When it comes to off-roading, finding a stuck rig or getting your rig stuck is bound to happen at some point.
Having a quality set of kinetic recovery ropes, bridles, shackles (soft or hard), and a place to store it all is incredibly important. These tools are designed to safely recover stuck vehicles and if you leave home without a set, you might not make it home.
A lot of you might be using recovery straps, however, kinetic recovery ropes are usually better than recovery straps for stuck vehicle recovery due to their ability to absorb and store kinetic energy. Here are just a few benefits of kinetic ropes (nylon) over traditional recovery straps (polyester or nylon and polyester blends).
- Safety: The elasticity found in kinetic ropes reduces shock load, which minimizes potential vehicle/component damage. These ropes also reduce jarring impacts and ensure a safer recovery experience overall.
- Versatility: Kinetic ropes can pull, tow, or yank whereas recovery straps are usually designed to only pull or tow.
- Durability: Kinetic ropes are usually constructed with higher-strength materials like nylon, providing excellent durability and greater longevity.
- Reduced Stress: The elasticity of kinetic ropes evenly distributes loads which reduces the risk of structural damage and physical stress on humans.
At the end of the day, the elasticity, versatility, durability, ease of use, and ability to minimize stress on the recovered vehicles and people make kinetic recovery ropes the superior choice over recovery straps for off-road vehicle recovery.
In this post, I am going to share a few components of this Master Pull recovery kit that I’ve been using for the last two years now and it’s been great in just about every type of recovery situation I’ve encountered.
Find It Online:
- Master Pull Kinetic Recovery Rope (7/8″): Check Price
- Master Pull Kinetic Recovery Bridle (7/8″): Check Price
- 5/8″ Van Beest Screw Pin Shackle 42900 lbs: Check Price
- Superline Soft Shackle – 10mm (3/8″) – 10″: Check Price
- All-top Synthetic Soft Shackle (Pictured) 24″ X 2: Check Price
- Master Pull Recovery Bag: Check Price
Table Of Contents
Who is Master Pull?
When you’re looking to purchase a recovery rope, only buy ropes/bridles that are clearly marked with a tag/label indicating its country of origin, WLL (working load limit), size, and applicable warning labels.
So who is Master Pull, anyway?
They were founded in 1996 with only one product, the Super Yanker® Kinetic Recovery Rope.
They are a US-based recovery gear manufacturer and leading provider of high-quality kinetic synthetic recovery ropes.
Their product offerings include:
- Synthetic winch lines
- Synthetic winch extensions
- Rigging lines/tree savers
- Soft shackles
- Kinetic recovery ropes
- Hardware and accessories
With a focus on lightweight yet durable designs, Master Pull ensures its products are easy to use while maintaining optimal safety. They offer expertise and reliable solutions for all recovery needs. They also offer Full Synthetic Rigging (FSR) – meaning that no steel or aluminum components are used at all in the eyelet or connection points. This makes for the safest possible recovery setup.
Master Pull Kinetic Recovery Rope (7/8″)
The Super Yanker® Kinetic Recovery Rope is Master Pull’s original rope.
Since being introduced in 1996, it is still one of the most dependable ropes in the industry. Its unique stretching ability makes vehicle recovery almost effortless. That’s especially true compared to traditional tow straps and chains.
This kinetic rope is made with high-quality double-braided nylon. The Super Yanker® stretches and absorbs energy during recovery, resulting in a highly effective and efficient vehicle extraction. This rope is trusted by the US Armed Forces, Search and Rescue units, and off-road enthusiasts worldwide because it excels in the harshest conditions.
Master Pull Kinetic Recovery Bridle (7/8″)
The Super Yanker® Kinetic Recovery Bridle is a safer option for vehicle recovery as it evenly distributes the load between two recovery points, reducing stress and minimizing frame damage. Pictured above, the bridle is connected at each frame-mounted recovery point on the bumper using bow shackles. Then, it loops through the main recovery rope eyelet where the vehicle is being yanked from.
Like the USA-made Super Yanker® Rope, the Super Yanker® Bridle is also made with high-quality double-braided nylon. With both the recovery rope and the bridle stretch and absorbing energy – vehicle extraction becomes almost effortless compared to traditional straps.
I have tried yanking from single points on bumpers in the past. Depending on how badly the vehicle is stuck, and the weight of the vehicles involved, it can be a challenge. Utilizing two recovery points makes for a much stronger, more efficient pull.
After using a bridle, I will always have one in my recovery bag going forward.
