What do I really need for recovery gear?

[Graeman]

Your brain is the most important tool for recovery of a stuck vehicle. It depends one how many vehicles are in the group, what kind of recovery gear does everyone have with them, location (desert, beach, swamp, woods, etc) and having the basic items. Basic items differ depending on whether you travel alone, what type of vehicle you drive, the terrain you are on and the type of stuck that you have gotten yourself into. More items is great if you have the room to store it all, but overkill of items leaves no room for anything else.

You can be on the dunes or beach and get away with just a shovel and any of the various traction pads. You can be stuck in 2" of ice and only need a set of tire chains and a floor jack, you can be in 3' of water and need an insurance company. It just depends on the circumstance and how you think about what is the safest, easiest and best way to get out of a bad situation.

Never travel alone, always walk the bad section before committing your vehicle to the task that you are about to partake. Is your vehicle set up for that type of terrain - tires (mud vs all terrain vs street), suspension (stock height vs lifted), overall size ( Subaru vs 1 ton dually), skid plates, all day to conquer the obstacle or 5 minutes, there are so many factors to off roading.

 

[Bk6418]

Your brain is the most important tool for recovery of a stuck vehicle. It depends one how many vehicles are in the group, what kind of recovery gear does everyone have with them, location (desert, beach, swamp, woods, etc) and having the basic items. Basic items differ depending on whether you travel alone, what type of vehicle you drive, the terrain you are on and the type of stuck that you have gotten yourself into. More items is great if you have the room to store it all, but overkill of items leaves no room for anything else.

You can be on the dunes or beach and get away with just a shovel and any of the various traction pads. You can be stuck in 2" of ice and only need a set of tire chains and a floor jack, you can be in 3' of water and need an insurance company. It just depends on the circumstance and how you think about what is the safest, easiest and best way to get out of a bad situation.

Never travel alone, always walk the bad section before committing your vehicle to the task that you are about to partake. Is your vehicle set up for that type of terrain - tires (mud vs all terrain vs street), suspension (stock height vs lifted), overall size ( Subaru vs 1 ton dually), skid plates, all day to conquer the obstacle or 5 minutes, there are so many factors to off roading.

Of course, thank you

Sent from my SM-G935P using OB Talk mobile app

 

[Treaty Oak Offroad]

This is near and dear to my heart...because well it's what I do at TOO.

I carry:
2 hard shackles (don't buy cheap chinese crap here, you're not saving that much in the long run. Plus...you want it to work)
2 soft shackles
20' kinetic rope
30' static strap
10' tree saver
shovel
winch
2 recovery boards

I'll echo what Graeman said, your most important tool is your brain. Most people immediately start pulling winch rope when they get stuck, there are plenty faster ways to get out. Often a little digging, throwing your recovery boards down, or a quick pull with a kinetic rope will break you free much faster than your winch. Ultimately BE SMART, you don't want to break yourself, your rig, or your equipment. Take a few minutes and think it through before jumping into action.

 

[Bk6418]

This is near and dear to my heart...because well it's what I do at TOO.

I carry:
2 hard shackles (don't buy cheap chinese crap here, you're not saving that much in the long run. Plus...you want it to work)
2 soft shackles
20' kinetic rope
30' static strap
10' tree saver
shovel
winch
2 recovery boards

I'll echo what Graeman said, your most important tool is your brain. Most people immediately start pulling winch rope when they get stuck, there are plenty faster ways to get out. Often a little digging, throwing your recovery boards down, or a quick pull with a kinetic rope will break you free much faster than your winch. Ultimately BE SMART, you don't want to break yourself, your rig, or your equipment. Take a few minutes and think it through before jumping into action.

I agree 100% with you both, I guess my starting of this thread was to ask the community what would be the basic gear one should have.

 

[Treaty Oak Offroad]

I think most people start with:

30' static strap
2-3 hard shackles
Shovel

If you've got a winch, a tree saver and snatch block would be a good idea as well.

 

[Marty clock]

now I wont have to ask the question. great thread.

 

[Chief Indy]

the times I wheeled in my jeep I always had my shackles and tow strap for wrapping around a tree. Here is the Midwest west there are huge trees very close everywhere. I have never been outside of 50' of a good recovery point. For those that live out west (correct me if I am wrong) the less dense woods don't yield such a plethora of recovery points. So expanding your self recovery options is paramount. I personally need to get my Tacoma built up with recovery options since I just got it.

 

[Treaty Oak Offroad]

the times I wheeled in my jeep I always had my shackles and tow strap for wrapping around a tree. Here is the Midwest west there are huge trees very close everywhere. I have never been outside of 50' of a good recovery point. For those that live out west (correct me if I am wrong) the less dense woods don't yield such a plethora of recovery points. So expanding your self recovery options is paramount. I personally need to get my Tacoma built up with recovery options since I just got it.

Hit me up if you have questions or are looking for anything specific, all our gear is made in the USA.

 

[Corey Webb]

All of this is Great information! Thanks, for this post.