Blue Recovery

Traction boards like Maxtrax work best in deep sand, mud, snow, loose gravel and wet grass and their 12 x 36-inch, stackable design slips under most tires for quick help. Use a shovel to clear packed material or a winch on steep mountainous inclines where boards and digging won’t provide enough pull.

For most vehicles, 20–30 foot straps in 2–3 inch widths give good reach while matching common recovery distances, and snatch straps use kinetic energy to reduce shock loading. Choose high-tensile nylon or polyester straps rated in the 20,000–40,000 lb breaking strength range and confirm their working load suits your vehicle weight.

Match shackle working load limits to your vehicle’s recovery needs; common shackles range from 10,000–40,000 lbs and many recovery setups specify a 4.75-ton working load limit. Forged alloy-steel D‑ring or bow shackles are good for multi-directional pulls, and always check the shackle’s rated working load against your rig and tow points.

Most portable 12V compressors, including ARB-style units, are built to inflate tires up to about 35–40 inches and deliver roughly 150 PSI with 0.5–1 CFM flow for reasonable fill times. They’re handy for airing down in sand for flotation and then reinflating for road return, but verify the compressor’s max PSI and flow to match your tire size.

A winch with an 8,000–12,000 lb pull capacity and synthetic Dyneema rope is best for steep, anchored recoveries or when the vehicle can’t be assisted by another rig, while straps work well for vehicle-to-vehicle pulls on flatter ground. Carry a Hi-Lift jack when you need versatile lifting, tire changes or mechanical advantage in rocky terrain—the Hi-Lift handles jobs up to about 7,000 lbs and complements straps or a winch.