Recovery straps are great to have, no matter what vehicle you own. They are small enough to throw underneath your seat or in your trunk, to store it away and out of sight, yet still have it when you need it the most.
The purpose of the recovery strap is an important one and requires a lot of power and strength. When looking to purchase one of these straps, it is essential to find something durable and well designed. Here is a list of the top 10 recovery straps we’ve found which offer all the benefits desired in a great product.
So, What is a Recovery Strap?
The basic recovery strap is made out of nylon or other flexible material and is usually around 3”-4” thick. These straps are between 8-30 feet long, giving you plenty of strap length for almost any possible situation.
The nylon strap is stretchy, and this is ideal in order to recover a vehicle that is stuck in the mud or has slid on ice and gotten stuck in a ditch. Having that small amount of elasticity will provide the extra kinetic energy and power needed to pull a stuck vehicle rather than just move it.
What is the Difference Between a Recovery Strap and a Tow Strap?
The material the straps are made out of is the biggest difference between the two straps. The recovery strap is made of nylon tow straps made from polypropylene or Dacron, two stiff materials made to tow a “rolling” vehicle. This is a strong strap, but it doesn’t allow for any flexing or stretching.
A recovery strap is great for providing extra force in the recovery phase and allows for easier access to a vehicle that you can only reach from an angle. A recovery strap will flex to position itself to each vehicle. Trying to do this with a tow strap can result in the strap snapping.
So when should you use a tow strap, then? Once the vehicle has been pulled out of the ditch or mud pit, the job of the recovery strap is complete. If the vehicle needs further towing to a house or to the mechanic, then you hook up the towing strap. Using a recovery strap is possible in an urgent situation, but it’s not recommended because the cord can make it hard to control the vehicle being towed. A towing strap is ideal in that situation.
Top 10 Best Recovery Straps
Now that you know what a recovery strap is and when it should be used, it’s time to find the best recovery straps on the market today. Here, we’ve compared and compiled a list of recovery straps you should take a look at when you are ready to purchase.
1. Gear American Tow
This Great American Tow brand recovery strap is a 4-in-1 vehicle recovery product. In one strap, you have a tree saver, recovery strap, tow strap, and winch extension. This product can be used alone or to aid in giving a winch extra power and length.
This product has a 45,000 minimum break strength, meaning it can take on just about any vehicle. It is weather-resistant, made from military-grade material, and has sleeves and padding to provide added protection to the strap.
2. Sunferno Recovery Tow Strap 35000lb
This is self-proclaimed to be the “safest tow rope on Amazon.” It comes in a bright neon color, making it visible from far away. With its 35,000+lb break strength, recovering a stuck ATV or pulling a stump should never be an issue.
If you find yourself stuck and need some extra pull, this recovery strap easily hooks up to a winch, providing the extra force needed to clear fields, brush, trees, and more. This product is water-resistant, which makes it easy to rinse clean and keeps it from waring and falling apart.
3. JACO 4X4 TowPro Recovery Tow Strap (3″ x 30 ft)
For the Jaco 4×4 recovery strap, you are getting 90% military-grade polyester and 10% nylon. Combining these two materials gives you strength, durability, and a strong pull. With a certified AAR break strength of over 31,000 lbs, this is a must-have emergency recovery tow rope.
This all-weather, all-terrain, lab performance-tested strap is built to last. To prove it, JACO offers their customers a free 100% lifetime warranty. The strap comes with closed-end loops tightly fastened to connect easily with winch extensions, hooks, and towing points on your vehicle.
This company also offers:
- 3” x 20” strap, with a breaking strength of 31,500+ pounds
4. ALL-TOP nylon recover strap
All-Top’s recovery strap is made from 100% N66 nylon material with 22% elasticity. This recovery strap has a break strength rating of 35,000 lbs. It is 30 feet long and 3 inches thick. The rope is designed to work hard in all types of weather, from rain and snow to heat and sunlight.
All-Top is dedicated to their customers and the durability and quality of their products, so they test every 1 of 100 straps to ensure you’re getting the best product possible. These straps have been tested for pull weight, pull-load, run through sand, mud, water, etc. There is nothing these straps can’t handle.
