As far as vehicles are concerned, off-roading is one of the riskiest activities that a car owner could undertake under normal circumstances. This is because off-roading will almost always pose unaccounted for challenges that will continuously test your knowledge of the road, the environment, and your vehicle. As such, it is imperative to come prepared with everything that you might need to pull yourself out of a sticky situation. This is where recovery kits come in. Recovery kits serve as your get-out-of-jail card for when you get stuck in terrain that is impossible to get through. As such, they are a necessary part of your survival whenever you go out onto the trail. In an attempt to get you fully prepared for whatever may be out there, this article will cover:

• The different types of terrain you may encounter

• The essential tools for recovery

Without further ado, here is everything that all off-road truck recovery kits should have!

Different Types of Terrain You May Encounter

It should be obvious at this point that the gear you will need on any off-roading excursion is highly dependent on the type of terrain you expect to encounter. In general, the most troublesome types of terrain that you will need to prepare for are snow wheeling, mudding, and rock crawling.

Rock Crawling

Rock crawling is different from other types of off-roading in that, in most cases, you will not have to worry about losing traction. Instead, with rock crawling, the main concern is getting tipped over. While it is extremely hard to prevent this from happening, one of the essential tools that will help you get out of these tough spots are winches and tow straps. Both of these tools are more than capable of freeing you from any predicament you have gotten yourself stuck in.

Mudding

Mudding, much like snow wheeling, is exceedingly risky for off-roading. This is because it is so easy to lose traction in deep mud, resulting in you not being able to pull yourself out of a ditch. As such, having a winch can make traversing mud a lot easier by providing an easy and non-committal way of getting your vehicle to an area where it has traction.

Snow Wheeling

As the name might imply, snow wheeling focuses heavily on traversing areas that may have deep snowbanks. Under normal circumstances, these snowbanks prove to be trouble for most vehicles sporting regular tires, as they will not be able to keep traction. Furthermore, if you use a vehicle in these situations, there is no guarantee that you will be able to pull the vehicle out. Sometimes, the stuck vehicle may pull the recovery vehicle towards it due to slick road conditions. As such, for snow wheeling, the most important tool to have is a snatch strap.

The Essential Tools for Vehicle Recovery

When it comes to off-roading, the tools you bring along can greatly affect your amount of fun and success on your trip. As such, it is important to ensure that you absolutely have all the tools that you will need to ensure you are prepared for any situation. Here are the essential tools you need for vehicle recovery:

Tow Strap

Tow straps are one of the main ways that most drivers will recover their vehicle. However, most recovery strap kits come with the requirement of you having another vehicle on the other end of the tow strap. When shopping for a tow strap, ensure that it will be able to stand up to the weight of your vehicle.

Recovery Points

Recovery points are some of the most important areas to know on your vehicle. While some of these recovery points may be already included in your vehicle frame, installing more points on the sides of the vehicle that are lacking them will make it a lot easier to recover from many different situations.

4x4 Recovery Boards

4x4 recovery boards are often the easiest and most used solution for recovery. These boards fit under stuck wheels and provide traction by dispersing the weight of the tires across a larger area. This makes it easier for the car to pull itself out of any mud, sand, or snow under its own power with little outside help. However, these recovery boards are specifically limited to softer terrain and are not applicable to every situation.

Winch

A winch is one of the most important recovery methods, mainly due to how diverse the application of winches is. The amazing thing about winches is that, like traction boards, they require no outside help to function. Rather than another car, winches simply require a sturdy anchor point to affix to.

Jacks

Jacks are another necessity when it comes to off-roading recovery. Jacks are great in that they can easily lift your suspension off the ground. This will make it a lot easier to do simple field repairs that may require you to get underneath the car. Furthermore, if your vehicle ever gets tipped over, jacks can be a big help in righting your vehicle!

Tire Repair Kit

When you go off-roading, there is no guarantee that your tires will last the entire trip. Furthermore, sometimes it can be cumbersome and illogical to carry more than one spare tire (remember, double flats can happen). A tire repair kit is a light and effective solution to this problem. While you cannot rely on a tire repair kit in the long term, it is certainly a great short-term fix until you can get the tire repaired by a professional.

D-Ring Shackles

D-ring shackles are an excellent option for when you really need an accessible recovery point that is well rounded and fully suited for being a towing point. With these shackles, you no longer need to get down to find an awkward and potentially dangerous spot to hook onto.

Hitch Receiver

Hitch receivers are extremely necessary for any job that requires towing. Typically, these are best suited for the typical ball and cup hitch configurations but may also be used as a recovery point if required, as these hitch receivers are usually bolted or welded to the frame of the car.

We hope that this article has helped you understand everything all off-road truck recovery kits should have. If you are looking to upgrade your suspension or are simply looking for aftermarket add-ons to increase your off-roading capability, reach out to Supreme Suspensions!