Before you go off-roading, you should always be prepared for the worst-case scenario. To me, the worst-case scenario would be getting stuck somewhere up in the remote mountains with no one around for miles and miles and with no way to get myself out. The last thing I want is to be left stranded in the wilderness forced to leave my rig and hike back to civilization.
I currently have a winch in my bumper, traction boards, tow straps, recovery straps, D-rings, rope, 20-ft chain, HiLift Jack, a full-size spare tire, and a few other miscellaneous items. These things never leave my truck, because you never know when you might need them—especially if you find yourself drifting off the paved road and onto the beaten path.
A big factor in choosing what gear to purchase is price. Some companies sell a similar product for triple the price. Is the quality any better though? Are you just paying for a brand?
I wanted to add a kinetic rope to my arsenal, but I wasn’t willing to drop upwards of $200-300. Offroading Gear is putting out similar quality for a fraction of the price.
Find It Online
- Kinetic Recovery Snatch Rope 7/8″: Check Price
Table Of Contents
What is a Kinetic Rope?
Kinetic ropes are manufactured to stretch and rebound to allow a smooth transfer of energy between both vehicles utilizing the rope. The smooth transfer of energy from the vehicle performing the recovery to the vehicle that is stuck is why these have grown in popularity.
The rope is designed to be more durable and provide a safer pull by eliminating the likelihood of the rope breaking under extreme loads. The kinetic rope has gained a lot of attention in the off-roading community due to its reliability under difficult conditions.
The basic premise makes it superior for snatching vehicles as compared to a typical tow strap. These ropes, usually bright yellow, have their place, but in terms of effective snatch pulls, the kinetic rope, which transfers energy, as compared to a traditional rope which stores energy, it’s easy to see why kinetic ropes are invaluable.
What to look for?Â
What’s important when shopping for ropes is that they have all the important features. Some include UV and abrasion prevention, polymer-coated eyes, reflective braids, 30% elongation, an impressive warranty, preferably tested by a WLL (working load limit) company, and they’re clearly labeled with a breaking strength or WLL. As for size, our trucks are best suited for a 7/8″ or 3/4″ rope. Never buy a 1″ rope or larger as that size is intended for full-size trucks – not mid-size trucks.
Off-Roading Gear 7/8″ Rope
- Breaking Strength – 28,600 lbs
- Heavy Duty Double Braid Nylon
- Polymer-coated Abrasion-Resistant Eyelets
- Stress Reducing Nylon
- High Stretch Nylon (Elongates Up to 30%)
- Heavy Duty Storage Bag Included
Getting Stuck…On Purpose
I had the kinetic rope, but the next step was hitting the trails and getting stuck…on purpose. Yes, on purpose!
I was on a mission to get my good friends stuck. Don’t worry. I wasn’t going to leave them. I just needed a guinea pig to test the new gear on. Normally, recovery situations aren’t planned, and I wanted to test the durability of this rope to give an accurate review and do some stress testing.
So we aired down, hit the trails, and found a massive mud pit that was perfect for the experiment. My friend took her 4Runner into the mud pit, and we quickly found out how deep it was. Her front end sunk deep enough to raise her rear driver’s side tire an inch off the ground. The mud was soft enough that she was unable to gain traction, even in 4-wheel drive. Mission accomplished.
Hooking Up
With my friend’s 4Runner stuck, we could finally hook up the soft shackles and kinetic rope. She had an Agency6 hitch-mounted shackle block that accepts a D-ring. I looped the soft shackle through the D-Ring and the other end through the kinetic rope. With her vehicle tied up, I positioned mine in directly behind hers.
I attached the second soft shackle to my front bumper tow hook in the same fashion that I attached to the other end. Typically, it is better to recover any vehicle in gear, because it creates less stress on the drivetrain, which makes the pull easier. Unfortunately, she was using my only hitch-mounted D-ring, so I had to pull her in reverse.
Recovering
With both vehicles hooked up, it was time to yank her 4Runner back onto dry land. Typically, with any recovery utilizing tow straps or recovery straps, you want to pull most of the slack out before tugging at it.
A kinetic rope is designed to stretch and elongate to reduce stress on either vehicle. Due to its design, I left a little bit of slack in the rope to test out the strength of the rope and get the most of the elastic rebound.
I had my friend place her vehicle in reverse, and I accelerated in reverse giving her a firm yank on the rope. The kinetic energy from the yank stretched the rope and pulled her out of the mud, grounding her rear tire.
Her front tire was still sunken pretty deep in the mud which wasn’t allowing her to gain any traction. She was still spinning her tires. I again let out some slack on the kinetic rope, accelerated in reverse, and gave her another solid tug. This pulled her completely out of the mud pit and allowed her to regain traction.
Final Thoughts
I was pleasantly surprised at how well the kinetic rope worked. The recovery felt effortless. It transferred the energy so well that I hardly felt any resistance pulling the 4Runner from the mud. Hooking up and removing was fast and simple too.
Offroading Gear makes a nice product, and their prices can’t be beaten. You can feel the quality of the rope by just holding it. If you’re in the market for kinetic rope, check them out.
I can’t compare this rope to other name brands on the market made in the USA, however many of the top branded ropes are made in China. What sets them apart is the attention to detail and the important features integrated into their rope.
If you’re buying any rope, make sure it features UV and abrasion prevention, polymer-coated eyes, reflective braids, 30% elongation, an impressive warranty, preferably tested by a WLL (working load limit) company, and is clearly labeled with a breaking strength or WLL.
The kinetic rope specifications that were used would be helpful. Was this a 1″?
Look at the image… you can see it’s a 7/8 x 20′ which is an ideal size for Tacomas.