The company also offers:
- 4” x 30’ straps with a breaking strength of 46,500 pounds
- 3” x 20’ straps with a breaking strength of 35,00 pounds
5. RHINO Recovery Tow Strap
This is a 20-foot long, 3 inch thick recovery strap with a lab test break strength of over 31,000 lbs. It comes with a triple reinforced loop, keeping it tight and secure to the recovery vehicle and the towing vehicle or winch.
RHINO stands by its products, and in case for any reason you do not feel your product is worth a 5-star review, you have a 100% money-back guarantee.
6. ARB Recovery Strap
Arb recovery strap is neon orange, easy to see from far distances, and reflective at night, making it a safety strap to use anytime. It is designed from 100% nylon, which gives it extra elasticity for the maximum amount of kinetic energy needed to free a vehicle from just about any situation.
The strap is 30-feet long and just over 2 inches thick. With its reinforced eyes, this strap will secure itself to the truck with little risk of breaking or wiggling free.
7. Mibro DitchPig
This Mibro Ditchpig recovery strap is a durable, strong, double-braided 1005 high-tenacity nylon rope. This strap will stretch to 30% of its normal length, building up enough kinetic energy to “snatch” any vehicle from a ditch, mud hole or wooded area.
Not only is this line great for getting closer to the stuck vehicle and being able to flex around obstacles, but it is also much stronger than your average winch, making it a safer, easier and much cheaper alternative.
This company also offers:
- 1/2″ Diameter Recovery Rope: ATVs, UTVs, and snowmobiles.
- 3/4″ Diameter Recovery Rope: Small SUVs and Jeeps’ Breaking Strength: 16,000lbs.
- 7/8″ Diameter Recovery Rope: Pickup Trucks’ Breaking Strength: 24,700lbs.
- 1 1/4″ Diameter Recovery Rope: Large Pickup Trucks’ Breaking Strength: 44,200lbs.
- 1 1/2″ Diameter Recovery Rope: Large Trucks’ Breaking Strength: 64,300lbs.
- 2″ Diameter Recovery Rope: Transport Trucks’ Breaking Strength: 111,000lbs.
8. Inclake Recovery Tow Strap
This 10-foot long, 3-inch wide recovery tow strap has a 30,000 lb break strength and triple- sewed loop ends, making it safe to tie to just about any object without tearing, fraying or coming apart. It also includes D-ring shackles made from a carbon steel material.
Inclake offers a unique black and yellow design, helping the strap stand out in any situation. Have an issue? They also offer great customer services, standing by to answer your questions.
9. Rocket Straps
This Rocket Strap recovery line is 100% UV-ray resistant, weather-resistant, durable and extremely flexible. The Rocket Strap is made with the most rigid and highest quality material in the cargo industry. These straps were designed by avid outdoorsmen and motorcyclists who wanted to create a product made for all the rugged terrain nature can provide.
This rope is 30-feet long and 3-inches thick. It has a 30,000-pound capacity limit and strongly protected loop ends. Customer safety is important to Rocket Strap, and because of this, they designed this rope in a noticeable deep red, making it hard to miss by other vehicles.
10. Stay There Recovery Strap
The Stay There 4-in-1 recovery, tow, tree saver, and winch extension strap is made from 3-inch thick polyester webbing with a 30,000-pound breaking strength. This strap is 20-feet long and made in a unique light blue and neon green color.
The straps have double-webbed looped ends that are padded and reinforced, creating a stronghold even in the most delicate areas. The strap is also designed with padding and sleeves to put a layer of protection between it and your vehicle and to keep it from damaging the line or the car.
The company also offers:
- A 3’ x 30” strap with a 30,000-pound breaking strength
Things to Consider When Choosing a Recovery Strap
- Strap length: The strap length is going to determine what you can recover and from how far away. If your main purpose for purchasing the strap is to pull an ATV from a mud pit, then a shorter length should do. If it’s something you’re keeping in case of an emergency, like in case a vehicle slides into a ditch, you may want a 20 or 30-foot tow strap.
- Breaking strength: Again, this will depend on what you’re using it for. The lighter the vehicle you are rescuing, the lighter the breaking strength limit you need.
- Bright colors: In many cases, you will be working on or near the road where cars are whipping by. Having a bright orange or neon yellow rope will make both the strap and yourself much more noticeable.
- Flexibility: Ideally, you want your recovery strap to be stretchy, but it always has to be flexible. If your strap is not flexible enough, it may snap under too much movement or pressure.
