Recovery Rope or Recovery Strap?

[Ultima Thule]

I have a 2021 Wrangler Rubicon, and I am slowly adding some bits of recovery gear. I needed to pull a man out of a slight snow bank today, and all I had to use was an old 20’ logging chain. Very simple, just needed a very minor tug, and he was out. But it made me decide I need to order a kinetic method for such uses.

Looking at a Bubba Rope or a Vulcan rope first, and the 30’ is around $225 for Bubba and about $165 for Vulcan. Both seem to have good reviews, but I would appreciate the forum opinions as well. Or other recommendations frankly. I’m not stuck on either brand at all.

In fact, I would like comments on the Recovery Strap vs. Recovery Rope debate, lol. Also like the ARB 30’ Recovery Strap, that runs only about $70. And the ARB Weekender Kit comes with the strap, a couple of d-shackles, and a pair of gloves in a duffel bag for only around $140. Seems that even if I add a soft shackle, I will still be in the price range of the ropes I was looking at. Are the ropes that much better than straps?

Frankly leaning toward the ARB kit with the addition of an ARB soft shackle.

My use is probably very minimal, something like pulling out a stuck Ford Escape like today. Our level of off-reading is limited to no-body-damage-allowed type forest roads and such, and we live at around 4000’ on the side of a mountain, so snow is the more likely use for us.

Thank you in advance, I have learned so much from this forum!

 

[krick3tt]

Try to take a recovery class, you will learn lots and save yourself tons of trouble. recovery can be dangerous. If you pull some one out of a situation and damage their vehicle you could get sued, even though you were being a good samaritan.

 

[Ultima Thule]

Excellent idea.

Any input on my questions?

 

[DaveInDenver]

Any input on my questions?

For me there's two reasons for a rope over a strap.

One is that the ends are spliced into an eye loop rather than sewn. Not that I've had stitching break or wear out but this strikes me as better. Second is that a rope tends to stretch more so I don't have to yank as hard to achieve the load-unload effect. OTOH the extra stretch can work against you potentially in awkward pulls.

In the end both work fine and will be safe if you keep track of the ratings. So stick with name brands and get whatever type, size and length fits your budget. I'd have absolutely zero concern hooking to the other end of an ARB strap. I still have mine even though I also have a rope now (my rope is an ASR FWIW).

 

[jbaucom]

For the use you've described, I'd get a quality recovery strap to start and use the rest of the money you would've spent on a KERR to buy a couple of rated bow shackles and a couple of sufficiently rated soft shackles. You'll have some money left over, and a good recovery strap should have close to 20% stretch, when properly sized to the vehicle being recovered. Most kinetic recovery ropes stretch closer to 30%, IIRC. That's the thing about kinetic ropes and recovery straps - the rated stretch depends on the rope/strap being properly sized (WLL) to the vehicle. If the strap is rated too high (WLL), then it won't stretch as much, and if it's rated too low, it's more susceptible to breakage.

 

[billiebob]

My use is probably very minimal

Stick with the chain, I've carried one for 40 years. Considered the hi tech alternates but why.... my ego does not need stroking by rescuing anyone. The chain does it all and the number one use is dragging trees to clear a path. STEEL is the best choice when dragging anything. Plus for that annual let me help you..... a chain does it with way more control than anything kinetic.

Every spring when the water level drops these logs need to be dragged out of the way to access the beach.... the chain always works.
When, if I get stuck, the chain works. If someone else gets stuck and NEEDS a kinetic strap or rope .... I hope they have one.

 

[Ultima Thule]

For the use you've described, I'd get a quality recovery strap to start and use the rest of the money you would've spent on a KERR to buy a couple of rated bow shackles and a couple of sufficiently rated soft shackles. You'll have some money left over, and a good recovery strap should have close to 20% stretch, when properly sized to the vehicle being recovered. Most kinetic recovery ropes stretch closer to 30%, IIRC. That's the thing about kinetic ropes and recovery straps - the rated stretch depends on the rope/strap being properly sized (WLL) to the vehicle. If the strap is rated too high (WLL), then it won't stretch as much, and if it's rated too low, it's more susceptible to breakage.

Thank you for the comment. I believe you are correct for my uses. And I think the ARB Weekender kit with a 30’ 17,600# strap, two D-shackles and a bag fit well with that. I’ll add a soft shackle or two and still be right around the price of a 30’ rope from Bubba or similar.

