Recovery tow straps are recovery gear items that can pull another vehicle. Snatch straps are very similar to tow straps, but they stretch during recovery whereas tow straps do not. Kinetic recovery straps also stretch during use. The stretching function helps reduce the shock load off both vehicles.

Recovery straps are good for most recovery situations and they are a lot less expensive than truck winches. Some of these straps, including the ones mentioned above, are interchangeable in many situations, but others have specific uses.

What Is a Recovery Tow Strap?

Recovery tow straps are pretty straightforward pieces of equipment. They are relatively inexpensive and resist abrasion if they happen to drag on the ground. Recovery straps are usually made for fairly high load ratings, but breakage is always a possibility.

For that reason, it's not generally a good idea to get tow straps with metal hooks on the end. If breakage occurs, these straps can become deadly projectiles.

Most recovery straps have loops on each end that attach to your vehicle's open tow hooks or D-rings. Open tow hooks are quite common on Jeeps but are less common on trucks and SUVs. Most trucks come with at least a receiver hitch, and this can be a good recovery point for a tow strap. Don't use a tow ball for recovery. Instead, remove the tow ball and attach the strap with the hitch pin.

Choosing a Recovery Strap

All types of recovery straps are available for vehicles as small as a UTV to large vehicles like full-size trucks. Most are made from polyester, nylon, or polypropylene. It's important to choose a strap that is rated for at least four times the weight of your vehicle when it's fully loaded. This will give you the extra force necessary to recover a vehicle when it's stuck.

First, start with how much your vehicle weighs. Small SUVs and two-door Jeeps are usually around 4,000 pounds. Four-door SUVs or Jeeps with winches and body armor can be around 7,000 pounds. Half-ton trucks will be a similar weight to this. A one-ton diesel truck will be around 8,000 pounds.

So for example, a recovery strap rated for about 20,000 pounds might be ideal for an older two-door Jeep with additional off-road accessories.

How To Use Recovery Straps

Using a recovery strap is fairly simple, but it's important to take your time to do it correctly and not rush. It's always better to pull downhill forward or backward whenever possible. A driver should be in the vehicle being recovered and you might need a third person to coordinate the recovery on the outside. Anyone else should be a safe distance away in case something goes wrong.

Regular tow straps and tow ropes are designed only to tow a free-moving vehicle. However, snatch straps and kinetic recovery ropes can be used to free a stuck vehicle. A snatch recovery can only be performed if there's plenty of space for the tow vehicle to get a running start and move the stuck vehicle. The stuck vehicle must move forward or backward, not to the side.

Recovery straps must be attached to a vehicle's rated recovery points. These should not be confused with tie-down or shipping points. If your vehicle does not have factory-rated recovery points, you can acquire aftermarket recovery points through various off-road suppliers. These points will attach to your vehicle's chassis with high-tensile bolts.

As previously mentioned, you can only perform a snatch recovery if you have plenty of space and the stuck vehicle can be pulled forward or backward. A tight-quarters recovery will likely require a winch or additional recovery methods.

Steps For Recovery

1. Line up the towing vehicle in a straight line with the stuck vehicle.
2. If the stuck vehicle is mired in sand or mud, use a shovel to clear around the vehicle as much as possible.
3. Connect the recovery strap to the rated recovery points on both vehicles. Make sure there is plenty of slack in the strap so the towing vehicle can build up momentum before it stretches taut.
4. Put a weighted damper over the strap in case of failure. If the strap breaks, this should prevent it from turning into a projectile.
5. Place both vehicles in 4-Low and keep handbrakes off. Second-low is good for snatch recoveries.
6. Once everything is ready, the towing vehicle should signal to move and then build momentum. As the strap tightens, the driver in the stuck vehicle should also hit the gas.
7. The stuck vehicle should begin to move and both vehicles should drive forward until the stuck vehicle is safe. Don't drive over the strap.
8. If a second attempt is required, the towing vehicle should attempt to build more momentum, but don't get too aggressive or you could end up damaging one or both vehicles.

Enthuze Recovery Straps

Enthuze makes and sells two sizes of nylon recovery straps. These straps come in 2-inch by 20-foot lengths or 3-inch by 30-foot lengths. The former strap has an 18,000-pound break strength and can support 9,000 pounds of max vehicle weight.

The latter strap has a break strength of 27,000 pounds and can support 13,500 pounds of vehicle weight. Both straps have reinforced loops at each end and come with a one-year warranty.

Rely on Enthuze for a wide variety of truck accessories for daily or off-road use. Our selection includes ATV winches, Jeep accessories, lift kits, truck wheels, and more. All Enthuze products are tested for the highest quality before taking the Enthuze name.

 

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