The Not-So Basics of Advanced Recovery and Gear

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Words by Mercedes Lilienthal

In our Basic Recovery Gear How-To article, we reported about gear that’s suited to build a great, basic recovery kit. Gloves, shovels, recovery boards, shackles, even various kinds of straps or ropes were featured. Yet, if you’re running solo in the backcountry or tackling challenging terrain, you will need more advanced recovery gear – and having the right kit can mean the difference between celebrating a successful day on the trails or despair with vehicle damage, or worse.

I sat down with representatives of Overlanding BC of Whistler, BC, as well as Warn Industries of Clackamas, OR, to discuss advanced recovery. Both are industry experts in recovery gear and processes. As there’s a multitude of accessories to customize a kit for advanced situations, Overlanding BC and Warn Industries provided us with its favorites.

Winches

Winches are essentially basic tools that consist of a rope and spool used to recover a vehicle.

“There are some things you should know before you use one for the first time,” says Andy Lilienthal, Strategic Communications Manager for Warn Industries. “We offer a booklet called The Basic Guide to Winching Techniques, and this PDF can be downloaded at warn.com. It’s a great guide for beginners and even seasoned winch users looking to brush up on their skills.”In regards to synthetic versus steel rope, it’s all a matter of personal preference and application. While synthetic rope is lightweight and easy to handle, steel rope is exceedingly strong and abrasion-resistant. Synthetic won’t develop sharp barbs over time, but is more prone to damage from abrasion. Steel rope fairs better in utility applications and in high-abrasion environments, but weighs more and stores more potential energy.

Ultimately, the choice is yours. Lilienthal also explained that since he pulls a lot of winch line, his preference is synthetic, but steel definitely has its place and fans.

“If you have steel and want to switch over to synthetic, that’s totally doable,” says Lilienthal. “Simply pull the steel cable off the winch drum and make sure the drum is free of burrs or high spots that could cause abrasion to a new synthetic line. You can simply take sandpaper to the high spots to knock them down if there are any, and get a large-radius hawse fairlead [to replace the old one].”

Winch Maintenance and Know-How

WARN winches are essentially maintenance free, especially the VR EVO, ZEON, and ZEON Platinum winches, which carry an IP68 waterproof rating.

“If you have a non-waterproof winch and it’s regularly submerged under water, it’s not a bad idea to pull it off the vehicle and pull it a part to make sure no water is in the works,” says Lilienthal. “Then take standard molly-style grease and re-lubricate things.”

Regardless of the winch you have, it’s also a good idea to use it or conduct light maintenance to ensure it works properly when you do need it. Be sure to stretch the rope before using it for the first time and try pulling the line out all the way and re-spool it a few times a year just to keep the gear train lubricated. Any moisture that may have built up in the motor will evaporate when used.

“We can’t stress the importance of knowing how to use your recovery gear before you use it,” recommends Lilienthal. “Don’t be afraid to learn in the woods, on your driveway, wherever. While we hear people say they hope they never have to use their winch and recovery gear, it’s crucial to know how to operate it when you do need it.”

It’s also recommended to use winch dampers. It doesn’t matter if it’s a WARN damper, recovery rope, or you use a heavy jacket over each line – the weight of a winch damper helps the line fall downward in the event of rope failure. When using winch hooks, always hook up to your recovery point so the hook opening faces the sky. This also ensures the rope will fall downward instead of flying upwards in case of hook failure.

Recovery Rings

There are many different types of recovery rings, snatch blocks, and pulleys on the market. Even though they’re designed differently, they essentially all work the same. Snatch blocks are used to dissipate loads that are correctly crossed with a tensioned winch line. No matter what type of ring, snatch block, or pulley you do use, it’s important to use it correctly, and know what type works best with your specific setup.

“The beauty of recovery rings is that the profile of its sheave or ring is quite a lot wider and flatter than everything else on the market,” said Chris Walker, Owner/Principal instructor of Overlanding BC. “It’s designed to allow the [synthetic] rope to flatten and the loads to be dissipated across all strands.”

Recovery rings, like those offered by 7P, are made from high-grade aluminum, which is softer than steel. They should only be used with synthetic rope. Tests have shown that when steel cable is under load with aluminum rings it can potentially cause scoring.

