I want to a buy either a towing rope or snatch strap just in case I need to be towed for what ever reason or get bogged. I don't want cheap or high cost.
Any ideas, looked at Dyneema rope but think it will be at premium price also not sure what would be a suitable length.
Two very different tools for different jobs. Snatch strap is not a tow rope. It is used to jerk you out of a bog situation and should never be used for flat towing. A snatch strap has a definite end of life and should be checked after each use to make sure that it is still in good condition. You also need to ensure that their is no foreign matter caught in the fibers after use. A two rope on the other hand is used to apply an even steady pressure to the towed vehicle. If heading off road or into sand country then I would carry both.
Support what Lewis said - different tools for different jobs.
I carry a "tow strap" everywhere. It is a 3m strap, designed for towing only and has a modicum of stretch. I SOMETIMES carry a snatch strap - that will stretch by up to 1/3 it's length and is used for dynamic recovery purposes.
With all due respect, if you are not sure how to use a snatch strap (through training and experience) please make sure to learn before using one. There's a lot of energy converted when a snatch strap is used - enough to cause serious injury (or worse).
I did forget to add. Never snatch or tow from your towball. It is ok to use the tow hitch by removing the ball and using the pin to connect the strap or tow rope but far better to use the designated tow point on your vehicle. If you are not sure where this is then please look in the owners manual. Tow balls can and do break particularly when used in a snatch. The tow ball, flying through the towed vehicles windscreen has happened before and can result in death or serious injury.
Having spent many years in 4wd clubs the above information supplied is accurate.
The only information I would add after seeing a few near misses from broken towing points etc is to add a dampener such as a old towel etc placed over the snatch strap when being used...could save a life.
Absorbs the energy from the strap should something go amiss.
..... either a towing rope or snatch strap just in case ...........
.... looked at Dyneema rope ........
Just good manners to provide the tow rope or snatch strap if you need a hand. I have seen both destroyed in a single use. Snatch straps used properly are very effective but can be lethal if not used appropriately. Good idea to carry one. Also good idea to look up a few UTube videos to get an idea of what can go wrong. I have refused to help an obvious idiot because I did not want to be responsible for someone getting hurt.
I also carry 14 metres of Dyneema (10mm) with an eye in each end. Weighs 800 grams. Dyneema does not whip around like steel rope might do if it breaks so is inherently a safer option in material choice.
Both items need a bit of care to keep clean and without fraying or nicks or rubbing in use.
Iza
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Iza
Semi-permanent state of being Recreationally Outraged as a defence against boredom during lockdown.
We've pulled quite a few bogged campers out with our snatch strap. We basically have a 4x4 to get us out of trouble not go looking for trouble. We bought our strap from Super Cheap Auto. They have a good range of 4x4 gear at reasonable prices.
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Cheers Keith & Judy
Don't take life too seriously, it never ends well.
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Two totally different products.
Tow straps are for towing and have a max load rating for applying a gently steady load.
Snatch straps are designed to stretch on being yanked hard.
In most cases you only need a tow strap which you use by gently taking up the slack and then gradually pulling yourself (winch) or getting or giving a tow.
Snatch straps are used for violent jerking of a vehicle, such as on sand where the tow vehicle must be moving at pace when the slack is taken up, lest they too become bogged.
If you use a snatch strap for towing or a tow strap for snatching, expect them to prematurely and possibly dangerously fail.
Snatch straps are used for violent jerking of a vehicle,
Don't like that statement. No violent jerking is ever necessary and such action is likely to lead to catastrophic failures of the strap or attachment points. Plenty of UTube videos available to demonstrate this. Snatch straps work by being loaded by the recovery vehicle moving forward at a deliberate pace, not racing off like a drag race start. I have found that it is best to start a bit on the slow side and add commitment in subsequent attempts. Snatching using the minimum effort required to do the job will ensure the maximum life out of the snatch strap.
Iza
__________________
Iza
Semi-permanent state of being Recreationally Outraged as a defence against boredom during lockdown.
We've pulled quite a few bogged campers out with our snatch strap. We basically have a 4x4 to get us out of trouble not go looking for trouble. We bought our strap from Super Cheap Auto. They have a good range of 4x4 gear at reasonable prices.
Could you post some pictures of you snatching those campers out?
Hi Guys.
I would like to thank every one that answered about towing or snatch strap well I bought a 4000mm long strap with a 6000kg breaking load from a rigging supplier in melbourne.
Snatch straps are used for violent jerking of a vehicle,
Don't like that statement. No violent jerking is ever necessary and such action is likely to lead to catastrophic failures of the strap or attachment points. .......
Iza
You miss the point entirely. Perhaps you have never needed a snatch strap, and that is good, but they are completely different to tow straps and are used differently.
Violent jerking is exactly what a snatch strap is for. An NO, they don't pose a danger of breaking or to the vehicles. Snatch straps are stretchy straps. They are designed to stretch and recoil/spring back when you snatch. The recovery vehicle gets up speed and the snatch strap soaks up the yank and springs the bogged vehicle free.
If you use a tow strap when the recovery vehicle is also on deep loose sand or in soft mud you can expect the recovery vehicle to easily become bogged as well.
If your recovery vehicle is on reasonable ground, you don't need to snatch to recover a vehicle, then by all means use a tow strap and do a gently pull by taking up the slack first and then pulling the bogged vehicle free. You may even be able to anchor the recovery vehicle and use winches and the tow strap is used simple as an extension to the winch rope, but there are many instances where a snatch is required to free a vehicle, hence the need for SNATCH STRAPS.