- Ratings: Look for a strap that has good ratings and reviews. Who would know better than someone who has already tried it?
- Warranty: Does the company that made the strap offer any type of warranty? You will notice that the higher quality products offer a warranty. This means they stand by their product and also have great customer service.
Recovery Strap Accessories
There are ways of making the use of a recovery strap even easier than it already is. By purchasing recovery gear and accessories to go with the strap itself, you can get more strength, pull, and performance out of your rope. Here is a list of a few must-have recovery strap extras you should always have on hand.
- Tree trunk protector: If you are using a recovery strap to pull yourself from a stuck space, you should always consider using a protector around the tree to keep it from being damaged and from damaging the strap.
- Recovery damper: This is a large blanket or tarp you can drape over the recovery line in the off chance it snaps and recoils out of control. Keep it along with the rest of your recovery gear.
- Gloves: Keeping your hands protected as much as possible when using a recovery or tow strap is important.
- D-Ring Shackles: The D-ring shackles provide an easier space to connect the recovery line to your vehicle.
How to Use a Recovery Strap
Once you find yourself in a situation that requires a vehicle to be recovered, it is important that you understand the proper ways to use the recovery strap to keep yourself, the people around you, and the vehicles you are pulling safe.
Here, we’ll tell you how to use your recovery straps to get the best results the first time you try them.
- Safety first: If you’re trying to pull a vehicle from a ditch or anywhere else with traffic passing by, provide some type of flag or sign that you are there and that other drivers need to use caution.
- Give yourself an easy target: Clear a path the best you can to the vehicle you’re trying to recover and make sure there are no large or dangerous obstacles in your way keeping you from making a clean, safe pull.
- Hook up: Attach one end of the strap to your vehicle tow hook (the one doing the recovery). Be sure to attach it to a tow hook your vehicle that’s strong and secure. Never attach it to a trailer hitch or bumper, as these items can break, causing damage, and can become extremely dangerous.
- Connected, disabled vehicle: Take the opposite end of the strap and attach it to the vehicle needing to be recovered. Secure it to the vehicle’s tow hooks if they have them. If not, then secure it to the vehicle frame. Again, never secure it to the flimsy bumper or the axel rods.
- Pull the vehicle slowly to safety: After both vehicles are connected and secured, lightly press on the gas of the vehicle, without sticking, until the strap is tight. Then continue to pull slowly and at a steady pace until the other vehicle is free.
Safety tip: Place a blanket, tarp, jacket or any other type of cloth over the strap once it’s tight, but before you start to pull. This will absorb a lot of the force from the strap if it were to snap.
Top Recovery Straps at a Glance
Here is a wrap-up of the top 10 recovery straps we discussed in this article and a quick look at the main features of each product on our list.
| Company | Length | Break strength | Material | Avg Price |
| Gear America | 30’ x 4” | 45,000 lbs | Polyester | $54.95 |
| Jaco | 30’ x 3” | 31,000 lbs | Polyester/nylon | $43.90 |
| All Top | 30’ x 3” | 35,000 lbs | Nylon | $79.98 |
| RHINO | 20’ x 2” | 31,000+lbs | Polyester/silk | $64.99 |
| ARB | 30’ x 2” | 17,000 lbs | Nylon | $63.70 |
| INCLAKE | 10’ x 3” | 30,000lbs | Polyester | $33.99 |
| Mibro Ditch pig | 20’ x ½ “ | 7,300 lbs | Nylon | $39.53 |
| Rocket Strap | 30’ x 3” | 30,000lbs | Polyester | $40.00 |
| Stay There | 20’ x 3” | 30,000lbs | Polyester | $29.90 |
| Sunferno | 20’ x 3” | 35,000lbs | Polyester | $47.97 |
Things to Consider
These straps may be small and light weight, but they are given a heavy-duty job to do. No matter what type of vehicle needs to be rescued or the situation that the vehicle is in, you have to make sure you have a recovery strap that is up for the task.
Always make sure you are purchasing a reliable brand designed by a reputable company. You want a strap that is durable, strong, and long-lasting. Having a recovery strap in your back seat could be the difference between a lengthy and expensive tow truck service and a quick and simple do-it-yourself job. You never know when an accident might happen, but you can be prepared!
