RECOVERY GEAR: WHAT TO CARRY & WHY
8 min · Free lesson · written lesson, video in production
After this lesson you can build a recovery kit of rated gear you understand, before the day you need it.
The Technique
- Three tiers: self-recovery first (boards, shovel, tyre deflators, compressor), vehicle-assisted second (snatch strap and rated points), mechanical third (winch, jack). Most bogs end at tier one.
- Rated means marked. Straps, shackles and recovery points must carry a stamped rating - working load limit or minimum breaking strength. Unmarked gear is not recovery gear. Snatch straps are commonly rated around two to three times vehicle GVM - confirm sizing with the reviewing pro.
- Rated recovery points: engineered, bolted points on the chassis. Not tie-down loops, and never the tow ball. Tow-ball recoveries have killed people in Australia.
- Dampeners: every stretched strap and every winch line wears a dampener. A heavy blanket at absolute minimum.
- Soft shackles versus steel bows: soft shackles are lighter and safer if something lets go. Rated steel in good condition is still fine.
- Gloves, and a real shovel, not a toy.
- Inspection: straps with cuts, fraying or glazed sections retire. Gear that has taken a big recovery gets checked before it is trusted again.
Common Mistakes
The shiny unrated marketplace kit. Fix: rating stamps on everything or it stays in the shop.
- Assuming the hook under the bumper is a recovery point. It is probably a transport tie-down. Fix: identify your true rated points, front and rear.
- Recovery gear buried under the fridge. Fix: pack it where a bogged, flustered you can reach it.
The Drill
The driveway audit. Lay out every recovery item, find the rating stamp on each, and photograph your vehicle's actual rated points front and rear. Anything unrated goes in the bin or the tie-down-only box.
This lesson underpins the whole Recovery module. The rules there - rated gear, dampeners, exclusion zones - exist because failed snatch recoveries have killed bystanders. Buy once, buy rated.
LET'S BUILD
YOUR
ADVENTURE
Whether you want to surf Japan's legendary powder, ride the Old Telegraph Track to the tip of Cape York, or chase a New Zealand winter - tell us what you're dreaming about and we'll build the trip around you.