What ONE piece of recovery gear will you never leave home without?
- Thread starter Sempertoy
- Start date
HARDTRAILZ
Certified
Common sense
cnynrat
Expedition Leader
I never leave home without my winch. Even if I'm just running down to the grocery store, it's there on my bumper. 
Probably not the intent of the question though. While there are many pieces of recovery gear that are part of my standard kit, I would probably say a shovel is one I would always bring if I had to name just one.
Probably not the intent of the question though. While there are many pieces of recovery gear that are part of my standard kit, I would probably say a shovel is one I would always bring if I had to name just one.
I was thinking exactly the same thing. Common sense should NEVER be left at home.
To many users, all the tools in the world will only work as designed. Common sense can make all of those tools, as well as surrounding rocks, trees, soil, and other nonstandard material around be more adaptive to your recovery efforts.
loren85022
Explorer
The shovel would seem to be the most essential. The tow strap and Hi Lift being the other two that have strong merit depending on if you are solo or have another vehicle near by. I own a winch but it's never been my first choice for getting the ball rolling again. Maybe i just not getting stuck in the right places.
X-plorenow
Adventurer
Winch is #1, everything else is gravy. To me it is the first thing you put on your rig.
NM-Frontier
Explorer
One more for the shovel. Gloves and good shoes can go along way also.
UK4X4
Expedition Leader
winch is only usefull if you have something to winch off of
Shovel is a multiuse basic tool- with time - the vehicles jack and the shovel you will get free.
But I'll up the anti to a pick matock
ever tried pulling dirt from under a truck with a shovel ?
The pick matock breaks up rocky soil - moves soil like a shovel and can also pull dirt from under a vehicle
if you sharpen the blade - think axe
it is heavier- but to me more usefull
Winch / highlift /straps etc etc all have their uses- but you need a second item to make them useful
the shovel matock etc work on their own
heres a few examples
here I am stuck- I used a dog bowl and a hammer to dig out the difs and eventually found a frozen rock to winch myself off of
It would have been faster with a pick mattock
oops stuck again
pick mattock too the rescue- had a winch - but nothing to winch off of
used a high lift as i had the lift points- but lacked a shovel to fill the hole once I'd lifted the front- note nothing to winch off of
Obviously rocks like Moab need a diferent approach - but most trails are'nt solid sandstone
Shovel is a multiuse basic tool- with time - the vehicles jack and the shovel you will get free.
But I'll up the anti to a pick matock
ever tried pulling dirt from under a truck with a shovel ?
The pick matock breaks up rocky soil - moves soil like a shovel and can also pull dirt from under a vehicle
if you sharpen the blade - think axe
it is heavier- but to me more usefull
Winch / highlift /straps etc etc all have their uses- but you need a second item to make them useful
the shovel matock etc work on their own
heres a few examples
here I am stuck- I used a dog bowl and a hammer to dig out the difs and eventually found a frozen rock to winch myself off of
It would have been faster with a pick mattock
oops stuck again
pick mattock too the rescue- had a winch - but nothing to winch off of
used a high lift as i had the lift points- but lacked a shovel to fill the hole once I'd lifted the front- note nothing to winch off of
Obviously rocks like Moab need a diferent approach - but most trails are'nt solid sandstone
CA-RJ
Expo Approved™
crismateski
American Adventurist
I have heard this before, but have never heard how deep you need to bury it. I would think that it depends on the type of soil, but is there a basic rule?
UK4X4
Expedition Leader
Ok burying your tire and winch.
ask Mike and his landy 130 in Utah if that works
......luckily he got helicoptered out
It depends on conditions
If your stuck- its unlikely you will be able to dig the tire deep enough to winch off of- and by the way you'l need a shovel or pickmatock to dig the hole !
ask Mike and his landy 130 in Utah if that works
......luckily he got helicoptered out
It depends on conditions
If your stuck- its unlikely you will be able to dig the tire deep enough to winch off of- and by the way you'l need a shovel or pickmatock to dig the hole !
Desert Dan
Explorer
Shovel then a highlift jack if going solo.
TangoBlue
American Adventurist
We get it. Ignore everyone else. The only tool for self-recovery is a pick maddox.
Stiff wire brush - thrice daily - carry on...
Sempertoy
Explorer
We get it. Ignore everyone else. The only tool for self-recovery is a pick maddox.
Stiff wire brush - thrice daily - carry on...
carry on, aye aye sir.