Are you an avid outdoorsman? Do you enjoy hopping in your Jeep or truck and just cruising down ole country roads or through the fields mudding it up? If so, you are probably very familiar with how easy it can be to get stuck in mud or holes. Nature may be beautiful, but it is also full of surprises.
When you find yourself in a situation your truck cannot pull itself out of, it’s time to bring out a tow strap. Due to the challenging situations that these vehicles are known to get in, choosing the best tow recovery strap for your Jeep or 4×4 is extremely important.
Today, we’re going to show you the five best tow straps available for Jeeps and 4×4’s.
5 Tow Straps for Jeeps and 4×4 Vehicles
The tow straps listed below were made with off-roading in mind. They are strong, flexible, and last a long time, rescuing you time and time again. Each of the tow straps is rated and reviewed by many users.
Customers are happy with the companies that manufacture these tow straps, too. These companies are reputable, reliable, and have strong customer service relations. They offer warranties, too, so customers have a sense of security and safety knowing the company stands behind every single one of their products.
1. Bunker-Indust Recovery Strap
This Bunker-Indust recovery strap is a top-quality, heavy-duty bright green strap. It is 30 feet in length and 3 inches thick with a 30,000-pound pull capacity. With reinforced eyes and a protective sleeve, this innovative design will keep you out of the mud and on your way in no time.
Because of the highly padded design, this rope outlasts much of the competition, slowing the wear and weakening that normally occurs at tension points. This strap withstands heavy loads and extreme temperatures. It can weather anything, and the deep green color is nice, too.
2. GearAmerica Recovery Tow Strap
Gear America has created a four-in-one recovery tow strap. This strap is versatile and ready to handle any job. It is 30 feet long and 4 inches thick, giving it the strength and power to pull just about any vehicle that’s stuck in any situation. The 45,000-pound Minimum breaking strength gives it the ability to move even the heaviest objects.
This heavy dury tow strap is weather-resistant, too. It can handle temperatures from -40 degrees F to a whopping 215 degrees F thanks to the military-grade 100% polyester webbing. Gear America is so sure about the quality of this product that they offer a lifetime hassle-free warranty. If that doesn’t convince you, how about this? They offer 10% of their profits to the St. Judes Children’s Research Hospital.
3. Jaco Tow TowPro Strap
This 4×4 trail-rated tow strap is a tight blend of 90% military-grade polyester and 10% nylon making it extremely strong with just enough flexibility and stretch to absorb the shock from a hard recovery from mud, sand, snow, and rocks. It is a perfect tow strap for any Jeep, SUV, Truck, ATV, or UTV.
The Jaco TowPro strap was lab-tested on large, heavy, industrial equipment for durability and quality. They offer a free 100% lifetime warranty for all of their customers, and their straps come in a heavy-duty storage bag. This tow strap has an AAR certified break strength rating of 31,000+ pounds and is 3 inches thick and 30 feet long.
4. Sunferno Ultimate Tow Strap
This 35,000 lb recovery tow strap made by Sunferno is a heavy-duty 3 inches wide and 20 feet long tow strap designed for off-road vehicles. They offer a recovery strap with a 7% maximum stretch to give more pull power and make recovering your vehicle a breeze. Their straps have reinforced eye loops and shackle grips, keeping the attachments in place.
This single-ply strap is lightweight and easy to use, plus it’s water-resistant and easy to rinse off once the hard work is done. Once finished, you can store it compactly until you need it again.
5. All Top Heavy Duty Tow Strap
This tow strap is 100% N66 nylon with 22% genuine elasticity, making it not just strong enough to recover a 4×4 vehicle but recover it with ease. The strap is 3 inches wide and 30 feet long with a lab reported break strength of 35,000 pounds.
The strap has reinforced eye loops and protector sleeves made from neoprene, extending the product’s life and its durability. The strap is bright orange, making you and your vehicle stand out to keep you safe and preventing other accidents from occurring. Alltop offers a lifetime warranty with a hassle-free replacement.
What Should You Look for in a Good Tow Strap for a Jeep and 4×4
When searching for the tow strap for an off-roading vehicle, it needs to be dependable, lightweight, and easy to use. Most of the time, these straps are used to pull your vehicle from mud, rocks, snow, etc., so they need to handle all types of weather conditions.
- Size- A good tow strap will be on average 20 feet in length and 3 inches thick, making it long enough to get through rough terrain or down a hill or embankment with ease. Plus, it will be thick enough to withstand the pull.
- Break strength- The stronger the break strength, the better, but anything around 30,000 pounds or more will be plenty strong enough for a tow. Remember, you are not just pulling a vehicle. You must factor in the amount of force being put on the strap to move through mud and debris to pull it upwards and out of a ditch.
