Which Recovery Strap is Right For You?

When it comes to vehicle recovery, straps are the unsung heroes. While winches get top billing, recovery straps—though not as flashy—are important tools. Knowing which ones to choose is important. Let’s look at which recovery strap is right for you.

The Tree Trunk Protector

When you think of vehicle recovery, a Tree Trunk Protector might not be your first thought. But these static straps are super important.

Tree trunk protectors are designed to go around the trunk of a tree (or another suitable anchor, like a boulder) when you need to pull yourself out when stuck. They should always be implemented when using a tree as an anchor point, as you don’t want to take a winch’s line and double it back onto itself. That will damage a tree and damage your rope. It’s just a bad idea and isn’t safe.

Tree trunk protectors are designed not to stretch, as they’re part of an anchor system. Some, such as the Ironman 4x4 Tree Trunk Protector, include a neoprene abrasion sleeve to extend the strap’s life. Ironman 4x4’s is rated to 27,500 lbs. and resists UV and moisture, too. A tree trunk protector is a must in everyone’s recovery kit.

Recovery Straps

Unlike the tree trunk protector, a recovery strap is designed to stretch. Sometimes called a snatch strap, recovery straps have a percentage of elasticity which creates kinetic energy when used. This is the tool you want if someone’s stuck without a winch, and you have another vehicle to pull you out. Once properly rigged up (never use the ball on a hitch!), the non-stuck vehicle gets a slight running start, and yanks the stuck vehicle out. This force puts the kinetic energy to work freeing the stuck vehicle.

The Ironman 4x4 Recovery Strap is rated to 17,600 lbs. and stretches up to 20% to absorb shock and provide useful kinetic energy. It includes a protection sleeve and a mesh bag for drying as well as an instruction manual.

Recovery straps are great for those without a winch, or for the time when a winch can’t be used. But never use a recovery strap as a tree trunk protector. You do not want stretch on an anchor point. On the flip side, you never want to use a tree trunk protector as a recovery strap. Since tree straps don’t have any stretch, you can do serious vehicle damage if you try to pull hard and fast with a tree trunk protector.

Kinetic Recovery Ropes

It’s worth mentioning that kinetic recovery ropes are an option to recovery straps. Ironman 4x4 versions come in two capacities, 27,500 and 20,900 lbs. for different applications. They work the same way a recovery strap does and should be used the same way. These ropes should also never be used as a tree trunk protector and should also never be used as a winch rope extension either.

Know Before You Go

Before you head out on your next adventure, be sure to familiarize yourself with the kind of straps you have and purchase the ones you need. Both a tree strap (or tree trunk protector) and recovery strap are excellent bits of kit to have in your basic kit. Just ensure you choose the right kind of strap and the right capacity for your vehicle and the recovery you choose to do at any given time.