 

[Ultima Thule]

Stick with the chain, I've carried one for 40 years. Considered the hi tech alternates but why.... my ego does not need stroking by rescuing anyone. The chain does it all and the number one use is dragging trees to clear a path. STEEL is the best choice when dragging anything. Plus for that annual let me help you..... a chain does it with way more control than anything kinetic.

Every spring when the water level drops these logs need to be dragged out of the way to access the beach.... the chain always works.
When, if I get stuck, the chain works. If someone else gets stuck and NEEDS a kinetic strap or rope .... I hope they have one.

Not too many beaches in the mountains of Tennessee, but I have drug fallen trees (and cut them too) off trails. My chain has been with me 30 or 35 years now and isn’t going anywhere soon.

But, I have to be prepared to help out…that is part of living in a small rural community. And the man I helped yesterday was my 80+ year old father in law trying to do it himself in 18 degrees and nearly two feet of snow. That ain’t happening if I can help it, lol.

 

[DaveInDenver]

I usually carry a drag chain for stuff like downed trees, too.

 

[grizzlypath]

Chain or steel winch cable for trees or dragging makes a ton of sense.

I carry a recovery strap because it takes up less room and that's a concern for me.

If I was doing a lot of recoveries, either as a volunteer effort or if I had more time to get out and play, I'd definitely want a rope. I'd want to look into the kinetic stretch ratio and also the number of lifetime cycles. Don't take my word on it, but I think ropes can handle like 10x the number of hard pulls that a snatch strap can [need source other than my forum broscience].

 

[Metcalf]

Kinetic Rope for me these days. I like the softer feel on both vehicles. It also allows a much more mismatched vehicle weights. For most normal recoveries, like pulling someone out of a ditch, or providing a little help on the trail it works great. Doing any kind of distance towing is miserable with a hard device like chain. I had to tow someone back out the 1st day on my Dusy Ershim trip this summer because they only had front wheel drive. With the up, down, and over rocky terrain, it would have taken 10x longer to go slow enough to use a chain.

I carry a short 4' section of chain in my recovery bag. One side is a sling hook , one side is a grab hook. That short section of chain has been all I needed for the odd thing over the years. It's most helpful for holding something like a steering box or engine in place with a broken mount using a section of all thread or a long bolt to tighten things. It would also work for pulling on a dead tree or whatever if needed. I tend to just use a tree strap, sling, or extra long soft shackle for that these days. I'm not skidding lumber for a living or anything. I can't say I have noticed any of my soft rigging gear wearing out prematurely, but on the flip side, even steel recovery gear has a service life. For rigging with living trees you are going to have to have a tree strap or two anyways. There is no one single option that will work perfectly for everything. Half of being good at recovery is finding new ways to use the gear you happen to have with you.

Strap vs a rope. I do like how compact a strap is for storage. Ropes take up a bit more space for sure. I would take a strap over a chain any day. Even a strap with limited stretch feels WAY softer than a chain on both vehicles.

For your situation. A kinetic rope and a good way to attach the strap to the front and rear of your vehicle is a great place to start.

 

[GBGCR4x4]

I have a TJM recovery kit, very similar to the ARB weekender you mentioned. I haven't done much recovery other than pulling 2-3 friends out from a muddy trail. Honestly, for the price and my needs (which seem similar to yours), it's hard to beat!

 

[nwoods]

A lot of the choice between a kinetic rope verses a strap has to do with the type of Stuck you encounter. Deep Mud ad deep sand are examples of Stuck Situations that requires some inertia to overcome the initial roll resistance to being pulled out. If you are just tugging someone off a rock, or back onto the trail due to slippery conditions, a small tug or steady gentle pull will do the deed. You can't beat a Kinetic rope for recovery situations where the rig is buried and truly stuck. However, for everything else, a strap will work really well. @Metcalf has it right in saying that they are all useful in a given situation. Here in dry Southern California, the strap is useful and sufficient the vast majority of the time. If I were on the east coast or somewhere wet, I would opt for a rope as my primary.

Also, the ARB recovery bags are excellent, and getting training on proper recovery techniques can save your life. It is a highly dangerous thing to do wrong.

 

[Ultima Thule]

Ordered the ARB Weekender strap kit with shackles. Also got an ARB soft shackle coming. Nothing wrong with the Bubba, Yankum, Vulcan products that I looked at, but I am older and when I got started off-reading ARB was THE company. Hard to not look at them.

 

[Ultima Thule]

Should add, I’ll pick up a 30’ recovery rope probably by spring.