When it comes to taking your pickup truck offroad, it pays to be prepared. There are a number of circumstances which might warrant having a little extra gear in the rear that could help pull you out of a tough situation. Here’s a great start to creating an offroad rescue kit for beginners using Factor 55 and LEER Gear.
a bag for Offroad rescue
A lot of us like to use our trucks for more than commuting to and from work, even as a work vehicle. There are those of us who like to turn our wheels off the pavement and down the more complex and unpaved roads. This may also mean that getting stuck or coming across someone in a recovery situation who has gotten stuck is inevitable. This makes having an offroad rescue kit an essential tool for our rigs.
One simple element that is often overlooked in the offroad gear world is simply the bag that your gear needs to go into. Factor 55 is one of the leading offroad recovery companies (arguably, the best-in-class option) in the United States providing everything from their ProLink closed link winch system to recovery straps, tree saver straps, and soft shackles. And of course they even offer their Factor 55 Ultimate Recovery Bag as a great solution to keeping gear clean and tucked away.
Always remember to hydrate
Another simple and often overlooked essential to offroading is simply bringing enough water along. A lot of motorists who get stranded – especially in the southwestern portion of the United States – risk getting stuck or stranded in hot arid climates. Keeping a few extra bottles of water stowed away in your recovery kit is a good way to keep vital water on hand while you handle whatever recovery situation you might find yourself in.
Soft shackles are the best shackles
If you are looking to keep your offroad recovery kit nice and light, then one easy way to do that is by getting a high quality soft shackle. Whether you get stuck in sand, snow, mud, or just in a ditch, a soft shackle easily works with almost any kind of recovery point and makes for one of the more versatile recovery tools. Made of synthetic rope, it’s lighter than a D-ring or bow shackle, portable, and easy to get in or around a number of anchor points.
Multiplying pulling power
If you are equipped with a manual winch or the better modern electric winches, you are already a step ahead of the game. One simple way to greatly amplify your winching capacity is to add a snatch block or a Factor 55 rope retention pulley if you are using synthetic winch line. Used correctly, these tools will increase your mechanical advantage when winching and reduce the load on your winch unit.
Don’t forget the Winch Controller
If you are part of the winch owner’s club, one thing you may have done in the past was misplace the very tool you need to run that winch. A great thing about creating an offroad recovery kit with a bag is that you can have a sure place to put this vital piece of equipment. It mights seem obvious but you don’t want to be “that offroader” out on the trail with a winch and no controller.
Snatch Straps and Road Jacks
If you aren’t ready to shell out hundreds or thousands of dollars on a high quality winch system, you might want to go with that old school gear to get you home. Unlike tow straps, a snatch strap or inertia strap (like the one offered by LEER Gear) uses the built in momentum or inertia of the recovery vehicle to amplify its pulling power by building up energy in its strands. Much like pulling on a giant rubber band with a limiting point, this is an amazing tool for offroad recovery if used right.
Another simple offroad tool vital to many common situations is the offroad jack. Unlike a high lift jack, an offroad jack like Pro Eagle jacks are as easy and safe to use as a shop jack – but for offroad areas. They can easily be stored under your SnugTop, LEER Cap, or mounted on your BEDSLIDE.
Other miscellaneous things you might want to consider is a vehicle based air compressor, tire repair kit, and even a well made first aid kit.
What gear would you personally consider bringing along on your adventures?