Impressive and Valuable Four-Wheel Drive Recovery Gear: Explored

I had not owned my 1973 FJ40 Land Cruiser long before I became acquainted with a universal adage: Four-wheel drive doesn’t keep you from getting stuck; it just gets you stuck in worse places. Despite its status as one of the most competent 4x4s on the planet, the poor Toyota was limited by the skill, or lack thereof, of its driver—and I was as clueless as it was possible to be.

I’ve come a long way since then and, in fact, have taught expedition driving skills for a decade and a half. But if you’re not getting stuck once in a while, you’re probably not learning, so I always keep a full set of recovery gear on board. Here are a few components that have impressed me recently.

AEV Mid-sized Expedition Recovery Kit

It’s axiomatic that the winch itself represents only about a third of the cost of equipping a vehicle with a winch. You’ll also need a suitable, chassis-mounted winch bumper with rated recovery points, and a high-quality accessory kit to allow you to actually hook that winch to something safely. The AEV Expedition Kit has everything you’ll need for the latter, including double-line and redirected pulls. It includes two synthetic and two steel shackles, a 10-foot tree protector strap, a 30-foot, 3/8-inch winch extension 
line, a pulley block, and a 10-foot utility rope—in addition to a 7/8-inch 30-foot KERR, a tire deflator, and a pair of gloves. $1,073; aev-conversions.com

Warn XD 10S

I’ve now owned five Warn winches—one of them for almost 20 years—and have yet to experience a single failure. The XD 10S 10,000-pound winch carries on that tradition of reliability—it’s IP68K immersion and IP69K high-pressure spray rated, an Albright contactor switch eliminates the wear-prone solenoid, and a new, high-efficiency motor and geartrain offers a no-load line speed of 40 feet per minute. Warn includes 100 feet of 3/8-inch Spydura synthetic line, which is plenty for most operations (I carry an extension as well). It comes with a 12-foot corded remote, and a HUB receiver for wireless control with the Warn app. Also included is an excellent aluminum hawse fairlead—although you’ll want to add a protector to prevent the standard hook gouging it. $1,750; warn.com

Streamlight Beartrap 360

Here’s another adage: The stuckness of a stuck vehicle is in inverse proportion to the time until sunset. Headlamps are okay for detail work, but what you need for a nighttime recovery or repair is area lighting, and a lot of it—exactly what the Streamlight Beartrap delivers: on the flood setting it will produce 2,000 lumens for 2.5 hours, or 575 lumens for almost nine hours if you’re facing a real problem. Why “Beartrap?” Because the structure comprises a huge, spring-loaded clamp that you can attach to almost anything, from a fender to a tree limb. You can also employ the three powerful magnets in the base, and of course it’s happy to sit on the ground for under-vehicle work. The lamp itself rotates 360 degrees for precise aiming. The Beartrap now doubles as my go-to shop lamp at home. $146; streamlight.com

Yankum Python KERR

A KERR (Kinetic Energy Recovery Rope) is distinctly superior to a flat snatch strap, due to its greater stretch—and thus reduced shock loads on both recovery and recovered vehicles—along with easier handling. Yankum’s 7/8-inch Python rope is the correct diameter for mid-size SUVs such as the Wrangler Unlimited or 4Runner, as well as half-ton pickups, with a minimum breaking strength (MBS) of 28,600 pounds. It’s available in 20- and 30-foot lengths. I strongly suggest the longer version, which will provide more stretch and greater working distance between the vehicles. Got a one-ton truck or a Suburban? Choose the one-inch diameter instead. $220; yankum.com

Freedom Recovery Gear Thompson Pulley Block

I’ve used and/or reviewed just about every winch pulley on the market, from heavy old all-steel Warn models to the recent one-piece alloy recovery rings. The Thompson Pulley Block beats them all. It’s lightweight due to the fiber-reinforced composite side plates and an included synthetic shackle, and essentially frictionless thanks to an aluma-bronze sheave (the rotating bit) with self-lubricating graphite inserts. The design prevents the (synthetic only) winch line from falling out of the sheave even when slack, and with Freedom Recovery Gear’s becket kit you can quickly rig a 3:1 mechanical advantage for difficult recoveries. $295; freedomrecoverygear.com

Step22 Rig-A-Maroll

Carrying recovery gear is easy—any duffel will do. Ensuring access and organization in the field under less-than-optimal conditions is harder, but the Rig-A-Maroll accomplishes it with a zip-open front panel that reveals all the contents at once and also forms a 28- by 20-inch work surface. The main body is Step22’s tough, 1,000-denier fabric; a roll top, two compression straps, and two side straps facilitate load control whether the bag is full or mostly empty. Tip: If not needed for recovery gear, the Rig-A-Maroll makes an excellent bag for a helmet and motorcycle gear. $125; step22gear.com

Midland 5-watt GXT67 Pro GMRS handheld radio

Solid inter-vehicle communication is essential for everything from marshaling to emergencies, so a couple decades ago my wife and I studied up and got our ham licenses. (I’ve never lived down the fact that she aced the test while I missed one question.) If the current generation of GMRS radios had been available, I’m not sure we would have bothered. Midland’s GXT67 Pro puts out the legal (handheld) maximum five watts of power for three miles or better of line-of-sight communication, and—a first for a Midland hand-held—is repeater-capable for even longer connections. The Midland beats my Baofeng handheld 2-meter for static and interference, it’s IP67 water- and dust-proof, and the 12V plug allows use while charging. You’ll still need a $35/10-year license for GMRS use, but there’s no exam and thus no chance of spousal humiliation. $199; midlandusa.com