“Soft shackles or a winch extension rope (which would be the same type of material) should be the only attachment devices to use with recovery rings,” adds Walker. “It doesn’t have to be 7P shackles. They just need to be appropriately rated.”

Double and triple rings are also available and while they can multiply the pulling capacity, they slow down winching speeds.

Pulleys

Pulleys, like those from Wales company ISC, are incredibly well built and designed. “These pulley blocks have come from the arborists industry and are designed for suspending individuals,” Overlanding BC states. “The rating markings are very, very clear; they are batch tested and serial numbered.”

Overlanding BC likes forged ISC pulleys and durable 7P recovery rings not only because of the above statements, but also for their practical design. ISC impact pulleys are designed to work with synthetic rope to absorb heavy loads. The side plates are produced using high quality hot forged aluminum creating a highly impressive strength to weight ratio. Same as rings, double and triple pulleys are also available, multiplying pulling opportunities but slowing the time for vehicle recovery.

Snatch Blocks

Warn Industries offers a couple of different snatch blocks for truck/SUVs and some can be used with winches that have an 8,164 kg (18,000 lbs) capacity. The company has a standard snatch block, as well as its Epic Snatch block, which features forged metal construction, an e-coated finish for corrosion resistance, and a grease port for proper lubrication. The WARN Epic Snatch Block can double the pulling power of any winch or change the pulling direction without damaging the winch rope. Snatch blocks also help to reduce heat buildup and amp draw during recovery.

Both steel cable and synthetic rope can be used with the WARN snatch blocks. However, once you purchase one (regardless if your winch uses steel or synthetic rope), be sure to keep those accessories solely for your certain kind of rope. They also recommend not using a snatch block that's been used with wire with synthetic since wire can cause nicks in the metal, thus resulting in abrasion on synthetic.

Land Anchors

Land anchors can be a versatile piece of kit if you need to recover a vehicle when other rigs or winch anchor points aren’t available to hook on to. Land anchors, like those from Pull Pal, are lightweight, portable, and well suited for various environments. They can be used as a sand anchor, snow anchor, mud anchor, or with most terrain in between.

Pull Pal land anchors are easy to use. Simply secure the spade-shaped head onto the body, set it into the soil, mud, sand, or snow, and connect the winch cable to its metal O-ring receiver. As the winch cable tightens, the spade head embeds deeply into the ground, allowing the product to become an anchor for successful vehicle recovery. Pull Pals are constructed with a high-strength low-alloy plow assembly, are welded and are assembled with grade 8 bolts for strength.

Load Distribution Plates

“A Factor 55 load distribution plate is a really handy piece of kit for more advanced rigging,” explained Walker. “It marks its equipment exceptionally well and very well thought out and tested. This piece has a wide variety of uses.”  

The Factor 55 load distribution plate is designed for distribution of multiple loads and directions. It has a safe assembly point for numerous winching applications, prevents overloading one single winch connection point, has clear markings for use, and smoothed corners for use of either hard or soft shackles.

It’s just less than two pounds and is made from military-grade aluminum. The plate also has a working load limit is 9,072 kg (20,000 lbs) with a minimum breaking strength of 19,050 kg (42,000 lbs).

“It’s a fantastic piece of kit that allows multiple attachment points in a complex recovery where multiple directions of pull or rigging are required, says Walker. “It really helps eliminate dangerous side loading of bow shackles.” 

Know Your Gear

Education is the biggest tool. Even basic recovery techniques should be understood and practiced. “There is so much on the market in terms of equipment,” explains Walker. “We go further into the wilderness with bigger and more capable equipment and potentially get ourselves into more interesting situations. We need to make sure we also have the skills to extricate ourselves, and this can be harder without good education.”

Enthusiasts need a solid understanding of basic skills, excellent discipline in safety, plus knowledge of equipment ratings and materials when it comes to advanced recovery. According to Overlanding BC, having a good eye for the entire evolution of the recovery so that you can adapt as necessary to keep it effective and safe is important.

Be smart with what you have. Keep it light, safe, and rated appropriately for potential scenarios you may encounter. Above all else, understand what you have and learn its advantages and disadvantages.