- Material- Most of the tow straps use high-grade polyester material, but you want it to have a bit of elasticity to it, so you get the extra kinetic energy to strengthen the pull. You also want the tow strap color to be very bright and noticeable. A lot of straps are green, yellow, orange. These are perfect for being seen.
- Strongly reinforced eye loops- All tows can be difficult on the connecting parts. But there is more pull and tension placed on an off-roading situation. Therefore you always want to make sure the strap you are purchasing has premium stitching and reinforced loops.
How to use a tow strap on your Jeep or 4×4 Vehicle
Now that you know what to look for and you have a few options to choose from, it’s time to talk about the right ways to use a tow strap.
- Thoroughly check the strap before hooking it to your vehicle, making sure it is not knotted or torn.
- Take one end of the strap and attach it to the trailer hitch or under the vehicle mount where you can get a tight secure hold. (Never attach the strap to the bumper or the tire of the vehicle. Doing so can cause serious damage to both vehicles or the strap.)
- Hook the other end of the strap to the recovery vehicle in the same location.
- Slowly move the working vehicle forward until the strap has no slack left.
- Place a blanket or tow cover over the strap for safety purposes
- Keeping pulling forward, slowly allowing the tow strap to pull the stuck vehicle free.
- Once the vehicle is free from mud and on solid ground, back the truck up until there is plenty of slack given to the strap, then unhook both vehicles.
Important Tips:
- Make sure no one is near a vehicle being pulled from a stuck position or towed. On the rare occasion that a strap was to snap, it could be life-threatening.
- Never try pulling too quickly, as this can also snap the line and damage both vehicles or another person.
- Check and double-check all points of connection to make sure both vehicles are secure before trying to pull. If a vehicle becomes disconnected too soon, it can cause damage.
- When preparing to tow or move a stuck vehicle, try clearing the area around the vehicle before pulling it. If it’s encased in mud, try to free the tires as much as possible. If you are stuck on ice, apply as much gravel or sand around the pull zone as you can. These things will help provide more traction requiring less tension and pulling from the opposite vehicle.
- Keep a tow cover on hand at all times. A tow cover weighs down the tow line while pulling another vehicle, absorbing the force of a snapping line and protecting you and the vehicle from danger.
- Never attempt to fix or knot a broken or snapped tow rope. Once the rope is damaged, it is no good and will not be safe to use again.
Tow Strap Vs. Tow Chain
When using any recovery or tow rope product to move a disabled or stuck vehicle, it is important to decide which one is appropriate for your vehicle type and the situation. That’s why when people ask if they should invest in a tow strap or a tow chain for their 4×4 vehicles, we tend to lean more towards the strap.
As you already know, the advantages of a tow strap are flexibility, weight, and durability. Although tow chains can definitely be durable and strong, they are not very flexible or lightweight. It is not easy carrying or maneuvering a heavy chain during every off-road excursion, so we don’t feel it is a perfect fit in these specific situations.
Top 5 Products at a Glance
| Brand | Length | Pull capacity | Material |
| All Top | 3”x30’ | 35,000 pounds | Nylon |
| Sunferno | 3”x20’ | 35,000 pounds | Polyester |
| Jaco TowPro | 3”x30’ | 31,000+ pounds | Polyester/nylon |
| GearAmerica | 4”x30’ | 45,000 pounds | Polyester |
| Bunker-Indust | 3”x30’ | 35,000 pounds | Polyester |
Things to Consider
If you are in a position where you need a tow but you don’t want to wait for or pay for a tow truck, purchase a strap that is at least the same grade as the ones the professionals would use.
Paying for a well-made, durable, and professional-grade strap will still cost far less than even the price of one tow-truck company tow. You never want to sacrifice quality for cost. Buying a well-crafted strap made from a trusted strong material doesn’t have to break the bank, but it may cost you more than a poorly made strap.
Another important point to make when towing or rescuing an off-roading vehicle is to never improvise with a rope or a chain not intended for towing, even if it’s just a quick tow or move. There is a high chance this will damage the vehicles, and it could create a deadly situation.
Conclusion
Having a towing strap on hand at all times in your recovery kit when you own a 4×4 or Jeep can be extremely beneficial to your life, especially if one of your favorite past times is to go off-roading. But deciding which tow strap to use can be a bit tricky. Follow the guide in this article to decide the best features and details your tow strap should have to be efficient and effective in all of your towing experiences.
Consider not only the strength, pull rating, and size of the rope but also the safety features and the steps you need to take to make the strap more secure and visible. And never try to attempt a rescue mission without the proper recovery gear.