5/8″ Van Beest Screw Pin Shackle (42900 lbs)
Van Beest manufactures these high-quality Green Pin® shackles in the Netherlands. These shackles are made from high tensile steel (Grade 6) and are quenched, tempered, and hot dipped galvanized for durability. They have a safety factor of six times the working load limit (WLL) and meet the US Federal Specification RR-C-271 Type IVA Class 2, Gr. A.
The shackles feature a green screw pin anchor bow design, with the pin and shackle body marked for easy identification. The Green Pin® shackles are known for their reliability, safety, and adherence to Van Beest’s high manufacturing standards.
Even if you have a set of soft shackles, it doesn’t hurt to have a couple of d-rings mounted to your front and rear bumpers. If you do decide to buy hard shackles, only buy shackles that are clearly marked with a WLL rating. These Green Pin® shackles that Master Pull offers are some of the best in the rigging industry.
All-Top Off-Road Soft Shackles
Although Master Pull offers their Superline Soft Shackle in a 3/8″ size, we’re using an All-Top off-road 3/4″ soft shackle. Both are similar in nature, however, the Superline Soft Shackle is a much higher quality shackle than what we’re using.
The Master Pull soft shackles are all made in the USA using only the highest quality Dyneema material. We would love to get our hands on one eventually but for now, we’re using what we have. If you can afford it, grab yourself a Superline Soft Shackle.
Master Pull Recovery Bag
The Master Pull Gear Bag is Made in the USA from durable ripstop vinyl, making it resistant to tearing and ripping. It is durable, water-resistant, and features large webbing handles for easy transport. This bag is a super rugged and very functional solution for organizing and protecting your recovery gear.
Instead of zippers that can break when jammed with dirt and grime, the top opening is a thick roll-up enclosure. It seals shut using adjustable heavy-duty buckle clips, and has six interior pockets! This gear bag offers super quick and easy access to a massive storage area for everything a standard recovery kit would need:
- 30′ recovery rope
- 10′ bridle
- Winch line extension
- 2-3 soft shackles
- 6 hard bow shackles
- Recovery rings
- 2″ shackle receivers
- Hitch-pins and more
You can stuff a lot of gear in this bag!
Size:
- Length 17″ (43 cm)
- Width 8″ (20 cm)
- Height (Open and unrolled) 18″ (46 cm)
To top it off, the open webbing loops allow for secure tie-down using ratchet straps. This is the recovery gear bag I’ve been missing all my life.
Final Thoughts
Every time I go out, I am still surprised at how many people aren’t prepared.
Recovery ropes and bridles are essential tools for any off-roading adventure. If you ever go wheeling, overlanding, or car camping in general, you should grab yourself some of these tools.
The Master Pull line of recovery gear is some of the highest quality in the industry. The Super Yanker® Kinetic Recovery Rope and Bridle have performed very well over the last 2 years and still look very good for everything I’ve put them through.
They provide safe vehicle recovery, even load distribution, and a ton of versatility in off-road situations. Don’t underestimate the importance of these tools, guys. If you’re heading out, equip your vehicle with recovery ropes and bridles for safer, more effective recoveries and tackle challenges with confidence.
Towing with a kinetic rope is not advisable. The constant expansion and contraction causes heat to build up causing failure of the rope. If it doesn’t fail during that tow, it will fail sooner than anticipated.
Hey Tom, thanks for the comment! You’re correct, It’s not advisable to tow with a kinetic rope but if it’s all you have and you have to tow someone out a short distance, then it’s doable. It’s not recommended to tow for long distances but I would argue that towing with a kinetic rope is more advisable than yanking with a tow strap. I carry both a tow strap and a kinetic rope when I head out. Everyone should carry both, for both situations.
After you make your recovery gear purchase, consider finding a recovery class which typically provides a safe location to review/practice the basics. I am confident that the cost of the session will be far less than the potential damage to your vehicle when making any of the common mistakes.
I recently attended a recovery class in Northern Nevada and more than one attendee had not touched their front winch since it was installed. The helpful instructor was happy to remedy that situation and made it a point for the spouse to get involved.
Topics such as “do I winch with my engine on?”, “in what configuration is my winch the strongest?”, “do I winch with my transmission in gear, or in park?” are typically covered in a basic class. I mention this as the typical first-time, on-trail, mistake can lead to vehicle damage or potential safety concerns. And of course, selecting wire or synthetic for your recovery line.
All part of making the off-road experience fun and rewarding, thank you.
Beautiful Recovery Article Brenan!
Nice to see other Gear on this Blog!
I have the Bubba Rope Renegade 3/4″ x 30′ ft . . & knock on wood have not had to use it.
When it comes to these post, they are bookmarked under knowledge!
Thank you very much, great reference material!