for self extraction with a winch.
Straps however are designed for the quick hard jerk, wrapping around trees and other objects for self recovery.
Straps and Ropes with hooks attached to them are designed for towing a disabled rig only and are not to be used as a recovery device. Recovery straps and ropes have loops built into the ends of them.
Enthusiast I
And that's what I'm here to learn. I saw snatch straps and ropes and figured they were for the same uses. So far in life my vehicle recovery experience has been dig paths for the wheels, hook up a tow strap and try to pull out the stuck vehicle. If that doesn't work, proceed to step two and get the winch out. I was taught to use a tow strap by taking all the slack out first, so snatch recoveries are new to me. Thanks all for the knowledge being shared.
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Taking up the slack is the preferred way to pull out a stuck rig... Kenetic Ropes like the Bubba Rope are perfect for this. They are designed to stretch so far, then snap back to their original length (like a rubber band). And they work great for this application... but when this kind of recovery fail people tend to jerk the ropes which causes fatigue to the kenetic strands and induces premature failure. That is where the strap comes in... hook up with shackles and give several light tugs... if that doesn’t work, then bring out the winch.
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They absolutely are intended to be used the same way.
I think you’re a bit confused on the subject matter. Dynamic recoveries with either a strap or a rope are intended to be done with momentum. It’s the entire point and they can be used in this manner over and over and over and.... over. You wouldn’t use either of these in a static recovery.
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I’m not mistaken one bit... 20 years running professional off-road recovery equipment, I am not mistaken one little bit. Jerk that bumper right off the vehicle, snap that rope or strap... seen it a million and 1 times... pull the slack up gently, then as the strap or rope goes taught give it heck.
You give me a Jerk when I’m stuck and I’m flying out of my Bronco and cutting your strap... done that several times as well...
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I stand by my comment. I have no desire to argue with you but I found your comments misleading and/or inaccurate. If you’ve ever felt a sudden jerk from a kinetic rope/strap you’re 100% using the wrong equipment.
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Bubba rope through my windshield... yup felt it... hole is still there...
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Correct equipment, correct method, a LINE DAMPER, and that doesn’t happen...
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Improper use of correct equipment... had I been the puller, not the pulley, I wouldn’t have a hole in my windshield... I told the guy to pull the rope taught before gunning it... I think he had to be doing 15-20 mph when the line went right... Bubba rope snapped and slung I to my windshield. Like I said, pull the rope tight then ease into the torque with both rigs as one and the rope works great... jerking causes damage... but keep jerking your ropes... It brings more money to the off-road recovery specialists. 95% of my recoveries were because rigs got torn apart from being jerked out of a hole.
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Once again... I stand by my comment. Sounds to me like incorrect method and that you don’t believe in using line dampers since you skipped right over that. Shame since recoveries are potentially dangerous situations and you’re lucky all you lost was a windshield.
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I skipped over line dampers because I always use a leaded blanket... like I said 20 years in off-road recovery. doing this professionally... with training and a license. not as a hobby. If I wouldn’t have been jerked the blanket wouldn’t have slid over the rope as it was coming back into my truck.... he was higher elevation than me... and I was high centered on my front bumper... all I needed was a light tug... just like the guy in the first video clip I showed... the guy pulling me would have lost the front of his truck the same as the white truck did had the rope not failed...
Expedition Master I
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Based on your comments I’m not assuming anything about your experience. I can show you shoddy work of a professional plumber who’s trained, licensed, and has 30 years of experience. Time on the job can mean absolutely nothing if you’re not good at what you do and training/licensed... Guess what they call the guy who finishes last in his class at med school? Doctor...
Thank you for sharing a video supporting my momentum comment. I never said anything about going 15-20 mph. Momentum was all I said. There was no take up and a properly sized rope for the job absorbed all of the shock so there was no jerking.
Correct equipment and correct method...
Enthusiast I
Again, thanks everyone for the knowledge. My intent isn't to cause hate and discontent, I'm just trying to learn here rather than trying to figure it out in the field. I've never seen a rig torn apart in a recovery, but I have watched a mooring bollard get launched a few hundred feet after we ripped it off of the pier and that's the kind of thing I'm trying to avoid.
So far the definite common theme that I've learned is to not go at it like a bat out of hell...
So far the definite common theme that I've learned is to not go at it like a bat out of hell...
Boostpowered
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Member III
Sometimes the worst happens no matter how prepared or trained at it you are. Both straps and ropes are wear items and will degrade: over time, in the sun, sand, mud rocks and just being used often. Ive used poly rope from harbor freight in a pinch and 550 paracord as well to pull vehicles 12 strands of 550 para will hold 6300lbs. Kinetic straps are a fairly new product maybe 15 years or so old, we still got the job done back before they were around. Back when they first came out there were alot of people bashing their face in the steering wheel or windshield during kinetic pulls because of too much stretch.
You mention if all else fails youd use the winch, That should be the first thing you go for. Alot less liability for yanking something off someones vehicle or giving em whiplash.
Enthusiast I
I understand this well. Just trying to mitigate the ignorance factor. I was leaning towards a recovery strap while I save for a winch and mount for the truck as an interim measure and want to learn as much as I can before I commit to something. A lot of my reading has been pointing me more towards the winch because the loads are predictable, so that has been a good eye opener for me.
