Who else is using kinetic energy ropes and soft shackles?

I'm an old-school off-roader and my recovery gear consisted of logging chains, tow straps, and a Hi-Lift jack.

I've been watching a YouTube channel for the past few years about a guy who does a ton of off-road recoveries using mostly kinetic energy ropes and soft shackles.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwdVOry0oNF9WIe_3uCfz9Q

He made a believer out of me and now I have a 7/8" 30' kinetic rope and a pair of soft shackles in my gear. I haven't had to use them yet, but am certain they will be far superior to my old gear.

Who else uses them and has actually had to pull someone out?

 

I haven’t had to use my rope yet but have used the soft shackles with my winch several times - they work great and offer some peace of mind over a traditional bow shackle.

 

I carry both a tow strap and recovery rope, though the recovery rope wasn’t termed a kinetic when I bought it. It’s an ARB recovery strap which is different than the super stretchy kinetic ropes, but still stretch quite a bit (something like 15% vs 20% but I’d have to look it up). The tow strap doesn’t really stretch which is great for pulling disabled vehicles around. It also doesn’t soak up the mud and and snow and water like the ARB or a kinetic rope.

I just picked up an inexpensive kinetic rope to try this winter when inevitably someone or something needs extracted. Maybe me. But I’ve been looking at the real deal Yankum for a while. Just want to get a feel for how different it is than they ARB.

I don’t carry chains after a crazy incident when I was in high school involving shingles, a forklift, a sprinkler, 4wd burnouts in my old bronco in the driveway, doing six wheel burnouts in a dually pickup, blasting metal bits into space with enough time to turn off the vehicle and hide in the garage laughing maniacally for what seemed like 5 minutes with my buddies before those metal bits left golf ball sized divots in the concrete, and eventually a 5 ton sandblasting truck.

Interested to hear others’ input.

 

I always carry the following tow strap,kinetic and soft shackles. I usually do alot of recovery’s during the winter here.

 

I haven't picked up a kinetic rope yet, but will be, likely 7/8x30' But I have switched over to soft shackles and a synthetic winch line. Very user friendly and have worked great the few times I've used them.

 

Should have left the guy wearing shorts and tennis shoes in the winter in the ditch...

 

I’d have made them get out and push while I revved it in neutral…

 

Haha. I was out power sliding icy dirt roads in my old bronco one frigid January at midnight years ago. I sent her a little too hard and ended up backwards in a ditch with a sheared steering gear shaft and popped tire bead. At least I had the good sense to wear jeans with my tennis shoes and wind breaker. Just meant I had to run the 6 miles back to a paved road to keep from freezing in the balmy -5F weather whilst being stalked by a mountain lion. But it was fine cuz I had my Swiss Army knife to fend off the would be assassin and deny him a meal.

 

BTW - Yankum is having a 10% off deal right now on their website or through Scamazon.

Code 10JJWW79

 

Just a few minutes ago I picked up a supposedly “new” 7/8 x 20’ bubba rope off Mercari for a good price. We’ll see how new it is.

also, and I hope Colton doesn’t shoot me for this , but hotshot has the 7/8 x 20 bubba rope (in blue.. gotta be blue) for an absolute steal at $170. That’s like $30 cheaper than any other place on the internet; not even taking into account the free shipping and no sales tax. Was about to pull the trigger on it tonight before I found the mercari deal.

 

Used kinetic/recovery straps for a decade now (like the majority of my life ). Tow straps are archaic and dangerous, even when it comes to towing imo a kinetic strap is better because it stops shock loading between both vehicles. Like all things, it requires understanding and correct execution to use, but the capability of a kinetic strap far exceeds most other (non winch) recovery methods. I would never even consider buying a tow strap.

 

That would be me... guilty as charged. I have 3 kinetic ropes, tree savers, static pull straps, soft shackles, metal shackles, ... all kinds of stuff in there

 

Project Farm testing kinetic ropes.

 

Beat me to it.

 

You had me at shingles.

 

Would you folks suggest a 20 foot or 30 foot kinetic rope?

 

What’s the terrain like? More rope = more stretch = more energy but if you’re on tight trails as opposed to open sand you might want a shorter rope. You can double them up to halve the length but I’m pretty sure you lose some efficiency doing so.

 

Always longer, it's easy to shorten a strap, it's impossible to lengthen it.

 

The guy with the nasty sequoia that wheels with the 4R group, has saved me with a little 10-15’ rope. It was in some of those tight areas of box canyon.

 

I have a 30 foot ARB snatch strap. My thought process is with the 20 foot kinetic and recovery boards I should be okay with larger sandy area. Please correct if I'm wrong. I'm still learning and trying to complete my recovery kit. Kinetic rope is the last item.

 

That’s essentially what I carry.

 

I have 30’, 20’, and 10’ kinetic ropes, for everyday carry and use a 30’ kinetic rope is a good choice. Off-road trail use shorter ropes end up being more useful than longer, especially towing broken vehicles. Recently added gear specifically for pulling broken vehicles out of trails, 6’ cheater rope for bridle, and Bubba Ropes made a 10’ kinetic rope for me. Added the full length chafe protector to the rope, that’s the only negative about towing with expensive ropes, they get beat up fast.

 

From that YT video ^^^ at least, it sounds like that Sgt Knots rope is a pretty good deal for someone who isn't out wheeling a lot but wants to have something in the truck just in case.

Anyone have any real world experience with them?

I know you generally get what you pay for, but it's hard to justify $150+ for something that I may (hopefully) never need to use. $50 would be much easier to swallow.

 

I'm getting my kinetic rope from tactical recovery equipment. $80 for 20 footer

 

I forget the brand I have as my 06 DC wasn't bought as much of a wheeling rig, some green thing purchased in town.

One thing to mention is buying kinetic ropes that are oversized. Obviously undersized kinetic straps run the risk of breaking, but oversized (higher working range/ breaking strength) kinetic straps likely won't have as much stretch as you want if you need to take a good run at getting someone tugged out.

We should also remind folks to raise their hood, tailgate etc, where safe to do so, so as to help reduce risk of un-intended projectiles if a recovery point gives way. Even throwing a jacket over a winch line or kinetic strap can help reduce risks.

 

https://youtu.be/NrIR_4IPIbk?si=wvKAKJCwlkKALBMk


Stay safe out there!

 

The weight of the "pulling" vehicle determines the diameter of the rope. The thicker ropes are intended for much heavier pulling vehicle and not to be confused with the size of the vehicle being pulled.

Alan from Yankum Ropes has a write up/video (forget which) on his web site

 

I have 3 static straps of different lengths and 3 kinetic ropes of different lengths and both soft and metal shackles

 

That’s crazy. Good info in that video. 1” kinetic on those vehicles is basically like using a non-kinetic. Glad he’s alright